Cedarville Magazine, Fall 2013

2 | Cedarville Magazine Dr. Thomas White Articulates Vision at Inauguration On October 4, Cedarville inaugurated its 10th President, Dr. Thomas White, as part of the 2013 Homecoming celebration. The ceremony opened with prayer, worship, Scripture reading, and a video greeting from Dr. Paige Patterson, White’s mentor and a member of Cedarville’s Board of Trustees. In a heartfelt tribute, White’s father, Dr. Jerry White, Pastor of Casey Creek Baptist Church in Chesnee, South Carolina, exhorted his son to surrender to God in every area of life. He then read Proverbs 3:5–6 from a Bible that had belonged to White’s grandfather. Nearly four decades of leadership at Cedarville were represented in the participation of former Presidents Dr. Bill Brown and Dr. Paul Dixon. Dr. David Jeremiah ’63, a current board member and son of the late former President Dr. James T. Jeremiah, brought the inaugural address from the book of Joshua. Jeremiah read from Joshua 1:1–9, where God instructs Joshua to “be strong and very courageous” and also to keep “this Book of the Law” always on his heart and on his lips. Jeremiah challenged White saying, “The one thing that will keep you is your commitment to this Book. It was to be Joshua’s passion and the center of his life. Doing what is written inside it is the only way to grow in the knowledge of God.” Lorne Scharnberg, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, presented the presidential medallion, saying, “The Trustees’ unanimous vote reflects our deep confidence in your ability to provide strong academic and Christ-centered leadership for this new chapter at Cedarville. As you assume the office of President, you have been given the sacred trust of this institution and its heritage. You can be assured of our prayers and best wishes as you undertake this honored position.” White signed Cedarville’s doctrinal statement, the first time in University history that has been done during an inauguration ceremony. Dr. James Hilton, Lead Pastor at The Journey at First Baptist Church in Orange City, Florida, then offered a prayer of dedication for White, and Stephanie Armstrong, a personal friend of White and his wife, Joy, prayed specifically for Joy. White focused his remarks on three “ongoing battles for Christian higher education” that frame his vision for Cedarville: theological drift, ministerial neglect, and financial bondage. White affirmed the importance of Cedarville’s doctrinal statement and pledged to maintain a strong Bible minor, a strong chapel program, and biblical integration in every classroom. He restated his goal to increase international missions opportunities for students and equip them for ministry at home. “Cedarville students, faculty, and staff will be producers, not consumers, in both society and the local church,” he said. “We will train students for ministry, as they are ultimately, regardless of their vocation, to be servants in their local churches.” Addressing the rising cost of higher education, White pledged to take steps to make the Cedarville experience more affordable and accessible for students while minimizing their debt, including freezing tuition costs for the upcoming academic year. “We must take the hard road because it is the right road,” he said. “Join me in praying for the Lord to provide scholarship money and endowment to offset costs so we can have a greater impact for the Kingdom of God today and students who are free to go wherever God may call them tomorrow.” The audience applauded as White made it clear that his goal is to position Cedarville University to make an eternal Kingdom impact for Christ. “I don’t want us to just exist and look back 20 years from now and say, ‘We’re still here.’ I want to do something so amazing that everybody says, ‘What happened there?’ and the only answer can be, ‘ God happened there.’” White concluded his address citing the words of Cedarville’s second President, Wilbert Renwick McChesney, who wrote in 1915: “We pray not for lighter tasks, but for greater strength; not for conflicts to be shunned, but for courage and wisdom to meet them.” Dr.Whitewas joinedbyhiswife,Joy,andtheirchildren, Rachel and Samuel. Campus News