Inspire, Fall 2001

,VtiIt' Inubizmmmmmivfftwiti President's Pen My weekend journeys take me to churches located all around our great nation. Every week I meet alumni. Some alumni are members of the church where I am speaking,and others have noted my schedule and have chosen to join me in the service. These graduates make my day!I am pleased that it is so evident they value church.In addition to valuing church,a high percentage of our graduates are also vitally involved in local church ministries. Our mission statement continues to be the same as when you were a student. Cedarville exists "to provide an education consistent with biblical truth." There are seven objectives listed to support our purpose.The second objective is "to encourage growth in Christian character in each student and to help the student accept responsibility for faithful Christian service." We believe that helping our students "find their place in faithful Christian service" is important for us and for the young men and women who choose to be part of our Cedarville family. You will remember the strong emphasis that we have on fulfilling the Great Commission,not only locally in the Miami Valley, but also nationally and worldwide. The dedication service we have in the spring MIS chapel has always been a highlight of the year and is an indication ofhow students here value that emphasis. Reaching a world for Christ continues to have a high priority on our campus. I am excited to hear of the numerous graduates who keep that priority and choose to use part of their summers in some form of ministry. Alumni ask mefrom time to time how Mrs.Dixon and I spend our summers.The months are busy, but different. There are not the responsibilities on campus as there are during the academic year. We enjoy some vacation time, and I speak in numerous conferences and churches. We also have our annual administrative planning retreat, which includes the entire team of the president and vice presidents along with our wives. This has proven most profitable for the direction of Cedarville and also brings all the couples closer together in this bonding experience. One of my special opportunities this summer was the invitation to meet with President Bush in Washington,D.C.on his "faith- based initiative." A number of leaders in Christian higher education were requested to join him in this discussion. While in D.C.,I was able to have an enjoyable lunch with several grads and current students who are working on "the Hill." Summer is a grand time for ministry. The entire year will give us divine appointments as we are sensitive to His leading. May all of us in the Cedarville family continue to devote our lives to bring others into the family of God. Paul Dixon'94H President 4 Fall 2001 Fall Bible Conference Features Knute Larson C edarville University's 2001 Fall Bible Conference kicked off on September 17 with guest speaker Knute Larson, senior pastor of The Chapel in Akron, Ohio. He spent the morning sessions speaking about "Four Beginnings in Genesis," while he focused on "Four Hard Questions" in the evening services. Senior pastor of The Chapel since 1983, Pastor Larson leads a congregation of 7,000 and a pastoral staff of 19. He is known for his daily one-minute radio and TV spots. Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Pastor Larson holds a doctorate of ministry from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a master of divinity degree from Grace Theological Seminary. Besides preaching, he enjoys getting involved in leadership, community activities, communications, basketball, and windsurfing. The Fall Bible Conference concluded on September 21. For information on how to order cassettes or CDs of the conference, contact the CDR Radio Network at 1-800-333-0601. Cedarville Administrator Featured at Oxford University C edarville University's Dr. Martin Clark, vice president for development, recently spoke at the Oxford Round Table at Oxford University in England. This year's Round Table, which is an annual invitational symposium for the future of higher education, focused on higher education finance. In his address, "College and University Financing: A Contrarian Approach," Dr. Clark advanced Cedarville's successful free market approach to financial management, which differs from more typical approaches to higher education funding. Each address was followed by reactions from a selected panel and by open discussion among the delegates. Part of the Cedarville family since 1974, Dr. Clark has served as vice president for development since 1984.