Inspire, Fall/Winter 2011

1. Attract World-Class Faculty We are recruiting faculty scholars with national reputation — men and women whose impact will extend beyond the scope of our campus. The research of Dr. Dennis Sullivan, Dr. Mark Smith, and Dr. Elisha Injeti in bioethics, American politics, and pharmaceuticals is already drawing national attention. We are developing a faculty who not only understand culture, but shape it as well. 2. Forge Strategic Relationships We are developing a plan to bring at least 50 opinion-shaping evangelical leaders to our campus for a first-time visit by 2020. We are also seeking to forge deeper relationships with national and international organizations that have missions complementing ours — organizations including Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, Focus on the Family, and the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. 3. Host Culture-Shaping Conversations Based on the success of the immigration conference, we are launching an exciting new series. Over the next four years, Cedarville will host four major conferences that will challenge evangelicals on the economy (2012), sex (2013), race (2014), and culture (2015). Three Keys to Our National Identity becoming known to a much broader constituency of conservative evangelical Christians worldwide who share our vision and calling. We must make sure that potential students around the world perceive and understand the strength of our academic programs, the breadth of programs available, and our ability to equip leaders who are professionally competent and culturally savvy. While our campus continues to add more buildings, the larger challenge for this era is to build our reputation. Shaping How Cedarville Is Heard In order to achieve our vision for 21st century leadership and influence, we are being intentional about entering conversations that will shape both our Church and our nation. Under Cedarville’s Critical Concern Series, we have already hosted conversations on bioethics, sexual orientation, poverty, immigration, and demographic research on how young nonbelievers view the Church. Students were so challenged by last year’s discussion on immigration that they formed a student organization devoted to immigration issues. In October, they helped host a major national conference on this topic (G92: Equipping the Next Generation for an Effective Biblical Response to Immigration). Their goal was to challenge the Church and students at other Christian universities to seize the opportunity to reach out with the Gospel to the more than 12 million undocumented workers who live among us, and to think about an approach to immigration that reflects values like respect for individuals, support for families, stewardship of resources, and national security. At the heart of Cedarville’s expanding national reputation is the God-given mandate for Christians to be world changers and Kingdom builders. This requires leaders who understand God’s Word, keep Jesus at the center, and are not afraid to enter debates that have eternal significance. Dr. Carl Ruby ’83 is the vice president for student life at Cedarville. You may contact him at rubyc@cedarville.edu. “We must be intentional about becoming known to a much broader constituency of conservative evangelical Christians.” Provide a Your gift to the Cedarville Fund supports the bedrock elements of the student experience: daily chapel, Christian ministries, world-class academics, the Bible minor, and student scholarships to name a few. Help us give students a firm foundation! Visit cedarville.edu/firmfoundation or use the enclosed envelope to give your year-end gift today!