Torch, Summer 1989

I .. 1 I ! ... likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God , even to them who believe on His name" (John 1:12). From that turning point in our lives, we must have as a priority the lifestyle of excellence. Every detail of our lives is important to God. He paid for us ; He bought us with the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. ln this slovenly, careless, ill-man– nered society, we believers should be the contrast. We are called to be non– conformists in this world according to Romans 12:1,2. Therefore, excellence demands that we Christians mind our manners . God deliver us from being satisfied with mediocrity in our man– ners. Many years ago it was written, "It is a wretched waste to be gratified with mediocrity when the excellent lies before us ." Our manners are important in public as well as in the privacy of our homes. They should be evident in the way we treat family members, best friends, and strangers. In the workplace, at school, in the church, on the street, or at our dinner table, our manners must be a priority and must honor God. The challenge in I Corinthians 10:31 is to do all to God 's glory. And the demand of Colossians 3:23 is to do all things "heartily, as to the Lord." In other words , we are to do all things with excellence. This includes manners. Seldom do individual Christians or Christian organjzations give much attention to this important subject. This issue of the TORCH tackles this timely topic because it is important to us at Cedarville College. We know it is important to God. We desire to honor God with an emphasis to our College family on quality and excellence. I often share with our student body this quote from Bernard of Clairvaux, "Perfection consists of doing common and every– day things in an uncommon way and not in doing great things nor in doing • • Dr. Paul Dixon, President Richland, WA- First Baptist Church, Aug.3 Beaverton, ONT - Fair Havens Bible Conference, Aug. 5-12 Middletown, OH-Grace Baptist Church , Aug.17 Crossville,TN- Tabernacle Baptist Church, Aug. 24 Indian Mills, NJ-Shawnee Baptist Church, Sept. 9-10 Columbus, OH- Skyview Ranch Banquet, Marriott Inn North, Sept. 15 Akron, OH- Skyview Ranch Banquet, Quaker Square Hilton, Sept. 16 Cleveland, OH-Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Sept.17 Danville, IN-First Baptist Church, Oct. 1 Columbus, OH-Clintonville Baptist Church, Oct. 8 Cedarville, OH- Homecoming, State of the College Address, Oct.13 Elizabethtown, PA-Mt. Calvary Church, Oct. 27-29 Dr. James T. Jeremiah, Chancellor Chardon,OH-Chardon Baptist Church, Aug. 6 Naples, NY - "Strength for Today" Bible Conference, Aug. 7-10 Eagle River, Ml-Gitchee Gurnee Bible Conference, Aug. 14-19 Fairborn, OH-Grand Ave. Baptist Church, Sept.10 Fort Wayne, IN- Shoaff Park Baptist Church, Sept. 17 Chillicothe, OH- Calvary Baptist Church, Sept.21-24 Thousand Oaks, CA- Thousand Oaks Baptist Church, Oct. 1-4 La Grange, OH- First Baptist Church, Oct. 6-8 Berea, OH- Berean Baptist Church, Oct. 15 Mt. Pleasant, PA-Pennsville Baptist Church, Oct. 22-25 Allegany, NY -Allegany Baptist Church , Oct. 29-Nov. 1 CONTENTS Excellence Demands that We Christians Mind Our Manners Dr. Paul Dixon 2 It Matters to Major on Manners Dr. David Moore 4 Why Have We Trashed Manners? Interviews with Cedarville College Faculty Members 7 Church Mannerisms Pat Dixon 10 Nothing But Wind in a Tire Morris Chalfant 12 Campus News 13 CREDITS Editor Dr. Martin Clark Graphics Les Troyer Managing Editor Ron Coriell Photography Lonnie Richards Associate Editors Martha Baldwin Rebekah Coriell Proofreader Marilyn Henderson TORCH Vol. 11 , No. 3, Summer Issue, 1989 Published by: Cedarville College Box 601 Cedarville, OH 45314 NO PAID SUBSCRIPTIONS The Cedarville College TORCH is published quarterly for the alumni and friends of Cedarville College. Comments and requests for reprints should be directed to: Ron Coriell TORCH Managing Editor