Browsing: Faith

“Mary has poured so much of her heart and passion into her clothing brand, Joyful, to spread the same message of the joy that is found in Christ,” Ellsworth said. “I know she has impacted so many people through her brand, and I’m so lucky to have walked alongside her and to see the way that she continues to inspire others.”

“We don’t need to worry about what’s going to happen to our democracy, because the end of all things is the reign of God over all people and over this land,” Baksa said. “That’s what we have to look forward to — not the victory of one candidate or another.”

The government’s role should be to protect the rights of all citizens, regardless of their religious or philosophical beliefs. This will let each person follow their conscience freely, whether that leads them to embrace the Christian faith, another religion or no religion at all. Enforcing religious beliefs through law undermines the freedom of conscience that is essential to our faith.

“I really, really appreciated that the university took the initiative to allow us to have an official voice and an official presence,” Jortner said. “There’s a big difference between one professor in the theater program arguing for something and an organization of faculty saying, ‘We speak as one, and this is a concern.’”

Within the first week on campus, flyers promoting services and ministries will be scattered in the Student Union Building and various churches will table on Fountain Mall. With endless possibilities and opportunities, students may attend services and events at numerous churches. This routine is well known as ‘church shopping.’

Amid the business and stress of Move2BU and the commencement of classes this new semester, there’s fun to be had downtown and all around. So whether you’re fresh to Baylor or returning, here are some happenings to introduce you (or reintroduce you) to the Waco scene.

One of the most important things to remember is that the revival doesn’t only exist in “thin spaces” or events that ignite this passion among our generation of believers. The moments and the time after are what truly matter. It is easy to live stagnant, knowing and trusting God’s plan for you, but there are no limits, and there should never be a point at which you stop actively pursuing your faith.

A lot of us may embrace and engage in the large prayer tent on Fountain Mall and various conversations surrounding the three-day Christianpalooza, also known as FM72. There is beauty in having a space for that on a college campus. However, this is one of numerous examples of public, almost performative, Christianity at Baylor.

When you replace the word of God and the seriousness of going to church by making it a popularity contest, you start to lose people. There is something so beautiful about having a diverse mixture of friends — some who share your beliefs and some who don’t.

“I feel like that’s when I had a moment of commitment,” said Yeager, a San Mateo, Calif., sophomore who was recently named Highland Baptist Church’s youngest-ever College Guys Associate. “For the first time, I understood what that meant of like, ‘Oh yeah, I want to be committed to the Lord every day, and I want to live a life for him — worthy of the Lord in every way and bearing fruit in every good work.’”

Everything needs faith to grow, and Baylor has it like no other university. It’s not just because Baylor is a Christian university or because the tuition we pay gives us a high-quality education. It’s something professors, like students, have to do: wake up every day to give something.