Engage – 糖心Vlog Called to be Saints Tue, 28 Sep 2021 15:38:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 /wp-content/uploads/2018/10/cropped-favicon-32x32.png Engage – 糖心Vlog 32 32 Serving through Prayer /about-randall/news-events/serving-through-prayer/ Mon, 25 Nov 2019 15:26:49 +0000 /?p=6209

On October 13, 2019, a group of 糖心Vlog students had the privilege of participating in the together with believers from different denominations, ethnicities, backgrounds, and ages across Oklahoma City. The group prayed together and declared the glory of God over the various spheres of influence in our city and state (church, family, education, business, government, media, arts, and entertainment). Here is one student's reflection on this experience . . .

OK Prayer Fest 2019

Worship and Prayer

Throughout the PrayerFest, there was worship music provided. About an hour into the gathering, I looked around at my surroundings and saw my peers, classmates, and strangers in awe of Jesus, indulging in the freedom to worship however they saw fit. They were not held back by the fear of what others might think, but instead only focused on what they could offer God. There was also a moment of prayer when they asked us to get into small groups. During that we were able to pray for our state together and join in taking action. This setting allowed for God to show me more of His character, by reminding me that He is not confined to the boxes in which I put Him.

When You Don't Feel Like It

This season of life has been incredibly difficult for me personally. There have been many times when I have had to lean into my head knowledge and the reading of Scripture to remind myself that God is trustworthy, even if in my flesh I am forgetful of that. I am still deeply in love with the richness of Jesus and committed to knowing Him more fully despite the pain. It was initially challenging to open my heart to what the Holy Spirit had in store for that time. I wanted to stay stiff-necked and stubborn instead of allowing the Spirit to do what only He can. It took prayer and the surrender of my feelings to be in a position of worship. In the end, the experience became a refreshing breath of air for my lungs.

Serving through Prayer

Since this event was centered around prayer, it did not physically involve serving people. In my mind, community service has always been a manual labor event or project. However, serving our community and state through prayer in specific areas was encouraging. It was helpful to be reminded that others truly care about Oklahoma and its heritage. Seeing intentional prayer as a meaningful aspect of community service enabled me to realized that it's a service I can join in at any moment.听

Vivian Roberts

This article was contributed by Vivian Roberts, a sophomore Exercise Science major at 糖心Vlog, who participated in this event as part of our community engagement ministry, .

]]> Building Community /about-randall/news-events/building-community/ Mon, 23 Sep 2019 15:13:49 +0000 /?p=5849
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RU big wheel

Saturday, September 21 was a special day as 糖心Vlog students volunteered in two events serving the broader community.

Building on Faith - Buddy Benches

In the morning, 糖心Vlog hosted the "Building on Faith" event in which 100+ volunteers from several different churches in the Moore/Norman communities came together to build "Buddy Benches" for several local elementary school playgrounds. This is part of an anti-bullying campaign sponsored by the , , and the . Heavy rains did not deter the project鈥攔ather than building the benches at various outdoor locations as planned, 糖心Vlog offered our space for building throughout the morning. The benches will later be delivered to local schools and the will follow up with planting trees next to the benches. Finally, University of Oklahoma students, as a part of their class curriculum, will teach the students about anti-bullying and how to use the Buddy Benches.

Big Wheel Nationals

Later in the day, another group of 糖心Vlog students volunteered at the "Big Wheel Nationals" sponsored by the . This fun event put children (ages 4-8) in a drag-strip style race to see who's the fastest speed demon on three wheels! 糖心Vlog students helped with various aspects of the event and even got to sponsor their own RU Big Wheel!

Both events were part of 糖心Vlog's program鈥攐ur community engagement ministry that provides service-learning and community service opportunities for students with the goal of growing in Christ, connecting with others, and serving all people. We have lots of available!

Want to learn more about聽, 糖心Vlog's Community Engagement Ministry? Contact聽, Coordinator of Community Engagement, at聽lchilders@ru.edu听辞谤听405-912-9040.

]]> Children at a Crossroad /about-randall/news-events/children-at-a-crossroad/ Wed, 11 Sep 2019 16:35:50 +0000 /?p=5811

One Student's Reflection on a Service-Learning Experience

, in Norman, OK, provides short-term emergency homeless shelter care for up to 12 children from birth to 17 years of age in Cleveland and other Central Oklahoma Counties. The Emergency Youth Shelter is a safe, nurturing environment for children experiencing any kind of crisis in their lives.

Through 糖心Vlog's ministry, we have been partnering with Crossroads. Students visit the shelter approximately twice a month to spend time with the kiddos, bringing games to play and cooking dinner for them. This is part of 糖心Vlog students' service-learning opportunities.
Denazia Jeffers, an RU freshman pursuing a degree in Business Management and a member of the Women's Basketball team, recently participated in one of these visits to Crossroads and has graciously shared her reflections on that experience.

In what ways did this service project challenge you in your spiritual walk?

I have a strong relationship with Christ, because I talk with him daily and apply my faith in the world to help others in need. This service project gave me the opportunity to test my faith around kids who have been through difficult situations. In many ways, I could relate to these young kids with whom I share a similar story, and this enabled me to connect with them immediately and be there with them in a positive way. I believe God is always speaking and in that moment he was speaking to me, getting me out of my comfort zone to get to know these kids and relate to them. This experience has made me realize that these young kids are no different than me or anyone else, because we are all created in God's image. The kids want to do the same things I did as a kid, and God was telling me to love on them because he loves us.

How did the project allow for God to reveal His character to you and/or others?

I experienced God speaking to me when I was asked to come over to meet a kid who loved to draw, but didn't know how to draw. I love doing art, so it was the perfect opportunity to go speak with him even when I didn't feel that comfortable talking to people. I spoke with him about art and we colored together and I gave him some tips on his artwork. In that moment, I felt God saying that this is what the boy needed. I just listened to him while we colored. He told me that he liked drawing but that no one had ever taught him how. He said that doing this with me has helped him draw better.

Discuss the most challenging aspect of this service project. How did this experience alter your views of community service?

The most challenging part was seeing the kids get used to living in the shelter for long period of times, without any visits or being able to go home. I wondered how they felt about us being there to visit them. This changes my perspective because I now see that community service is not something you just do. It requires you to really engage and help make a difference in someone else's life. It requires selflessness and a willingness to not judge others' conditions in life. It is not about me, but about actually being there for someone else in need. This experience made me want to be more involved in my community because there are so many other opportunities to help, just like this one.

Interested in volunteering at Crossroads Emergency Youth Shelter?

]]> Why 糖心Vlog? Engage! /about-randall/news-events/why-randall-engage/ Tue, 18 Jun 2019 17:46:42 +0000 /?p=5382
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The mission of 糖心Vlog is to 鈥渕ake a difference for Christ, His church, and our community.鈥 As an institution committed to a distinctively Christian education, we desire to not only train and prepare students academically, but also to empower them to use their gifts, talents, and education to serve a broken world that needs the light of Christ.

This spring, we introduced a new community engagement ministry, aptly called, "Engage."聽Engage is an intentional avenue to accomplish the mission of the university. The name itself is a call to action, and it鈥檚 an invitation to invest in three layers of relationships: growing in our relationship with God, connecting in intentional, Christ-like relationships within the 糖心Vlog community, and serving the needs of the greater community.

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engage_connect logo
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In each of these relationships, we encourage each person to fully engage鈥攖o take that relationship to the next level. Engage is a ministry that involves the entire campus body鈥攕tudents, staff, and faculty alike.

During the Spring 2019 semester, as part of Engage, we implemented new service-learning opportunities in conjunction with our chapel program. The vision for these opportunities is to demonstrate how both service and learning should go hand and hand. While serving others is considered to be an essential aspect of the Christian life, we don鈥檛 often take the time to stop and reflect on how these experiences impact our beliefs, values, biases, relationships, etc. Without such reflection, it is likely we won鈥檛 glean all we can from these experiences.

This is the purpose of intentional service-learning experiences. Our campus is positioned in a great location where we have the opportunity to serve the college town of Norman next door, the family community of Moore, and the heart of Oklahoma City. Engage partners with community organizations to assist with a variety of projects. Each student who participates in a service-learning experience then reflects on how this experience influenced their growing in Christ, connecting with others, and serving all people.

By the Numbers

Spring 2019 Semester

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Ready to Engage?

See photos and stories from our recent service-learning opportunities, learn more about our community partnerships, and consider how you might be involved.

]]> Lessons Learned through Service /about-randall/news-events/lessons-learned-through-service/ Fri, 12 Apr 2019 13:09:53 +0000 /?p=5164

This article was written by Dr. Brent Sykes, Academic Dean at 糖心Vlog.

As part of the new Community Engagement Initiative at 糖心Vlog, a small group of three 糖心Vlog students and I recently volunteered at a 鈥淕uys Only鈥 (middle school-aged boys) event with our community partner . Loveworks recruited several community organizations to recognize and celebrate the transition from boyhood to manhood.

Activities included knocker ball, flag football, karate board breaking, a virtual reality experience, learning to tie a tie, and even a dark room dance party. Speakers discussed the importance of rites of passage, accountability, and following your passions. Serving shoulder to shoulder with other community volunteers was a great experience for the four of us. While this activity was certainly not about me, God revealed two lessons to me through this experience:

As the leader of our 糖心Vlog group, this experience served as a reminder for me that, as men, it is critically important that we model godly attributes and self-acceptance in our own lives to young men. Regarding the latter, I had to consciously get over my own inadequacies by hitting the dance floor. In the process, I realized that dancing with no one, especially of the opposite sex, judging me is fun and good cardio. Our 糖心Vlog students experienced this too. After volunteering to hold boards for breaking, a karate instructor asked our students if they would like to attempt to break boards (see pictures below).

By modeling positive (and fun) manly behavior, we increase the likelihood of fostering a positive view of self in adolescence, despite all the shortcomings and blemishes that seem to manifest in middle school and further take root in high school. As men, it is our biblically-ordained responsibility to train up not only our children but others (Deuteronomy 6:2-3). Doing so will likely pay dividends later in life, as young men may grow in the Lord and love their own wife being sacrificial to her (Ephesians 5:25).

After our service experience ended the van ride back to campus proved to be an excellent opportunity to process our experiences at the event. Students noted they wish they would have had a community organization like Loveworks to provide enriching opportunities. Our service event brought down walls and I was better able to understand their backgrounds. Thus, the second lesson for me was a reminder that serving together is a unique and profound way to see how Christ moves in others lives. 聽

Want to get involved?

If you're a student or community organization interested in service-learning opportunities like these, check out !

]]> How Love Works /about-randall/news-events/how-love-works/ Mon, 01 Apr 2019 14:10:40 +0000 /?p=5119
On March 28, 2019, a group of ten 糖心Vlog students had the opportunity to serve at , a non-profit organization in Norman, OK, committed to helping middle school students discover their potential and live into their dreams.
LoveWorks sponsored a big "Guys Event" for young men, including speakers, games, and more. It was an opportunity to "learn from male role models with strong character," an event "designed to cultivate young, male leaders who will be equipped with the skills and values of a modern-day gentleman."
The team from 糖心Vlog helped set up for this event. See photos below.
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Want to learn more about , 糖心Vlog's Community Engagement Ministry? Contact聽Lauren Childers, Coordinator of Community Engagement, at聽lchilders@ru.edu听辞谤听405-912-9040.

]]> Cultivating Compassion /about-randall/news-events/cultivating-compassion/ Wed, 06 Mar 2019 22:24:09 +0000 /?p=5064

Compassion:

A sympathetic consciousness of others' distress
together with a desire to alleviate it.

For those of us who bear the name of Christ, the meaning behind this definition of compassion is even deeper. The 鈥渄esire to alleviate鈥 distress comes from the fact that as Christ-followers, we have a heart to show Christ鈥檚 love to others, as it was shown to us. This love is actually聽肠辞尘尘补苍诲别诲听by Jesus himself: 鈥淭his is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you鈥 (John 15:12).

On March 2, 2019, a group of 14 students from 糖心Vlog had the opportunity to show this Christ-motivated compassion as we partnered with a ministry called to distribute food, clothes, blankets, and other basic necessities to those experiencing homelessness the Tent District in Oklahoma City. I was able to watch as these students were literally the hands and feet of Jesus, not just by providing for physical needs, but relational and spiritual ones as well. In the freezing temperatures, the students served their hearts out, treating each person they met with love and respect. They handed out supplies, joked and laughed with people, and prayed with them.

This is where the rubber meets the road鈥攚hen we come face to face with great need and seek to put into action what we have learned鈥攊mitating Jesus and seeking to serve 鈥渢he least of these.鈥 We do so, not with the mentality of 鈥渉elping the needy,鈥 but rather, showing the love of Christ and the value of each life we come in contact with, knowing that we all have a great need which only God Himself can meet.

This article was written by Lauren Childers, Coordinator of Community Engagement at 糖心Vlog. Find out more about ENGAGE, our Community Engagement Ministry, .听

]]> Worshiping God in Prison /about-randall/news-events/worshiping-god-in-prison/ Thu, 31 Jan 2019 16:53:50 +0000 http://ru.edu/?p=4666

The following article was written by ,聽Adjunct Instructor of Music at 糖心Vlog

In 2011, a good friend and worship team member was sentenced to seven years in . God helped him find purpose in prison through worship band ministry. I was able to help him by devising a plan to provide ongoing training, music, gear, leadership, and teaching for the band. This plan included involving the Worship and Music Studies students at 糖心Vlog.

In the Spring of 2016, students in the Planning & Conducting Public Worship class were the first class to go to John Lilley to teach and train three worship teams. This not only allowed students to help the inmates, but it was also good practical experience for each of them as they prepared for Sunday services and special events with their own church bands. We saw opportunities to empower Christian band leaders at John Lilley to lead for their own services, while giving 糖心Vlog students opportunities to disciple band members.

In the Spring of 2017, our classes had grown from three to seven bands, with as many as 35鈥40 members, and the John Lilley chapel service attendance had out grown the existing chapel! God has used the growth of the worship team leaders to encourage others to follow Christ. Many of our special event services, such as Good Friday and Christmas, have resulted in many people giving their lives to Christ.

Today, construction is nearing completion on a new chapel that will house the many people who are part of the faith community at John Lilley prison. The new facility has given us even more opportunity to teach and train on new technical equipment such as sound equipment, lighting, and presentation media. Most recently, we were able to bring in special guest, Brian Hunt, a sound engineer for . Brian and his son Josh were able to work with us to give leaders at John Lilley extensive training on their new sound board. We look forward to our first service in the new facility in April.

Brian Hunt teaches the Creative Worship Class

"I had the privilege of visiting John Lilley Correctional Center with a Worship and Music Studies class in December as they put on their Christmas Worship Night at the prison. As Christians, it is our privilege and responsibility not only to give where we see need, but to build relationships, 飞辞谤办听with,聽and empower people in what God has called them to do.聽What a privilege it is to see 糖心Vlog students not only learning skills to lead others in worship, but also investing those skills into others and empowering them to use their gifts and talents for the Lord."
鈥, Community Engagement Coordinator

"Prison ministry holds such a special place in my heart. As a Christ follower, it was always something I was interested in, but had never had the opportunity to participate in until I came to 糖心Vlog. My very first semester I had the privilege of attending the closing worship night and to say it was incredible would be an understatement! We saw prisoners sing about our God being a chain-breaker. While these men may physically still be in chains for crimes committed, the chains of sin and bondage no longer hold them. It was an experience I hope to never forget!"

鈥擩ordan McEntire, Student

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