Homecoming, 2019

Thursday – October 31, 2019

11:00 a.m. Recent Alumni Recognition Award Chapel Shortess Chapel (Come hear the heart of our recent alumni as we honor them)

6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Music Through the Ages rehearsal Shortess Chapel

Friday – November 1, 2019

8:00 - 10:45 a.m. Homecoming Check-in Alumni Center

8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Breakfast available for purchase in the Cafeteria

9:15 - 10:45 a.m. Class Reunions Various locations ’59, ’69, ’79, ’89, ’99, ’09 reunions

11:00 - 12:00 p.m. Alumni of the Year Chapel Doug (’67) & Alleene Petty (’68) Kracht Shortess Chapel

12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Student/Alumni Lunch *** ($8) Cafeteria Find the organization or group that you were a part of during your time at CBC/CIU and enjoy lunch with the students. (RAs/Res life, Sports, Yearbook, Student Mission Fellowship, CIU Players/Drama, and others)

1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Attend a Class Schedule provided in the Homecoming booklet (See the new classrooms in Fisher and the new Business and IT Building)

2:00 - 4:30 p.m. Class Reunions Various locations

2:30 - 3:00 p.m. Campus Tours Meet in front of the Administration Bldg (See the campus renovations of Fisher and Shortess and tour the new Business and IT Building)

2:00 – 4:30 p.m. Homecoming Check-in Alumni Center

3:00 p.m. Music Through the Ages rehearsal in Shortess Chapel

6:00 – 7:30 p.m. President's Banquet *** ($20) Moore Fitness Center

8:00 – 9:00 p.m. Music Through the Ages with the Ambassador Choir and Cola Worships Shortess Chapel

9:30 p.m. Fireworks

9:30 p.m. Homecoming Bonfire and ‘Smores The Pointe

Saturday - November 2, 2019

8:00 - 10:45 a.m. Homecoming Check-in Alumni Center

8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Breakfast with Alumni of the Year Doug & Alleene Kracht McKey/Cafeteria

9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Professor/Alumni Meet-n-Greet Cafeteria

10:00 - 12:00 p.m. Class Reunions Various Locations

10:00 - 12:00 p.m. Disc Golf Tournament

10:00 - 2:00 p.m. Bouncy House and Activities Quad

10:00 – 12:00 p.m. Student led activities: spike ball, volleyball, corn hole Quad

12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Picnic Lunch *** ($8 adult/$4 for children 12 & under) Quad

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Student volleyball championship game (tournament throughout the week) Quad

1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Home Run Derby Softball field (Try your hand at the Home Run Derby and other games on the softball field with coach Sara Allen and her team.)

1:00 –6:00 p.m. Volleyball Games Moore Fitness Center

1:00 p.m. CIU vs Reinhardt University

3:00 p.m. Reinhardt University vs Michigan-Dearborn

5:00 p.m. CIU vs. University of Michigan-Dearborn

5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Dinner available for purchase

6:00 p.m. CIU Bowl Ben Lippen Football Field

*** paid events

Chapel This Week

Grad Life will be having Chapel on Wednesday, October 30 at 11:00 a.m. in Pamplin Auditorium. 

Chick-fil-A lunch afterward! 

2019 Alumni of the year: Alleene Petty Kracht (’68) and Doug Kracht (’67)

Doug and Alleene have been missionaries since 1972, initially serving with World Team, Inc., and later cooperatively with World Witness (ARP). They have also served on the faculty of Jamaica Bible College. Throughout their ministry, God has used Doug’s audio-visual abilities and Alleene’s gift of teaching to spread the gospel in a variety of ways including church planting, educating students with learning differences, and producing evangelistic materials in digital and printed formats. Their work has made an impact throughout much of Latin America, including Cuba, as well as in Spain.

Dean's Devos: "The Essence of Paul’s Theology"

by Dr. John Harvey

For Paul, men and women exist in either of two spheres: “in Adam” or “in Christ.” The transfer from one sphere to the other can only be accomplished by God, on the basis of grace, through faith, apart from works, law, or religious ritual. Colossians 1:13 captures this paradigm perfectly when Paul writes that God “rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son.” The paradigm also raises an important question: Where do you want to live—in the domain of darkness or in the kingdom of God’s Son?

Global Networking Event

ALUMNI! 

At Homecoming this year we are hosting our first annual GLOBAL NETWORKING EVENT for students and alumni! We would love to see you there! Bring your business card and RSVP at ciu.edu/hc19 

World Christian Week

Alumni Spotlight: Ricky James (MDiv, 2014)

Since graduating from CIU I have been providing spiritual guidance as it relates to pastoral counseling (including spiritual and mental health/psychiatric assessments, evaluations, and therapy); teaching and preaching God's Word. Pastoring a congregation (Hickory Hill Baptist Church' Orangeburg SC. Preaching weekly sermons, weekly Sunday School, and Bible studies & prayer services. 

How has my degree helped me? 

In a nutshell: "To know Him and make Him known." In other words, develop effective study strategies; prepare timely sermons; depend on consistent prayer life; submit myself to my spiritual calling; deny myself and tey as much as I am able to follow after Jesus' teaching (this I am constantly developing). 

Alumni Spotlight: Cole Harper

I am currently the Area Director of Newberry County Young Life in Newberry, SC. After graduating CIU in 2015, I went on full-time staff with Young Life. I worked one year in northeast Columbia, SC, establishing a new ministry at Westwood High School. Then I got married in July 2016 to my wife, Tori, and we moved to Newberry to oversee Young Life in this county. We have established a new ministry at Mid-Carolina High School, and I have just completed my third year on staff here. It’s a dream job, God has been gracious to me to let me do it!

My Bible degree and Youth Ministry degree has both helped me not only to be a spiritual leader to the teenagers in Newberry County, but also my volunteer leaders and my adult committee as well! 

Grace To You

Program Highlight: Master of Arts

Columbia Biblical Seminary’s Master of Arts degrees offer you both a solid biblical-theological foundation and the specialized skills you need to succeed in the ministry to which God has called you.

You will complete your M.A. degree in 48 hours. If you have already completed 30 hours of Bible and Theology courses, you will have increased flexibility in both your core courses and your elective options.

You can choose the M.A. degree that allows you to focus on your area of special interest: Bible Exposition, Global Studies, Ministry Care, Ministry Leadership, Theological Studies, or Youth Ministry Leadership.

Program Highlight: Bible Exposition (MA, MDiv)

Let Your Requests Be Made Known

CIU Chancellor Bill Jones honored at Jones Center dedication

Dr. Smith (l) with Dr. Jones (r)

Jones also surprised with South Carolina’s highest civilian award

By Naomi Balk and Bob Holmes

Over 200 guests and VIPs came together to celebrate the dedication of the William H. Jones Global Business & IT Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a luncheon. Built to train ministering professionals to impact nations with the message of Christ, the $20 million, 44,000 square-foot building was named in honor of CIU’s sixth president who currently serves as chancellor and whose life has been dedicated to spreading the message of Christ.

“This is Dr. Bill Jones’ day where we honor him for the many lives that have been impacted and his role in getting us to where we are as a community,” said CIU President, Dr. Mark Smith during the ceremony. “I think that it’s important to put our spiritual mission to work in practical ways by investing in Monticello Road and the surrounding communities.”

Built at the entrance to the CIU campus, the Center is a vessel ready to pour into the community, assisting in economic development along the Monticello Road corridor.

Richland County Council Chairman Paul Livingston called it a great day for CIU and the community.

“Every conversation we had with CIU has also included a conversation about our community and that says a whole lot about CIU,” Livingstone told the crowd gathered in the Jones Center.

Columbia City Councilman Sam Davis echoed the sentiment.

“CIU does an excellent Job reaching out to the community,” Davis said, “Economically, this (Center) will help to increase business development and offer resources.”

Lexington County State Representative Chip Huggins has noticed careful planning and prayer by CIU that led to this day.

“They have involved the folks in the Midlands and around the state in the conversation and decisions that they made for the programs,” Huggins said. “[They’ve been asking] what the employers are looking for and recognizing that from the start.”

It was under Jones presidency that CIU first started a business course, then a business minor, then CIU’s fastest growing major. Today, there is a School of Business & Professional Studies headquartered in the Jones Center.

CIU Board of Trustees member Adrian Despres calls Jones “a master organizer always envisioning the next thing happening,” adding, “This is his vision: He wants to win the world for Christ. And that is what this building is all about.”

After many people and organizations were recognized for their part in the building of the Jones Center, its namesake was surprised with a very special honor from the South Carolina Governor’s Office: The Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor awarded to citizens of South Carolina for extraordinary lifetime service and achievements of national or statewide significance.

Jones facial expression was that of shock when the presentation was made.

“I feel like I should not receive the award,” Jones said. “It was truly a surprise and so humbling.”

After the festivities, Jones explained his vision for the business program as a training ground for CIU students who may not be called to be “professional ministers,” such as pastors and traditional missionaries, but “ministering professionals.”

“These are people who are being trained in the same way about Scripture and inner character so that they can create a positive godly influence [in the marketplace],” Jones said. “Right now, I am pouring my life into 14 key businessmen downtown. Here’s how we say it: we want to transform the spiritual landscape of Columbia. It’s exciting, and this [Business Center] will be the epicenter.”

Columbia International University consistently ranks among the Top Regional Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report. Excitement is growing on campus with CIU’s first baseball program in development and new academic programs such as the Doctor of Ministerial Leadership. Request information on enrollment at CIU and Columbia Biblical Seminary or call (800) 777-2227, ext. 5024.

Alumni Spotlight: Qiang Fu

After graduated from CIU in December 2010 with MA, I began to serve house churches in China. My service involved Bible teaching and pastoring. Particularly I pastored a house church in Beijing for nearly three years. Five brothers and sisters from this church came to the States for seminary studies including one at CIU. I also helped the leadership training of TEE China and connected it with CIU Chinese program. As well, I served as a teaching assistant of CIU Chinese program from 2011-2014.

From June 2014, I started a PhD program in OT at TEDS of Trinity International University. I am now at the last stage of writing my dissertation, and plan to finish it in December this year. During my dissertation writing stage, I settled down in Berkeley in 2017 and have helped Berkeley Chinese Visiting Scholar Fellowship and Berkeley Chinese Student Fellowship since then. In last two years, there are 12 people accepted the Lord in these two fellowships.

What I learned at CIU and from Prof. Luc not only equipped me with an effective serving in China but also provided me with theological insights for my current dissertation. I am so grateful.

I wish CIU continue to impact church growth around the world!

Happy Birthday!

Homecoming, November 1-2, 2019

Click Through to Register

• Class Reunions – Friday and Saturday
• Be inspired by the Alumni of the Year Doug (’67) and Alleene Petty (’68) Kracht
• Friday lunch: students and alumni from similar organizations throughout the years will get a chance to meet and talk during Friday lunch. (RAs/Res life, Sports, Yearbook, Student Mission Fellowship, CIU Players/Drama, and others)
• See the renovations and new Business and IT Center on a campus tour – Attend a class
• Friday evening: Music Through the Ages - Ambassador Choir and Cola Worships - special evening of music.
• Fireworks
• Bonfire at The Pointe
• Professor/Alumni Meet-n-Greet;
• Fun family activities, Bouncy House
• Picnic lunch, Home Run Derby, Student Volleyball Tournament, bouncy house; CIU Bowl - Saturday
• Rams Volleyball matches

Chapel October 1 -3