Blessings For The New Year!

Merry Christmas!

"Redemption is Real"

“Redemption is real.” The words of one of the graduates of the CIU Prison Initiative who received his Associate of Arts degree during commencement ceremonies at the Kirkland Correctional Institution. The prison is located just across the Broad River from CIU’s campus.

The CIU Prison Initiative equips qualified inmates through an accredited Associate of Arts degree, to reach fellow inmates with the message of Christ. After graduation, alumni of the CIU Prison Initiative are assigned as chaplain’s assistants at correctional facilities around the state.

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Alumni Spotlight: Larry Evans

Larry has been staying busy doing outreach ministry in the form of helping Veterans and their family members receive compensation or pension benefits. He started a nonprofit 501 (c)3 organization in 2013 called "The Veterans Information Workshop" providing workshops throughout the state of South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia to inform Veterans and their family members what VA Benefits they may be entitled to. 

"My degree from CIU in (Pastoral Care) has really helped me in so many ways that's unreal. So many of our Veterans suffer from PTSD or other related illnesses due to their military service. By me providing these workshops I come in contact with many who are suffering from a related service illness and need to talk to someone who can relate to their problem by me being a Veteran they feel comfortable talking with me. I have been able to counsel so many that I have come in contact with over the years simply by starting this workshop. We never know how God will work out a plan to bring healing and peace to his people."

Alumni Spotlight: Phil Thompson

"My MDiv from CIU has equipped me to engage meaningfully in discussions and theological grounding for the projects as a whole."

Phil heads up online theological learning initiatives for The Gospel Coalition. In November of 2017, TGC launched TGC Courses, a free and open Christian learning site. Since the time of its launch, the ministry has seen over a quarter million learners access courses over one million times. Phil also directs another effort that rolled out Fall 2019. TGN provides a series of 250 free theological essays on our site which will then be translated into several other key languages. Over the next five years, they are working to develop a core "pastor's bookshelf" of free resources in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Mandarin, Korean, Russian, and Arabic.

Phil also serves as a resident at his church, The Church at Cherrydale, in Greenville, SC.
While much of his work is in managing projects, Phil interfaces regularly with pastors and academics as they work to provide resources to the global church.

Alumni Spotlight: Ronny Kolty

Psalm 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good, dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness 

To God Alone We Strive To Bring Glory! 

We are amazed at every interval to witness God’s intervention. If there has ever been a doubt, the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit reminds us that God is faithful and if there have been setbacks, we know that He will see us through, if there has been any lacking, God’s track record shows that He did provide and will continue to do so. We look back through the years and marvel at God’s faithfulness at every turn. To Him Alone We Strive to Bring Glory. 

Feeling Like Quitting 

The caption seems to contradict the above sentences, but it is our reality. The common phrase Christians often hear when going through overwhelming circumstances is, “Don’t give up.” Though we’ve known the phrase too well and have sung that “chorus,” the reality is that we are the one going through it and the this “chorus” seems like an ancient tune. To deny the reality of our circumstances is like living in fantasy land but to acknowledge our struggles takes humility, and I believe that is the safest place to be. 

Misunderstood 

It’s not a pleasant feeling when been misunderstood. And to add salt to the wound, people misinterpreted the move to open a coffee shop is a retirement plan (You Must Be Kidding). If people outside of our circle mention it, it’s understandable because they did not know us, but if someone of the same “peers” says it, the wound runs deeper. The feeling of betrayal and frustration is no way close to how King David felt. However, we could taste a fraction of his expression when he said this; “For it is not an enemy who taunts me---then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me---then I could hide from him, but it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend” (Psalm 55:12-14, ESV). We cannot allow the comments from the people to dissuade us from doing what the Lord wants. We have to laugh about it and press on to be missional. We do have a “retiring plan,” and that is wearing our “sneakers” and ushering people with the help of the Holy Spirit into God’s Kingdom till Jesus returns or we go to see him.