Faith in Action: How IWU Students Are Living Out Their Beliefs
As a Christian university, Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) provides students with an opportunity to develop the advanced knowledge and skills required for their chosen profession in a supportive and nurturing environment that is anchored by faith. While faith plays a pivotal part in our programming, it's more than just words to live by. At IWU, we put our faith into action through Christian service learning experiences. Focused on spiritual development in higher education, we equip our students with the skills they need for future professional endeavors while allowing them to develop a faith foundation that they can rely upon in every aspect of their lives.
Faith in Service
Whether you are in the classroom or participating in an extracurricular activity on campus, you will see that faith plays a powerful role in the IWU experience. We are proud to offer an academic experience that is rooted in Christian values like:
· Kindness
· Humility
· Integrity
· Belonging
· Courage
· Innovation
· Agility
Of course, service rests at the core of the Christian experience, which is why we emphasize the importance of Christian service learning. All students at IWU are encouraged to participate in faith-based community service, enabling them to discover ways that they can give back to those around them and share their faith with others.
Some examples of faith-based community service at IWU include:
Volunteering in Local Communities
Our campus is located in Marion, Indiana, and we often look for ways to partner with location organizations in Marion and throughout Grant County in order to give back to the community. Students can become involved in a variety of Christian service projects, many of which allow them to volunteer with local community organizations and give back to those who are in need. Through these immersive service projects, students begin to learn more about the needs of those around them and are able to connect with the campus community in a deeper and more meaningful way.
Global Mission Trips
Through our Education Abroad initiative, IWU students can embark on international mission trips to underdeveloped countries around the world where the need for service is great. The Global Service Teams program is a non-credit-bearing experience, but these innovative travel programs allow students to learn life lessons that strengthen their foundation as Christians and better understand how to serve the world around them. Our Global Service Teams head to countries such as the Dominican Republic and Zambia, where students are able to connect with local people and provide them with the care and service they need.
Faith-Based Campus Initiatives
Community service is considered a cornerstone of the IWU experience, and students can get involved in numerous faith-based campus initiatives. Some of these include campus-wide Christian service projects and academic service-learning programs, both of which are designed to complement the academic programming offered at IWU.
Faith in Leadership
Christians are called upon to live their faith each day — and to exemplify Christ in every aspect of their lives. In turn, then, Christian leaders must know how to lead with integrity and let their faith guide them as they support the work of others. At IWU, we take pride in the fact that our leaders are guided by their faith and set an example for student leaders of how to put their faith into action.
Student Leaders Guided by Faith
We proudly provide Christian student leadership programs in which students can focus on leadership development within the scope of their faith. Through our Spiritual Formation Office, students can explore a range of student leadership positions, including:
- Student body chaplains
- Small group leaders
- Spiritual life coordinators
- Chapel worship leaders
Mentorship and Discipleship
Spiritual mentoring programs on the IWU campus enable students to connect with a trusted individual and explore their faith in a safe, supportive environment. Throughout these mentorship experiences, students discover what it means to live life as a Christian and how to become a disciple of Christ.
Advocacy and Social Justice
Students also have the opportunity to learn more about the importance of advocating for social justice. As followers of Christ, we are encouraged to actively work to support those around us in need and improve conditions so that everyone can live a healthy, productive and fulfilling life.
Faith in Everyday Interactions
In addition to providing students with targeted opportunities to participate in Christian service and put their faith into action, we also encourage our students to prioritize their faith in their everyday interactions. These simple acts of faith showcase the true power of Christianity, and they allow students to learn to live in the way that Christ intended.
Practicing Faith in Academic Settings
Practicing your faith is an integral part of the academic experience at IWU. All students are required to complete 28 spiritual formation credit hours during the course of their time on campus, and they can fulfill those requirements by:
- Attending regular chapel services, which typically take place on Monday and Friday mornings.
- Participating in Small Groups, in which students connect with an intimate group of students and their own spiritual experiences.
- Attending small worship gatherings on campus.
- Participating in Faith Integration Groups, which often focus on a specific topic and allow students to take their faith to a deeper level.
Acts of Kindness on Campus
Sometimes, it is the simplest acts that are the most powerful — which is why our students enjoy participating in random acts of kindness on campus. From buying a cup of coffee for a stranger to leaving a small note of encouragement for a friend, our students are always sharing the love of Christ with others through simple yet meaningful acts of kindness.
Living as Role Models
Our students and faculty members are called upon to live as Christian role models. Prioritizing values such as honesty, integrity and kindness, our campus community embodies the love and service of Christ. Students can look up to their professors and campus administrators, as well as to each other, to see examples of faith in action.
The Impact of Faith in Action
Our students appreciate the fact that our commitment to living our faith each day has cultivated a culture of belonging and support on campus. But the true impact of faith in action extends well beyond our campus: IWU graduates go out into the world with their newfound knowledge and well-developed skills to share the love of Christ on a national and international scale.
Strengthening Personal Faith
First and foremost, our commitment to spiritual development in higher education is designed to provide students with an opportunity to strengthen their personal faith. At this formative time in their lives, students are faced with endless decisions that will ultimately shape who they are and who they become. It's a crucial time to explore their faith and to learn how to live a full and productive Christian life.
Inspiring Others Through Faith
Additionally, students are called upon to showcase their faith in a way that inspires others to do the same. Through participating in rewarding and invigorating Christian service learning activities, students can highlight the powerful role that faith plays in their own lives and subsequently motivate others to take similar actions.
Building a Faith-Centered Legacy
Our ongoing commitment to offering a faith-based academic experience allows every student to play a central role in building our legacy as a Christ-centered community. This is a legacy that extends well beyond our campus — and one that all members of the IWU community can be proud of.
How IWU Supports Faith in Action
By integrating Christian service learning into the academic experience at IWU, we are able to support our students as they work to put their faith into action on campus and throughout the community.
Resources for Spiritual Growth
On campus, students have access to a variety of traditional and digital resources designed to support their spiritual growth and development. These resources give them the ability to explore their faith in dynamic ways and better understand how they can live a Christ-centered life.
Encouraging Faith-Driven Leadership
We actively work to encourage faith-driven leadership by offering spiritual mentoring programs along with Christian student leadership programs. In addition, we model the leadership style of Christ — allowing students to see firsthand how impactful faith-driven leadership can be in the real world.
Opportunities for Engagement
Offering opportunities for engagement on campus, in the community and abroad, IWU students have the chance to gain immersive and memorable experiences that showcase the importance of living a Christ-centered life. From Christian service projects to global missions abroad, students can take advantage of unique opportunities to actively participate in their faith.
Discover the Impact of Spiritual Development in Higher Education at Indiana Wesleyan University
At Indiana Wesleyan University, we are proud to offer excellent educational programs in a Christ-centered environment. Our faith guides every decision we make at IWU, and we actively work to support the spiritual growth and development of our students throughout their time on campus. From Christian service projects to spiritual mentoring programs, IWU students are able to put their faith into action while learning more about themselves and their spirituality in the process.
Learn more about our programs, and request more information about the Christ-centered academic experience IWU could offer you.
Sources
https://www.indwes.edu/find-your-program
https://www.indwes.edu/academics/cas/education-abroad/global-service-teams
https://triangle.indwes.edu/community-service-as-a-cornerstone-of-the-iwu-experience/
https://www.indwes.edu/about/life-at-iwu/spiritual-life/
https://triangle.indwes.edu/supporting-student-well-being-resources-and-initiatives-at-iwu/
