By Jared Fields, Managing Editor
In the spring, Dr. Wayne Barnard moved from dean of Campus Life to the newly formed role of dean of spiritual formation. The move means Barnard will take on an even greater role in Chapel, while also working more with students and faculty on campus.
“I’m also collaborating in new ways across campus, not just with students, but also with staff and faculty,” Barnard said. “This is why my title is university dean instead of just dean; it’s all students, as well as staff and faculty.”
As the first university dean of spiritual formation, Barnard said he wants to make changes to the Chapel format this year.
One of the changes Barnard wants to implement is to present three different topics during the course of the semester. His themes will be Identity Theft, Living Uphill and 24: A Day in the Life of Jesus.
Barnard also wants to move Thursday’s 18:38 Chapel out of Moody Coliseum and into Hart Auditorium. Barnard said he wants to shift the focus of large group Chapel on Thursdays to a textual instead of topical session.
Barnard said he wants to walk through the Gospel of Luke in 18:38 Chapel this year.
In the new Chapel format, Barnard wants to spend four weeks on each topic to keep Chapel fresh.
“I have a hard time maintaining energy through the whole semester,” Barnard said. “So having some variety after four weeks will help me, and if it helps me then it’s probably going to help students.”
Barnard said he will use the Identity Theft period to take a current theme and connect it to today’s Christians.
“What I think is important is our identities being formed with that of Jesus,” Barnard said. “What are the things that steer us away from that?”
In Living Uphill, Barnard compared the theme to climbing a mountain and said the life of a Christian is never lived running downhill.
“Those are just images in my mind that work for me, so I hope they work for students as well,” Barnard said.
CHAPEL CHANGES
_ Three new topics will be added to the Chapel forrmat.
_ 18:38 will move to Hart Auditorium on Thursdays
_ 18:38 will focus on the Gospel of Luke
