About Spiritual Life
Campus Minister: Rev. Bruce Schoup
In keeping with Haigazian University's mission to help the individual grow as a complete person, the academics are supplemented by a wide range of activities, including the physical, social, and spiritual. Within a context of academic freedom, students are encouraged to explore—or discover—their faith, and grow closer to God. The Campus Ministry, under the leadership of the Rev. Bruce Schoup, interfaces with students through Spiritual Life activities and personal contacts, and offers a variety of ways to explore faith in Jesus Christ. Here are some Spiritual Life activities during the academic year:
Chapel: Led by students and the Campus Minister, the weekly chapel services are held in a contemporary and informal setting open to anyone, student, faculty or staff, who wishes to attend. Chapel begins with a time of worship through song and then the Campus Minister gives a talk related to students' everyday lives, such as following convictions, friends' influence over your behavior, and relations between the sexes. Guest speakers occasionally visit and sometimes there are slide shows, skits, music videos, and games. Chapel meets every Wednesday from 12:10-12:45PM in the Auditorium.
Bible Discussions: Weekly study of an issue or a passage of the from the Bible give students a chance to discuss ideas and challenge each other's notions about everyday life and spirituality. Some of the topics covered include : Self Image, Shame, Knowing God's Will, the 10 Commandments, Virginity, Being a Friend, the Beatitudes, and Learning to Trust. In addition to the on-campus discussions, maturing believers are able to participate in a Discipleship Program, which helps students grow as followers of Jesus Christ through studying a book together, prayer, scripture memorization, and accountability groups.
Retreats: Overnight retreats are held twice a year, and are a chance for student participants to get to know each other better, as well as to grow closer to God. Students help plan the retreat, which includes discussions, studies, games, music, and sports.
Service: Part of the goal of the University is to lead students into service, and so the Spiritual Life program encourages the students to discover how they can serve others, following Jesus' example. Students are encouraged to serve in their own churches, which represent the entire spectrum of denominations in the region. Students are also encouraged to serve their community at large, showing their faith by their deeds.
Counseling: In conjunction with the university's Counseling Center, the Campus Minister's office is always open for anyone who wishes to come and discuss issues of concern, whether "religious" or not. All discussions are strictly confidential.