The message of the world today is self-gratification. Do whatever makes you happy. Eat, drink, watch, listen to, and engage in what will please you. Anyone who says differently is rude and adamantly against you obtaining happiness. You know what’s best for you, and other people do not deserve to have a say in that. After all, life is short, and isn’t the point of life to make yourself happy?
When we look to the Bible, God’s inspired Word, we find a very different message.
Far from the self-focused narrative of the world, Scripture tells us that our goal should be to live a Christ-centered life that glorifies the Savior. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
This “light” comes from being surrendered to God in faith and humbly submitting yourself to Him. Then, He will empower you to glorify Him in your everyday life.
This is where our campus theme of Colossians, “All Things,” comes into play. Living a Christ-centered life does not require you to engage in “extra spiritual” activities. You do not have to go to seminary or take the Nazarite vow in order to glorify God with your life. Matthew 9:13 says, “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” God wants your heart, not your best, cleaned up, Sunday self. This means that all things are spiritual. Your choice of music, how you use your time, and your attitude towards others are all opportunities for you to live a Christ-centered life.
The theme passage from Colossians 1:15-20, says, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
There are a few rhythms that go into choosing our campus theme. We try to follow a pattern of choosing books from both the Old and New Testaments. We also look to build on the previous year’s theme. Last year’s theme was “Hope: Renew Your Strength,” from the book of Isaiah.
As we return to the New Testament this year, Chaplain Brent Mencarelli and President Drew Flamm chose to focus on the Christ-centered mindset and actions that should result from placing our hope in God.
According to Mencarelli, Christians can and should act on their hope in Christ in their current situation. “When we think about our hope, we must not think about it as only a future reality,” he said. “The hope of the Gospel is a present hope. It is supposed to transform each area of our lives. So often we can give into a lie that separates our spiritual life from every other part of our life. We very quickly can drive a false dichotomy between what is secular and what is sacred.”
President Drew Flamm agrees. “Jesus doesn’t just want you to be,” said Flamm. “He wants you to be the best. And Jesus is the key to this truth. Our hope in Jesus is a present reality, not just a future one. Because of His redemptive work, every spiritual blessing is offered to us now. And we are called then to connect every area of our lives back to who He is.”
Grace College has a campus theme for several reasons. First and foremost, we are a Christ-centered institution. All that we do and believe centers around the person of Jesus. His word guides our institution from beginning to end, so every year we choose a book from Scripture that we will study as a campus. Our campus theme is then taken from the chosen book. Our campus themes center our community on God’s word and foster opportunities for spiritual growth and worship, whether it be in chapel, in the classroom, or in the residence halls.
The book of Colossians is short, but full of incredible insights into life. Readers should enjoy its content by reading and re-reading the powerful truths contained in its pages. This reading plan is designed to help you see the wider context and spend time looking at individual passages. Each time you open your Bible, ask the Lord to show you what He wants you to see. The best part about the Bible is that you will never completely plumb its depths. There is always something new to learn!
8/6-8/12: Colossians chapter 1
8/13-8/19: Colossians 1:1-8
8/20-826: Colossians 1:9-14
8/27-9/2: Colossians 1:15-20
9/3-9/9: Colossians 1:21-23
9/10-9/16: Colossians 1:24-27
9/17-9/23: Colossians 1:28-29
9/24-9/30: Colossians chapter 1
10/1-10/7: Colossians chapter 2
10/8-10/14: Colossians 2:1-5
10/15-10/21: Colossians 2:6-8
10/22-10/28: Colossians 2:9-12
10/29-11/4: Colossians 2:13-15
11/5-11/11: Colossians 2:16-19
11/12-11/18: Colossians 2:20-23
11/19-11/25: Colossians chapter 2
11/26-12/2: Colossians chapter 3
12/3-12/9: Colossians 3:1-4
12/10-12/16: Colossians 3:5-11
12/17-12/23: Colossians 3:12-14
12/24-12/30: Colossians 3:15-17
12/31-1/6: Colossians 3:18-19
1/7-1/13: Colossians 3:20-21
1/14-1/20: Colossians 3:22-4:1
1/21-1/27: Colossians chapter 3
1/28-2/3: Colossians chapter 4
2/4-2/10: Colossians 4:2-4
2/11-2/17: Colossians 4:5-6
2/18-2/24: Colossians 4:7-9
2/15-3/2: Colossians 4:10-11
3/3-3/9: Colossians 4:12-13
3/10-3/16: Colossians 4:14-15
3/17-3/23: Colossians 4:16-18
3/24-3/30: Colossians chapter 4
3/31-4/6: Colossians chapter 1
4/7-4/13: Colossians chapter 2
4/14-4/20: Colossians chapter 3
4/21-4/27: Colossians chapter 4
4/28-5/4: Colossians chapters 1-4
Are you looking for a college that prioritizes God’s Word, community, and teaching you how to live a Christ-centered life? Then Grace is the right place for you! Fill out our Lancer Application to take the first step in your journey here.
Check out our list of majors to determine what you’d like to study. To stay up to date on our campus theme of Colossians, subscribe to our youtube channel to watch our chapel messages.
