http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/ en Copyright 2009 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:57:44 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Next week we have our Thanksgiving break. This year the students have off on Wednesday as well to give them some travel time and additional time to rest before the big push to the end of the semester and finals. Today, I had the chance to visit with a number of students and exchange a few words of encouragement. On the way back to my office while I passed groups of students enjoying the unusually warm day, I reflected on how thankful to God I am for them and for this place. We have such a wonderful field in which to serve. The work of educating students to serve Christ is a rewarding one. The process of seeing them grow and mature as they are made ready is made all the more gratifying by the fact that it is God at work in them. For me personally next week is a special holiday. I enjoy the football, and time with family, and the feast. But I also read the Psalms, and passages from the gospels as well to prepare for a time of thanksgiving. Lately, I have taken to re-reading each year Lincoln’s proclamation because it reminds me of the importance of setting aside a day of Thanksgiving. Lincoln wrote, “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. It has seemed to be fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.” What a powerful reminder. This fall, it is my prayer that our students, faculty, and staff will be moved to rejoice and give thanks unto God. Christians of all people should be the most thankful and that gratitude should be reflected in all they think, and say, and do. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/11/thanksgiving_break_is_coming.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/11/thanksgiving_break_is_coming.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:57:44 -0500 This morning,after I was beaten badly in tennis I looked around and realized that yesterday was the first day of fall, - a great distraction from defeat. My family loves the fall season. I think it is our favorite time of year. My wife and I were married in October twenty-two years ago. But that's not why it's our favorite season. We were married in the fall probably because even then it was our favorite season. We enjoy the outdoors and spent many hours riding horses, canoeing, and hiking when we were dating and first married at the camp where we met. Time outdoors has always been a big part of our life. And I suspect we enjoy both spring and fall because the changes around those seasons are the most dramatic and dynamic in nature. We enjoy the changing seasons in nature and talk often of enjoying the changing seasons of life. We enjoy our kids, who are teenagers now. We enjoyed them when they were toddlers and grade schoolers and tweenagers too. We often hear people say they enjoyed particular points of time in their lives and with their children better than others. But we have come to enjoy them at every age and life at every stage. Life is challenging enough with bucking the inevitable, that time marches on and seasons change. Maybe this is one reason why we are at peace and love our work at PBU so much. We cross paths with students in the changing seasons of their lives. They enter PBU having ended one season in life and begin another one, eventually graduating and leaving behind this season for yet another. And through it all we see the gracious, loving hand of God at work in their lives. ]]> http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/09/changing_seasons_1.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/09/changing_seasons_1.html Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:05:25 -0500 Last week, I spoke in Chapel for Constitution Day here at PBU. Each fall we set aside a chapel service on or about the 17th of September to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution. Every year is a little different and this year I spoke on the Preamble. One particular phrase catches my eye each time I read it, "In order to form a more perfect union". It leaps out at me because it captures the intentionality of our founders and their purposeful approach to almost everything they undertook. (A lesson to be applied to today's culture.) But the phrase also catches their realistic view of the world. They intentionally did not say, "perfect union". They were wise enough to know perfection is unattainable, yet tenacious enough not to concede to mediocrity. They set forth a vision for the pursuit of excellence, the pursuit of perfection, and established a law of the land that would guide us to a "more perfect union". What is required though for this to succeed is an informed citizenry committed to protecting and preserving the ideals of liberty, justice, and unalienable rights by participating in the process of self governance. I stated in my talk last week that in the twentieth century we came to realize that human beings would exchange freedom for bread, or for security. It is my belief that in this new century we will be tempted to exchange freedom for freedom from the burden of democracy. We simply don't want to be bothered. Many recognize that apathy is rampant in American society. We can't accept this. Civic apathy, intellectual apathy, social apathy and even spiritual apathy are born of the same seed. As biblically-minded Christians, we must be "un-apathetic" citizens of our nations, this world, and heaven. The grace we have been shown, the love of God we have experienced, and the transforming power of the gospel in our lives should motivate us to care sincerely and act with responsibility. At PBU we talk a great deal about engagement. It is my prayer that everyone who is part of this community will take that talk seriously and live it out to the glory of God. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/09/last_week_in_chapel.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/09/last_week_in_chapel.html Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:09:03 -0500 It's official. The summer is over and the students are here. The new year begins. We have had a great start and there is good energy on campus. I have already enjoyed some great conversations with students and am excited about what the year will hold for us at PBU. One encouraging conversation was with a student chaplain who was asking me my thoughts on spiritual life at PBU and how the student chaplains might encourage their fellow students this year. The conversation ranged over a number of topics but I did have the chance to share my conviction that what sets PBU apart is that we take a truly integrated approach and that the faculty and staff here really do make an investment in the students. I asked him to consider helping students see their academics as critical to their spiritual growth. At PBU, we believe that you will not grow spiritually in spite of your academic pursuits and work but because of them. We believe the Lord uses a student's studies to challenge their thinking, strengthen their understanding, firm up their faith, and conform them to the image of Christ. If academics do not play a role in spiritual formation then Christian higher education is a waste of time and money. It is because we take a biblical worldview perspective into every discipline and reject the secular distinction between head and heart and educate the whole person that we see lives changed through a student's time with us. It is because Christ is the center of the curriculum, and co-curriculars, and campus life, as well as spiritual life that we see God at work in our midst here. Students all across the country are entering into a college or university experience that will shape the way they think, and live, and serve. That experience is different here. I am very glad for that. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/09/summers_over_and_so_it_begins.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/09/summers_over_and_so_it_begins.html Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:07:30 -0500 Today, I wrote an article for the student newspaper to welcome our new and returning students in just a few short weeks. Today, I popped into chapel during a program being held by LIFT ministries. They have been here all week. Today, I also met with a student to discuss a piece of artwork she is designing for us. Today, I talked with a student on the phone about what it means to live out biblical wisdom on the job he's working this summer. Most importantly today, as a result of these other things, I realized how much I enjoy having the students here and how different the place feels without them here. The energy on campus when everything is in full swing is inspiring and a powerful reminder of what we are doing here. I know summer will end and we will be back at it again. I can't wait. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/07/summer_will_end.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/07/summer_will_end.html Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:52:49 -0500 Today is the last day of classes for the spring semester. Next week is finals and then we’re into the summer break. It is usually an energized couple of weeks at the end of the term. Last night we had our annual student appreciation banquet. This is a great event where the faculty and staff serve the students an upscale meal in the dining commons. It’s a great way to end the year. We are all so grateful for our students and to the students for all they do to serve one another and the University. As I was moving around the room talking at the various tables, I was struck by what a good time we all have together. There is serious work being done at PBU. The work is challenging and students are stretched but the sense of community is encouraging. Faculty and staff members know the students and vice versa. Next week we have another such event 10th hour breakfast where members of the faculty and staff serve pancakes, waffles and such to students at 10 pm. - A great way to break up the stress of finals week. One more thought about the end of term. Today we had awards chapel. It’s an opportunity to recognize achievements and present awards and scholarships to the students who have earned them. Each academic program presents a number of awards some of which have a long history here. At the conclusion of the chapel hour I made some closing comments that we as Christians need to be able to recognize achievement, ability, and hard work. The Bible teaches us that we are to do all things heartily as unto God. Working hard, distinguishing ourselves, using our God-given talents, and pursuing excellence do not necessarily need to undermine biblical humility. It is possible to commit ourselves to doing well and working hard, by God’s grace, and for His glory. I thank God for every PBU students and for the good times and hard work we enjoy here together. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/05/last_day_of_classes.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/05/last_day_of_classes.html Fri, 08 May 2009 15:44:40 -0500 My family and I recently returned from a PBU Tour to Costa Rica with a number of the University's friends. I have never been to Central America before. - Didn't know much about Coast Rica either. But we all learned about its history and culture and improved our Spanish. They have a national motto/greeting/response that everyone there says. "Pura Vida!" - pure life. Our guide informed us that it is an indication of the people's optimism and joy in living amidst such natural beauty and nature's bounty. The lush rainforests, cloud-forests, plantations, farms, and countryside are full of life. - Quite a contrast from the winter lawn and bare trees in Pennsylvania. Everywhere we went there were fresh fruit and vegetables, blooming flowers, and colorful birds. The tour was promoted as a natural beauty tour and we saw much of what God created good. We had many opportunities to reflect upon God's goodness and creativity. In fact, my messages for a series of sessions while we travelled were centered on Genesis 1-3 and the three basic elements of a biblical world view - creation, fall, redemption. And we saw evidence of all three. We marveled at creation from every angle. We saw the reality of the fall in the poverty, crime, pollution, and immorality. We also saw thriving churches and met Christians who are about God's work there and rejoiced that the message of God's redeeming love was being proclaimed and believed. As we drove over roads of varying quality and took in all there was to see, it was as though you could sense the truth of Romans 8, that all of creation was groaning, awaiting its final redemption and the return of its Creator. I am very grateful that PBU provides its students opportunities to travel the world and see it from different vantage points. -To see it as it is in reality, - beautiful and good, fallen and corrupted, redeemed and waiting. One day, in God's perfect timing we will have true Pura Vida! http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/03/pura_vida.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/03/pura_vida.html Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:32:12 -0500 I am embarrassed that it’s been so long since my last entry. The past several weeks have been crazy as I've been travelling visiting alumni and donors, planning for next year, and prepping for board meetings. It is hard to believe that spring break is right around the corner. This week we closed Monday due to snow when only the Monday before I was in Florida speaking at a Christian School in Clearwater. I had a very encouraging time at that school and realized that many students have a preconceived notion of what life is like at a place like PBU. The fact is that most of their assumptions were wrong. It gave me a great opportunity to point them to this website and urge them to check us out and even visit if at all possible. I really believe that once students take a closer look they will see something different. On Tuesday I had lunch with a number of students in the President's Dining Room here on campus. We had a great talk, very honest and frank, - about life, the Christian faith, the University, and things ranging from how we define success to how to keep the Bible from becoming just another text book. I am never more certain about what PBU does than when I'm with students and hear them talk, ask questions, and see them processing things in a very genuine way. I enjoyed my time on the road but it is good to be back on line. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/03/back_on_line.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/03/back_on_line.html Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:12:35 -0500 Today I spent much of the morning making telephone calls thanking people who have made recent contributions to the annual scholarship fund here at PBU. This important fund makes it possible to provide financial aid to the students at our university. I always enjoy reaching out and talking to these folks who believe in the value of a PBU education and want to see students get the help they need to pay for a quality biblical university education. I usually take just a few moments of their time, thank them, ask them how they are doing and how I can pray for them. They often end up thanking us for the work we're doing. Some end the conversation by saying they wish there was more they could do. I am always encouraged by that and by the way the Lord uses His people to bless this university and its students. Today, one very nice gentleman who has been giving for years asked me to, "Tell the students they're getting a great education that will change their lives. Tell them not to take it for granted." I simply assured him that I do that every chance I get. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/01/tell_the_students.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/01/tell_the_students.html Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:30:33 -0500 Today my Polisci class took its final exam and we wrapped up the two week course. This is our first j-term at PBU and in my eyes it was great. 188 undergrads and 104 grad students signed up to earn credits during the two week session. The spring semester begins next week but it was good to have some life on campus earlier than usual this year. I have not taught polisci for nearly 10 years and I can honestly say that I didn't realize how much I missed teaching it until this year. I learned a lot as the students asked good questions and discussed topics ranging from the environment and health care to the Iraqi war and Guantanamo Bay detainees. We surveyed political theory, addressed human nature, studied the history of politics in America, worked through some serious civics materials, and worked on developing a personal vision for citizenship in today's world as biblically minded Christians. I left our chat in the Eagle's Nest cafe today feeling very gratified and reminded of how great it is to be in my line of work and to be able to enjoy the students who are answering life's calling here. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/01/polisci_and_the_j_term.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2009/01/polisci_and_the_j_term.html Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:08:49 -0500 This week the University is very quiet. Today is the last day before the staff break. It’s hard to believe it’s Christmas already. It’s hard to believe that in just a few days it will be 2009. What will the New Year hold? What challenges will we face as individuals, as a church, as a nation? What joys and sorrows will we experience? What changes will our life courses take? Where will we be this time next year? Some people find this overwhelming, but I love the prospect of a new horizon, the adventures of a new trail. That’s life. And life is a great gift from God, not be squandered or taken for granted. It is to be lived, - unto God. So as we celebrate Christmas I like to remember that it wasn’t an end in itself, that the manger points to the cross, that the “fullness of time�? in punctuated by the empty tomb. The Word was made flesh, Christ was born of the virgin, lived, taught, died, and rose again that we might experience God’s forgiveness through His atoning sacrifice and have life and have it abundantly, - regardless of our circumstances, - regardless of the uncertainties of the year ahead. So Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2008/12/merry_christmas.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2008/12/merry_christmas.html Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:48:16 -0500 This week is final exam week and Saturday is our mid-year graduation ceremony. Many students will be leaving us for the next leg in their life journey. They are going to receive their degrees and diplomas and move on. It's my great privilege to shake hands with each grad and wish them well. I enjoy the ceremony very much but it is bittersweet. It's a celebration of what has been accomplished, but it also means goodbye. The thing that keeps me smiling at this time of year is that while one semester ends, the next one is right around the corner and all the promise and potential of another round will soon be upon us. This year there is one change though. J-term. From January 5-16 students will be able to take courses before the next full semester begins. I am particularly excited about the new term because I am teaching Political Science, a course I taught when I was on faculty in the 90's. What a great year to have a JTerm and teach this course when all eyes are on Washington. The semester ends but ... I'm already excited for what's next. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2008/12/the_semester_ends_but.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2008/12/the_semester_ends_but.html Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:07:06 -0500 I am somewhat of a news hound as well as a political junkie with a serious interest in history. So lately I find myself reading, listening, and watching others pontificate about the state of things. It's hard to get through the day anymore without a reminder of the challenges facing our nation and the uncertainties that accompany them. But in my opinion the real challenges are about leadership. Everyone wants to talk about the problems and wants to be heard. But I hear little discussion about the importance of wisdom. What we need today is good judgement, the application of wisdom, clear thinking that counts the costs of decisions, and the courage to act in the ways that are the best - not neccesarily the easiest or most popular. This is what leadership is about, - good decision making. This is what Proverbs is all about. Whether we lead a church, a committee, a corporation, or a commonwealth we are charged with the care of people and resources, and that requires wisdom beyond ourselves. Solomon said, "With all your getting, get wisdom." Job said, "Where is wisdom? God knows the way to it.- Fear the Lord." My prayer is that our students would get busy, get humble, and get wisdom so they are ready to lead when they are called upon. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2008/11/wisdom_and_leadership.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2008/11/wisdom_and_leadership.html Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:21:13 -0500 Yesterday, November 9, was named an International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church by Voice of the Martyrs .Today in chapel, just prior to my address, we took the time to pray. We prayed for one another, for our grads, for our leaders, and for those serving in missions. We also prayed for the suffering, and finally for those Christians who are being persecuted for their faith. I reminded the students that believers in China, India, and parts of Africa are being targeted for their faith and that Christian workers in Afghanistan are being killed by the Taliban for "spreading their religion". We need to remember that the Church is world-wide and that many Christians in other parts of the world do not enjoy the freedoms of religion we do here in the U.S. We need to be good stewards of our blessings and freedoms and pray regularly for our brothers and sisters whose livelihoods, lives, and those of their children are threatened because of their faith. I am thankful for how interested in these things our students are and for what God will do in and through them as they take these issues seriously. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2008/11/today_in_chapel_just_prior.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2008/11/today_in_chapel_just_prior.html Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:45:42 -0500 Tomorrow one of the most significant presidential elections in recent American history will take place. For weeks now the nation, the airwaves, and our even campus have been counting down the days, watching the polls, and pushing for greater voter participation. Last week in chapel prior to my message I reminded the students that it was our biblical obligation to pray for our leaders and to give them our respect. One of the best ways to respect those in authority and to exercise our God-given rights as citizens of this country is to cast our votes. What a privilege it is to live in a land where power is transferred peaceably from one leader to the next. -And to think, the will of the people, no matter how divided, no matter how hotly contested, is the determining factor. As Americans we must remember that decisions are made by those who show up. Tomorrow, the people who show up will speak. As Christians we must remember that it is God who establishes authority. Tomorrow, we will see the sovereignty of God at work. http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2008/11/why_it_matters.html http://blogs.targetx.com/pbu/ToddJWilliams/2008/11/why_it_matters.html Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:50:17 -0500