September 16, 2003
Volume 1: Issue 1
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What a summer! This was my first on board with SLU
as the new Dean of
Students and at the end all I could say was, “WOW!” What an
amazing privilege it is to be able to spend my summers with the cream of
the crop; whether I am speaking, spending one-on-one time with them, or
simply just watching, I am amazed. It was awesome to meet so many
students who answered the call to step up to the plate of life.
And then
my heroes-the student pastors, who realize the desperate need to develop
leaders. They exhibit such a passion to pour into the core of their
ministries that they put on a smorgasbord of fundraisers, meetings and
classes throughout the year so they can steal away to further invest in
those who answer the call. As I reflect on some of my conversations with
many of you, I am overwhelmed with confidence that the Lord is raising up
a generation willing to do whatever it takes to capture their culture for
the glory of God. I can’t help but adamantly agree with Dr. Jay in that
we have some of the greatest students and student pastors in the country.
In an
effort to continually find ways to serve and be a benefit to students and
student pastors, we at SLU have decided to put out a monthly newsletter.
Now before I go any further, let me just take a moment to emphasize one
point: THIS IS NOT JUNKMAIL!!! Each month’s edition will contain
up-to-date articles on critical issues, present day leaders in
contemporary culture, your stories (that’s right, there are so many
amazing testimonies of how God is at work raising leaders that we want to
feature some! E-mail us your story at
edge@studentleadership.net) and a word from me each month.
One of the
principles we try to drive home at SLU is that leaders are educated about
what is happening in the world. This is essential so that they can have
informed opinions when striving to reach others with the message of
Jesus. It is with this principle in mind that we begin this new project. Our
desire is that it will be a beneficial tool in your journey.
Brent
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with Dr.
Jay
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
Start your engines! Ahh, yes... the start of school is here! And the only
people I know that are excited are parents!
Recently, I spoke to a group of
university students in Daytona, Florida, home of the world-famous Daytona
Speedway. It's hard to imagine unless you've been there in person - the
noise, the energy, and the excitement - as top-notch drivers speed their
finely-tuned racecars at record speeds around the 2.5 mile track. There
are some obvious lessons for students and those who minister to and
support students that can be gleaned straight from the track.
Like life, the Daytona races
separate people into two main groups: those who are watching from the
stands and those in the driver's seat, ready to compete in the race. Ever
think about which group you are in? Even though I like to think of myself
as a driver rather than a spectator, I know there are times when stress
and challenges move me into neutral gear. I tend to "rev" my engine for a
while and sometimes "stall out." My gears freeze up, and I'm stuck at the
starting line. I find myself saying, "It's too difficult right now. I just
don't have time anyway. Maybe next year." However, I force myself to
replace those words with "Today is the day to move off the starting line.
The future starts now!"
Always remember that you can
never build a reputation on what you are going to do. And keep in mind
this theme from SLU: Anyone can eat an elephant a bite at a time. Start
moving and don't stop until you cross the finish line. Charles F.
Kettering has some worthwhile wisdom for all of us, no matter what we are
trying to accomplish, and he says to "Get started and keep going. By doing
so, the changes are you will stumble on something, often when you are
least expecting it. I have never heard of someone stumbling on something
sitting down."
The race is on. Success is just
around the corner. Gentlemen, ladies - start your engines! And, by the
way, don't listen to that old warning to just "take it easy." Give it all
you've got! Go for the win!
Dr. Jay |
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Welcome to The Edge!
We're not just another news source, but
a multi-faceted resource of current events and thought-provoking
articles. News happens every day, and changes are being made politically,
economically, and globally even as you read this. But what is the
response of Christians to our culture as the world turns? It seems
difficult enough just to know where or how to stand as evangelical
Christians are divided over the issue of the Ten Commandments. One group
seems to say that if you really care, you need to march to Montgomery and
stand in front of the courthouse and the other says to follow the law and
the laissez-faire approach is what is called for.
Also, as
our country fights against terrorism, let us remember the many sacrifices
of those who are serving on our behalf on the frontlines of freedom.
President Bush, in his latest speech, outlined what it would take and what
it has taken in order to secure the world against future acts of terror.
Many question the President’s motives, especially since the cost of war is
so expensive. He is asking Congress for $87 billion more in funding for
the war on terror and almost 300 of our soldiers have lost their lives. It
is so easy for us to forget this crucial fact: that freedom is never
free - it always comes at a cost! Even as Christians, our freedom was
not just given to us for free – it cost Jesus Christ his very life. In the
same way we are grateful for our freedom as Christians let us celebrate
the freedom of all Americans in the land of liberty.
So what is
our response as Christians to all of this? The answer is simple: Engage
culture. Take these articles and use them as tools of engagement to
win your world for Christ and to celebrate the freedom we have as
Christians and the democracy all Americans share.
As always,
we want to hear from you! If you have a personal testimony of what SLU
has done for you or what it has helped you accomplish, we want to hear
about it! Maybe you've read an article in this issue of The Edge
and want to put in your two cents. We welcome any comments or suggestions
- and you can e-mail them to us
at
edge@studentleadership.net. By the way, we've recently
restructured our website. Be sure to give it a glance at
www.studentleadership.net
for the latest and most up-to-date information! We'll soon be posting the
articles we feature here under the new "Critical Issues" portion of our
site. With that said, enjoy this month's edition
of The Edge!
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We
are currently accepting registration for the 2004 season of
SLU! You won't want to miss being a part of our Tenth
Anniversary year of Student Leadership University, with more
weeks of operation, updated course content, and even lower
prices thanks to our sponsors! Check out our website at
www.studentleadership.net for more info. Here are the SLU
dates for 2004:
101 - Orlando
June 14-17
June 21-24
June 28-July 1
July 5-8
July 12-15
July 19-22
July 26-29 |
201 - D.C.
July 20-24
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301 - Europe
June 11-20
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401 - Rome
June 3-10
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Creative Outbreak Workshop
June 21-24
July 26-29 |
Mark these dates your calendars now and get a head start on
planning for next summer! Got an opinion on the 10
Commandments issue? Join the debate at the National Press Club
in Washington, D.C. for SLU 201! |
To change your
subscription settings, please visit
www.studentleadership.net
and enter your e-mail address in the "Sign Up" box. You will be able
to unsubscribe and view other subscription settings.
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September 2003
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Welcome
An
introduction to this newsletter and reflections from Brent
Crowe |
On the Edge
Dr. Jay shares some encouraging words for the start of
the new school year |
The Edge Ledge
Learn what the
Christian's response to culture and daily happenings
should be |
Cutting Edge
The latest news from SLU and program dates for 2004 |
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Student
Leadership University makes international news through
the Baptist Press news organization. Check out the
article
here!
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“Life
is not easy, and least of all is it easy for either the man or the nation
that aspires to great deeds.”
Theodore Roosevelt |
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links for the full article. |
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Alabama Justices Order Removal of Monument
The eight associate justices of the Alabama Supreme Court
on Thursday overruled Chief Justice Roy Moore and directed
that a Ten Commandments monument be removed from the
public area of the state Judicial Building in compliance
with a federal court order ...
Go to Full Article |
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God's Heart is in Baghdad
They
are attacked and shot at. Bombs go off randomly and danger
lurks on every patrol. But the chaplains under Captain
Scott Riedel's unit know one thing for certain ...
Go to Full Article |
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Bush Request Fires up Critics
A day after President Bush said he would ask Congress for
$87 billion to pay for U.S. engagement in Iraq and
Afghanistan, a domestic battle was being fought Monday
over those billions and the bigger policy picture ...
Go to Full Article |
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Commandments Hauled Away
Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore's pugnacious campaign to
make the Ten Commandments the rock on which to build his
view of church-state relations in America is almost over
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Go to Full Article |
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Judge Dismisses New 10 Commandments Suit
A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit by three
residents seeking to return a 5,300-pound Ten Commandments
monument to the lobby of the Alabama Judicial building ...
Go to Full Article |
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Master of Events or At Their Mercy?
An extraordinary reversal of political fortune compelled
President Bush to go on national television Sunday night
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Go to Full Article |
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Millennials Arrive at College
They grew up plugged into the Internet, always cooked
their popcorn in a microwave and never watched TV without
a remote control. They probably never played Pac-Man., and
they think Kansas, Chicago, America and Alabama are
places, not musical groups ...
Go to Full Article
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Ten Commandments Crisis Puts Evangelicals on Opposite
Sides
Evangelical leaders James Dobson and Pat Robertson came
down on opposing sides of the Alabama Ten Commandments
controversy Aug. 25, while a third evangelical, Richard
Land, released a further elaboration of his position ...
Go to Full Article |
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Time for a New Patriotism?
Britney Spears, best known recently for a lip lock with
Madonna, is hardly an authority on the political
ramifications of September 11. But Spears has a bankable
feel for the popular pulse, and her comments last week
reflected a good chunk of public opinion on the subject of
patriotism ...
Go to Full Article |
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Established in 1994, Student Leadership University's
purpose is to empower students to conquer the future!
Combining hands-on experimental learning with a dynamic
classroom setting, students are equipped to influence
their generation for Christ with confidence.
For more information, visit us at
www.studentleadership.net
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