Christ-Centered, Bible-Based, Ministry-Focused
My time studying at Campbell University Divinity School from 2007 to 2010 was one of the richest experiences of my life. It was a season where I learned to love God with my whole self. The essence of Campbell Divinity School’s mission statement has stayed with me all these years later. Campbell taught me to be “Christ-centered, Bible-based, and Ministry-focused. Over time, I’ve come to see that these three phrases can also be a compass for individuals and churches alike.
Christ-Centered
Being Christ-centered means that Jesus is not just part of our life but the very center of it. Our faith, our decisions, our relationships, and our callings are all oriented around him. As Colossians 1:17 reminds us, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
To be Christ-centered is to let Jesus shape our daily choices and our deepest priorities. For the church, it means keeping him—not tradition, personalities, or preferences—at the center of everything we do. When Christ is at the center, everything else finds its rightful place. Even in our disagreements, being centered on Christ draws us into unity, reminding us to keep the main thing the main thing. And the main thing for a Christ-centered person and church is always Jesus—the same Lord we remember each week when we gather at the table in unity and love.
Bible-Based
God has given us the gift of Scripture. As disciples, we are invited to read, wrestle with, interpret, and apply it to our lives. God’s word teaches, corrects, guides, and comforts us. It is the living word that continually points us to God’s love in Christ.
Being Bible-based means much more than knowing about the Bible—it means allowing God’s grand love story to shape us, guide our steps, and turn our hearts toward Jesus continually. For the church, it means rooting our worship, teaching, and mission in Scripture so that everything we do reflects God’s redeeming love for all people.
Ministry-Focused
Our faith is not just what we believe—it is something we live out in the world around us. To be ministry-focused is to put faith into action through loving service, generous hospitality, and countercultural compassion toward all.
For the church, being ministry-focused means equipping God's people not only to serve within the church’s walls but also in the community and beyond. Without ministry, our faith risks becoming words without action. But when we seek to love God and love our neighbors in tangible ways, we live out the very heart of the Good News Christ came to bring.
Living It Out
As individuals and as the Union Family, may we seek to be: Christ-centered, Bible-based, and Ministry-focused. May all that we are and all that we do point back to the One who holds all things together, Jesus, our Lord!
Jesus loves you, Union Family, and I do too! It’s a joy to journey with you!