The Pilgrim’s Protest

By Elizabeth Castellow
This semester, TPP set out to investigate and write an article on an issue that is relevant, important, and sensitive. The idea for the article was presented by a former staff writer and, as an Editorial Board, we agreed on the importance of this issue. Now, as I, the editor, sit down to sum up our findings and attempt to write an article that will be thought-provoking as well as move readers to action, I find that the task is far more difficult than I first imagined. Dealing with issues that strike at the core of who we are and how God made us, is never an easy task.
Often, as Christians, we do not talk about the sexual side of our beings; God made us to be sexual but as sinful humans we have perverted how He created us. It seems to be common knowledge that people struggle with sexual issues such as homosexual tendencies, looking at pornography, masturbating, and having pre-marital sex. Some Christians have tried to bring these issues to the forefront and address them in an appropriate way. However, often times these things are shoved away and those who may try to seek help find themselves hurt instead of healed. As TPP set out to delve into this issue, we chose to hold a forum for open discussion and take surveys to gather information. In our information gathering, we found that, although people of both genders struggle with similar issues, often women who struggle with pornography, masturbation, and homosexuality are overlooked or disregarded. Although men certainly struggle with these things it is wrong to assume that women do not or that those who do are simply the unusual few. When asked about this topic, Professor Carrie Caudill said, “The female sexual drive has often been overlooked by the Christian community, and topics of lust typically take a male-only approach. Like men, women have sexual desires. And like men these desires for intimacy can become corrupted. Increasingly in the Christian counseling practice that I work for I am seeing, women confess and look for help in their struggles with masturbation, lust, pornography, homosexual attraction, and other sexual issues. They commonly believe that they are the “only one” who experiences these struggles. It is time for this often buried issue to be brought to the healing & redemptive light of Christ.” Her insights sum up TPP’s findings. In the rest of this article TPP will show some of our findings as well as ways to take action.
In preparation for this article, TPP took surveys of CIU students. These surveys were distributed in a few classes and although they represent only a small sampling of students, the information is revealing. Survey responses were received from 56 students, 24 men and 25 women and 7 who chose not to disclose their gender. The surveys asked whether or not the person had struggled with sexually impure thoughts, homosexuality, pornography, masturbation, or premarital sex and whether those struggles had taken place in the past or in the present. The surveys also asked whether or not those responding had sought help and where they had sought it. 99% of the women surveyed said that they struggled with sexually impure thoughts, either in the past or in the present. 16 of the surveys filled out by women showed that they struggled in the areas of homosexuality, pornography, masturbation, and premarital sex, either in the past or present. The exact struggle varied greatly but that these things are an issue was clear. Although only a minority of women checked that they presently struggled with one of these issues, it must be kept in mind that only a small percentage of CIU students were surveyed. When asked about whether or not they felt comfortable seeking help answered varied. Some answered that they had sought out help and felt accepted by those they spoke to. Others responded that they had not sought help and did not feel comfortable with doing so, for various reasons, such as not wanting others to know, not trusting others, and not wanting to ruin their image and not wanting to be disciplined.
On the surveys, one student wrote that she was not seeking help but probably would seek it at CIU if there was a program or someone she could talk to. For those who want help with their struggles there are some places they can go. TPP spoke with Chaplain Donna Thompson and she spoke about an accountability group that is provided on campus through the chaplain’s offices as well as individual counseling. However, there is also a greater need for these opportunities. R.A.s and other student leaders have the opportunity to begin accountability groups and to be open to helping students with their struggles. The discussion in the forum hosted by TPP also had similar responses. These issues are struggles for women and responses from other believers vary greatly. However, there is always a need for honesty and a listening ear.
This subject should not just be thought of as facts from a survey or isolated quotes from anonymous people but as something that is relevant to all of us. Sexual purity is something that is God desires for all of us. Although these things are personal issues, they are also community issues. As believers we can strengthen one another and build each other up. At the forum some spoke of being hurt by the reactions of other believers but some also spoke of great help and healing provided by other brothers and sisters in Christ. Even on campus there is a dichotomy between those who think that these subjects should be discussed and those that can become offended when topics about sexual matters are brought up. This split is often one produced by each person’s individual background and upbringing but sensitivity is needed on all sides. Good, uplifting discussion of these subjects must start with the leadership. From the CIU administration to chapel speakers to R.A.s these people have the opportunity to encourage positive dialogue and opportunities for healing. Rejection and mistrust are not appropriate responses to someone sharing their heart and seeking help. Instead, we should also seek to provide love and support to those who disclose their needs and concerns.
In conclusion, I hope that this article serves as more than just another piece to raise awareness. It is a call to action, a call do something. As individuals, we must address these things in our own lives and follow God’s will for our thoughts and actions. As a community we must come together as a place for help and healing. Our reactions to others when they bring these things forward can be instrumental in bringing healing or causing additional hurt. As both individuals and as a community we must be a place where we can both find help and give help to those in need. These struggles are not few and far between, nor are they reason to shun another believer. Instead they are reasons to seek God and become transformed to be more like Him.

By Micah Yaun
By way of introduction, the following three classes are not my “favorite” classes. They may or may not include my favorites, but, if I had to pick my favorite classes, I would pick on the basis of enjoyment and personal impact the classes had on me. I selected the following three classes as “must take” because of their exclusive instruction and training that I did not get in entirety in any other class. Also, these are not required for every major. I do not at all intend to speak against the value of any Bible Core or General Education classes. At the same time, the following three classes are, in my humble opinion, unmatched in their value for life and ministry.
The first class on my list is “Counseling Youth and Families,” taught by Dr. David Olshine. This class is basically a class about you and why you are who you are. Dr. Olshine’s famous quote on opening day reflects accurately the class’s purpose, “I’m going to rip you apart…and then I’m going to put you back together.” Everyone you interact with everyday is not simply an individual, they are a part of a system, a family system, and so are you. The family system is the number one voice in a person’s life. Even the absence of a close family structure is the loudest voice a given person is hearing. This class gives you the tools to understand your own family of origin and of procreation and how it shapes you as a person. Through this understanding of yourself, “Counseling Youth and Families” lets you see what it’s going to look like as you try to guide others in understanding their own lives.
The second class is “Bible for Teachers” taught by Dr. Anita Cooper. The main reason I believe everyone should take this class is because of the high view of Scripture it conveys. Understandably, not everyone is going to be a formal teacher of the Bible. The Bible must, however, be central to how we think, act, and lead. Many of us grew up knowing that the Bible is important and that it is the Word of God. But if anyone has ever asked themselves, “So what’s so great about the Bible?” they should take “Bible for Teachers”. The student in this class is taught to view and teach the Bible as a whole, a book with one purpose and theme, Christ. If Christ is not the theme of the Bible then it is just another piece of literature on the shelf. “Bible for Teachers” is not about how to teach nifty Bible lessons. It is about communicating Christ, gospel, truth, as the Bible reveals it.
“Developing the Church” taught by Dr. Chris Little wraps up the “Must Take” list. All of our lives (for some) we have gotten in the family car on Sunday morning to go from home to church, right? Wrong! We have gotten in the car to take the Church to meet together with the rest of the Church. Have you ever heard someone say that we just need to get back to how they did church in the New Testament, but then it seems like no one is willing to take the time to see what that would really mean? Maybe you’ve heard me say this and wonder why I’m not taking the time, or maybe you seen someone go off the deep end leaving the church angry and bitter. In taking “Developing the Church,” you have a chance to search out what “Church” truly means with other searchers. You have grown up with an idea of what “Church” is. For me, it’s a pink carpeted, red pew room called a sanctuary. I’m sitting in the third row of the far left section with my family. I like some of the songs, some I don’t. The preacher preaches and then everyone goes their separate ways to eat lunch. What does “Church” mean to you? “Developing the Church” will blow your view of Church out of the water and replace it with a balanced, Biblical precedent and directive for how “Church” is supposed to happen.
If possible, take these classes in this order. But don’t let that impossibility stop you from taking them. These classes will leave an impact on you that will not go away. I challenge every CIU student to take these three classes and pour yourself into them before you leave CIU. If you take my challenge and you feel the same way, I want to hear about it. I also want other students to hear about it from you. In these short three to four years, take advantage of what you can and take these three classes. If I’m wrong, at least you’ve filled elective hours, right?

By Amy Roberts
Trucks have been coming in and out, piles of lumber appear and disappear, a roof is up and brick walls are gone. The renovations of Memorial Hall are nearing completion. I sat down with longtime friend of CIU, David Ratchford, overseer of the project and general contractor Don Blackstone to discuss the project. Memorial has been rebuilt from the walls out, and new residents will find a home they can comfortably settle into.
Some of the most important renovations will not be seen. The asbestos has been removed, and all new electrical and plumbing has been put in. New HVAC systems will be installed, and both hardwire and wireless internet have been updated.
The student rooms will have a new look. The old built-in cabinets have been removed. Each room will now have a sink, microwave and refrigerator. The furniture will be modular, so that each room can be rearranged to meet the needs of the roommates. New windows will provide a clear view to the world outside. The floors will be tiled, with carpet in the hallways. Four new dorm rooms have been created from the rooms in the stairwells. The stairwells themselves will have a great new look. They will be air-conditioned, with new treads and flooring, and a pickled treatment on the bricks to tone down the “pink” color. The bathrooms will be completely retiled, and have all new toilets, sinks, and showers. The bathtubs have been removed and a new exhaust system added (good news for everyone).
The first floor will look much nicer. The lobby will be larger, able to hold meetings for the residents. The area that is presently the doorway will be enclosed and added to the lobby. The doors will now open straight out from the lobby. They will be opened by an electronic card system, similar to hotels. The first floor will be handicap accessible including the bathrooms. The walls will be smoothcoated and tray lighting will be featured in the hallways. The laundry room has been moved to the first floor and will be more like a lounge, with plans for comfortable seating and a TV.
The front façade of the Memorial Hall will have a new look as well. The stone wall will be removed and new windows and a trellis installed. The front walkway will be covered to protect residents from the rain and to provide shade. The parking lot will be removed to allow for more green space for the campus.
CIU plans to have it open for a tour at graduation, and for all the renovations to be completed by June. Don Blackstone, the general contractor, and his crew have found working at CIU to be a joy. He had praise for everyone he has worked with, from administration to Jeff and his team in the cafeteria. “The wives are complaining that their husbands aren’t eating at home, since they fill up at the cafeteria”, he joked. We all look forward to seeing their hard work completed, and having a modern dormitory for the students to enjoy. I guess the only downside is that the pitched roof will mean that no one’s furniture can end up on the roof of Memorial.

By Sarah Nixon
I love chapel. Really, I do. Being able to come together as a group and be encouraged and exhorted by speakers, to worship God together as a community, and to allow God to speak to us through the speakers is really a great privilege. I can think back to various chapel services in my two years here and pinpoint exact moments when God convicted me, showed me love, or really used a message to open my eyes to new truths, and I am sure that many of you can say the same. Chapel is a brief interlude in our days, a fleeting moment when we come together before the Lord in a wonderful gathering of souls—but issues arise when we think that chapels are the essence of our spiritual lives.
If we rely on chapel for time to worship and spend with God, for Him to speak to us with utter clarity, then we probably will do fine while at CIU. When we leave this wonderful place, however, we’ll soon find that our spiritual lives fall limp and lifeless. Chapel cannot sustain our spiritual lives. Church cannot sustain our spiritual lives. And though they are encouraging and I would dare say perhaps essential, they should not become the bulk of our spiritual journeys.
Life is lived in the mundane moments; in walks to classes and random meals, in fleeting conversations at the salad bar and research in the library. Life is lived in the brushing teeth, writing papers, doing dishes moments that dominate every single day. Your life won’t always have chapel. It won’t always have Christian friends. In fact, some of you will go places where it won’t even have church. Some of you will go where you and you alone are the church. What will happen then, when what you are used to relying on for spiritual food is gone? When all you have is the mundane moments?
My exhortation is two-fold. First, make sure that the friendships you are forming here are not merely friendships based on fun and shared experiences. Make sure that you are taking the time to spiritually pour into your friends. Tell them what God is teaching you, ask them what He is teaching them. Be intentional. Pray with one another. Share burdens with one another. Hurt. Cry. Laugh. Don’t waste this time of ready-made community and only use it for leisure, not growth. Friends that you can play with can be found anywhere. Friends that you can grow with are rare.
Second, don’t allow personal time with God to be put on a back burner. It is so easy to let school, work, relationships, and life in general take priority. But life will never be any less busy than it is right now, and if you don’t make “God and I time” a priority, it probably never will be. Take time and allow God to love on you, to speak to you, to convict you and encourage you. Learn about Him—not from the pages of a theology textbook but from spending time with Him. So many of us struggle with resting in the midst of our busy-ness and crammed schedules. Make time to get alone and rest with Him. Let Him show you what Sabbath rest really is.
These aren’t easy things. Believe me, I know. But they are life-giving things—grace-giving things. Go to chapel still. Take advantage of it being here for us, so easily and readily accessible. Allow God to speak to you through all of the speakers and songs and special days. Learn and grow. But don’t allow your spiritual life to be limited to between 10:50 and 11:45 every day. Let it ooze into all your seconds of all your minutes of all your days. Allow it to seep into the pores of conversations, allow it to direct what you do when you’re bored, allow it to slowly but surely transform your life. Be purposeful in forming friendships that will sharpen and be purposeful in taking time to spend with God. And when you do that, your mundane moments will begin to be changed. Your life will begin to be changed.
Don’t waste another day. Real life, life to be had in abundance, is waiting.

By Caleb Wimble
In the midst of what has been without a doubt one of the most unique presidential races in the history of our nation, we’ve seen even more than our country’s usual share of political sophistry. Mud-slinging and back-biting abound with profusion, especially for a point so early in the election process. It seems, however, that the worst of this rhetorical refuse has been reserved for the primaries. The recent “pastoral scandals” in the campaigns of both Obama and McCain respectively have received remarkable media attention and, if student conversation here at CIU is a reliable indicator, have altered the standings of many prospective supporters of either candidate. The question of why this has occurred begs to be answered, and it may be that we uncover an interesting facet of voter psychology in the process.
When the U.S.-damning inflammatory sermons of Barrack Obama’s pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, first fell under the media spotlight, it was seen by a number of political analysts as the potential silver bullet for Obama’s presidential aspirations. It seemed as though every pundit on the networks had a field day with the news, each major station playing repeated footage from several of the objectionable sermons for weeks following. Obama’s responsive speech, “A More Perfect Union,” served as moderately effective damage control, but there was no denying that the public revelation of his pastor’s incendiary, anti-American remarks would have a lasting effect on voters.
Several weeks ago a similar incident occurred within McCain’s campaign, albeit with less of a commotion. Pastor John Hagee, a controversial pro-Israeli activist who has called for invasion of Iran since 2006 (citing the need to fulfill biblical prophecy), announced his official endorsement of Senator John McCain. McCain, who had been courting the endorsement for over a year, stated that he was “very honored” by the endorsement, calling Hagee a “man of principle [who] does not stand boldly on both sides of any issue.” While Hagee may truly not stand on both sides of any issue, it has been well-noted by the media that he certainly takes a strong stance on a single side of many. Beyond his statements regarding Iran and Israel, we have been repeatedly reminded by the press that he has also called for an “unrelenting war against the Catholic church,” to which he refers as the “Great Whore” and the “anti-christ.”
More interesting than these events themselves, perhaps, is the fallout generated as a result. Beyond the immediate effect both incidents had upon the polls, the degree of relevance placed upon these endorsements by American voters at large is of remarkable note. Few deny that the last century saw an incredible decline in the depth and candor of the process of political campaigning - instead of the Lincoln-Douglas debates, for instance, we receive little more than 10-second sound bytes promising some vague description of “change” or “firmness of experience.” Candidates in general have developed a dubious reputation for the uncanny ability to switch sides of the fence without so much as stepping over the wire. But even within the midst of this shallow superficiality in the political sphere, should we not expect a more rigorous, reasonable response from the American people?
Instead of effecting change and decrying such fickle reversals in the voting populace, it may be that we are doing the very opposite. Rather than encouraging our candidates to strive for depth of character and clear pursuit of purpose, we leap at the chance to attack the very core of their moral fiber on the basis of a single endorsement. Have we truly become so cursory in our rationality that we believe the support of one man to be an indisputable metonymy of another’s position?
The results of the extent to which this line of thought could be carried is a rather telling indicator of its illogic. Do we honestly believe that our candidates should accept only the support of those whose worldview and opinions are in absolute alignment with their own? In essence, can we truly hold every endorser to a standard next-door to perfection? It may do us some measure of good to examine ourselves in the process of judging candidates in such a regard. We, as supporters and voters, are offering our own version of endorsement for our respective candidates of choice, who each in turn gladly accept the offer of our vote as a portion of their campaign infrastructure.
It is true that few of us hold to political views as extreme as those of Reverend Wright or Pastor Hagee. But certainly few of us would claim to be in absolute sync with the policies or morality of any political candidate, let alone that of our presidential ticket. Endorsements do not necessarily work two ways; though a candidate may be glad for the affirmation of a particular public figure, and likewise hold some measure of respect and appreciation for the figure himself, it seems a tenuous stretch to believe that the candidate is necessarily condoning any of the words or actions of the figure beyond the endorsement itself.
Perhaps in the midst of this public outcry we may take a stand for a more honorable treatment of our nation’s political process. And perhaps we might also allow ourselves to be humbled by a gentle reminder of our own shortcomings as human beings before so readily casting our condemnation of others. After all, if Christians are to be considered the representatives and endorsers of Christ, should this world consider their failings to be reflective of his character?