The Institute Blog

Thoughts on Jesus, Education, and Life from Faculty, Students & Grads

Student Perspectives, College Conversations Website Contributor Student Perspectives, College Conversations Website Contributor

S2E30 - What Does the Bible Say About Burnout?

In this College Conversations episode, Jeff Sherrod, Gregg Garner, and Laurie Kagay explore burnout, its causes, and its impact, particularly in Christian ministry. They share strategies for recognizing and addressing it, emphasizing reliance on the Lord, sharing burdens, and seeking help to maintain mental and emotional health.

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College Conversations, Student Perspectives Website Contributor College Conversations, Student Perspectives Website Contributor

S2E29 - Why Christians Should Ask Better Questions

Jeff Sherrod, Gregg Garner, and Laurie Kagay discuss the role of questions in a Christian community. As in, where do academic freedom, intellectual honesty, and how do they work in a Christian setting? Some people view questions as a negative thing regarding faith, but as professors, these guests highly favor asking questions. Think through what kinds of questions you answer, and how to get better at it.

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S2E31 - Media Consumption & Spirituality

In this episode of College Conversations, host Jeff Sherrod is joined by Gregg Garner and Benjamin Reese. They engage about the impact of media usage for young people, and what power it has to inform one’s values. Media is not bad, but does have an impact on your spirituality. Gregg, Ben and Jeff discuss the evolution of media and the need for colleges to incorporate better media literacy into their curriculum.

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Student Perspectives, Missions, From the Field Website Contributor Student Perspectives, Missions, From the Field Website Contributor

From The Field Uganda: Students Living A Mission

This East Africa Immersion trip, Erin Gammill shares how she’s been blessed with the opportunity to help implement the first SLAM program in Uganda. She loved being behind the scenes and doing tasks to bring organization to the event, as well as getting to help with healthcare needs there.

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Missions, Student Perspectives, From the Field Website Contributor Missions, Student Perspectives, From the Field Website Contributor

From the Field Philippines: Reflecting On Challenges

Hear a testimony from Simon Liley from the 2024 summer South East Asia immersion team as he reflects on the challenging circumstances he’s witnessed. One of the most difficult things for him being to hold onto the stories he’s heard as well as the realities of poverty that he’s seen around the world with the critical lens that God gives us.

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Missions, Student Perspectives, From the Field Website Contributor Missions, Student Perspectives, From the Field Website Contributor

From the Field Philippines: Malaya Means Free

South East Asia immersion team this summer gets the opportunity to host a weekend Leadership Bible Retreat for invited leaders from our campus & community in the Philippines, providing for them intensive times in worship, Bible study, and fellowshipping together. The hope of the time was to make known to them about God's building project, which is his children.

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Missions, Student Perspectives, From the Field Website Contributor Missions, Student Perspectives, From the Field Website Contributor

From the Field Philippines: Students Living A Mission

South East Asia immersion team this summer gets the opportunity to facilitate a SLAM week for the youth present. With the weeks theme being: ‘Reck’nize: Who you are & where you at’ pulled from Colossians 3:1-3, read Brittan Botzom’s testimony as to how God is using her team and moving in everyone there.

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Missions, Student Perspectives, From the Field Website Contributor Missions, Student Perspectives, From the Field Website Contributor

From the Field Philippines: “What we do here is what we do there!”

South East Asia immersion team this summer gets the opportunity to to facilitate Camp Skillz (summer camp) for 28 kids. Hear from Tresa Botzom and her personal experiences getting to witness the replication of a program that started in Nashville get effectively duplicated within the Filipino context.

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Missions, Student Perspectives, From the Field Website Contributor Missions, Student Perspectives, From the Field Website Contributor

From the Field Philippines: Lifting Up The Poor

Hear a testimony from Isaiah Aaseby from the 2024 summer South East Asia immersion team as he reflects on the lessons he’s learning from the Bible and experience in a third-world country. He writes; “It’s humbling to come in contact with the poor, and uncomfortable. The uncomfortability isn’t bad, in fact it can incite us to call on the Lord if we choose to.”

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S2E22: College Conversations Podcast - “What I Learned On Mission Abroad & Why I Want To Go Again! - Part Two” (Transcript)

Join Institute for God professors Jeff Sherrod, Laurie Kagay and headmaster Gregg Garner as they discusses with Institute student; Jacob Oliveira his summer internship mission trip to Uganda, emphasizing intentional planning and transformative impact on one's relationship with God.

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S2E20: College Conversations Podcast - “The State of Short Term Missions: Are They Worth It?” (Transcript)

Gregg Garner, Jeff Sherrod, Laurie Kagay, and Benjamin Reese from College Conversations discuss the challenges and criticisms surrounding short-term missions in America, focusing on issues such as the lack of lasting impact and the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes. They emphasize the importance of expertise, financial integrity, and a holistic approach to measuring success in mission work.

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