The Institute Blog

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

S2E23: College Conversations Podcast - “What Is ‘Summer Melt’ & How Do I… Not?” (Transcript)

Join Institute for God Professors Jeff Sherrod, Laurie Kagay, and Gregg Garner as they explore the "summer melt" phenomenon where students accepted to college do not show up in the fall.

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S2E21: College Conversations Podcast - “What I Learned From My Mission Abroad & Why I Want To Go Again!” (Transcript)

Gregg Garner, Jeff Sherrod and Laurie Kagay from College Conversations interview Institute students; Genesis Garner and Erin Gammill. They reflect on previous mission trips as well as share hopes for upcoming trips.

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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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S2E13: College Conversations Podcast - “What Bible Colleges Miss In Spiritual Formation” (Transcript)

Joined by the Presidents of Mid South Christian College, Larry Griffin and Nick Griffin, Jeff Sherrod and Institute for Global Outreach Developments president; Gregg Garner discuss spiritual formation in students featuring a discussion on spiritual formation at Mid South Christian College. Speakers focus on the challenges of assessing and prioritizing spiritual growth in students.

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S2E10: College Conversations Podcast - “Discussing Diversity: A Person, Not An Idea” (Transcript)

Institute President Gregg Garner leads a discussion with Professors Laurie Kagay and Benjamin Reese where they discuss being token representatives of diversity and emphasize the need for genuine diversity rooted in values. They discuss the challenges of navigating different cultural environments and stress the importance of self-awareness in promoting true diversity.

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S2E7: College Conversations Podcast - “Distraction Overload: Gen Z Navigating College Life” (Transcript)

In this podcast episode, Jeff Sherrod and Gregg Garner interview Brent Holzklaw and Daniel Ryan Day from Reclaim Today. They discuss the mission of Reclaim Today to help people connect with God in the ordinary moments of everyday life, and how they use research and creative content to engage Gen Z and Millennials in their faith.

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Student Perspectives Walt Reynolds Student Perspectives Walt Reynolds

A Prayer for Friendships

Every human being needs friends. Sometimes it can feel like it’s impossible to genuinely connect with others, whether it’s because of personal insecurities or seemingly impenetrable cliques. But the truth is, God wants people to be close to one another, to be honest with each other and let love be genuine

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