Something is happening at Wheaton College. I don’t know quite what it is. Only God does, really. But the Holy Spirit is on the move here. People are praying for revival. Let me elaborate.
Wheaton College is and always has been a place where all members of the campus community have given a high priority to scholarship, integrity, and the pursuit of truth; to meaningful, caring relationships; and to social justice. But above all else, we lift high the name the Christ, and it is in His name that we exist and work.
Sometimes, though, we forget that our calling is to glorify God. We get caught up in our studies, relationships, and ministries. The effect is that an attitude of pride and cynicism has settled on our campus community. Our studies and all the rest are blessings from God, but right now we (albeit subconsciously) take credit for them ourselves. As a result, we are distracted from truly worshipping because we don’t recognize God as the “fount of every blessing.”
Do we need a revival at Wheaton College? That’s an interesting question. Mine may be a minority opinion, so let me say respectfully that I think revival is overkill. A revival, as I understand it, is when the Holy Spirit moves in the heart of many people in one community, resulting in an extended period of unplanned worship. During such a time, people might confess sins, renew their commitments to Christ, and the like.
I do not doubt that God may use (and has used) revivals to do tremendous good in communities around the world. But here is why I think revival is overkill: I think people sometimes pray for revival to distract themselves from their own convictions. Remove the speck in your own eye and all that, right? Ask God to help you overcome your own cynicism and pride, and then ask Him to let your life be an example to others. It’s definitely something I need to do.
So let me expand my statement a bit: revival is not a bad thing, I just feel that we shouldn’t rush towards such a dramatic solution. God can work in small, subtle ways to accomplish great things.
At the same time, I do appreciate the significance of what is happening here. It’s hard to overlook the evidence that people are realizing that we have lost some of our focus. In the Conservatory, in particular, lots of people are thinking about what it means to be a Christian musician. Out of respect for my friends’ trust, I will not share on this weblog some of the personal stories I have heard, but let me say that it’s amazing. People are humbling themselves and seeking God’s purpose for their gifts.
What is my prayer? That each and every person who, because of the grace of God, is here at Wheaton, would understand more and more each day how much God loves us and wants us to know that He loves us. I’m not doing much over spring break – just going home to spend the week with my family and relax in Oak Park. But I will definitely be praying for Wheaton College. If you are part of the Wheaton community, I challenge you to join me, and if you are a friend of the College and feel so led, I humbly ask you to pray for our school.
This is Rubio, over and out.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
A Man and a Woman
Today is the observance of the birth anniversary of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968). It is a federal holiday, signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 and first observed in 1986 (though it was not until 2000 that all 50 states observed the holiday). I grew up in Oak Park, Illinois, a very diverse community, and commemoration of King's work and legacy were a regular part of the curriculum every January. When I was in high school, I attended the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation, typically on the last Friday of classes preceding the holiday. The event usually involved various performance ensembles (the gospel choir and jazz ensemble, as I remember), and then the winner of the MLK Oratorical Competition would read his or her winning essay. The speech was usually a call to remember that King's work was not yet finished.
When I got to Wheaton College, which, needless to say, is quite a different environment than Oak Park and River Forest High School, I was curious to see what official events the school sponsored for MLK Day. I was pleased to find that a chapel session had been reserved for the occasion; this past Friday's chapel was titled "The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Remembered." Tonight, the College is hosting the DuPage County MLK Day ceremony, with a performance by our own gospel choir.
All that is well and good, but I think, in reality, my generation, as a whole, can do more than quote King saying, "I have a dream." That's a bit of an exaggeration, of course; I am sure that most people my age know who King was and for what he's famous. But the Associated Press reports that scholars believe the breadth of King's story is largely ignored. For example, the article I read (both on MSNBC.com and WORLD Magazine's website) state that King's activism also included issues such as poverty and war. Additionally, people today forget that King was not popular at the time he made his famous "I Have a Dream" speech - quite the opposite.
Sadly, though, that is the fate of many historical figures. As the article states, many are simply "frozen in time" at an iconic moment, and the depth of their work and their lives forgotten. Fortunately, King is not likely to cease to be a well-known historical figure, so there is hope that that depth will eventually become general knowledge.
To change the subject completely, I am no longer a single man.
I first met my girlfriend, Naomi Attaway, well, actually, I can't remember an exact date. She is a fellow first-year music major here at Wheaton College. We saw a lot of each other through the fall semester, first by virtue of having five classes together, and then we started spending time together outside of classes, in social contexts. Eventually, there came a point when we were definitely acquaintances, and then a point when we were definitely friends, though both of those points are rather ambiguous. Last night, I asked her to be my girlfriend, and she said yes.
Pardon me for stating the obvious, but I am really excited about this relationship, and really thankful that God has given me (us) the opportunity to have this relationship.
This is Rubio, over and out.
When I got to Wheaton College, which, needless to say, is quite a different environment than Oak Park and River Forest High School, I was curious to see what official events the school sponsored for MLK Day. I was pleased to find that a chapel session had been reserved for the occasion; this past Friday's chapel was titled "The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Remembered." Tonight, the College is hosting the DuPage County MLK Day ceremony, with a performance by our own gospel choir.
All that is well and good, but I think, in reality, my generation, as a whole, can do more than quote King saying, "I have a dream." That's a bit of an exaggeration, of course; I am sure that most people my age know who King was and for what he's famous. But the Associated Press reports that scholars believe the breadth of King's story is largely ignored. For example, the article I read (both on MSNBC.com and WORLD Magazine's website) state that King's activism also included issues such as poverty and war. Additionally, people today forget that King was not popular at the time he made his famous "I Have a Dream" speech - quite the opposite.
Sadly, though, that is the fate of many historical figures. As the article states, many are simply "frozen in time" at an iconic moment, and the depth of their work and their lives forgotten. Fortunately, King is not likely to cease to be a well-known historical figure, so there is hope that that depth will eventually become general knowledge.
To change the subject completely, I am no longer a single man.
I first met my girlfriend, Naomi Attaway, well, actually, I can't remember an exact date. She is a fellow first-year music major here at Wheaton College. We saw a lot of each other through the fall semester, first by virtue of having five classes together, and then we started spending time together outside of classes, in social contexts. Eventually, there came a point when we were definitely acquaintances, and then a point when we were definitely friends, though both of those points are rather ambiguous. Last night, I asked her to be my girlfriend, and she said yes.
Pardon me for stating the obvious, but I am really excited about this relationship, and really thankful that God has given me (us) the opportunity to have this relationship.
This is Rubio, over and out.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Huckabee for President
Happy New Year!
At present, I am in the middle of my Christmas break. In addition to getting a respectable amount of sleep, I have kept myself busy getting prepared for a major upcoming event.
2008 is a leap year, and like all other leap years (as well as century years not divisible by four hundred), the United States will hold a presidential election in November. That means from now until Election Day (November 4), we will be in the midst of a presidential campaign.
The Iowa Caucus, the famous first primary, is tomorrow, and the event has led the news all year. At this point (i.e., for the primaries), I have decided to support former Baptist minister, former Arkansas governor, and candidate for the Republican Party nomination, Mike Huckabee.
Mike Huckabee (http://www.mikehuckabee.com) officially announced his candidacy last January, but it is only in the last few months that his campaign has gained equal footing with his party's front runners. Several polls put Huckabee in the lead for tomorrow's Iowa Caucus, and he is regarded as a serious contender across the board.
A few highlights of Huckabee's stand on the issues most important to me, as listed on his website:
EDUCATION: "I believe that every child should have the opportunity for a quality education that teaches the fundamental skills needed to compete in a global economy. As I traveled the country and the world over the last decade bringing jobs to Arkansas, the business leaders I met weren't worried about creating jobs, they were worried about finding skilled and professional workers to fill those jobs."
SANCTITY OF LIFE: "I support and have always supported passage of a constitutional amendment to protect the right to life. My convictions regarding the sanctity of life have always been clear and consistent, without equivocation or wavering. I believe that Roe v. Wade should be over-turned."
MARRIAGE: "I support and have always supported passage of a federal constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman. As President, I will fight for passage of this amendment. My personal belief is that marriage is between one man and one woman, for life."
FAITH AND POLITICS: "My faith is my life - it defines me. My faith doesn't influence my decisions, it drives them. For example, when it comes to the environment, I believe in being a good steward of the earth. I don't separate my faith from my personal and professional lives."
"Quality education" ... "right to life" ... "one man and one woman" ... "I don't separate my faith from my personal and professional lives." These four samplings alone make Huckabee a man I admire, and further investigation into his stand on other issues such as foreign policy, health care, and energy make him a candidate I am proud to support. This is the first presidential election I in which I will be eligible to vote, and for the primary round, my vote goes to Mike Huckabee.
Regardless of whether or not you agree with my choice of candidate, let me encourage all who are eligible to get out and vote! If you are not registered to vote, it's free and easy, so get that done right away. Get informed about the candidates, watch the news, and VOTE!
This is Rubio, over and out.
At present, I am in the middle of my Christmas break. In addition to getting a respectable amount of sleep, I have kept myself busy getting prepared for a major upcoming event.
2008 is a leap year, and like all other leap years (as well as century years not divisible by four hundred), the United States will hold a presidential election in November. That means from now until Election Day (November 4), we will be in the midst of a presidential campaign.
The Iowa Caucus, the famous first primary, is tomorrow, and the event has led the news all year. At this point (i.e., for the primaries), I have decided to support former Baptist minister, former Arkansas governor, and candidate for the Republican Party nomination, Mike Huckabee.
Mike Huckabee (http://www.mikehuckabee.com) officially announced his candidacy last January, but it is only in the last few months that his campaign has gained equal footing with his party's front runners. Several polls put Huckabee in the lead for tomorrow's Iowa Caucus, and he is regarded as a serious contender across the board.
A few highlights of Huckabee's stand on the issues most important to me, as listed on his website:
EDUCATION: "I believe that every child should have the opportunity for a quality education that teaches the fundamental skills needed to compete in a global economy. As I traveled the country and the world over the last decade bringing jobs to Arkansas, the business leaders I met weren't worried about creating jobs, they were worried about finding skilled and professional workers to fill those jobs."
SANCTITY OF LIFE: "I support and have always supported passage of a constitutional amendment to protect the right to life. My convictions regarding the sanctity of life have always been clear and consistent, without equivocation or wavering. I believe that Roe v. Wade should be over-turned."
MARRIAGE: "I support and have always supported passage of a federal constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman. As President, I will fight for passage of this amendment. My personal belief is that marriage is between one man and one woman, for life."
FAITH AND POLITICS: "My faith is my life - it defines me. My faith doesn't influence my decisions, it drives them. For example, when it comes to the environment, I believe in being a good steward of the earth. I don't separate my faith from my personal and professional lives."
"Quality education" ... "right to life" ... "one man and one woman" ... "I don't separate my faith from my personal and professional lives." These four samplings alone make Huckabee a man I admire, and further investigation into his stand on other issues such as foreign policy, health care, and energy make him a candidate I am proud to support. This is the first presidential election I in which I will be eligible to vote, and for the primary round, my vote goes to Mike Huckabee.
Regardless of whether or not you agree with my choice of candidate, let me encourage all who are eligible to get out and vote! If you are not registered to vote, it's free and easy, so get that done right away. Get informed about the candidates, watch the news, and VOTE!
This is Rubio, over and out.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Every Blessing
A little over two hours ago, I finished my last final exam (intro to music technology), and, for all practical puposes, finished my first semester of college study. In a few hours, I will check out and move out of my residence hall for a three-week break.
These last four weeks (the weeks since returning to school from Thanksgiving break) have been quite exciting. Two weekends ago was the Wheaton College Christmas Festival, a rather large undertaking that involved over two hundred students and a bit of a stressful week prior. But the performances (there were two) went quite well, I am glad that I had the oppotunity to get involved on the house staff.
Then last week, all the end-of-term activities began in earnest. My final exams actually began last week Wednesday with class piano, and, as mentioned above, concluded today. Although I had a lot of time with nothing to do (there is only so much you can study for the exams in the classes I have), it was nice to have my finals spread out over the course of nine days. It gave me a chance to get things done and get ready to leave.
This past weekend included a special treat. Zach Vander Laan, an Oak Park alumnus and friend of mine since junior high, and now a freshman at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, was home for break a week earlier than most of his friends, so he came out to Wheaton to visit Heidi Jahns and me (the three of us all grew up in the same church). We went out to dinner with a couple of Heidi's friends and then the three of us spent some time together catching up and sharing stories of our experiences this semester. Both Zach and Heidi have been around for and even present at many of the significant events of the last few years of my life, and I really enjoyed spending some quality time with the two of them.
This past Monday night, Wheaton observed its monthly All-School Communion. Dr. Gary Burge, professor of New Testament, gave a message based on the story of the Magi. His challenge to us was to be, like the Magi, curious and "permeable," and see what God might have planned.
One of the songs for worship on Monday night was the hymn "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing." My first experience with this hymn was several years ago, playing in my home church's orchestra, accompanying the sanctuary choir. It was a powerful arrangement, and I remember teaching myself to play it on the piano soon thereafter.
Monday night, though, I was particularly struck by the lyrics in the third stanza of the modern text.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above
I've written before about how in the past few months, God has really moved me to stop trying to control my life and let Him quide me along the path He has for me. This third stanza, particularly the last four lines, seem to be a perfect representation. I am prone to wander, and try to do my own thing. The second stanza states that "Jesus sought me when a stranger/Wandering from the fold of God." While that, I think, speaks specifically to salvation, the concept of Jesus bringing a wanderer back to God pertains to my recent experiences as well.
So there's my reflection at the end of my first semester of college. It certainly was an adventure.
Merry Christmas!
This is Rubio, over and out.
These last four weeks (the weeks since returning to school from Thanksgiving break) have been quite exciting. Two weekends ago was the Wheaton College Christmas Festival, a rather large undertaking that involved over two hundred students and a bit of a stressful week prior. But the performances (there were two) went quite well, I am glad that I had the oppotunity to get involved on the house staff.
Then last week, all the end-of-term activities began in earnest. My final exams actually began last week Wednesday with class piano, and, as mentioned above, concluded today. Although I had a lot of time with nothing to do (there is only so much you can study for the exams in the classes I have), it was nice to have my finals spread out over the course of nine days. It gave me a chance to get things done and get ready to leave.
This past weekend included a special treat. Zach Vander Laan, an Oak Park alumnus and friend of mine since junior high, and now a freshman at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, was home for break a week earlier than most of his friends, so he came out to Wheaton to visit Heidi Jahns and me (the three of us all grew up in the same church). We went out to dinner with a couple of Heidi's friends and then the three of us spent some time together catching up and sharing stories of our experiences this semester. Both Zach and Heidi have been around for and even present at many of the significant events of the last few years of my life, and I really enjoyed spending some quality time with the two of them.
This past Monday night, Wheaton observed its monthly All-School Communion. Dr. Gary Burge, professor of New Testament, gave a message based on the story of the Magi. His challenge to us was to be, like the Magi, curious and "permeable," and see what God might have planned.
One of the songs for worship on Monday night was the hymn "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing." My first experience with this hymn was several years ago, playing in my home church's orchestra, accompanying the sanctuary choir. It was a powerful arrangement, and I remember teaching myself to play it on the piano soon thereafter.
Monday night, though, I was particularly struck by the lyrics in the third stanza of the modern text.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above
I've written before about how in the past few months, God has really moved me to stop trying to control my life and let Him quide me along the path He has for me. This third stanza, particularly the last four lines, seem to be a perfect representation. I am prone to wander, and try to do my own thing. The second stanza states that "Jesus sought me when a stranger/Wandering from the fold of God." While that, I think, speaks specifically to salvation, the concept of Jesus bringing a wanderer back to God pertains to my recent experiences as well.
So there's my reflection at the end of my first semester of college. It certainly was an adventure.
Merry Christmas!
This is Rubio, over and out.
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