My 2008 Graduates

This past Saturday was graduation at CBC. We held a Commissioning Service for students in the Department of Behavioral Sciences. It was a chance for us to celebrate our students’ accomplishments at CBC and pray for God’s blessing on them as they move forward from here. Before one of our own distinguished alumni spoke to the students and their families, I said a few words. What follows below is something close to what I said.

This year is a special year for me. I have been at CBC for three years now and after three years I finally feel like I understand what’s going on around here. And after three years, I finally feel like the graduating students are my students. We have spent much time together and we know each other well. I’m burdened by the prospect of their success being partially a reflection of how well I have prepared them. The students here today aren’t just generic students – they are my students. I feel responsible for them and I feel a connection with them. Granted, my students may not have always felt same connection with me. For them it may have been more like the connection you have with your crazy uncle from Kansas whom you tolerate when he visits during holidays, but you hope he doesn’t stay too long and eat all of your food.

In any case, let me tell you a little bit about my students.

They are extremely bright. It may take several more years for me to fully understand just how special they are. But consider this – I have twelve graduates this year and together their average GPA together is just over 3.5. That is amazing! Eight of the twelve are graduating with honors and two were inducted into Alpha Chi this year. And one of these twelve will be receiving another special honor later today.

They have been very gracious to me. They were patient when I just wasn’t very good as a teacher. I sometimes look back on my first three years as a full time professor and think I should apologize to them. But they worked hard to become better students and in doing so they challenged me to work hard to become a better teacher. They also laughed at my jokes and stories. And they tolerated me when I stumbled for words or made up my own because my mind was working faster than my lips.

They have all grown and matured in various ways while here at CBC. Many have adjusted to major and sometimes quite painful life events. They have been determined and they have persevered through difficult times. And they have demonstrated a wonderful combination of love for God with love for others. Many of these students have found a passion and a vision for helping hurting people – motivated by Christian love. As I have read their papers over the years, I have noticed their compassion and their growing spiritual maturity. It is going to be terribly exciting to see what God is going to do through them.

As you can tell, I am very proud of my students. At the end of this year, I asked my graduates to provide some feedback on their time here. Before our speaker comes, let me share with you some excerpts. Here are some of my students – in their own words.

“My favorite times in class were those moments where we would just forget everything and be real with each other – both goofy and serious times. When we would just talk or laugh, or just be in the moment with an issue – that was awesome for me.”

“I was often challenged to grow in my beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors… to really dig for answers and wrestle with issues instead of just accepting things because someone said so.”

“There were so many humorous events that happened…, but I think one of my favorites was that time when Eric Hudson teased you about wearing a ‘Regis tie’ and it seemed to bother you a little.”

“The way I interact with people on a daily basis is different, too. I am much more understanding and sensitive to people struggling with illnesses and crises. I can’t even really describe how much my spiritual life has grown and how I have become a better person for having been a student at Central Baptist College. It has been an amazing experience.”

“In my internship I was able to see some lives of those less fortunate than me – and without the hope that I have through Christ. This helped me to continue to grow in my spiritual walk.”

“My college life at CBC has been one of the best times of my life. I would not have thought that I could enjoy college so much. …I will greatly miss the brotherhood that I felt while attending school here.”

“I think the work in my classes has changed my life in so many more ways than I could even count. I’ve grown as a person, a Christian, and as a counselor in leaps and bounds. Every class in some way taught me something about myself and taught me about others – so every day I felt like I expanded who I was….”

“If I wasn’t convinced before that I should ‘love the least of these,’ my heart sure hurts greater for them now. I’m so very grateful that through these years at CBC my passion got stronger, my fire has burned brighter, and my love has grown.”

Thank you class of 2008. May the grace of our Lord be with you all.