The Student Ministries Board will host Night of Testimonies on March 26 at 6 p.m. in the Mauck Solarium.
Courtesy | Ingrid Dornbirer
Three students and one professor from different denominations will share how God has worked in their lives at Night of Testimonies, hosted by the Student Ministry Board March 26 at 6 p.m. in the Mauck Solarium.
“Night of Testimonies was birthed out of a desire to push past debates over doctrinal abstractions and just give people an opportunity to share their own stories with Jesus with others, and for others to learn and be blessed by it,” College Chaplain Rev. Adam Rick said in an email. “We’ve done the event seven times now, with one more to go this semester, and they really have become precious events for the board as for others.”
Senior and Student Ministry Board member Alex Schrauben said the event’s focus is the narrative of how God has been working in the speaker’s lives instead of preaching about denominational differences.
“Ecumenical ministry is admittedly difficult on campus,” Schrauben said in an email. “Many people misunderstand what the Student Ministry Board attempts to do, oftentimes assuming that we are trying to get everyone to conform one way or another or to sacrifice their convictions in the name of unity. For SMB, our Nights of Testimony embody the spirit of ecumenical worship.”
According to Rick, the Student Ministry Board gives each testimonialist a prompt to help them think through their testimony and keep them focused. Board members also work with each individual to help them feel comfortable sharing.
“As a consequence of these guides, the testimonies shared to date have been quite vulnerable and inspiring,” Rick said.
Sophomore and Student Ministry Board member Abigail Stonestreet said the event is a beautiful way different denominations can experience unity in the body of Christ.
“It’s a good thing that we are convicted in our beliefs,” Stonestreet said. “It’s OK that we have differences in beliefs, but also that we realize that the Lord calls for unity in the body of Christ. We can work towards that by hearing each other out and listening to the way the Lord is working in the lives of our friends.”
Stonestreet said the board has been trying to incorporate faculty into each Night of Testimonies.
“The goal is to have a night where we can come together and listen to the way that the Lord is working in our lives and on campus,” Stonestreet said. “For me personally, Night of Testimonies has been really impactful for realizing that the Lord works on an individual basis and he wants a personal relationship with us.”
