Lifelong Values: Series Will Teach Students About Worldy Desires

Community Life unveils a new series titled “What does the Bible say about … ” spanning three workshops this semester. The series aims to cover topics such as identity, substance usage awareness and sexual boundaries. 

Associate Director Scott Busby will be one of four facilitators for these workshops. 

“I think our office is synonymous in students’ minds (with) ‘what can’t we do as Liberty students,’ but really the series in my mind is designed to help to teach students and to help them understand what (it is) that we are called to do,” Busby said. 

This hope of showing the more positive side of Community Life is shared by Graduate Student Assistant Alex Wright, another facilitator of the workshops. 

“There’s also a side of our office that really advocates for students and wants the best development for the students. One of the foundational aspects of Community Life is the application of students and through restorative practices,” Wright said. “I think one of the ways we can practice these restorative practices is by educating students about things like these three things.”

For students, there is no fee or registration required to attend the workshops, and they can attend as few or as many as they want. The first of the three workshops will be held Wednesday, Feb. 23, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in room 1420 in the Freedom Tower. 

Director of Educational Programming and Assessment Leanne Gifford said the workshops will have many aspects including lectures, visual aids, group discussions and activities.

“It’s not really us trying to tell you what you should and shouldn’t do or what God says you should do. It’s really giving (you) the tools of here’s the scripture, do the work on your end to see what the Bible says about it, but we’re going to help you by providing you with that deeper takeaway,” Gifford said. 

Wright said each individual topic has been researched extensively for the benefit of students. His most involved topic is on identity, and he is looking forward to sharing what he has learned through his studies.

“Just come (to the workshops) with an open mind, an open heart and just come in to receive more education about looking at your own heart cause that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to open up … hearts and open up … minds to what the Lord could do through what we’ve researched and what we’ve found,” Wright said.

Gifford said this series aims not only to help teach students in the present but to help give them foundational values for their future. 

“For me personally, educating students on a deeper level of what Scripture says about the culturally hot topics is really important because it’s giving them that biblical foundation for when they leave Liberty and life hits them hard later in life, they (will) have the foundation of what the Bible says and what the truth of God’s word is to help get them through those times,”
Gifford said. 

For more information, students can email communitylife@liberty.edu.

Haydon is a news reporter. Follow her on Twitter