Faculty are reminded to reflect on Liberty University’s founding principles at 50th-year faculty orientation

Liberty University professors and academic leaders gathered in the Montview Alumni Ballroom on Thursday morning for a faculty orientation, in which they were encouraged to reflect on the school’s biblical roots and to remember the joyful privilege they have as professors to share the love of Christ with their students.

Following a time of worship, Liberty President Jerry Prevo delivered a message of encouragement to the faculty members, expressing his appreciation for their dedication to serving the university’s students while teaching about their respective fields through a Scriptural lens.

“I don’t meet with these students every day or every three days, but you do,” Prevo said. “We’re dependent on you to Train Champions for Christ, to be world changers, and you’ve been doing that and I know you’re going to continue to. I want you to know that I appreciate that. I know Dr. Falwell, our founder, appreciates that.”

Prevo assured all in attendance that Dr. Jerry Falwell’s vision will never be compromised.

“We’re celebrating our 50th year,” he said. “What a tremendous accomplishment, and we are still biblically based, upholding the truths of God’s Word that have been in existence for 2,000 years. We haven’t gone the way of other colleges that are Christian and we’re not going to go that way.”

As Liberty’s faculty seek to share the Gospel with every student that enters their classroom, Prevo expressed the same heart of service to them.

“I just want to say God bless you. I love you and thank you for being here at Liberty University. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to serve you.”

Liberty’s Provost and Chief Academic Officer Scott Hicks followed Prevo’s address by encouraging those in attendance to take time to look back at God’s faithfulness in blessing Liberty despite difficulties that the school has gone through.

“(President Prevo) referred to the conflict, the challenge, the crisis, and the change that we’ve come through,” Hicks said. “Dr. Falwell would tell us to never, ever, ever give up.”

He implored listeners to remember that as Christ-followers, we are overcomers because our identity, security, and faith is in our Creator.

“We are overcoming like you’ve never seen before. … He’s not done with us,” Hicks said.

He said that the mission of spreading the Gospel is the ultimate reason Liberty exists.

“We’re here to use the vehicle of education to deliver the Gospel to the whole world.”

Throughout the rest of the morning and afternoon, Liberty’s faculty were addressed by numerous other speakers including President of Hobby Lobby Steve Green, former professional football player Tommie Harris, Liberty’s executive vice president and chief officer of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Shon Muldrow,, and Chief Richard Hinkley from the Liberty University Police Department.

Despite not being able to attend in-person, Jonathan Falwell, senior pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty’s new campus pastor, delivered a brief message of encouragement via a pre-recorded video.

“This university was founded in 1971, 50 years ago, with a vision and the mission of raising up young people to go out into the world that desperately needs to hear the Gospel, and that they would know how to teach truth,” Falwell said. “(The faculty) are important in making that happen. You are the ones who are going to help make that a reality.”