Convocation Speech Fall 2011
Unless otherwise noted, these speeches and open letters were written for the Dean of Students of Biola University between 2011-2016.
[Portions of this work reference the Beloit College Mindset List, which is used by permission]
President Corey…it is with deep pleasure as the Dean of Students to present the Class of 2015! (Two thousand and fifteen)
I would like to take a moment tell you about this new group of students.
First of all, they represent the love and sacrifice of parents, friends, and family members, who, during tough economic times, determined that a Biola education was an investment that had to be made…
They represent the latest evidence of God’s blessing on Biola and its mission, to equip men and women in mind and character to impact the world for Jesus Christ.
And in a way, this class represents its generation…its own point in time. Many of our Biola freshmen were born in 1993. As so, Dr. Corey, and my faculty and staff colleagues, let me put that in perspective for you.Do you remember 1993?
In 1993, the average cost of a gallon of gas was $1.16. The stock market ended the year at 3,654.
It was the year of MC Hammer, Snoop Dogg, and Vanilla Ice; Pearl Jam and Nirvana; Garth Brooks and Phil Collins; Sarah McLachlan and Celine Dion.
The European Union was formed, and shortly thereafter, the Euro.
South Africa adopted its first post-apartheid constitution.
A strange new TV series began, called The X-Files. And so did “Walker, Texas Ranger,” with Chuck Norris.
Dallas won the Super Bowl, Toronto won the World Series, and for the 3rdyear in a row, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls won the NBA title.
Two words first heard in 1993: Beanie Babies.
Three letters first heard in 1993: W-W-W
“Schindler’s List” made us cry, “Groundhog Day” made us laugh, and “Jurassic Park” made us scream, but the date movie of 1993 was “Sleepless in Seattle.”
The computer game Doom was released online, and when 1500 users tried to download it, literallythe entire Internetcrashed. The entire Internet.
So, as far as our freshmen are concerned,
• There has always been a Fox network, but there’s never been much music on MTV.
• They’ve never looked at a Sears catalog.
• There have always been Pentium computer chips.
• Korea has always made cars.
• Airports have always looked like malls.
• LA has never had a pro football team.
• Czechoslovakia has never existed.
• They learned to write in cursive in 3rd grade… and never used it again.
• Many of them have never worn a wristwatch.
• When these students were four years old, the world first heard about an orphan boy with a strange scar on his forehead, who met an odd half-giant named Hagrid and began to sort out his life’s purpose. Then, only a few months later, a boy named Ash took hold of his own life’s purpose: Gotta catch’ em all!
Life purpose, indeed… Dr. Corey, what is the life purpose that binds the class of 2015 together?
The class of 2015 has come to Biola because they desire to live out their faith with integrity and transparency. And yet to be transparent is not enough; they are here to be transformed.
They have come because they want community that is not virtual, and communication that extends beyond 140 characters.
Coming from a culture in which there is a crisis of care and authentic relationships, they have come to learn what it means to love those around them who suffer.
They have come to learn what part they can play in God's redemption, and how they can trust more deeply in God's love and power to accomplish His purposes.
They have come armed with iPhones and iPads and Droids and laptops. Yet they are here to learn that although Google can give them information, information is not the same as knowledge… and knowledge is not the same as wisdom.
These students desire to know the Truth of God, to be transformed by that Truth, and to articulate that Truth winsomely and meaningfully to those who have ears to hear.
And finally, a word for these students:
For some of you, college is already a source of stress; pressure to achieve, to live up to the expectations (and sacrifices) of family and friends, to not make mistakes or wrong choices. For others, college is the great escape, a chance to experiment and re-invent and risk. For most students, it's both of those things, and sometimes one leads to the other. It's a great opportunity. But let's keep it in perspective:
“College will be the best four years of your life.” Have you ever heard this from family, friends, even from college admissions brochures? Guess what? It’s just not true! College will NOT be the best four years of your life; God forbid your life should peak between 18 and 22. God forbid!
The season you spend here at Biola is a season of impossibly late nights and improbably good friendships; of growth and goal-setting and global awareness; of choosing and challenge; of redemption and reconciliation. However, it will also be a season of surrender, of impossible decisions, of lonely days and fearful nights, with moments of pain and failure and loss.
See, college is not your best life; it’s about laying a foundation for your best life.
So, even at Biola, college will not be the best four years of your life… but I can think of no better way to start!
President Corey, I have the great pleasure of presenting to you, the class of 2015.
