Vacation Bible School is a week-long summer program that allows children of all backgrounds to have the opportunity to gather together, have fun, and learn about Jesus. Though the concept sounds like something that would mainly have influence over children, being involved in the program presents a unique opportunity for all ages to grow their faiths and be encouraged by one another.
One of the exciting aspects of VBS week is the end-of-the-week showcase in which the kids are able to perform the choreographed dances that they learned in music class throughout the week. In 2019, the theme of the year was sports, which allowed the children to create a performance in which they simulated the crowd of a sporting event. Photo by Alexa Tippett
Mental Health Awareness Month is upon us. However, it has long been a taboo within the church. Many evangelists believe that the driving force of mental illness is one’s own sin or lack of faith, and they just need to pray more. This can be shown by analogy in John 9 when even the disciples believe the blind man’s troubles are his or his parents’ fault. As any psychologist will tell you, mental health is much more complex than that. The real treatment for mental illness is one’s faith, professional help, and fellowship.
Depression is overwhelming and has often been described as feeling like one is drowning. These extreme feelings are heightened when people don’t get the help they need from loved ones and professionals. Photo courtesy of Stormseeker
For the first time in the school’s history, Missouri Baptist University hosts a church geared toward college students, called College Park Church, which began meeting weekly on campus Aug. 23, 2020, and this summer approaches its one-year anniversary.
Myranda Kenshalo, Nathanael Pezzo and Lindsey Peters are part of the College Park Church worship team that lead the congregation on Sundays.Photo by Madisyn House
The coronavirus pandemic has affected everyone’s lives in different ways. Businesses are no exception, as they have been forced to adjust to COVID-19. Some businesses can afford temporary shutdowns, while others have been forced to close their doors forever. Whether it is totally closing or shifting to online orders, St. Louis businesses are constantly working to navigate through this historic period, and this Photo Gallery spotlights this struggle in the STL business community.
The Apple Store in West County Mall, usually bustling with customers during normal times, recently had this sign posted in its window, stating simply, “Closed until further notice.” While Apple, one of the largest companies on Earth, can sustain the pandemic and has returned to at least allowing customers to pick up items they have ordered online, other businesses find themselves not nearly as fortunate. Photos by Carter Mize
Many people find their faith through life-changing experiences, as the lowest point in their life brings them to ask for God’s grace in a time of need. I, on the other hand, find myself with no dramatic story of my faith, but lean on a constant foundation as I walk through life.
Here are some interesting facts about MBU Timeline, the student newsmagazine of Missouri Baptist University, in St. Louis:
*Our mission statement is: MBU Timeline is the student news network of Missouri Baptist University, a private Christian university that embraces the essential core value of “social change through service and leadership.”
*The Bible verse that drives our mission is 2 Timothy 2:15 (Worldwide English Version): “Tell the true message in the right way.”
*The WordPress website has been up since late-fall 2013. We average about 3,000 sessions and about 5,000 pageviews per month.
*Our stories and galleries get as few as 40 or 50 hits, or as many as 8,000 hits.
*We have readers in every state and more than 90 countries around the world. We have several readers in South America, the United Kingdom, India and Australia.
*Most of our readers are in Missouri, followed by Illinois, California and Texas.
*We do not accept advertising as we are a not-for-profit online newsmagazine.
*We welcome contributors from all walks of MBU life, regardless of your major. Reach out to us on Twitter at: @mbutimeline.
