Student Life

Spiritual Life

 

When it comes to our students, at the heart of KCU’s mission and vision is the desire to develop the whole person.  Achieving academic excellence and establishing personal relationships are important, but it is our belief that true transformation only takes place as a result of an intimate relationship with God the Father, through the person of Jesus Christ the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of believers. That’s why, at KCU you will discover a Christ-centered community of faculty, staff, and students committed to growing in their relationship with Christ by integrating their faith into every facet of their life, both on and off campus.

We are a Christian university by design and proudly continue to live out a nearly 100 year old tradition of infusing faith and education in such a way that empowers our students to be catalysts for Kingdom advancement and global impact.  It’s what sets us apart from other universities and it ‘s what gets us out of bed in the morning.  Our curriculum is designed to integrate faith and learning by teaching students how their faith applies to their chosen career path, but it’s more than that. It’s the times of prayer and devotional lessons with your professors in the classroom or the personal mentorship that same professor offers you outside of class. It’s chapel service twice a week, dorm devotions with your RA’s, worship nights in the Nash Chapel, and mission trips to foreign countries.  At KCU, you can be sure that you will have the opportunity to not only grow academically and socially, but spiritually as well.

 

Staff 

Jake Ratliff – Campus Minister         

Mike Cochran – Worship Collective Director

Jeremy Miller – KCU Reach Co-Director

Graduate Residency Program

KCU Campus Ministry is excited to launch a new Graduate Residency program! The Graduate Residency Program intends to provide practical ministry experience, accompanied with academic studies, for 1-2 years for those students who are undergraduates in the areas of Biblical Studies, Theology, or a Ministry-related field. Interested students may contact the Campus Minister, Jake Ratliff (jratliff@kcu.edu), for information or to apply. A full over of the program may also be found here: Program Overview

Application Process:

  • Submit a resume with 3 references to the Campus Minister (jratliff@kcu.edu).
  • Submit an essay (2-4 pages in length) to the Campus Minister answering the following questions:
    • What does ministry mean to you in your own words?
    • What are your goals upon the completion of your studies?
    • How may this program help you accomplish those goals?
    • In what areas do you think this program will help you improve?
  • Apply and Gain Acceptance (or conditional acceptance) to a KCU Graduate Program in the Keeran School of Bible & Ministry.

Here are a few ways you can grow in your faith…

Chapel

One of the many facets that make the KCU experience unique is our chapel services. Twice a week for 50 minutes, the entire campus community comes together in the Nash Chapel for a time of worship and teaching from God’s word. Vibrant worship services are led by talented members of our student body. Each Chapel features a guest speaker who is typically a regionally or nationally known communicator. We make an effort to bring high-caliber speakers to Chapel who have something to share that we feel will benefit our students and “nudge” them along spiritually. Chapel services have been a key component of the DNA at Kentucky Christian University since the beginning and set us apart from most other colleges and universities.

Student Chapel Requirements:

Because we hold strongly to the importance of gathering together as the body of Christ, chapel attendance is mandatory. Each student is required to accrue 26 chapel credits per semester (16 if you are a commuter) out of 30 chapel services while at KCU. This gives on-campus students 4 unexcused absences per semester to use as they wish. Excused absences such as illnesses, emergencies, and traveling for school-related purposes will not count against the student’s total. Students may accrue their 26 (or 16) credits through one of two pathways:

Chapel Pathway:

The first option students have in accruing their necessary Spiritual Formation credits is by choosing to by-pass Life Groups for credit and earn credits solely through attending chapel services. In this option, students would need to attend 26 (16, if commuter) of the 30 offered chapel services to pass. Students will be allotted 4 unexcused absences per semester. Choosing this pathway does not exclude students from participating in a Life Group. Students are encouraged to plug into any of the following groups, they simply won’t receive chapel credits for attending.

Life Group Pathway:

The second option students have in accruing their necessary Spiritual Formation credits is by choosing to engage in both Chapel services and a Life Group for Spiritual Formation credit. In this scenario, students may earn a maximum of 8 (4, if commuter) credits from attending a Life Group. Their remaining credits must come through attending chapel services (i.e. 18, 12).  Students can explore the various groups offered through KCU by exploring the Fall 2023 Life Group Catalogue. Once a student has a few groups of interest, they may sign-up for one at the following link: Sign-up Here.

Chapel Exemption:

While we believe in the importance of being together, we understand that special circumstances out of the student’s control may require them to apply for chapel exemption. These scenarios are academically related in the case of internships, practicums, and student teaching; medical-related amid the COVID-19 pandemic; and, work-related for commuters who do not have classes on campus on chapel days and have a job that requires them to work off campus on those same days. In any of these cases, students must fill out the chapel exemption form and attach any appropriate documentation as noted in the form.

Chapel Exemption Form

The Round Table Society

KCU offers a vast array of athletic programs on our campus. We believe in the power of our athletics programs to not only be successful in the wins column but also in ministry. The Campus Ministry team comes alongside captains and leaders of each program within a life group entitled, “The Round Table Society.” This group helps promote three components that will help our student-athletes express their faith through their athletic talents. We believe it is important that student-athletes…

  1. Study the Word of God, allowing it to serve as a foundation for all they do,
  2. Support their entire Knights family, building bridges between programs, 
  3. Serve their campus family and surrounding communities.

Worship Nights

Periodically there are special events held on campus. Some of these are organized by students who are part of the Worship Ministry program, and they are always terrific, refreshing experiences. Other times, a group of students might feel led to plan something unique. Working with the Campus Ministry office, these evening worship experiences can be rich and good for the soul.

KCU Reach

KCU Reach exists to develop partnerships between KCU students and local churches and camps. KCU Reach teams will be equipped to serve with and come alongside established ministries. The program offers several ways for us to connect such as summer camp teams, youth retreats, youth lock-ins, Sunday morning volunteers, and more!

Kentucky Christian University takes great pride in our outreach teams.  These groups are intentionally selected students who share a heart for ministry and to serve.  These students are also prepared to promote KCU whether by speaking or setting up a booth.  However, most importantly, our outreach teams are trained and equipped to come alongside ministers to enhance the Kingdom of God.

Uprooted: A KCU Campus Ministry Podcast

The KCU Campus Ministry provides a weekly podcast to the KCU family that dives into several topics related to the faith, ministry, and society. Guest speakers consist of chapel speakers, local ministers, KCU alumni, faculty, staff, and students. The podcast can be found on most sites and apps that distribute podcasts, or you find it at the following link: http://anchor.fm/kcuuprooted

 

Christ-Centered Vision

“The Christ-centered vision of KCU both connected me with people whose influence has shaped me to this day and gave me a foundation in ministry-effectiveness for which I am extremely thankful.”

Kyle Davies, Class of 2013 & 2015

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