Chapel Services and Spiritual Life
Chapel services are held every Tuesday and Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in the R. G. Lee Chapel. Worship services are led by faculty members, local pastors, or other invited guests. All students are expected to attend these times of spiritual inspiration and fellowship. For new guidelines related to chapel attendance see section 2.5 in this handbook. These are always times of great spiritual challenge and inspiration for the entire university family.
Students and their families are also encouraged to join one of the local churches for worship, spiritual growth, and service.
Recreational Events
Recreational events and activities are planned for the entire university family and publicized through the Offices of Student Life. Basketball, flag football, table tennis, and volleyball are among the most popular games. Students desiring to participate in intramural sports activities are required to complete a Medical History questionnaire and must be covered by medical insurance prior to participating. Students who have a recent history of illness or injury may be required to secure a physician’s release prior to participation.
Social Events
BUF offers several regular campus-wide social events and all members of the campus community are encouraged to participate.
Student Organization
Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) is the parent organization for all student groups and coordinates a variety of events on campus.
BCM exists to minister to the student body and promote spiritual growth and fellowship on the campus. It supports a number of Bible studies, dorm competitions, special welcome activities, as well as a variety of off-campus service events. Contact the BCM Director for more information.
Official Student Groups
Official student groups meet regularly to address needs and interests that are within the purpose of the BUF community. Each student group has a faculty advisor. Baptist University of Florida has no official off-campus student organizations.
New Student Groups
New student groups may be established when there is sufficient interest on the part of the students. The name and purpose of the group must be prepared in writing, address a relevant need, and be consistent with the purpose of the university. It must include a proposed faculty advisor and be presented to the Executive Director of Student Life. Once approved, it will then be presented to the President for final approval.
Chapel Participation
Baptist University of Florida offers a variety of activities and events that are intended to enhance a student’s university experience. Based on our Christian worldview, one of the activities we offer is chapel, a worship experience that usually includes worship music and biblical preaching. Chapel meets on Tuesday and Wednesday each week of the fall and spring semesters.
Residential Students: Because of the value we place on the chapel experience, we require each residential student on our Graceville campus to attend all chapel services in person, allowing for three services to be viewed online. Once a student attends or views Chapel, he/she will go to MyBUF to give a report for the work.
Online and Commuter Students: Online and Commuter degree-seeking students on all our campuses are required to attend chapel at least twelve times over the course of each semester. Available options for students include live/in-person chapel on campus, live- streamed chapel services, and recorded services provided on the university’s website. Students are encouraged to attend/participate in one of the live options if possible but to participate in the recorded versions if necessary.
Impact 1-8
Besides the academic training that a student receives at Baptist University of Florida, the University also provides opportunities for the practical aspects of ministry, too. Whether our students are called into full-time Christian service or not, they will all have opportunities to serve the Lord in a variety of capacities. To encourage each degree-seeking student in any major in the Theology Division to be active in ministry activities at all of our campuses and online, the University has developed a program entitled “Impact 1:8.” The basis of this program is Acts 1:8. This verse states: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The Impact 1:8 program seeks to balance the academic and theoretical content learned in the classroom with the practical components of ministry outside of regular class activities. Students will be required to participate in two specific types of activities and to report on those activities throughout each semester.
Impact 1:8 Assignments
Each degree-seeking student in the Theology Division at Baptist University of Florida will complete practical missions activities in two areas each semester: personal witnessing and ministry activities.
The first activity is sharing the gospel. Each student will be asked to share the gospel at least one time every eight weeks during the course of the semester. What constitutes a gospel presentation? The goal is for each student to make an earnest attempt to present the plan of salvation with a non-believer. As a part of this presentation, the student attempts to share the gospel and gives the individual an opportunity to respond.
The second activity relates to a ministry related event. Each student will be asked to participate in at least one ministry related event every eight weeks during the course of a semester. A ministry-related event can be described as any event in which the student serves his/her church in a missional activity. Examples of this include working with a ministry at your church; working with youth or children; going on a mission trip; working with your Sunday School class or small group; or working with a missional organization in some capacity. This list is not exhaustive but gives examples of ministry related activities in which one can participate. The university will provide multiple ministry opportunities or projects during each semester as well.