Challenges for PIU in 2010 #1 - Student Development

Even though we don't begin classes until next week, the semester really began for us this week with student registration and administrative meetings. I am excited about the upcoming semester. It looks like our enrollment will be about the same with a slight increase in the seminary enrollment. We have new teachers and volunteers (short term and long term) who have been arriving all week. There are a lot of exciting things happening in the lives of our students and staff which I plan to talk about over the next few weeks on my blog.

But as we start the semester I want to look at some of the biggest challenges PIU will be facing for 2010 and the new semester. The reason I share them is so that you can be praying for us about them and, perhaps, God might speak to your heart to help us meet these challenges. I will list all 6 of them today, but focus only on the first one, so here they are...

1. Student Development
2. Accreditation Responsibilities
3. Diversity in our student body, staff, faculty and programs
4. Staffing
5. Facilities
   
6. Fund Raising

PIU exists to provide accessible, excellent, transformational Christian higher education and ministry training to the people of Micronesia, the Pacific islands, and to the ends of the earth. The mission of the school is to prepare men and women with a biblical worldview for leadership and service in life, work, and ministry in the global community and the church. Thus the focus of all those involved must be, “It’s all about the kingdom of God and how it can be built in and through the students”. 

This is always the main challenge of every semester and it is a challenge that is beyond human capability. It requires the work of God's spirit in each student and in the PIU community. We try to provide an academic, social and spiritual environment that promotes the work God's Spirit in the lives of all the PIU family as we study, work, play, serve and just live together focused on the Word of God. Over the years we have seen God make this "transformational" goal happen in the lives of students many times over and we pray that this semester God will work in a mighty way throughout our PIU family.

This is always the most important challenge at PIU. Without this, meeting the other challenges would be meaningless. So we ask you to please join us in prayer for God to work in the lives of our students and staff to develop us into people that love God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength. It starts Monday at 9.00 AM with our semester opening chapel.