By Codie Winslow, Director of Library and Learning Resources

There is an inherent implication to pursuing an education – you want to learn. Often times it can be difficult to grasp concepts outside of our worldview, and we have opportunities to do just that within the context of the research and learning required through our programs of study. 

Here’s a new library resource recently added to the Calvary Chapel University Library that may prop the door open for curious learners interested in gaining understanding. World-Wide Religious News is a resource that curates published news on religious topics from all over the world. The Mission of WWRN is to provide the international academic and legal community (as well as various government agencies) with up to date religious news and the non-profit was initiated with the goal of promoting religious freedom and tolerance.

As the website outlines, “Throughout history, religion has proved to be a central component of society and human experience, shaping how individuals think and interact with their society and culture, both in an immediate as well as global context. WWRN’s service provides a nexus to information that highlights the unique interplay of religion and society and how this impacts the world of today.” 

The site is easy to navigate. There are three tabs across the top – you can search by religions, regions, and themes. In addition, there is an About section that explains more on the objectives of WWRN.

WWRN endeavors to provide a source of information on the following:

• Trends relating to new religious movements

• Religious freedom issues
• Legislation being enacted around the world affecting religion
• “Anti-cult” and “counter-cult” trends
• Government reports on religion and human rights
• Academic profiles on religious groups
• Links to other Web sources supplying information on religion

As a part of your academic journey at Calvary Chapel University, for academic programs in the College of Biblical Studies or for personal growth, you may find World-Wide Religious News to be a worthwhile resource. It might also make a good read or seed for sparking conversation with others around the topic of religion.

By Codie Winslow, Director of Library and Learning Resources

The College of Biblical Studies trains Christian leaders to apply biblical truth across various arenas. This unique program requires unique library resources like the Cooperative Digital Resources Initiative (CDRI). Through our institutional membership with the American Theological Library Association, CCU students and faculty can access CDRI, a digital database of images of woodcuts, photographs, slides, papyri, coins, maps, postcards, manuscripts, lithographs, sermons, shape-note tune books, and various forms of Christian art, architecture, and iconography.

To locate resources or items for your research in biblical studies using CDRI:

1. Use the Search Form and keyword searching to locate images.

1. Browse individual or selected collections using the Limit by Collection
   • Click on the name of the collection to see a collection description, which may provide ideas about relevant search terms.
   • Select the collection or collections of interest, then click on the “Submit” button, which will bring you back to the Search Form.
   • Enter search terms and your results will be limited to the collection(s) you selected. If you click on the “Search” button without filling in any search terms, the results will allow you to browse the entire collection(s) that you selected.

I’m Brenda Leavenworth and as a student of Calvary Chapel University my ministry has been enriched in unexpected ways!

When I first set out to finish my bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies I believed my study would develop my writing, speaking and teaching giftings in my current calling of Women’s Ministry. However, I soon realized my education had greater implications. My recent Christian Missions class delivered shoe-leather strategies that were immediately put into practice. Equally, my Building Teams course offered concrete techniques to the beliefs studied that directly influenced my leadership acumen to centralize teams in the field.

When I first became a believer in 1991, I read scriptures like “go into all the world making disciples” and “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judah, Samaria and to the ends of the earth” and I often wondered what this would mean for me. Is it possible the Lord could use me to influence other nations? I just couldn’t picture myself in the jungles of Africa, the war-torn regions of Sudan, or in the punishing heat of the Middle East, and so I rendered myself useless when thinking of any kind of mission’s work.

I began to pray and ask God where, if anywhere, He might find me helpful. Over time He stirred my soul for the Irish, which in reality wasn’t too far-removed from my heart to begin with. You see, my mother was born and raised in Ireland, my Dad in Scotland, which made this California girl a natural born Irish and British citizen. A love for the Irish already ran deep within my veins.

I asked God for an invitation to confirm His call, and this summer marked my 5^th trip to the breathtaking Emerald Isle. Over those 5 years, I’ve seen God’s amazing handiwork: Salvations; leadership, marriage, men’s and women’s conferences; holiday bible clubs; street witnessing; outreaches to Asylum Seekers; and my favorite, strengthening and encouraging Pastors and their wives to keep running the race.

This summer, our team of 22 joined God as He orchestrated a trip where we watched Him change lives through Holiday Bible Clubs and Women’s Conferences in three different cities. My husband, Ted, taught classes in Homiletics and instructed men in leading their families. We stood in wonder as several children, teens, young adults and ladies made professions of faith as we boldly shared the Good News of Jesus Christ. We left behind resources and materials for smaller churches in desperate need. We trained local leaders in children’s ministry and we were further amazed as one of our own team members came home to pray about returning as a missionary. He remains faithful!

The courses at CCU are effortlessly transferable to all ministry. Every class I complete, I’m astonished at how it improves my ministry. The modules don’t distract or take me away from ministry “until I finish school”. Quite the contrary, studying at CCU is the perfect partner with ministry that makes it more alive, and certainly adds depth and value.