Moody Concludes 125th Anniversary

By Lindsey Zarob, director, Public Relations

This past Saturday I sat in a room with 3,000 of Moody’s faithful supporters, employees and students. It was hard to believe that this was finally it. Two years of planning and almost one full year of executing the various elements of the 125th Anniversary year were now coming to a close.

The minute I walked into the Sheraton Hotel and Towers the talented Moody staff and students were greeting people and ushering them to the appropriate locations. They all carried themselves with professionalism and a sincere joy. I was overwhelmed with gratitude that these are the people I serve alongside.

As I walked the promenade outside the massive banquet hall I looked on in awe at the incredible displays representing all of Moody’s ministries. I know the people behind these incredible displays, I am familiar with the hard work that went into making them just right. I walked through the displays so proud of the people I share office space with. What an honor to work with such creative and talented individuals.

And as we concluded our meal and the program began I could hear positive murmurings about the anniversary logo and tag line. It was a privilege to explain the effort behind creating the tagline Bold Legacy. Dynamic Future. It was a privilege because just like this event required a massive Team Moody effort, we began the planning process that way, engaging employees from across the organization to brainstorm with us.

Much like this blog has had contributors from all over Moody, every element of our anniversary celebration relied heavily on the time and talent of our dedicated staff. But none of us would be here without the consistent and thoughtful support of our friends.

We concluded our celebration with the anniversary luncheon and are thankful for all the ways you celebrated this year with us. Whether that was through our 125 Hours of Prayer or attending the luncheon, we are so delighted you joined us.  

We thought we would share some of your favorite posts and pictures from the year:

 A Look into DL Moody's Prayer Life, by Dr. Gregg Quiggle

Emma Dryer and Her Unrelenting Prayer, by Caleb Beatty

The Legacy of DL Moody in a Movement, by Dr. Gregg Quiggle

A Varied History—from Hotel Moody to the NBA, by Jim Vincent

Great is Thy Faithfulness, by Krystallin Baker

A Testimony to Moody's Prayer Legacy, by Lindsey Zarob

Setting Aside Time for Prayer, by Tim Arens

Here’s to the next 125 years of God’s divine direction for Moody Bible Institute!

President Paul Nyquist at the 125th Kick-off Chapel.

Students in Torrey-Gray Auditorium for the Kick-off Chapel.

Anniversary cake for students, staff and faculty after chapel.

David and Lucia Powell. David is DL Moody's great-grandson.

Anniversary street banner on Wells Street.

Prayer walk around campus beginning the 125 Hours of Prayer.

Moody leadership leading the students in the prayer walk.

Aaron Shust concert concluding the 125 Hours of prayer.

Chuck Swindoll delivering a powerful message at the luncheon.

A Testimony to Moody’s Prayer Legacy

It doesn’t happen too often that a national magazine recognizes the power of prayer. So when a blog post about Moody Bible Institute leading a prayer for rain came across this employee’s desk, she felt compelled to share. 

By, Lindsey Zarob, director, Public Relations 

On September 8, 2011 a link to a post in Back Issues, the archival blog of The New Yorker, made its way to my inbox via Google Alerts. When I clicked on the link I was taken to a post titled, Praying For Rain. As I often do when a Google Alert comes into my e-mail I scanned the article to see where Moody Bible Institute was located. I immediately found our name in the third sentence and began reading the entry beginning to end. 

We ended the month of August with 125 hours of constant prayer and were simply amazed at how many people came alongside us to pray for this historical organization. When I read the blog entry from Back Issues, I felt such a joy in learning of another example of this organization’s steadfast belief in the power of prayer.  We really are continuing an incredible legacy that speaks to the power of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. 

If you have a moment to read the entry you will find that in 1934 NBC hosted a five-minute program dedicated to praying for rain due to a severe drought. Rev. Harold Lundquist who was the dean of Moody at the time was leading this period of prayer. Not only did God answer the prayer for rain, but I thought what an incredible testimony for anyone listening who might not have believed in God. And Moody Bible Institute was a part of that historic moment. 

I’m humbled and grateful at the opportunity to work at a place with such a Bold Legacy. As we come close to the end of this 125^th Anniversary year we are launching into our Dynamic Future with new initiatives and God-sized dreams. It is testimonies like this that I believe help fuel our belief that if God showed up like that in the past how much more will He do in our future.

Emma Dryer and Her Unrelenting Prayer

We have mentioned that Emma Dryer had a significant role in the establishment of Moody Bible Institute. Today one of our very own undergraduate students shares what he learned about this prayer warrior while researching for a school paper. If you are interested in reading more you can visit his post titled Emma Dryer on his personal blog.

 

By Caleb Beatty, undergraduate student at Moody Bible Institute

I’ve always been intrigued by Emma Dryer. I’ve spent my entire career as a Moody student living in a dormitory named after her, and I’ve heard much about her from my parents and grandparents who are Moody alumni. I even live in Normal, Ill. where Ms. Dryer lived prior to moving to Chicago to work with the famous evangelist, D.L. Moody.

Little is written about her, and even less is left of her writings. Though she had kept a journal throughout her entire life, she burned them all shortly before her death. What we know about Ms. Dryer is mostly from letters and interviews now kept in the archives of Moody Bible Institute. I had the privilege of examining these letters a couple semesters ago as part of a research project. What I found was a woman in love with the Word of God and motivated by the power of prayer.

Emma Dryer had a profound vision for ministry in the city of Chicago. In fact, in 1873 she wrote this on a piece of her personal stationary: “I hope that we may, within a few years, see our city filled with live missions, doing a great work for Christ, and hastening the Coming of His dear Kingdom.” Ms. Dryer did more than simply hope for these things; she began earnestly praying and preparing for her goal.

For years Ms. Dryer prayed asking the Lord to lay an idea for a school in Chicago upon D.L. Moody’s heart. In a personal letter to Mr. Moody, Dryer wrote, “Through loneliness and trouble, and constraint, wearing work, then I held on. When others shuddered, I believed. When others hurried away, I prayed on and worked on. When others said you were never meant to come here, I believed that God had made you speak The Truth, in preaching and planned purposes. And I prayed on.”

Weekly prayer group meetings began every Saturday morning in 1883 with one goal in mind: the “establishment of the Bible Work in Chicago, and the training of missionaries for home and foreign fields.” For three years they prayed for the school to be established. In 1886 Emma’s prayers were answered. Moody Bible Institute was founded under the name Chicago Evangelization Society.

Emma Dryer was one of a faithful group of people praying for the school which I now attend, one hundred and twenty-five years later. As we celebrate our 125^th anniversary at MBI, I wonder who will be impacted by my prayers, one hundred and twenty-five years from now?

Prayer at Moody Publishers

We’re 17 days away from the start of our 125 Hours of Prayer. Have you signed-up for a 15 minute time slot yet? Today Greg Thornton, vice president of Moody Publishers contributes to the prayer theme we’ve been focusing on for the past few weeks.  

By Greg Thornton, vice president, Moody Publishers

R.A. Torrey, Moody Bible Institute’s first superintendent/president, opens his must-read little book How to Pray with Ephesians 6:18, “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” Torrey writes that as the intelligent child of God weighs the meaning of these words, we each are driven to say, “I must pray, pray, pray. I must put all my energy and all my heart into prayer. Whatever else I do, I must pray.”

My colleagues at Moody Publishers and I have sought to live out this truth by praying often.  Meetings begin with requests for wisdom as we do this work of publishing.  We seek the mind of Christ when acquiring and editing new titles. We ask that decisions made in marketing and selling books will honor God. Even performance reviews start with acknowledging God’s gifting in each individual, and praying that those gifts will be developed and fully used. And often we simply ask as Moses did, “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands.”

Also, in an effort to keep Moody’s global vision in front of us, we have framed and mounted a huge map of the world on a wall in our main conference room. A copy of Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation helps us with specific prayers for God’s people and work in other countries.  

And personally, I use my morning walk from the train to the office for prayer. Often I find myself praying our Lord’s prayer as I prepare for the day ahead. Another favorite is Psalm 19:14: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

How about you?  How do you connect with God in prayer related to your work? I and others would be encouraged to hear your thoughts.    

The Legacy of DL Moody in a Movement

DL Moody founded two schools in Massachusetts in addition to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. One of those schools served as the backdrop to the birth of an entire movement. And it all began with prayer. Today, Dr. Quiggle explains.

By Greg Quiggle, dean, International Study Programs

The motto of the Student Volunteer Movement was “The evangelization of the world in this generation.” This movement, founded in the late nineteenth century, produced an estimated 100,000 missionaries until its dissolution in 1959. It is a testament to prayer and one of the many endeavors of DL Moody.

The ultimate origins of the movement can be traced to the prayers of a brother and sister named Robert and Grace Wilder. Grace was a graduate of Mount Holyoke College where Mr. Moody served as a trustee of the school. She developed a burden for foreign missions and prayer and enlisted her younger brother Robert, a student at Princeton, in her prayer efforts. Between 1884 and 1886 the two engaged in consistent and persistent prayer asking God for a great missionary awakening among college students.

In 1886, their prayers were answered through Mr. Moody and a gathering of college men on the campus of one of Moody’s schools, the Mount Hermon School in Northfield, Mass. Mr. Moody planned a series of meetings for college men in the summer of 1886 and Robert Wilder was invited to attend along with several others from Princeton. Before they left for Mount Hermon, Grace gathered the young Princeton men together and charged them to persevere in prayer so that this gathering might not close without the inauguration of a missionary movement.

The meetings convened with 251 young men from 89 different colleges. Mr. Moody spoke to the men for nearly four weeks and urged them to pray for a quickening from the Holy Spirit. As the students prayed, they began expressing a concern for the lost overseas. By the end of the meetings, 100 men had committed themselves to overseas missions. They became known as the Mount Hermon 100. These were the first of thousands who, many at Mr. Moody’s urging, would follow their example. These students would go throughout the world, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit, they would literally transform the face of the Church.

It all started with the prayers of a single college aged women. Prayer really does matter.

Setting Aside Time for Prayer

Each year Moody Bible Institute’s students, staff and faculty engage in a full day of prayer. Today, Dean Arens reflects on this essential annual event.

By Tim Arens, dean of students, Student Development

One of the things that I have appreciated about my time at Moody (27 years now) is the emphasis and commitment that is made to pray. One significant event that demonstrates this is our annual Day of Prayer held on the first Wednesday of March. This is a day on which classes are suspended and various opportunities are made for students, faculty and staff to pray corporately, in groups, and individually for the needs of Moody, Chicago and the world.

On the morning of this day everyone comes together for a two hour opening session during which we praise the Lord through music, scripture and prayer. We often break into small prayer groups during this time which give students an opportunity to pray with faculty and staff.  I have been humbled and encouraged to hear the fervent prayers of our students as they pour their hearts out to the Lord on behalf of our community. They never cease to amaze me.

I have had the honor to witness how the students are positively affected by praying with faculty and staff who serve as models for effective prayer. Concurrently, the students have modeled for the faculty and staff the necessity to set aside dedicated times for prayer emphasis in the future. Over the years I have had many students comment to me that the Day of Prayer was just what they needed, at such a busy time of the semester, to be spiritually rejuvenated to better meet the challenges of life and academics.

I have been so blessed in my career at Moody to be involved with The Day of Prayer. It is a wonderful tradition that helps us all, students and staff, maintain the proper spiritual perspective. May God continue to bless the school that D.L. Moody founded as we continue to pray faithfully.

Interceding Prayer

There are many prayerful employees at Moody Bible Institute but one in particular always seems to stand out as often you can find him praying for the students and staff in the Culbertson Hall prayer chapel. Today we hear from him and his experience praying through his work at Moody.

By, Oakley Smith, custodial administrator, Facilities

I have found that on rare occasion, communication with another person reaches paramount level. My spirit affirms that the person so well understands and experiences my thoughts and motives that it causes great inward rejoicing and at least for that circumstance, I have found good fellowship.

When we come to God with a clean and open heart, we can begin to understand His ways and view things from His perspective.  We identify with Him and agree with Him.

In the 1982-1983 school year I had regular contact with a student who helped me wash windows during his freshman year.  In his last two years at Moody he worked off campus but we stayed in contact.  He had a heart for Latin America and since his graduation God has used him to show the love of Jesus in several countries. I consider it a privilege to pray for him work he is doing. Individuals have been saved and lives changed through his ministry, and although I am not physically there it is an honor to have a part through the prayers I pray. In similar fashion, a few years ago I met another student with special talents and a great spirit; he is now part of a team spreading God’s love in a difficult place, and it is a joy to have a part in seeing Him work.

Moody Bible Institute is a unique place; God's providential hand has graced us for 125 years.  For all of our multi-faceted programs and contacts, there is no doubt that the students always have been and still are the heart of our ministry, and serving them is the core of our work. I have had the opportunity to get to know members of the student body pretty well.  My hope is that when God leads us into specific, regular contact with certain students we will take the opportunity of active prayer on their behalf, thus taking part in Jesus' work. Much like our founder D.L. Moody, I pray our hearts would be burdened for the children, or in this case the young adults.

A Look into D.L. Moody’s Prayer Life

As we continue our theme of prayer for the weeks leading up to the 125 Hours of Prayer today we learn from a professor about the prayer life of Moody Bible Institute’s founder.

By Gregg Quiggle, dean, International Study Programs

In 1923, one of Dwight Lyman Moody’s closest associates, R. A. Torrey, preached a sermon titled, “Why God Used D. L. Moody.” In the sermon, Torrey gave seven reasons why God used Mr. Moody. One of the seven Torrey identified was that, “Mr. Moody was in the deepest and most meaningful sense a man of prayer.” Even a cursory glance at Moody’s life confirms Torrey’s evaluation.

           

Early in his life as a believer, Moody came to learn of the importance and benefit of prayer. He had begun his life of faith as a result of the work of a Sunday school teacher in 1855 and shortly thereafter, he struck out for Chicago. There he became involved in a prayer based revival that swept through the major cities in America. He immersed himself in the meetings, rarely missing an evening of prayer and they became foundational for how he later approached ministry. In fact, virtually everywhere he traveled over the course of his life, he organized prayer meetings.

           

During these years, Moody befriended the godly owner of his boarding house. Mrs. H. Phillips, or “Mother” Phillips as she was commonly known, was a stalwart at the First Baptist Church and she schooled Moody on the necessity of faithful prayer. He took those lessons to heart as prayer became a central part of his life.

           

Moody always demanded intense and focused prayer in preparation for his revival campaigns. When he began new projects he often called on the students and faculty of his schools to devote themselves to fasting and prayer.

Emphasizing the importance and power of prayer was so important to Moody it was one of the predominant characteristics of the schools in both Northfield and Chicago. His student conferences in Northfield featured 6:00 a.m. prayer meetings and he organized prayer meetings for children. Later, he would say that “Some of the happiest nights I ever had were in these children’s prayer meetings…”

D.L. Moody not only worked hard for the Lord, but he also he prayed hard as he worked. His life and enduring work stand as an eloquent testimony to fruits of fervent prayer.

James 5:16b “The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.”

The Redemptive Power behind each Prayer

We are a little more than five weeks from the beginning of our 125 Hours of Prayer. In anticipation, today’s post is from our public relations assistant about the connection between her own experience with prayer and now attending the school founded on prayer. 

By Elizabeth Parilli, public relations assistant 

I was 18 years-old and desperate, fiercely craving freedom from endless sin that chained me. I was desperate for eternal healing in my hurting heart, desperate for a life that recklessly followed Jesus Christ, the God I was just starting to get to know. This desperation led me to YWAM in Ensenada, Mexico where I attended a discipleship training school for four months.

In Mexico, Moody Bible Institute began to consume my mind. I borrowed my roommate’s laptop and would sneak away to a café downtown, spending a couple afternoons writing my essays while fervently praying that God would allow Moody to accept me. Six months later, my prayer was answered.

My desire as an 18 year-old to pursue a life of living for Christ does not make sense through the eyes of our world. As I reflect back I can see the faces of the prayer warriors who interceded on my behalf throughout that dark season of my life: believers at my public school and church members who saw me slip in and out of the door, various family members and friends, my YWAM leaders and Godly strangers. The Lord continually used the body of Christ to fervently fight for me, and I overflow with gratitude for their hearts and God’s faithfulness.

Confidently speaking, the simple act of prayer from so many believers is what helped pull me out of the pit, remove the veil from my eyes, soften my heart and set me free so that I might attend Moody.

As a student I learned that our school was founded on prayer as much as my life has been transformed by it. In 1857, D.L. Moody began faithfully praying for our school, along with his mentors, and as the years went on more and more faithful warriors joined alongside in interceding for the Institution. Prayer meetings, sessions and conferences were held to surrender the school to God, to ask for provision, to meditate on His will and to intercede for the plan. 125 years later, Moody, grounded in Christ and rooted from prayer, continues to be tuition-paid, ministry oriented and saturated in the word of God. 

The prayers of Moody’s supporters, alumni and students, faculty and employees have flipped my world around to glorify God and expand His kingdom. Will you join me in praying for future students and future ministry leaders, that their lights will rise up for His glory and many will experience redemption and grace through Christ’s power. Let’s pray for blessings for the faculty that serve daily and surrender their lives to see God’s will be done. Let’s pray for unity in the body, for the Spirit to be active in our lives, and for a revival inside the hearts of those connected to Moody. Let’s pray especially that this place will be the launching ground of bold leaders in the faith to go out and share the good news of Jesus Christ to all the nations.

I am so grateful to be a part of this legacy and excited to know there will be many of us praying during those 125 Hours.

The Persuasive Power of Prevailing Prayer

Continuing with our prayer theme leading up to the 125 Hours of Prayer, today we hear from Moody's president about the powerful prayers that brought him to Chicago. 

By Paul Nyquist, Moody Bible Institute president

I am at Moody Bible Institute today because of prayer. Not my prayers, although I can assure you I hit my knees often in the process. I am at Moody today because of the army of prayer warriors who faithfully interceded during the search process two years ago.

Having two sons as students at Moody during that time, I had a unique perspective on the proceedings. I heard often from them of the expansive prayer effort that was active on campus.  Regularly it was a vital element of the student chapels. People from all segments of Moody were involved. Folks from the Facilities Department, Food Service, faculty members, Treasury Operations, Public Safety, and the administration were all knit together in fervently asking for God’s kind leadership to lead them to the new president of Moody. I heard of teams of students who would go the president’s vacant office, and kneel in prayer for the person that God would bring to operate out of that office and lead the school. Prayer requests were posted on the search website, so that those outside the immediate Moody community could access them and join in the effort.  It was persistent, it was pervasive and it was persuasive. Often, as I visited the website during the search process, I would see again the comprehensive nature of the prayer effort. I had led churches before and I had been the president of an international mission agency. But I had never witnessed such a carefully organized, passionate, intelligent prayer ministry as I saw with the Moody search process.

God moves when His people pray. I know the theology of that statement. I lived it out as the Moody community prayed for a new president. The steps in the search were deliberate, careful and comprehensive, as would be demanded for such a critical position. As Cheryl and I navigated the process, we sometimes had doubts whether we wanted to continue exploring the position or if I was the right person to lead the school. But everyone kept praying. And praying. And praying.

In the end, that is what convinced me to humbly accept the offer when it was accepted. I did not do so because I was sure I had the skills and experience to lead such an incredible place like Moody. Far from it. I did so because I was convinced God had led the process through the prayers of His people. As we pray now for the future of the school, we do so with the same confidence and trust. As He has led us in the past, in response to our prayers, so He will lead us in the future.

125 Hours of Prayer: Building on Our Legacy

By Lindsey Zarob, director, Public Relations

If you are familiar with Moody Bible Institute you may also be familiar with the name Emma Dryer. She was an intelligent and prayerful woman and when D.L. Moody met her, he knew she was someone that could contribute significantly to his work in Chicago. He brought her on board but I wonder if he really understood what that decision meant for his future. 

More than 125 years ago Emma gathered a group of people for weekly prayer meetings. Together they sought God to move Moody’s heart so that he might come back to Chicago and begin a training school.  Many believe that it was through those relentless prayers, humbly submitted to God, that Moody finally accepted that he was the one to lead the building of a training school in Chicago. This is the legacy on which Moody Bible Institute was founded, and it is this legacy we hope to continue. 

In this modern age of tweets, status updates and blog posts, the 125^th Anniversary planning team has decided to take advantage of these new media tools to help promote  and maintain 125 hours of straight prayer. In a sense we are hoping to engage in a global multi-media, multi-day prayer meeting. You can read more about how to sign-up and join with us here and you can read some more of the background here. 

For the next seven weeks each post on this blog will focus on prayer. You will read entries from our leadership and various employees; faculty will write about D.L. Moody’s prayer life and the history of prayer in the church; you will also read entries from students and even an editor or two from Moody Publishers. We hope you will join us for the 125 Hours of Prayer as well as engage with us in this space, on Facebook and Twitter.

God’s Faithfulness: 30 years at Moody

This month marks a significant milestone for the man who leads Moody Publishers. We asked him to stop by and share about his experience at Moody.

By Greg Thornton, vice president, Moody Publishers

“How long have you worked there?”

I’m sure that you’ve been asked that question about your job. I have - in fact, just this week. My answer surprised the person who asked me. “Thirty years,” I said. I knew their surprised reaction was coming not because I couldn’t possibly be that old (I am!), but because there are so few people who stay with one company for 30 years. That’s just not the norm today. In fact, there are some who say that it’s not wise to limit your career to one place.

Yet 30 years at Moody hasn’t felt all that unusual to me, being surrounded by men and women who have given themselves to decades of faithful service to Christ. My father-in-law Chuck Christensen served more than 40 years before retiring. And two men who went before me at Moody Press worked more than 50 years (Will Norton and Roy Granzow)! As well, longevity at other Christian publishing houses like Tyndale and Zondervan is not all that unusual.   

It helps when you enjoy the people you work with. I wish you could personally interact with the committed and Godly people here at Moody.  As well, I’ve been favored with some absolutely fantastic bosses.  And the authors I work with are some of the Lord’s choicest servants.

As well, it makes a difference when you use and appreciate the products you help produce. I love books!  Even more, I love to hear the stories of readers who have come to more fully know, love and serve Jesus Christ as a result of reading a Moody title.

This anniversary year I’ve been meditating on Psalm 90. Moses reminds us in this wise prayer, “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.” Life is short.  So, all of us need to allot our days wisely, recognizing the importance of our work.  We  have been given a work by God.  And like Moses, we should pray God’s favor upon our work. “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” God is working in our midst. We should pray that we may see it and enjoy it as we behold it. God is building His kingdom, and you and I are privileged to be a part of it. For me, I’ve been honored to be called to the work at Moody Publishers these past 30 years.

Tell Us Your Story

The foot traffic through Chicago’s campus comes in waves now as conferences and organizations use our facilities and the students embark on their summer adventures. But our 125^th Anniversary year still goes on. Today, our public relations assistant shares about an exciting opportunity to be involved in the celebration.

By Elizabeth Parrilli, public relations assistant

Videos open endless doors of opportunity to communicate effective and powerful stories to a wide range of viewers. With music and images, words and pictures, people and stories, a video can provoke a new feeling, promote a  new thought and portray a matchless story. With its ability to be easily shared and watched in just a click of a button, video is spreading like wildfire on our computer screens, mobile devices and tablets.

With this in mind, we have created a contest in the pursuit of powerful, intriguing, and creative videos showcasing the great legacy of Moody Bible Institute. To make this happen we need you to crank out your camera and tell us your story.

For the past 125 years the students and alumni of Moody Bible Institute have been ministering to the people of Chicago and travelling to the ends of the earth to share the gospel. All alumni and students have played a role in this grand story and we are eager to hear about how your Moody education has shaped you, changed you, taught you and touched the world for Christ through you.

Let loose your abstract and artistic side. You don’t need to be professional, just passionate. If your video is chosen not only will it be showcased on our website, but you could win a $200 or $500 gift card. Use your summer to spend some time sharing God’s power in your life through Moody on a video, and upload it to YouTube or Vimeo by August 1. We are excited and ready to watch how your Moody experience has affected your current ministry and Kingdom work.

To learn more about the contest you can visit the Get Involved section of Moody’s 125^th website.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

It is a season of transition on the campuses of Moody Bible Institute as we end the semester and say good-bye to our graduates. Commencement on the Chicago campus is this weekend and we asked our Public Relations intern to share a little about her time at Moody and the future she is looking forward to.

By Krystallin Baker, Public Relations intern

December 2007 I was offered the opportunity to transfer colleges and study at Moody Bible Institute. After much prayer and deliberation I decided to pack my belongings and transfer, but this was no easy decision. When January rolled around, I made the long journey from Colorado to Chicago. I still remember my first night arriving in the city. Prior to that night I had never seen downtown Chicago in person, nor set foot on Moody’s campus. To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement. A part of me wanted nothing more than to run back to the comfort of the known. But a much deeper part of me knew God had called me on a new journey, beginning in the chaos of Chicago at the legendary Moody Bible Institute. And I trusted in His faithfulness to carry me through to the end.

Three and half years later, Chicago is now home. The city no longer looms so large, and the people at Moody are not a sea of unknown faces, but rather a family I have memories and roots with. My time at Moody was, in the famed words of Charles Dickens, the best of times and the worst of times. Moody Bible Institute is a challenging environment, but a challenge worth rising to. I have spent nearly four years living among some of the most intelligent, faith driven people I have ever known. I have made friendships with peers who have inspired me to walk deeper with the Lord. And I have sat under countless professors who have influenced my life greatly with their deep wisdom and thought provoking lectures. I have walked the tunnels of Moody during blustering winter days weighted down by deadlines, but I have also experienced moments of epiphany when God shows up in my life in indescribable ways.

In short, my time at Moody has been like a vast ocean. There have been times when the waves reached so high I thought I would drown, and there have been times of peace when I have rested in the calm. But through every calm and every storm, Christ has been with me and my knowledge and passion for God has increased. I know being at Moody has been an immense blessing and privilege given to me by the grace of God. I know for those whom much has been given, much will be asked. And I am infinitely grateful to those who have graciously donated the funds to give me an education of eternal value.

I knew coming to Moody many “greats” have filled the halls before me. To this day I am often overwhelmed by thoughts of the people who have lived in my dorm, ate in the school cafeteria, and sat in chapel before me. So as I sit with my cap and gown waiting anxiously for my name to be called on May 14, 2011, I sit with a deep appreciation for the role I am privileged to play in the dynamic future of Moody. Throughout my time at Moody I have come to see the great importance of not leaving Moody simply with head knowledge of God, but rather leaving with heart knowledge. I do not want to simply know about God, I want to know God. Wherever God takes me from here, even if it is a small, behind the scenes role in furthering the gospel, I am overjoyed to know He has brought me this far and will carry me forevermore. Great is the faithfulness God has shown to me. My degree from Moody Bible Institute is so much more than simply a “B.A. in Communication Studies.” It is a degree made great by all the wisdom and lessons Moody has taught me during my time here and all the places God will take me hereafter. I truly pray as I pack my belongings and move away from this temporary home, “Great is thy faithfulness, Oh God my Father.” And I ask for His continued blessing upon this great school that D.L. Moody founded.

The Practice of Integrity

Mark Wagner is the president of community management at Walgreens, based in Deerfield, Ill. and is a member of the Moody Bible Institute Board of Trustees. We asked Mark if he would reflect on Moody’s 125^th anniversary in today’s blog post and share what he is most excited about for Moody’s future.

By Mark Wagner, Moody Bible Institute Trustee

Celebrating 125 years of service is a remarkable accomplishment, and one that deserves a moment of reflection on how we got this far. Our Biblical values have helped shape our success in the past, and are the main reason I’m excited for many more years of service to come for the Moody Bible Institute.

One of Moody’s core values that resonates with me is “the practice of integrity.” Just scanning a newspaper shows how a lack of integrity can cause much harm and burden upon our communities. A lack of honesty and ethics can cause mass problems, and harm even to those people that are making all of the right choices.

As a leader in the business world, integrity and honesty are some of the things I expect most from my team. Integrity can sometimes be the difference between making an easy decision that is wrong in principle, or making the difficult choice that at its core is right and moral. The people who make the right choices are the ones that ultimately succeed. Even though those choices may cause more work or cost more money, people with integrity make them without compromising their ethics and morals.

The benefit of a Moody education is that students learn the practical use of biblical principles, and how to keep their integrity in the face of adversity. Their faith in God prompts them to then be honest influences in their communities through their ministries, making decisions that align with their core biblical principles.

125 years of students and constituents have learned how to practice integrity within the biblical context through the guidance of Moody. That’s 125 years worth of people who are out in the world helping others understand and live these same biblical standards. Just think about how many people in the next 125 years will benefit from the leaders that arise out of Moody’s halls.

It makes me proud to be affiliated with an organization that has such broad potential to make an impact on our world and spread a foundation that will help our communities flourish. I look forward to the next 125 years and beyond, as more and more Moody students venture out into the world to share their biblical education of the practice of integrity.

Urban Emphasis Week: Doing Ministry NOW

A current undergraduate student shares her perspective on Moody’s annual Urban Emphasis Week. In our 125^th year we are grateful that our founder’s legacy is evident in week-long events like this one.

By Anna De Zarn, freshman, International Ministry

While preparing for future ministry at Moody Bible Institute, it can be easy for students to forget about the ministry opportunities available to us in the mission field God’s given us now: Chicago. With so many different neighborhoods and cultures, this city is chock-full of needs waiting to be met.

In an effort to get Moody students out and recognizing these needs, the Urban Ministry department brought to campus a rejuvenated sense of D.L. Moody’s heart for the urban setting. In late February, the annual Urban Emphasis Week hit the scene with ministry-focused chapels and neighborhood tours led by senior Urban Ministry majors.

The opportunity to step off campus to see the city was an important one for many of us, like my friend Anna Leet, senior Urban Ministry major. “We’re already in the city, but some people have never been in the neighborhoods,” she said. “If we’re not getting out, we’re not going to see [all of] God’s creation. I hope students became more aware of the people around them.”

And I think this hope was reached. Urban Emphasis Week was an encouraging reminder that we, as Christians, should always be watching for ways to minister to the people around us in our current stage of life. For me, an International Ministries major, it’s easy to slip into the mindset that my ministry begins when I graduate, when I’m overseas. Not so. Throughout the week, chapel speaker Doug Nichols, founder and international director emeritus of Action International Ministries, countered this notion by pointing out ways to serve by praying, working on projects, giving, going and doing NOW. Nichols directed us to one central point: choose specific ways to minister and “trust God to do them for His glory!”

D.L. Moody encourages us with this same mentality of action, a mentality he maintained throughout his own urban ministry: “If we have got the true love of God shed abroad in our hearts, we will show it in our lives. We will not have to go up and down the earth proclaiming it. We will show it in everything we say or do.”

A Designer’s Role in Moody’s Legacy

Leading up to the launch of the 125^th anniversary year there was a lot of behind-the-scenes work that went into the look and feel of the celebration. The teamwork and collaboration of Moody’s various departments inspired many of us, including the designer who helped visually capture the milestone in a logo. Today, she gives us a glimpse into her part.

By Rachel Hutcheson, graphic designer, Marketing & Communications

There's something humbling about walking to work and seeing a project you've worked on hanging from the side of a building. When I saw the 125th anniversary banner on the corner of Wells Street and Chicago Avenue near our Chicago campus, it made me so proud to be a part of Moody Bible Institute. My grandmother has always received Today in the Word in the mail, and I grew up seeing the Moody Scripture calendars in her kitchen. I never knew that I'd someday get the privilege to be a part of it.

Corporate Communications spent many hours developing the brand and various pieces for this very special anniversary. However, what I will always remember about the excitement of this time was how much prayer went into each milestone. The heart behind this celebration was truly devoted to praising God for his provision and prayerfully seeking God's will and blessing for Moody's future. This message was the starting point for the 125th Anniversary logo.

The logo's purpose is to commemorate our bold legacy and to clearly define our objective of a dynamic future. I consider it an honor to be part of this team and to witness the leadership's humble reliance on God as we prepared the materials for this significant celebration. I believe the heart behind today's leadership is the same as it was 125 years ago, and I pray for God's continued blessing on Moody Bible Institute.

Music Ministry Made Possible through Generosity

This semester, students in an Intro to College Writing class on the Chicago campus were given the assignment to write a short narrative about an experience at Moody that made them grateful for our donors. Today’s blog post is the second in this three-part series. You can read the first here.

By Blake Fewell, freshman Theology major 

The equipment had been loaded into the truck, and we were about to set off for our three-day excursion.  This would be my first Winter Tour with the Moody Symphonic Band.  I was a bit nervous about how things would go once we reached our destination, but I looked forward to the fun time of fellowship and service.

As we pulled into the first church’s parking lot, the mechanics of setting up went into full force.  Like a well-oiled machine, the small church chapel was completely set up and ready for a concert.  The baton came down and the music soared from the instruments, filling the entire room with the majesty of God’s gifts of talent to us students. 

Blake Fewell

After a few pieces of music, our president stood to give his address to the congregation.  He mentioned how the Symphonic Band and Moody Bible Institute were funded through Moody Publishers and our generous donors.  His words reminded me how grateful I was that I could play in concerts with this band across the United States, with no cost to me.  I had previously gone on band tours where thousands of dollars had to be raised to participate, but by the generosity of donations, I could join in this ministry without worrying financially. 

We continued to play our music and worship God in our ministry.  One student got up and stood at the microphone.  Her dark hair glistened in the light as she sang a song reminding us that, at the end of time, there would be no more night and no more pain.  As she sang these words, I was reminded of my situation back home: a dad without work, a mom struggling in her job, and little money in the bank.  I thought; however, how fortunate I am to be able to go to Moody without the worry of debt and that, even though things are hard at the moment, all things will be restored to their former glory when Christ returns.

The concert finished and we packed up the equipment in the same mechanical fashion.  The church building was completely put back together, as if we had never even been there.  We grabbed our belongings and headed to our host homes: a great ending to a great evening of worshiping God through our music.

God-Centered Community Experienced through Generosity

This semester, students in an Intro to College Writing class on the Chicago campus were given the assignment to write a short narrative about an experience at Moody that made them grateful for our donors. Today’s blog post is the first in this three-part series.

By Vida Velasco, freshman Jewish Studies major

I am not your typical Moody Bible Institute student.  When you look at my face, I look as young as those who grace these halls and learn in these classrooms, but looks can be deceiving.  I am 10 years older than most of those around me and yet, this is where the Lord wants me to be. 

I cannot fathom how Moody would look if it was not a tuition paid school.  However, since it continues to be such even in its 125^th year of existence, we are able to concentrate on our studies and apply our learning in ministry.  Without the faithfulness of the donors, I would not have experienced the kind of God–centered community such as I did only the other night at a Kesher dinner fellowship.

The Jewish Studies program is my reason for being at Moody.  The Lord has laid on my heart a burden for my Jewish friends as well as the people of Israel.  The Bible is overflowing with the love He has for His chosen people, something that will not and has not changed.  I can identify well with His grace towards the people of Israel, even in the midst of their rebellion. 

When I look back on my life, even through the times when I was so far from my Creator, I see the thread of His faithful pursuit of me.  One of the main characters during my time away from the Lord was my boss/mentor in New York City.  She had taken me under her wing and given me the gift of true mentorship.  There was a time when people would ask me who I was and I would tell them that I was her “sponge.”  Our professional relationship flourished and my income grew in proportion.

I had been building a successful career in real estate until I came to the point where nothing could satisfy me.  My beautiful apartment in the city, my amazing career, my youth, my income, my status and its symbols, none of it fulfilled the deepest longings of my heart.  It took two years, but God was so faithful.  He continually broke me down and made me realize my inadequacy.  The road has been painful, but I know that I am exactly where He wants me to be.  I am able to deepen my faith and trust in God in a safe environment.  This is an unbelievable gift as I know what it is like out there in the world. 

I was able to share this part of my journey with my former boss only yesterday.  She had been thinking about me all week and gave me a call after months of silence between us.  The Spirit gave me the words to say, and I am praying that she has the same restlessness that I had that was only truly satisfied by surrendering my life to my God. 

After this monumental conversation, I went to Jenkins Hall to have dinner and fellowship with my fellow Jewish Studies majors and our friends.  At one point in the evening, I looked around at all of the incredible people and my heart was overwhelmed.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Each one of us is so different from the other but we have a common ground in our Savior.  For most of my life, I had very few believers as friends, and I know now that I am finally experiencing community as it was meant to be.

When the crowd died down and only a few of us were left, one of my friends who is becoming more and more dear to me, started playing his guitar.  Lifting my voice in praise together with my beloved friends, who are also fellow children of God, made me weep with joy.  My soul is ablaze with the wonder and all consuming fire that is our God.  I am grateful from the bottom of my heart for Moody. 

Behind the Scenes with Moody Radio

UPDATE: The final total raised for CRASH Japan was $38,141! We are thanking God today for the generous support of Moody Radio listeners and His provision through their loving hearts. We are confident that as much as we are blessed by our listeners' generosity so will be CRASH Japan.

***************

Yesterday we mentioned Moody Radio's partnership with CRASH Japan. Today, Moody Radio’s Share events in Chicago and Spokane, Wash. are contributing 10 percent of ALL gifts to CRASH Japan.  

Ever wonder what a Share looks like? Check out photos from today's event in Chicago. 

Moody Radio Partners with CRASH Japan

Given recent developments in Japan, Moody Radio has decided to use its annual fundraising campaign to shine light on the relief needs of this devastated country. Please read below to learn how you can help support CRASH Japan.

By: Lindsey Zarob, Public Relations manager

 

I read the article Melinda Schmidt, a host of Midday Connection on Moody Radio, linked to in a recent tweet. For those of you who haven’t heard the story of these children, reports say there are 30 8-12 year olds whose parents are among the missing after the tsunami. They hold on to hope, but teachers and relatives think the children are starting to believe their parents will never come and get them.

These precious children represent 30 stories of the thousands upon thousands written in the wake of this monstrous disaster. Most of us here on the Chicago campus of Moody Bible Institute do not know nor never will fully understand this kind of loss and tragedy. But understanding isn’t necessary to making a difference and helping the many lives of our brothers and sisters in Japan.

Currently, Moody Radio is in the midst of its largest yearly fundraising event, Share 2011. As news of the earthquake reached Chicago, the Moody Radio team began to question, “How can we ask our listeners to give to us and not to relief work in Japan?” It just wouldn’t be right.

So, on Wednesday March 23, Moody Radio’s Share events in Chicago and Spokane, Wash. will contribute 10 percent of ALL gifts to CRASH Japan. 

CRASH Japan is an evangelical Christian organization based in Japan that was founded to facilitate Christ-centered disaster relief. Its name stands for Christian Relief, Assistance, Support and Hope. The organization never dreamed it would be called to a relief effort on this level, but it has been up and running with strategic distribution points for food, water, medical supplies and basic necessities since the earthquake.  

We decided to partner with CRASH for many reasons. The most notable is that one of our very own Moody Bible Institute Alumna and current missionary to Japan, Amy Eby, and her husband work with CRASH Japan and live above the headquarters in Tokyo.

Will you join us in supporting this ministry that is on the ground in Japan at work for the Kingdom? There are many organizations acting selflessly, devoting all of their resources to the people of Japan right now, and we ask you to please pray for all of them. Pray for the workers, the victims and the experts working around the clock to prevent a nuclear crisis.

For more information on how to give to Share 2011 and CRASH Japan, please visit www.moodyradio.org.

God Never Wastes Anything

On Friday, Mar. 4, Moody Bible Institute Alumni Patti Hummel came to the Chicago campus and shared her testimony with students and staff. Her story is a true testament to the fact that God does not waste anything. Public Relations Intern Krystallin Baker shares her perspective on Patti’s story.

By Krystallin Baker, Public Relations intern
Tucked away in an odd corner on the fourth floor of Fitzwater Hall is a small classroom on Moody Bible Institute’s Chicago campus where I recently heard an incredible testimony from a woman named Patti Hummel. It was a Friday afternoon, and I was admittedly tired and ready for my weekend to begin. But testimonies have a way of drawing me out of even the most stressful of weeks. Perhaps it’s my overactive imagination or my love of people, but wherever I go and whoever I meet, my mind explodes with thoughts about their lives and their stories. Everyone has a story, a beautiful, broken story, just waiting to be redeemed by Christ. So, though I knew it was another hour of my schedule gone, I was eager to hear Patti’s story.

Patti comes from a very humble background. She grew up in the Deep South to parents who were very poor. I sat enthralled as she told us about the way her mother used to sew together flour bags to make curtains, table cloths and even their clothes. Although my parents were always able to provide clothing and food for my siblings and me, my heart resonated with a less than wealthy childhood. I pondered my own memories of hand me down clothes and used toys and furniture from gracious people in our church.

As Patti painted the hard realities of her past, she did so with a grace and a joy that I knew were accredited to the Lord. No resentment tinged her voice as she recalled being mocked and taunted by teachers and treated as if she were a stupid, lazy child.

Patti suffers from severe dyslexia which was undiagnosed her entire childhood. She suffered through school barely passing because, in her words, “I was good with my hands.” She knew how to make beautiful things because of her mother’s own creativity.

As she continued her life story, telling us about meeting her husband, his incredible love for her and his desire to see her learn, she always came back to the mantra, “God doesn’t waste anything!” She repeated this statement again and again as she explained how God has taken her from illiteracy to be an author of 17 books and president of a publishing consultaning group. Though the world has told her she was worthless, God has told her she is worthy of being used in mighty ways. And, use her He has!

Part of Patti’s journey was Moody. Because of her husband’s diligent work in helping her learn to read, write and think well, she was able to complete a program at Moody. She is yet another incredible person who has added to the legacy of Moody and continues to do so through her work.

I am convinced God knew many of us, myself included, needed to hear the truth Patti has learned about God and His talent for using insignificant people to do significant things. I came into a small corner room of Fitzwater stressed, overwhelmed and feeling incredibly inadequate. Graduation in May loomed like a dark tower before me, and I have been facing it with doubts about my own significance and ability to do anything great for God.

Patti Hummel’s story was a much needed wake up call. God can take us from small, humble beginnings to do wonderful things beyond our imagination. Patti’s words make me think of 2 Corinthians 4:7 which states, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” Yes, as I face graduation, and as we each face tomorrow, we are but weak, un-incredible jars of clay. But, God redeems our stories and fills our jars of clay with treasure as a demonstration of His all-surpassing power.

A Legacy Visit

Moody Bible Institute was founded by Dwight Lyman Moody in 1886, and in our 125^th year, we had the privilege of hosting Mr. Moody’s great-grandson and his wife during Founder’s Week 2011. Today, Mr. Moody’s grandson wrote a post about his time on the Chicago campus.

By David Powell, D.L. Moody’s great-grandson

I believe that to fully appreciate my great-grandfather’s role in religious history, one should be familiar with his association with the Northfield Mount Hermon School (NMH), as it is now called; the Northfield Summer Conferences, and Moody Bible Institute. I am very familiar with the first two, but the missing link was my knowledge of the latter. Our visit to Moody’s Chicago campus for the 125th anniversary was a wonderful opportunity to learn about Dwight Moody’s “Chicago school.”

My first visit with someone from Moody was when my brother, Ted, and my sister, Virginia, and I had the opportunity to meet Dr. George Sweeting during his visit to the Northfield Mount Hermon School some years ago.

This visit to Moody for the 125^th was such a meaningful opportunity for my wife and me to learn firsthand about your school. We hoped to learn about the school’s objectives and method of operation, to attend some classes, to meet as many administrative, faculty and student personnel as possible, and to experience the spirit of the school.  In addition, we wanted to attend as many of the special events scheduled for the 125^th as possible. The schedule that Brenda McCord in Event and Guest Services and Professor Gregg Quiggle designed for us could not have satisfied these hopes any better! 

There were some extra added attractions that made our visit even more enjoyable:

- Attending the Alumni luncheon gave us the opportunity to meet some loyal graduates of Moody, as well as learn about the achievements of those receiving special recognition at Founder’s Week.

- Quite by chance we met Jon Gauger at Wednesday’s luncheon. This resulted in an extensive tour of  Moody Radio, and much to our surprise, a recorded radio interview.

- The visit to the Moody Museum gave us a chance to review many of the Moody archival treasures.

While there, someone suggested that I have my picture taken in the display area containing Mr. Moody’s life-size statue. I was anxious to see what part of the Bible he was reading. As I looked over his shoulder, I was overwhelmed! The Bible was open to the book of John, containing the first verse that Mr. Moody’s daughter, my grandmother, taught me as a child: John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in me, should  not perish, but have everlasting life.”  It was a magical moment that will stay with me forever. Amen!

Thank you, Moody Bible Institute, for the opportunity to share in your glorious 125^th anniversary.  We look forward to the time when our paths may cross again, either in Northfield or Chicago.