Throughout the spring semester, BJU students have learned about biblical manhood and womanhood through the chapel series, Divine Design.

With the series ending, students are sharing their thoughts on the messages they heard and the lessons they learned. Many students expressed appreciation for the emphasis on singleness.

Bailey Wright, a sophomore business administration major, said she learned a lot about biblical maturity and its roles in single life.  “Working on becoming mature . . . in your single years will not only help prepare you to have a healthy marriage but also equip you to be a more effective and impactful Christian,” Wright said.

Another student, Lili Genatt, a sophomore communication major, said she appreciated the learning about singleness because the topic of marriage seems to be emphasized more in Christian circles.  “I am single, [so marriage] is hard to identify with,” she said. “It was encouraging to hear that single people have a purpose just as much as married people.”

Another topic that created a lot of discussion was Dr. Sam Horn’s sermons on complementarianism. 

Mark Lehner, a sophomore accounting major, said that his favorite topic was complementarianism and that although it might be controversial, a proper understanding of complementarianism can solve many relational problems in today’s culture.

Genatt also favored the topic of complementarianism.  “I think it’s important to have a strong response to the ideas of today’s society that says we are all equal,” she said. “In part that’s true—we are all equally made in God’s image—yet we were made for different purposes. I think that distinction is key.”

An additional aspect of the series that students enjoyed were Divine Design Student Question and Answer Session in Levinson Hall on Monday evenings.  Each of the Q & A sessions was designed for students to interact with the speakers who taught the different topics and to have their questions on the specific topics answered. 

Wright loved the sessions. “They were so helpful, and I count it a privilege to pick the brains of men like Dr. Pettit, Dr. Horn, and Mr. Benson,” she said. “Great move to have that resource available!”

If there was one suggestion that more students made than any other, it was for even more preaching and teaching on the biblical view of manhood and womanhood.

Alvin Ball, a freshman biblical ministry major, said he would have liked more in-depth exposition on biblical manhood and womanhood. 

Gennat said she would have liked more detailed messages on biblical womanhood but especially on biblical manhood.

“It seemed like the men’s lecture definitely could have gone deeper, but I understand it’s hard to cover everything,” she said.