Feb. 4, 2013
For Immediate Release
Yves Jean Baptiste, a junior of Haiti, leads Campbellsville University's chapel service Jan. 30. (Campbellsville University Photo by Rachel DeCoursey)
By Samantha Stevenson, student news writer
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky.- Campbellsville University student and Haitian native Yves Jean Baptiste delivered a message at CU's weekly chapel service on Wednesday, Jan. 30. The service was led by students.
Baptiste spoke from the gospel of Matthew about what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
“The three things you need to do in order to be a follower of Jesus Christ are: deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus, and to lose your life for Jesus,” he said.
Denying yourself, Baptiste said, is about giving control of your life over to Jesus.
Taking up your cross is about making the daily decision to live our lives for Jesus Christ.
“If you call yourself a Christian on this campus, it's more than wearing a T-shirt or posting on Facebook- it's about living your life for Christ,” he said.
Baptiste used a passage from Romans to elaborate on his third point, losing our lives to Jesus.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
He noted that while the world may have plenty to offer, nothing is satisfying as the love and grace offered by Jesus Christ.
“No matter how wealthy a man is, he will be bankrupt eternally if he doesn't have Christ.”
He closed the service by offering to his listeners about making the commitment to follow and serve Jesus.
“Let God be the center of your life. Let Jesus be your Lord and Savior,” he said.
The student-led chapel service also featured CU's Step Team, “United to Praise” gospel choir and worship songs led by students.
Chapel is designed to provide opportunities for corporate worship and exposure through a variety of informative speakers and presentations.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,600 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.