Indiana Wesleyan University sophomore Kyle Ferguson started his fall semester in a New Testament Survey class thinking it was just another course. He finished the semester realizing the Lord had him there for a reason—one with an eternal impact.
Ferguson grew up in a Christian household, but truly began to understand his beliefs in Dr. Jim “Umfundisi” Lo’s New Testament class. The class discussed the teachings of Jesus; the basic content and themes of the New Testament; the historic, cultural and geographical contexts of the New Testament; how to apply the teachings of the New Testament to one’s life; and more.
“I always knew the basics of Christianity, but being in this class helped deepen my understanding of my beliefs as well as my understanding of scripture and the Church,” said Ferguson, a Political Science Pre-law major.
In addition to studying the New Testament under Lo, Ferguson spent every Friday morning on a voluntary prayer walk with him and two other students. The group would meet up at 4:30 a.m. to cover the IWU campus in prayer well before the sun was even up—something Lo has been doing for 16 years.
Near the end of the semester, Ferguson knocked on Lo’s office door and shared the change he had experienced in his faith. The conversation led to Ferguson accepting Christ as his savior. Shortly after, Lo baptized him before a group of his friends.
“In all my classes, I seek to share God’s wonderful plan of salvation with my students,” said Lo. “One of the greatest joys is to be there when a person asks Jesus to be their Savior and Lord. I am always humbled when this happens…that God allows me the privilege to share His gospel message.”
Ferguson’s story is an encouraging example of the humble aim in all that IWU does: to be a disciple-making culture committed to influencing each other to become more like Jesus in every area of life.
His story is also an inspiring example of a supportive community—both faculty, like Lo, and peers—encouraging him in his walk with Christ. At IWU, this type of community is abundant. According to the University’s value-centered statement, The Wildcat Way, there are five primary values that characterize the expectations IWU has for personal and community life on campus: Kindness, Humility, Belonging, Integrity, and Courage.
These values are what the IWU community hopes to embody daily so that students can be transformed to become more like Jesus, prepared to become leaders in their field, and equipped to uniquely use their gifts and strengths to influence the world for Christ.
“At IWU we want students to encounter who Jesus Christ is,” said Lo, “so that they can go out into the world, lead others to Christ and minister to those in need.”
To learn more about The Wildcat Way, visit www.indwes.edu/undergraduate/wildcat-way/.