by Aqui Lacy, Staffwriter
Judson has been doing Christian Emphasis Week for over 60 years! This tradition started in the 1940s when one Judson student suggested to the then president of the school, John Riddle, that there should be more encouragement of the students’ spiritual lives with different special guest speakers. President Riddle took that suggestion and thought well along with the idea. With the rest of the Judson staff and faculty in agreement as well, Judson College had their first Religious Emphasis week. The student that suggested this idea later became a part of the WMU (Woman’s Missionary Union).
Since then Judson has valued this tradition very well. Judson has now changed the name from Religious Emphasis Week to the more specific Christian Emphasis Week. Each year Christian Emphasis Week gets a new speaker for three days consecutively. Christian Emphasis Week is always held in Judson’s Ramsay-McCrummen Chapel. All three of these services are open to the public for everyone in the community to hear the speakers that travel in to speak.
Very often some speakers bring another guest with them to accompany them such as with things they do to cover the music portion of worship. Other times Judson will provide for them by letting the staff or students lead the worship portion. This year Judson had their own very special guest for both the speaker and worship leader for Christian Emphasis Week.
This year our speaker was Terrence Jones and our worship leader was Rayellen English. English is the worship leader at her church in Texas.
Jones is originally from Norman Park, Georgia. As a young boy Jones attended church regularly. At a young age Jones made a declaration of his faith. As Jones grew older he received a football scholarship to attend Tuskegee University.
While attending Tuskegee, he was in campus ministry outreach and became overwhelmed with how he was then living. Jones’ lifestyle and Christian profession did not match up. During this time was when Jones came to the realization that what he needed was his Savior. Terrence describes this moment as very eye opening. By the age of nineteen Jones truly gave and trusted his life with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ again. After graduation from Tuskegee University, Jones later went on to get his Masters of Divinity degree in California.
Jones opened up to the school and community with his personal testimony by sharing how he and his wife lost their first child. As student Jordan Hooks said, “I really liked the speaker because it was very thought provoking, and I really enjoyed how he shared his testimony.”
Jones spoke of his struggles through his life to show us that we all can overcome our struggles. Student Katelyn Lawrence said, “I enjoyed Christian Emphasis Week because it allowed me to take a break from the rush of school. I was able to slow down and actually focus on my relationship with God. It was a way for me to get back on track with my quiet time and devotions. He really encouraged us as a student body and as individuals to live out our lives honestly and purposefully for Christ.”