It is with mixed emotions, sadness and joy, that I retire as President of Simpson University with the completion of this academic year. It has been an honor to serve as your president for the past seven years. I have considered this leadership role to be a sacred trust. I am grateful for the advances the university has made during my tenure as president. I believe that Simpson’s greatest years are ahead. I remain deeply committed to the university’s Christ-centered higher education mission and am excited about its future.

Debbie and I have enjoyed our friendships with trustees, senior leadership colleagues, faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of the university and have benefited from their support. It is on a note of sadness that we leave this wonderful learning community. We thank God that he brought us to Simpson University “for such a time as this.”

There is also an element of joy as I move into retirement. I am completing 40 years in full-time Christian leadership, the past 33 in Christian higher education administration. It is time to step back and serve the Lord in a less demanding environment than academic administration. Debbie and I have talked for some time about what retirement will look like for the two of us. It is now time to explore what God has in store for us relative to this next chapter in our lives. We will never retire from the Lord’s service, but it is our hope that the future will involve a little less stress and a little more relaxation.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your president and for allowing Debbie to serve as your First Lady “for such a time as this.” My prayers are with you as you respond to God’s leading in this season ahead. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15:13

Dr. Larry J. McKinney

President

Perhaps no verse describes the nature of today’s college students as accurately as this one:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the King’s horses and all the King’s men,

Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

For those of us who are involved in Christ-centered higher education at Simpson University, there is a comforting revelation in the account of Humpty Dumpty. While all the King’s horses and all the King’s men cannot put Humpty together again, the King can! We are not dependent on institutional research, educational practice, administrative savvy, or sociological insight alone to tackle the difficult task of making the pieces fit. We are the King’s horses. He has the resources necessary to help us achieve our mission of developing students in mind, faith, and character who can impact the world and the church for Christ.

While not wanting to push the Humpty Dumpty metaphor too far, it does appear that we have many different kinds of eggs rolling onto our campuses. Yes, even Simpson University. They come to campus as good and bad eggs, as whole and cracked, some hard boiled and others scrambled. If there were ever a generation that needed the King’s resources to keep them from falling and putting them back together again, this may be the one.

I must admit that I was such an egg when I arrived on a Christian college campus more than forty years ago. I had some cracks in my life. Many of the pieces in my life did not fit together as I had hoped. Believe me, there was much room for development.

It was in this undergraduate setting, however, that many of the pieces began to come together. It was during my college years that I discovered many life changing lessons. These significant lessons were taught inside and outside the classroom.

First, I discovered the need to integrate both my faith and my learning. A relationship with Christ touches every area of life, not only the soul but the mind and the emotions. God desired to produce in me the tough mind and the tender heart so that I would always be ready to give a reason for the hope that was within me.

The second lesson was related to the first. God wanted me to know Him and to serve Him with my total being—body, mind, and spirit. Through the filing of the Holy Spirit, I realized I could love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. I had the capacity to love my neighbor as myself. I could live out the Great Commandment with His divine enablement.

The third lesson I learned was that ultimate meaning comes from responding in obedience to the Great Commission. Making disciples in every nation is the highest purpose for redemption and for being.

However, not only did the Christian faculty and staff confront me with the life changing lessons, they also challenged me with life shaping relationships. Every day I was faced with the call to conform my life to Christ, living in a redeemed and righteous relationship with God and others.

I will forever be indebted to the King and the King’s horses and the King’s men (and women) who made a tremendous impact on my life. Some of us are now in a position where we can be one of the King’s horses, one of the King’s men or women, empowered by Him to keep Humpty together, and as needed, to put Humpty back together again.

Our task is to make disciples. Our task is to model the Great Commandment and to advance the Great Commission. With God’s help, we have the privilege of working with students, helping them put the pieces back together. May God bless us and use us to prepare the next generation of leaders for Christ and His Kingdom.

Dr. Larry J. McKinney

President

In C.S. Lewis’ The Problem of Pain, he speaks to the richness and diversity of God’s creation:

“If all experienced God in the same way and returned to Him an identical worship, the song of the Church triumphant would have no symphony, it would be like an orchestra in which all the instruments played the same noise.” The Apostle Paul stated that a body is a unity of different members: “The body is a unit though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.”  I Corinthians 12:12.

I believe that Simpson University is also a microcosm of the body of Christ, a learning community that represents unity and diversity. We have a common bond in Jesus Christ, yet there are many different faces, different backgrounds, and different personalities within our student body. Our students represent the richness of God’s creation through their different ethnicities and cultures. They are a gift from the Lord.  Some of our students are young undergraduates who may live on campus, while others are older adults in our continuing studies and graduate programs who are taking classes at night and on weekends. Many are single, while others have spouses and children who join them in this educational venture. Most are from the west coast, while others are from other parts of the United States, and some are from international settings. Some are pursuing a church-related ministry while others are looking to serve in a marketplace career. They are all involved or plan to be involved in some type of meaningful service. Our students reflect the diversity of the church and the larger world. They make Simpson University a very special community.

Yes, there are many different faces at Simpson University. Our students represent a wide range of backgrounds and interests, but they are attending our university because they want to receive a quality education in a Christ-centered environment. I thank the Lord for our students, recognizing it is a privilege to develop each student in mind, faith, and character for a lifetime of meaningful work and service in a constantly changing world.     

The Simpson University Diversity Statement speaks to our desire to create a campus-wide awareness and commitment to a culture of inclusion:

Simpson University values the uniqueness and worth of individuals and strives to mirror the diversity of the Church and God’s creation. We strive to be a community that is welcoming and affirming of those who attend and work here. We have a unique opportunity, as well as responsibility, to model unity and Christ-like attitudes towards individual and group differences.  Diversity creates an opportunity for growth. People from varying cultures contribute to the value and worth of the University. 

We are committed to building a unique community in far Northern California composed of individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds who are committed to Jesus Christ, who aspire to grow in their faith, who serve others, and who carry out the Great Commission. We are dedicated to increasing opportunities for people of diverse cultures and backgrounds to attend Simpson University, to be employed here, and to participate in this Christ-centered learning community.

I thank God for the many faces of Simpson University! We celebrate the gift of diversity within our campus community.

Dr. Larry J. McKinney

President

C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a very popular children’s fantasy book that was published in 1950 as one of seven novels in the Chronicles of Narnia. It has since been made into a movie that many of you have had the opportunity to view at the theater. Most of the novel is set in Narnia, a land of talking animals and mystical beings that the White Witch has ruled for over one hundred years of deep winter. In the story, four English children live in a big old country house during their World War II evacuation from London. The youngest, Lucy, visits Narnia three times through the wardrobe in the spare room; her three siblings, Peter, Susan, and Edmund, join her on the third visit. In Narnia, the siblings seem to fulfill an old prophesy, so they are soon working to save their lives and to deliver their country. The Narnians ultimately rout the evil army and Aslan, the great lion, kills the Witch. Lewis dedicated the book to his god-daughter, Lucy Barfield. Many of you have enjoyed the story just as much as I have.

If you know anything about the Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan is a metaphor representing the person of Christ. C.S. Lewis provided a beautiful literary picture of God’s involvement in the world through His Son, Jesus Christ. The main story is an allegory of Christ’s crucifixion. Aslan sacrifices himself for Edmund, a traitor who may deserve death, in the same way that Christ sacrificed himself for sinners. Christ is even described as the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah” in Revelation 5:5.

At one particular point in the story, Narnia creatures trapped in a world where it is always winter but never Christmas, begin to whisper to one another, “Aslan is on the move.” The true King of Narnia, who has been absent for many years, is “on the move again!”

We know that “Aslan is on the move” in our day, in our world, and on the campus of Simpson University. He is on the move in the lives of our students when they learn and grow through the outstanding teaching from our faculty. He is on the move in our chapel services when students, along with faculty and staff, gather to worship. He is on the move when ours students participate in intercollegiate athletics, music, student government, and other co-curricular activities. He is on the move when our students are involved in churches and community service opportunities. He is on the move when our students participate in mission-related ministries around the world through our World Serve Teams. He is on the move when our continuing studies and graduate students take classes in the evening and on weekends, and even through on-line courses. He is on the move when our students laugh together in the dining center, coffee shop, or when walking across campus. The Lord is clearly on the move at Simpson University.

Dr. Larry J. McKinney

President

During our time together, I had the privilege of making Play Dough cookies, constructing Lego houses and cars, and building a tent from Tinker Toys and blankets with our grandchildren – they are all seven years of age and younger. As I watched them interact with one another and enjoy the innocence of childhood, I was also reminded of the horrible tragedy that took place at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14. A horrific shooting resulted in the loss of 28 lives, 20 of them children. I cannot begin to fathom what it would be like to lose a child or a grandchild in any circumstance, let alone losing a loved one through such a senseless act. My heart continues to ache for the families of the children, teachers, and staff who were killed as I remember them in my prayers.

Reflecting upon the violence that took place in Newtown, Connecticut, makes it hard for me to see our grandchildren grow up in this world without shuddering at the thought of all the battles that could erupt in their lifetimes – economic, cultural, environmental, military, and spiritual. Yet, it continues to be my hope that they will grow up in a safe environment and become men and women of God.  It is even my hope that they will attend Simpson University someday and find in their college experience what King David described in Psalm 27:

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear, though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:  that I may dwell I the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble, he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of the tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.” (Psalm 27:1-5)

It is my prayer that the current and future students at Simpson University will proclaim, “to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.” We hope students will find the house of the Lord not to be a fortress that protects them from the world, but a home that shows Christ’s love for creation and his longing for its redemption. We hope students will find the beauty of the Lord in all the subjects they study and in all the relationships they cultivate. We hope that students will find themselves in the company of Christians who are humble enough to admit how little they understand and caring enough to ask the difficult questions.  Finally, we hope our students will be agents of transformation in the world.

Dr. Larry J. McKinney

President

It is beautifully described as “the greatest story ever told.” It is most concisely expressed in the greatest statement ever made – John 3:16. No event in human history deserves or requires the use of as many superlatives as the birth of Jesus Christ.

For God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest love

So. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest degree

Loved. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest grace

The World. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest number

That He Gave. . . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest kindness

His One and Only Son. . . . . . .the greatest treasure

That Whoever. . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest invitation

Believes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest simplicity

In Him. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the greatest Savior

Shall Not. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest escape

Perish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest disaster

But. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest difference

Have. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest certainty

Eternal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest duration

Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .the greatest possession

“For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only son, that whoever  believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

Christmas and giving are inseparable, for God established the pattern when He gave the gift of His one and only son who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was born of a virgin. According to John 3:16, this gift is the means of salvation for everyone who believes.

An angel was sent to announce the birth of a baby, and a group of shepherds guarding their sheep were the first to receive the good news on that special day “. . . . a Savior was born for you.  He is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11

It was those shepherds who came to see Jesus. The people of Bethlehem had no idea the Son of God was asleep in their midst. But it was long before the word of His birth through that little village and spread into other towns and cities.

Today, 2000 years later, we open our Bible and read of that glorious night when the heavens opened and the angels proclaimed the Good news about the Greatest Gift of All – Our Savior Jesus Christ.

From the Simpson University family, administration, faculty, staff, and students, may the beauty of God’s gift fill your heart with joy this Christmas season.

Merry Christmas and God bless you!

 Larry J. McKinney

President

Certain events in the history of an educational institution stand out in bold relief against normal day-to-day activities. There are defining moments that help to shape the mission and future direction of a university. One such defining moment for Simpson University was the launch of our four year Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in January, 2011 when 26 students were admitted into the first cohort. This was a follow-up to our starting the popular R.N.-to-B.S.N. step-up program through the ASPIRE degree completion program in 2008. These new academic initiatives were a response to a demand for quality nursing education in Northern California.  However, these new programs also allow us to carry out our mission more effectively as our students and graduates influence “the world through leadership, scholarship, and service.”  The successful launch of these educational initiatives in our School of Nursing will serve as landmark events in the history of Simpson University as we continue to be a Gateway to World Service.

Another defining moment took place on October 22 when our Board of Trustees granted their approval for the university to move forward with the construction of a 30,000 square foot, $5.5 million Science and Nursing Building. While there is still a great deal of work to be done in working with the architect on detailed drawings, securing necessary approvals from the Zoning Commission of the City of Redding, and raising additional money through fund development, it is our hope to begin construction in early summer of 2013 with the building fully operative by the Fall of 2014.

Completion of the Science and Nursing Building will serve the university and the surrounding community. The facility will allow us to train a greater number of baccalaureate-prepared nurses and provide professional training for other healthcare agencies in the local community. It will also allow for the development of other new healthcare programs and complete the requirements for national nursing accreditation.

In the meantime, our nursing students are meeting in a modular building that has been converted into classrooms and lab space, where they are able to work with state-of-the-art simulated manikins. Students also work with real life patients through numerous clinical partnerships with regional hospitals and medical facilities. Many of our nursing students also participate in cross-cultural ministries that allow them to use their nursing skills, particularly at a medical clinic in Mexicali, Mexico. We currently have 32 students in the R.N.-to-B.S.N. step-up program, 79 students in the four-year B.S.N. program, and 49 students in the Pre-Nursing program.

This new facility will also address the increasing space needs of our biology program and will allow us to expand our science offerings in areas such as chemistry and physics, benefiting an entirely new population of students.Our science classrooms, which are currently housed in the LaBaume-Rudat Hall, will be relocated to the new building.

Features of the new building include two floors (first floor-sciences and second floor-nursing), six patient simulation zones, two clinical skill labs, specialized areas for physics, microbiology, genetics, chemistry, organismal studies, and anatomy, general purpose classrooms, and centralized faculty offices.

If it sounds like I am enthused about these latest developments at Simpson University related to students, programs, and facilities, you are correct. These are exciting times and defining moments at Simpson University. To God be the glory!

Dr. Larry J. McKinney

President

God has blessed Simpson University with 1300 students this semester. This includes students in the traditional undergraduate program, continuing studies, and several different graduate programs (Education, Counseling Psychology, A.W. Tozer Seminary). The greater resources and attention tend to be focused on our younger undergraduates, most of whom are full-time, live on campus, and take advantage of a wide range of curricular and co-curricular opportunities.

However, I want to draw attention to another very important group of students at Simpson University—the men and women who are part of our Continuing Studies, ASPIRE program. Each semester we have almost 300 working adults enrolled in our accelerated degree completion program. The program allows students to complete their bachelor’s degree in 16 months, assuming they have completed at least half of their undergraduate work at another college or university, thus it is called a degree completion program. Program offerings include psychology, organizational leadership, business and human resource management, liberal studies, nursing (RN to BSN), and healthcare management.

ASPIRE’s unique class structure is designed to accommodate the schedules of busy adults. Each class meets for five weeks in a convenient format, one night a week from 6-10 p.m., every other Saturday, or online. The students take one class at a time and each class is designed to build on the knowledge gained in the previous class. It is a step-by-step, structured class schedule that allows students to continually focus their attention on the materials they need to know in their chosen field. It is a process that optimizes learning, leading to a greater assimilation and stronger retention of the knowledge and tools needed to serve in marketplace careers.

They are a very special group of students. Most are working full-time jobs, have family responsibilities, and may also be involved in church and community responsibilities, yet they have returned to school to complete their degrees.  The good news is most of them are successful. The completion rate in the Continuing Studies, ASPIRE program is 92 percent. They are to be commended for their hard work, their tenacity, and their desire to serve their world more effectively.

I thank God for our ASPIRE students. More than 3000 students have complete their bachelor’s degree through this program since it was introduced in 1989 in conjunction with the move of Simpson University to Redding from San Francisco. “Challenge Your Mind, Change Your Future” is the motto that has been adopted by our Continuing Studies program.  It fits so nicely with the more than 3000 gradates of our ASPIRE program.

Dr. Larry J. McKinney

President

Simpson University is bustling with activity. If you visit our campus, you will observe students rushing from one class to the next, getting started on a research assignment in the library, filing into the Emeriti Dining Center for a meal, heading to the Heritage Center for chapel, rushing to the gymnasium or an athletic field for a team practice, rehearsing for a music group or drama production, or just simply relaxing in the coffee shop.

And let’s not forget that classes at Simpson do not conclude at the end of the normal business day. Quite the opposite, they are just getting started. We have classes being offered several nights a week and on Saturdays, particularly in our degree continuing studies (ASPIRE) and graduate programs. Furthermore, we even have students taking classes at several different extension sites as far away as Seoul, Korea.

There is a special energy on campus that comes with seeing students seriously pursing an education that prepares them for life and service. If it sounds like I am excited – you are right!

There are approximately 1300 students who have enrolled at Simpson University for this fall semester. These students represent many different backgrounds and interests. Some are young undergraduates, while others are older adults who are taking classes at night and on weekends.  Many are single, while others have spouses and children who have joined them in this educational venture. Most are from the west coast, while others are from other parts of the U.S., and some are from international backgrounds.  Some are pursuing a church-related ministry, while others are looking to serve in a marketplace career. They are all involved or plan to be involved in some type of meaningful service.

Yes, our students represent a wide range of backgrounds and interests, but they are attending Simpson University because they want to receive a quality education in a Christ-centered learning community. I thank the Lord for each one of our students, recognizing that it is a special privilege to develop students in mind, faith, and character to influence the world through leadership, scholarship, and service.

Dr. Larry J. McKinney

President

“With Jesus in the boat we can smile at the storm, smile at the storm, smile at the storm.   With Jesus in the boat, we can smile at the storm, as we go sailing home.”

The children’s chorus listed above is based upon Mark 4:35-41. Jesus had been working hard, teaching the crowds, and healing the sick. He was exhausted. He said to disciples, “Let’s get in the boat and go to the other side of the lake.” That was the Gentile side of the lake – He knew it was unlikely that any of the Jewish people would go there. Jesus climbed into the boat just as he was and lay down on a leather cushion at the stern of the boat. Within a short period of time he was fast asleep – worn out.  And so they set off in their boat, and a few other small boats with some of the other followers went with them.

Now weather conditions on the Sea of Galilee can be treacherous. The hillsides and the valleys around the lake funnel the winds. Sometimes a squall can develop without warming. This is exactly what happened in the account in Mark 4. One moment all was peaceful and calm, the next moment they were struggling against strong winds and huge waves. The waves were breaking over the boat and they were in danger of being swamped. Jesus was in the stern of the boat fast asleep and at complete peace.  However, the disciples were in a state of panic and cried to the Lord, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

Jesus no doubt rubbed his eyes, got slowly to his feet, and rebuked the wind, “Quiet!  Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. “Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith?”

And they were filled with fear and awe. “Who is this?  Even the wind and the waves obey Him!”

While I did have the opportunity to go out on the Sea of Galilee in a small boat a number of years ago on a Holy Land tour, it was not during a storm. However, I can only begin to imagine what the disciples must have experienced in terms of fear and then awe.

On a much more simplistic note, my wife and I have a small boat that we frequently take out to Whiskeytown Lake, approximately 10 miles west of Redding. While we certainly would not take the boat out in a storm, or even venture out on an excursion if the weather forecast was risky, we have enjoyed many hours of quiet relief in the boat. It is nice to get away from my busy life as a university college president and enjoy time with my family or friends. It has particularly been a wonderful form of recreation for our young grandchildren. There have also been occasions when I have gone out on the boat alone, finding time to relax, read, listen to worship music and even fall asleep. There is something peaceful about going out in the boat. I have discovered that whatever the storms of life may be, I am safe in the Lord’s presence. Just as the disciples were safe as long as Jesus was in the boat with them, even when He was asleep, I am also under his watchful care. “With Jesus in the boat, we can smile at the storm!”

Dr. Larry J. McKinney

President

P.S.  I am pleased that we will be sharing our boat with Gatehouse Ministries on September 9, when we join our missionary kids and international students on Whiskeytown Lake for a water day.