Student Ministries Relaunches as Spiritual Life

Cultivating disciples of Christ to grow in truth, transformation, and testimony… that’s the heart and mission of the Department of Spiritual Life, formerly Student Ministries.

To reinforce Biola’s mission and vision to become a global center for Christian thought and a center for spiritual renewal, "our focus is on challenging students to take intentional steps to develop a deeper relationship with Christ and to share their testimony with the world," said Ralonda Dittmar, Associate Director.

Spiritual Life is intended to serve as a lighthouse to inspire students in their spiritual development. Their core values are for students to grow as disciples of Christ and be anchored in God’s Word, fervent in prayer, noble-hearted servants of Christ, builders of the church, and messengers of the Gospel. The intention is to see students become fully yielded servants of Christ who believe God in all things and thus bring about personal and cultural transformation.

The intent of Spiritual Life is to concentrate on the areas of spiritual formation (discipleship) and apologetics (evangelism). In the area of spiritual formation, the practical impact is through discipleship ministries and an emphasis on spiritual transformation and self-discovery. Students are encouraged to develop as disciples of Christ within safe environments and learn to believe, love, and live God’s Word.

In the area of apologetics, the primary impact is through faith-sharing ministries, evangelism education, and an emphasis on effecting cultural transformation through the truth of the gospel. Students are challenged to share their faith in a way that effectively impacts people for Christ.

Through various growth opportunities, the desire is that student passion will be ignited toward meaningful ministry and reflective conversations that promote true learning.

The Department of Spiritual Life is located in the upper SUB east side, next to Associated Students, and is open Mon-Fri 9-5.