Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ at Malone University
At Malone University, faith is not just a component of student life—it is the foundation of our educational experience. Through our Christian spiritual formation activities, students are invited into a redemptive journey that integrates worship, mentorship, and service to others.
Whether you’re exploring your beliefs or deepening your longtime relationship with Christ, Malone offers a variety of opportunities—from life groups and Community Worship to leadership roles and spiritual growth resources—to help you grow in faith alongside a supportive community.
“Spiritual formation is integral to Christian higher education. It is the biblically guided process in which people are being transformed into the likeness of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit within the faith community in order to love and serve God and others.”
Student Leadership Opportunities
At Malone, the Spiritual Life Committee (SLC) serves as the student-led heartbeat of campus faith life. Comprised of student leaders from every recognized spiritual organization, the SLC—guided by co-directors elected through Student Senate—collaborates with the Campus Pastor to foster meaningful worship, discipleship, and service opportunities. Whether organizing events such as Celebration and Fireside or mentoring peers through life groups, these student leaders help shape a Christ-centered community at Malone where faith is lived out daily.
Spiritual Life Committee roles include:
- Co-director of Spiritual Formation (for Student Senate)
- Celebration speaker
- Celebration worship music leader
- Fireside worship music coordinator
- Multicultural Services student leader
- Nurses Christian Fellowship student leader
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes student leader
Opportunities to lead worship, facilitate discipleship, and foster spiritual growth within our campus community include:
Celebration
Celebration is a student-led worship service with music and teaching. It meets bi-weekly on Thursdays from 8:30-9:30 p.m. in the JC Chapel. Leadership positions include Celebration Speakers and Celebration Worship Leaders.
Fireside
Fireside is a student-led acoustic worship service and teaching. It meets monthly on Tuesdays from 7:30-8:30p.m. Leadership positions include Fireside Worship Leader and and Fireside Coordinator.
Discipleship Assistants
Discipleship Assistants are students who serve a specific population of students (residence halls or commuters). Throughout the year they develop one-on-one discipleship relationships, lead a life group, and host a faith-based program.
Worship Musicians
Our Community Worship services would not be able to run without the help of countless students. There is always a need for student musicians to participate in leading worship. If you would like to get involved with our worship teams, you’ll start the process by completing an application and doing an audition.
Spiritual Growth Resources
How to read the Bible
Maybe you’ve never picked up the Bible before. Or, you’re finding it’s been a while since you last read it. Or, maybe you just want a different way to continue reading Scripture. If any of these apply to you, check out the following. There are lots of Bible reading plans out there, and included below are several that might suit your reading pace.
Bible Project
BibleProject has over thirty reading plans available on YouVersion’s Bible App. Reading plans are found here.
The Lectionary
The Daily Office Lectionary will take you through almost the entire Bible in accordance with the church calendar over the course of two years. Each day there are three readings: Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel or Acts. The Daily Office Lectionary is from the Book of Common Prayer and can be found and printed out here.
If you prefer to view it online and have reminder sent to you daily, try this link. Note that you can change which Bible translation you use for this latter plan.
Bible Reading Plan for Shirkers and Slackers
Read through the Bible according to different genres. Sundays are Old Testament poetry and Mondays are the Pentateuch, etc. Check off readings as you do them. No dates are listed and there isn’t pressure to get it done in a year. You can find this plan here.
Reading with Accompanying Devotionals
Read Bible passages and accompanying short devotionals which will help you understand Scripture better. Visit this link for several options.
Biblegateway.com
This is a fantastic website with dozens of Bible translations available for free. The search function is very helpful and does all the work of a concordance without the expense.
How to pray
Prayer is simply and honestly talking to God. There are many ways to pray, and below you’ll find several to get you started.
The Lord’s Prayer
Use this resource to pray through The Lord’s Prayer in four steps: praise, repent, ask and yield.
Breath Prayer
This praying technique uses our own breath to pray: 1) breathe in (just regular breaths) and think about a biblical name or image for God, then 2) breathe out and express a request to God. Repeat this as often as you take breaths.
Here are breath prayer samples – choose one, create your own, or click here:
- breathe in “Abba” or “Father,” breathe out “I belong to you”
- breathe in “Lord,” breathe out “send me your peace”
- breathe in “Jesus,” breath out “lead my path”
Palm Prayer
Get into a comfortable position and let your body relax. Notice your breathing. Don’t chase it, just follow it. Put your hands in front of you resting on your lap. As worries, burdens or distractions come to you, turn your palms down in a gesture of letting them go, handing them to God to hold for you. When you are ready, turn your palms up as a gesture of openness toward God to receive all that He would give you this day. (source: PAX Center for Spiritual Formation)
The Examen
Praying an Examen helps us to pay attention to how the Spirit has moved or is moving in our lives. We review or reflect on our day, asking God to call attention to places where we need Him. There are many ways to pray an Examen and this page offers several variations.
Centering Prayer
This prayer technique incorporates quiet and stillness as we “center” on God’s presence by repeating a word, phrase, or Scripture verse. Find the steps here. Begin with five minutes and increase to 15 or 20 as you learn this prayer practice.
Understanding the Lord’s Prayer
In Matthew 6, Jesus taught His disciples – and us – to pray the Lord’s Prayer. But what does it actually mean to pray each line? This guide was developed by Pastor Andrew Berg, Associate Dean of Students.
Explanation and Implications of The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
Introduction
Matthew 6:9 – “This then is how you should pray…” (Jesus)
- Jesus doesn’t say this is “what” you should pray, but rather this is “how” you should pray. Jesus is giving us a model for prayer.
- The topics and themes expressed in this prayer are close to the heart of God.
- The purpose of memorizing this prayer is to understand each part of it so we can use it as a guide for our own prayers, and learn to pray it with understanding and sincerity when we do pray it verbatim.
Our Father
“Our” – There are no singular pronouns in this prayer; they are all plural, including the opening address to “our” Father.
- Implication: When we pray, it’s good to remember that we are not alone; we are a part of a global family. When we are praying for God’s will, the answer will bless not just us, but all of God’s people.
“Father” – The word here for Father is the Aramaic word “Abba” which is a profoundly personal and intimate word similar to “Daddy.”
- Implication: When we pray to our “Abba” father, we are invited to come to Him in a posture of reliance and trust, knowing that He is a perfect father who will take care of us. He’s also a father who loves, forgives, and knows how to give good gifts to His children.
Who art in heaven
While God is close and personal with us (“Abba”, daddy), He is also set apart, residing in heaven.
- Implication: This is a reminder to us that we can address Him personally, but also should address him respectfully and understand that His ways and thoughts are higher than our ways and thoughts.
Hallowed be Thy Name
“Hallow” means “to honor as holy.”
- Implication: God is already holy. The idea here is that we would honor the name of God by treating God as holy, and live holy lives that would bring honor to His name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Praying for His kingdom to come and His will to be done is asking for His will and His ways to reign on earth above the will and ways of other kingdoms. His perfect will is already happening in heaven, so we are asking for Him to bring that perfect will to earth, which is filled with the wills of rebellious people.
- Implication: It’s important here to ask ourselves if we are praying out of our own selfish desires (and still rebelling against God), or if we are submitting to whatever He wills for us and the world around us.
- Implication: It’s important to ask the Lord here how He wants us to bring His Kingdom and justice to earth through the gifts and resources He’s given us.
Give us today our daily bread
“Bread” here refers to daily needs of food, clothing, and shelter. Most people in Jesus’ day lived hand to mouth.
- Implication: Jesus is inviting us here to ask Him to provide our daily basic needs and to trust that He will provide them. A good question to ask yourself if you’re anxious is “Am I worried about today’s bread or my future bread?”
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us
Sin here is referred to as a debt that can only be paid by God, not us.
- Implication: Just as Jesus freely canceled the debt we owe Him, we also should cancel the debts others owe us. We can forgive because we’ve been forgiven. When it’s hard to forgive, we pray what Jesus prayed on the cross, asking the Father to forgive: “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:24)
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
God does not tempt us; this is a prayer that He would help us to overcome through Jesus when we are tempted. We are invited here to trust that God, the only one with the power to defeat Satan, can deliver us from any evil.
- Implication: When we are tempted, a great verse to pray is 1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
For Yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever
This statement doesn’t appear in Matthew’s text. It comes from 1 Chronicles 29:11-13 and was added to the Lord’s prayer by the early church as a conclusion to the Lord’s prayer. The main idea is that we are concluding by bringing our minds and hearts back to the thought that it’s God’s kingdom we are building (not our own), through His power (not our own), and for His glory (not our own).
- Implication: This conclusion is a powerful reminder that all our work for God should be done to build His kingdom, through His power, and for His glory. If we notice our hearts are not aligned with that idea, it’s good to repent and ask Him to realign our hearts with the intent of this final statement.
The following resources were used in the creation of this handout: Wiersbe, Warren – The Bible Exposition Commentary; Barker, Kenneth & Kohlenberger III, Expositor’s Bible Commentary; and The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary Volume VII.
Exploring your spiritual gifts
The Basics
There are many spiritual gifts found in Scripture! Read through this gift list and notice if any seem to describe you.
The Apostle Paul describes various spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. Followers of Christ are encouraged to use their gifts individually as well as together, forming the “body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12:12-30). As Christ-followers live and work together out of their gifts, they are to do so with great love – a love that is described in 1 Cor. 13.
Other Scripture directives regarding spiritual gifts include:
- Each believer is given at least one gift. (1 Corinthians 12:7)
- The Holy Spirit determines who receives which gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:11)
- Each gift is equally valuable. (1 Corinthians 12:21-26)
- We are to use our gifts to serve others for the benefit of the body. (Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:12)
- We are commanded to use our gifts. (1 Peter 4:10)
- Exercising our gifts will help us develop spiritual maturity. (Ephesians 4:13)
How to Figure out your Gifts
Lifeway Resources offers a helpful overview as you consider your spiritual gifts.
They also offer a spiritual gifts survey to help you narrow down the gifts that are unique to you.
As with all surveys, use the above as just one tool in discerning your personal spiritual gifts. Check the results with close friends, family or a pastor to get their perspective. Most importantly, pray and ask the Lord to show you the next faithful steps in exploring and living out your gifts.
And remember: no matter who you are, what your personality type is, and what your gifts are, God says you are wonderfully made! (Check out Psalm 139:14-16.) You matter to the God Who has loved you unconditionally since before you were born. And you have a wonderfully unique and pivotal place in the life of the world!