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With Campus Cross Walk
Written by: CampUs4 6/23/2009 2:55 PM
Rick Rowland, Campus Ministry Pioneer a tribute by Rich Dawson Perhaps no one person on the west coast has had a greater longstanding impact on Campus Ministry in the Churches of Christ than Rick Rowland. Rick was the swimming and water polo coach at UCSB (Santa Barbara, California) when one of his managers/trainers died tragically following a weekend party in April of 1966. Knowing their coach was a Christian, four of Rick’s swimmers asked him about salvation. They were hurting and so hungry for guidance. As he struggled with what to say to his team the next time they met, a conviction gripped his heart that something had to be done for students on university campuses whose typical weekend plan was to party. They needed Christ. That tragic event led Rick into a 40-year career of serving students on multiple university campuses. The first thing Rick did was to spend the summer raising funds from local churches and individuals so he could begin an outreach ministry in the fall of 1966 to the students at UCSB. The result was the first ministry in the nation using the name Campus Advance for Christ. It was also the first campus ministry on the west coast, and the first non-Bible Chair campus ministry by churches of Christ at a state university campus (a Bible Chair is a campus ministry focused on offering Bible classes for credit at a state campus). The program began modestly with only one student from the churches of Christ deciding to take part. But in a few short years, the ministry was receiving national attention due to its sponsorship of such programs as the Bishop James Pike/Bill Banowsky debate on Situation Ethics and Sexuality. In 1970 an apartment ministry was begun which opened the Campus Advance apartment 24 hours a day to the students in Isla Vista, the student community adjacent to the UCSB campus. In the mid-seventies, the ministry grew to such an extent that it included two and one half staff members, including a women’s counselor, which was unusual in those days. Rick was now serving as an elder at the Turnpike Road Church of Christ, overseeing the staff who worked in establishing and strengthening campus ministries around California from UC Berkeley in the north to Orange County in the south. In 1975, Rick began serving as the Men’s Swimming and Water Polo Coach at Pepperdine University. He immediately began leading a dorm Bible Study for athletes and friends, a study he continued to lead for 14 years. The response to the call of Christ was strong on campus and the campus ministers at Santa Barbara began working part-time at Pepperdine during the 1976-1977 school year. The Malibu Church elders took over responsibility for the ministry in the fall of 1977 and Rick encouraged them to hire Craig and Patti Bowman, two students he had baptized in the early 70’s at UCSB. When Rick moved to Malibu in 1976, he began teaching Campus Ministry classes through Pepperdine’s Religion Division and scores of ministers over the years were inspired to view American university campuses as vital mission fields. Rick encouraged these students to enter the ministry and many who completed their coursework at Pepperdine ended up serving as campus ministers in several western states. Possibly one of the longest-lasting contributions Rick made to campus ministry was a book he authored in 1991:Campus Ministries, a historical study of Churches of Christ Campus Ministries and selected College Ministries from 1906 to 1990. This well researched and thorough history brought written and oral history accounts together in one volume and greatly increased the knowledge base of those who were interested in the Campus Ministry movement in the US. In 1998, the National Campus Ministry Seminar honored Rick with the Stephen Eckstein Award for Excellence in Campus Ministry for over 30 years of inspiration, dedication and ministry to students and ministers. Until his retirement in 2005, Rick has served as lay minister, faculty advisor, elder, mentor, teacher and coordinator to ministries at UCSB, Pepperdine, USC, Cal State Bakersfield, and many other campus ministry efforts on the west coast. Rick will long be remembered as the heart and soul of outreach ministries in California, impacting thousands of lives for the cause of Christ. His enthusiasm and tireless energy inspired scores of leaders both when times were tough, and when they were experiencing the blessings of the Lord as well. But for those who worked side by side with him, he will probably be best remembered for his prayer life. There was not a time when work, or meetings, or outreach events were concluded that he did not ask those around him, even when it was late at night and all were tired, to close with prayer. It will be a memory that I will always cherish. Richard L. Dawson, Rich currently serves as the Director of the Office of International Student Services, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California. Rich and his wife Sandy were recruited to serve in the campus ministry at UCSB in the fall of 1969 and moved to Isla Vista to begin the apartment ministry in May of 1970. They have been friends and siblings in Christ with Rick and his wife Lildra ever since.
a tribute by Rich Dawson
Perhaps no one person on the west coast has had a greater longstanding impact on Campus Ministry in the Churches of Christ than Rick Rowland. Rick was the swimming and water polo coach at UCSB (Santa Barbara, California) when one of his managers/trainers died tragically following a weekend party in April of 1966. Knowing their coach was a Christian, four of Rick’s swimmers asked him about salvation. They were hurting and so hungry for guidance. As he struggled with what to say to his team the next time they met, a conviction gripped his heart that something had to be done for students on university campuses whose typical weekend plan was to party. They needed Christ. That tragic event led Rick into a 40-year career of serving students on multiple university campuses. The first thing Rick did was to spend the summer raising funds from local churches and individuals so he could begin an outreach ministry in the fall of 1966 to the students at UCSB. The result was the first ministry in the nation using the name Campus Advance for Christ. It was also the first campus ministry on the west coast, and the first non-Bible Chair campus ministry by churches of Christ at a state university campus (a Bible Chair is a campus ministry focused on offering Bible classes for credit at a state campus). The program began modestly with only one student from the churches of Christ deciding to take part. But in a few short years, the ministry was receiving national attention due to its sponsorship of such programs as the Bishop James Pike/Bill Banowsky debate on Situation Ethics and Sexuality. In 1970 an apartment ministry was begun which opened the Campus Advance apartment 24 hours a day to the students in Isla Vista, the student community adjacent to the UCSB campus. In the mid-seventies, the ministry grew to such an extent that it included two and one half staff members, including a women’s counselor, which was unusual in those days. Rick was now serving as an elder at the Turnpike Road Church of Christ, overseeing the staff who worked in establishing and strengthening campus ministries around California from UC Berkeley in the north to Orange County in the south. In 1975, Rick began serving as the Men’s Swimming and Water Polo Coach at Pepperdine University. He immediately began leading a dorm Bible Study for athletes and friends, a study he continued to lead for 14 years. The response to the call of Christ was strong on campus and the campus ministers at Santa Barbara began working part-time at Pepperdine during the 1976-1977 school year. The Malibu Church elders took over responsibility for the ministry in the fall of 1977 and Rick encouraged them to hire Craig and Patti Bowman, two students he had baptized in the early 70’s at UCSB. When Rick moved to Malibu in 1976, he began teaching Campus Ministry classes through Pepperdine’s Religion Division and scores of ministers over the years were inspired to view American university campuses as vital mission fields. Rick encouraged these students to enter the ministry and many who completed their coursework at Pepperdine ended up serving as campus ministers in several western states. Possibly one of the longest-lasting contributions Rick made to campus ministry was a book he authored in 1991:Campus Ministries, a historical study of Churches of Christ Campus Ministries and selected College Ministries from 1906 to 1990. This well researched and thorough history brought written and oral history accounts together in one volume and greatly increased the knowledge base of those who were interested in the Campus Ministry movement in the US. In 1998, the National Campus Ministry Seminar honored Rick with the Stephen Eckstein Award for Excellence in Campus Ministry for over 30 years of inspiration, dedication and ministry to students and ministers. Until his retirement in 2005, Rick has served as lay minister, faculty advisor, elder, mentor, teacher and coordinator to ministries at UCSB, Pepperdine, USC, Cal State Bakersfield, and many other campus ministry efforts on the west coast. Rick will long be remembered as the heart and soul of outreach ministries in California, impacting thousands of lives for the cause of Christ. His enthusiasm and tireless energy inspired scores of leaders both when times were tough, and when they were experiencing the blessings of the Lord as well. But for those who worked side by side with him, he will probably be best remembered for his prayer life. There was not a time when work, or meetings, or outreach events were concluded that he did not ask those around him, even when it was late at night and all were tired, to close with prayer. It will be a memory that I will always cherish. Richard L. Dawson, Rich currently serves as the Director of the Office of International Student Services, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California. Rich and his wife Sandy were recruited to serve in the campus ministry at UCSB in the fall of 1969 and moved to Isla Vista to begin the apartment ministry in May of 1970. They have been friends and siblings in Christ with Rick and his wife Lildra ever since.
Rick was the swimming and water polo coach at UCSB (Santa Barbara, California) when one of his managers/trainers died tragically following a weekend party in April of 1966. Knowing their coach was a Christian, four of Rick’s swimmers asked him about salvation. They were hurting and so hungry for guidance. As he struggled with what to say to his team the next time they met, a conviction gripped his heart that something had to be done for students on university campuses whose typical weekend plan was to party. They needed Christ. That tragic event led Rick into a 40-year career of serving students on multiple university campuses.
The first thing Rick did was to spend the summer raising funds from local churches and individuals so he could begin an outreach ministry in the fall of 1966 to the students at UCSB. The result was the first ministry in the nation using the name Campus Advance for Christ. It was also the first campus ministry on the west coast, and the first non-Bible Chair campus ministry by churches of Christ at a state university campus (a Bible Chair is a campus ministry focused on offering Bible classes for credit at a state campus).
The program began modestly with only one student from the churches of Christ deciding to take part. But in a few short years, the ministry was receiving national attention due to its sponsorship of such programs as the Bishop James Pike/Bill Banowsky debate on Situation Ethics and Sexuality.
In 1970 an apartment ministry was begun which opened the Campus Advance apartment 24 hours a day to the students in Isla Vista, the student community adjacent to the UCSB campus. In the mid-seventies, the ministry grew to such an extent that it included two and one half staff members, including a women’s counselor, which was unusual in those days. Rick was now serving as an elder at the Turnpike Road Church of Christ, overseeing the staff who worked in establishing and strengthening campus ministries around California from UC Berkeley in the north to Orange County in the south.
In 1975, Rick began serving as the Men’s Swimming and Water Polo Coach at Pepperdine University. He immediately began leading a dorm Bible Study for athletes and friends, a study he continued to lead for 14 years. The response to the call of Christ was strong on campus and the campus ministers at Santa Barbara began working part-time at Pepperdine during the 1976-1977 school year. The Malibu Church elders took over responsibility for the ministry in the fall of 1977 and Rick encouraged them to hire Craig and Patti Bowman, two students he had baptized in the early 70’s at UCSB.
When Rick moved to Malibu in 1976, he began teaching Campus Ministry classes through Pepperdine’s Religion Division and scores of ministers over the years were inspired to view American university campuses as vital mission fields. Rick encouraged these students to enter the ministry and many who completed their coursework at Pepperdine ended up serving as campus ministers in several western states.
Possibly one of the longest-lasting contributions Rick made to campus ministry was a book he authored in 1991:Campus Ministries, a historical study of Churches of Christ Campus Ministries and selected College Ministries from 1906 to 1990. This well researched and thorough history brought written and oral history accounts together in one volume and greatly increased the knowledge base of those who were interested in the Campus Ministry movement in the US.
In 1998, the National Campus Ministry Seminar honored Rick with the Stephen Eckstein Award for Excellence in Campus Ministry for over 30 years of inspiration, dedication and ministry to students and ministers. Until his retirement in 2005, Rick has served as lay minister, faculty advisor, elder, mentor, teacher and coordinator to ministries at UCSB, Pepperdine, USC, Cal State Bakersfield, and many other campus ministry efforts on the west coast.
Rick will long be remembered as the heart and soul of outreach ministries in California, impacting thousands of lives for the cause of Christ. His enthusiasm and tireless energy inspired scores of leaders both when times were tough, and when they were experiencing the blessings of the Lord as well. But for those who worked side by side with him, he will probably be best remembered for his prayer life. There was not a time when work, or meetings, or outreach events were concluded that he did not ask those around him, even when it was late at night and all were tired, to close with prayer. It will be a memory that I will always cherish.
Richard L. Dawson, Rich currently serves as the Director of the Office of International Student Services, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California. Rich and his wife Sandy were recruited to serve in the campus ministry at UCSB in the fall of 1969 and moved to Isla Vista to begin the apartment ministry in May of 1970. They have been friends and siblings in Christ with Rick and his wife Lildra ever since.
4 comments so far...
Re: Rick Rowland, Campus Ministry Pioneer Rick Rowland will have a special place in heaven. Why? Because thousands of people in heaven won't know his name but can trace their lineage in Christ to Rick, who influenced a generation of leaders to minister to the campuses of America. Rick used to talk about "ribbons of influence" in our lives, the people that touched your life, that then touched other lives, that then...well, you get the point. Rick is one of the most influencial people in my entire life. Any of the people that I have been blessed to influence, you have been influenced by Rick Rowland. Rick, I love and admire you deeply my friend. Thank you for investing in me, as the church fathers of old did. Thanks Rick.
Re: Rick Rowland, Campus Ministry Pioneer
Rick Rowland will have a special place in heaven. Why? Because thousands of people in heaven won't know his name but can trace their lineage in Christ to Rick, who influenced a generation of leaders to minister to the campuses of America. Rick used to talk about "ribbons of influence" in our lives, the people that touched your life, that then touched other lives, that then...well, you get the point. Rick is one of the most influencial people in my entire life. Any of the people that I have been blessed to influence, you have been influenced by Rick Rowland. Rick, I love and admire you deeply my friend. Thank you for investing in me, as the church fathers of old did. Thanks Rick.
Re: Rick Rowland, Campus Ministry Pioneer Rick has spent his adult life working to help churches of Christ minister on campus. I fondly remember Rick teaching the vision track at our national conference every year, as well as teaching campus ministry at Pepperdine, trying to help get campus ministries started at churches near universities. His influence and ministry go far beyond what any of us know.Rick also encouraged me as a young campus minister to think beyond my small area and develop vision for ministries across the nation.Thanks, Rick.
Rick has spent his adult life working to help churches of Christ minister on campus. I fondly remember Rick teaching the vision track at our national conference every year, as well as teaching campus ministry at Pepperdine, trying to help get campus ministries started at churches near universities. His influence and ministry go far beyond what any of us know.Rick also encouraged me as a young campus minister to think beyond my small area and develop vision for ministries across the nation.Thanks, Rick.
Re: Rick Rowland, Campus Ministry Pioneer Hi Guys! I'm so happy to see you on the web after all these years!! I have fond memories of those early days at UCSB, through trials and tribulations, happy times of excitement about the growth of the ministry, and my most precious memories of all center around the amazing love and feeling of "family" with the Turnpike Road Church of Christ, and you all...Rick, Lildra, you and Sandy, Betty and Kelly (with whom I still talk a few times a year), Landon Saunders (remember??), Jerry and Lori, Lee Tournier, Mike Shuster, Gayle, Jay, Paula McClish, Donny and Gloria, and sooooo many others. I recently reconnected with Becky on Facebook and we reminisced about being roommates in IV. Good times! When I think about Rick, the first memory that comes to mind is his great care and concern about the well-being of all of us. His "sheparding" was wonderful, and Lildra always made us feel so welcome and loved too. That period of time in my life is very precious.
Hi Guys! I'm so happy to see you on the web after all these years!! I have fond memories of those early days at UCSB, through trials and tribulations, happy times of excitement about the growth of the ministry, and my most precious memories of all center around the amazing love and feeling of "family" with the Turnpike Road Church of Christ, and you all...Rick, Lildra, you and Sandy, Betty and Kelly (with whom I still talk a few times a year), Landon Saunders (remember??), Jerry and Lori, Lee Tournier, Mike Shuster, Gayle, Jay, Paula McClish, Donny and Gloria, and sooooo many others. I recently reconnected with Becky on Facebook and we reminisced about being roommates in IV. Good times! When I think about Rick, the first memory that comes to mind is his great care and concern about the well-being of all of us. His "sheparding" was wonderful, and Lildra always made us feel so welcome and loved too. That period of time in my life is very precious.
Re: Rick Rowland, Campus Ministry Pioneer I agree that such people as Rick Rowland can't but have a special place in heaven. Such distinguished people make up our history, I believe. I admire such people, I got a deep psychological insight into Rick Rowland's nature after I downloaded his well-known book "Campus Ministries, a historical study of Churches of Christ Campus Ministries and selected College Ministries from 1906 to 1990" on torrent search engine http://www.picktorrent.com . It stirred unforgettable feelings in me. A real masterpiece.
I agree that such people as Rick Rowland can't but have a special place in heaven. Such distinguished people make up our history, I believe. I admire such people, I got a deep psychological insight into Rick Rowland's nature after I downloaded his well-known book "Campus Ministries, a historical study of Churches of Christ Campus Ministries and selected College Ministries from 1906 to 1990" on torrent search engine http://www.picktorrent.com . It stirred unforgettable feelings in me. A real masterpiece.
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