Introduction - Dr. Mike O'Neal, President of Oklahoma Christian University
July 9, 2007
A message to the OC Family,
Our God has created our physical bodies to enable us to be effective servants for a lifetime. Like every other gift he has given us - whether money, the environment, our families, or our time - he expects good stewardship of these gifts. To abuse or allow our bodies to degenerate and be weak through overindulgence, soft living, lack of physical and mental exercise, excessive risks to life and limb, etc., is obviously not good stewardship.
One reason that OC promotes intercollegiate and intramural sports is because good athletic competition demands mental and physical discipline, both of which are necessary to have responsible stewardship of our bodies. And discipline in one area of life often influences us to have discipline in other areas as well. We should not view these disciplines as a burden, but rather a blessing because the Father has given us the tools to keep our physical temples in good condition so that we can serve him effectively to the end of this life.
The apostle Paul told us in I Tim 4:8 that “physical exercise is of some value” not to demean it as unprofitable or unimportant, but just to demonstrate that exercise in godliness is even greater. He further tells us in I Cor. 6:19-20 that our bodies are the temples of God and that we are to honor Him with our bodies.
OC is in the business of intellectual and spiritual development - and spiritual development encompasses the whole self - mental, emotional, social, and physical - because they are God’s precious gifts to His children. Thus, in offering an OC degree, we have high expectations of our students which necessarily include fitness and health. Those expectations derive from the following excerpts from “The OC Graduate”:
- -A faithful steward of the blessings, resources, and talents received from God.
-The specialized knowledge, research methodologies, problem-solving strategies, and practical skills that enable competent living in modern society and successful competition in the global marketplace.
Our concern about health and fitness is not about judgment on those who struggle in this area; it is about blessing the lives of everyone in the Oklahoma Christian community through encouragement for healthy living. I hope you will want to take advantage of the best opportunity in your life to develop healthy habits. There are many here willing to help you on this journey.
Sincerely,
Mike E. O’Neal, JD, CPA (inactive)
President
