I just sat down with Laurel Bunker, our campus pastor, for a cup of coffee. It was an uplifting hour of sharing stories about how we got to Bethel, why we’re here, and what we’re excited about.

As we sat together in our new Bethel family room (the Brushaber Commons), I watched as Laurel delivered enthusiastic waves and words of praise to students, faculty, and staff walking past our table. She was so jazzed about all these great people. She knew all their names, and for many she knew their stories.

With every new person she greeted, I became more in awe of our fantastic community full of supportive, caring, and original people—people that knit this university together in a truly authentic way.

Each of us at Bethel has a story to tell of who we are, why we’re here, and where we’re going—and my hope is that we will have a website that tells our stories. A website that makes it transparent to the online community who we are in the flesh.

We are so blessed to have this community to dwell in and to share. A hearty thanks to all of you outstanding people—you make Bethel an amazing place.