This year’s Golf Classic brought together 176 golfers and raised over $137,000!

As another successful Golf Classic concludes, Cairn remains grateful for the generosity of those who make this tradition possible. The University looks forward to continuing the tradition of the Golf Classic in 2027. For more information about sponsorship opportunities or participation in next year鈥檚 event, please contact Graham Thorpe at gthorpe@cairn.edu.

Over the weekend of May 15鈥�17, 2026, 天涯海角社区 hosted its annual JAM weekend (Junior High Adventures in Ministry), a summer evangelism event run by Dr. Matt McAlack, professor and director of the youth and family ministry program at Cairn, in conjunction with Child Evangelism Fellowship.

Since 1994, JAM has equipped teenagers to share the good news of Jesus and given them an opportunity to actually do it. This year, 310 students and leaders from 17 churches participated. When the teen groups arrived Friday evening, they were led in a time of worship and taught how to share the gospel with others. On Saturday, over 240 children flooded the campus for Kids’ Day. Each child was paired with a teen 鈥渂uddy,鈥� and together they enjoyed lunch, games, a petting zoo, inflatables, crafts, music, puppets, Bingo, and more. At the end of the day, each teen personally shared the message of Jesus one-on-one with a child. Many children chose to put their faith in Christ after these conversations.

This year鈥檚 theme was 鈥淯nshakeable Hope.鈥� In a world full of uncertainty, today鈥檚 teens are craving something real. The messages of the weekend, given by alum Eddie Jurimas 鈥�14, centered on the reliable truth of the gospel and the hope we can have in Jesus Christ. The teens not only needed this message, they were eager to share it with others:

鈥淪ome people sell teenagers short. They may see future potential, but don鈥檛 realize how powerful their influence can be right now.听 From the beginning moments of JAM, the teens were very engaged in the gospel training and excited to share the message with their buddy the following day. On Sunday morning, over 25 teens stood to share their testimonies and give glory to God.鈥�

The space for youth groups is already full for 2027, but if you want your children鈥檚 ministry group to participate in next year鈥檚 JAM weekend, you can register today at .听

Following the awarding of diplomas and degrees, University President Todd J. Williams delivered the commencement address. Drawing from 2 Timothy 2:1鈥�9, he challenged graduates to view their calling through the lens of faithfulness rather than personal achievement. God grants us all unique gifts and opportunities in life. Dr. Williams reminded graduates that we all stand before God equal in our need for God and his grace. 

Reflecting on Paul鈥檚 descriptions of the soldier, athlete, and farmer in 2 Timothy, Dr. Williams encouraged graduates to remain focused on serving Christ above all else. He reminded students that the Christian life is not about earning redemption through hard work or performance, but about living in response to the forgiveness already given through Christ. In a culture often consumed with self-promotion and personal success, Dr. Williams encouraged graduates to shift their focus toward lives of service and devotion to the glory of God.

Provost Adam Porcella announced the undergraduate students with the highest academic achievements. He recognized Felicity Anne Crippen and Adaira Nicole Hufford for earning the second-highest GPA of 3.99 and Abigail Grace Raymond and Eli Blake Cerezo for achieving a perfect 4.00 GPA. In addition to celebrating academic achievements, the University recognized several faculty members for advancing in faculty rank this academic year. Dr. Bryan Murawski was named faculty member of the year.

The ceremony concluded with the longstanding tradition of singing the University hymn, 鈥淕reat Is Thy Faithfulness鈥�, a reminder that while we are called to be faithful to Christ, he has promised to be ever faithful to us. 

Congratulations, Class of 2026!

If you would like to watch the recording of this year鈥檚 Commencement, it is available here.

On Thursday, March 5, 天涯海角社区鈥檚 School of Divinity hosted its annual Church Leaders Conference. Pastors, lay leaders, and ministry workers gathered for a day of biblical teaching and encouragement. 

Dr. Jared C. Wilson, assistant professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and pastor at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, MO, served as this year鈥檚 keynote speaker, addressing the topic of 鈥淩ecognizing, Resisting, and Recovering From Gospel Drift.鈥� Wilson drew from his recent book, Lest We Drift: Five Departure Dangers from the One True Gospel, as he explored the importance of gospel centrality over three keynote sessions. 

In the first session, Dr. Wilson emphasized that the gospel is not advice or instruction but the announcement of what God has accomplished through Jesus Christ. In the second session, he identified three common obstacles that keep pastors from preaching Christ from every text of Scripture. Turning to Isaiah 40 in the final session, Dr. Wilson reflected on the heart of pastoral ministry, establishing the shepherd鈥檚 primary task is to proclaim the good news of Christ鈥檚 finished work. Together, the sessions encouraged church leaders to remain anchored in the gospel as the central message, confidence, and hope that sustains faithful ministry. Times of worship, fellowship, and a Q&A session rounded out the day鈥檚 schedule and provided refreshment for all attendees.

Dr. Keith Plummer, Dean and Professor of Theology for the School of Divinity shared, “We enjoyed a day of making new friends and reconnecting with old ones, singing heartily to our Savior, and being nourished by sound biblical teaching. A major takeaway for me from what Jared shared is how easy and perilous it is to assume that we are so well-acquainted with the gospel that we no longer need to hear it. It was refreshing to be reminded that we will never outgrow the message of salvation by grace through faith.”

Dr. Wilson鈥檚 conference sessions will be made available on Faith & Truth Media. You can watch the first session here: .

Be sure to mark your calendars for next year鈥檚 conference on March 4, 2027!

Following the awarding of diplomas, President Dr. Todd J. Williams delivered the commencement address, drawing from Ephesians 6 and Paul鈥檚 teaching on the armor of God. Dr. Williams noted the personal nature of Paul鈥檚 letter to the church in Ephesus and how that same relational approach shapes Cairn, as faculty and staff guide students toward truth in love.

Dr. Williams emphasized that Christians live out their faith through two key postures: walking humbly and standing firmly in truth. Referencing Cairn鈥檚 commitment to 鈥淲alk a Different Path鈥�, Dr. Williams charged students to continue that walk beyond graduation while remaining steadfast against spiritual opposition and cultural pressures. He reminded graduates that believers face a real spiritual battle; however, God has already provided everything necessary to stand firm. He equips believers with truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. Dr. Williams called graduates to depend on the Lord through continual prayer on bended knee as they depart from 天涯海角社区 and enter the next chapter of their lives.

After Dr. Williams鈥� remarks, Senior Vice President and Provost Dr. Adam Porcella announced the graduates with the highest academic achievements. He recognized Jacob Michael Gossel for earning the second-highest GPA of 3.96 and Julia Linda Carver for achieving a perfect 4.00 GPA.

The ceremony concluded with the longstanding tradition of singing the University hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness.

The 天涯海角社区 commencement livestream is available here.

Congratulations, class of 2025!

Ahead of the 2025鈥�2026 academic year, the faculty members of 天涯海角社区 gathered to participate in the annual faculty workshop. This year, the focus of discussion was on assessment in the age of AI.

The decision to address this topic during the annual workshop follows the creation of the University Statement on AI, which was added to the 天涯海角社区 Student Handbook in 2024. With the University鈥檚 theological and pedagogical understanding of generative AI and its limits in view, the faculty directed its focus to how AI technology prompts changes in student assessment inside and outside the classroom.

The two-day workshop began with a devotional by Dr. Bryan Murawski, associate professor in the School of Divinity. This devotional was followed by two sessions, the first of which was theological considerations of new technologies hosted by Dr. Keith Plummer, dean of the School of Divinity. He presented data showing that the current generation is increasingly relying on generative AI for growing number of tasks, even as a form of companionship. 

The second session was led by Professor Charlotte Gleason, who is the chair of the humanities department in the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She titled her presentation, 鈥淭hinking Differently: Practical Pedagogy in the Age of AI.鈥� She presented better methods for student assessment, including multi-step project submissions, feedback loops from peers and the professor, and student self-reflection on the learning process鈥攁ll of which deepen student learning in ways that are less tempting and more difficult to use AI for shortcuts. This presentation was followed by a seminar, which gave faculty the opportunity to workshop an assessment to deepen student learning and become more AI-resistant. 

On the second day of the workshop, Provost Adam Porcella discussed the difference between transactional and transformative learning in his presentation, titled 鈥淒iscipleship in the Era of AI.鈥� As a fitting conclusion to the workshop, the faculty joined the staff for the Fall 2025 Prayer Service鈥攁n intentional employee gathering of Scripture reading, prayer, and singing that has been held before the start of each semester since 2005. 

鈥淎s emerging AI technologies continue to reshape the world of education, we are intentional in how we engage them,鈥� said Dr. Adam J. Porcella, senior vice president and provost. 鈥淲e will leverage their benefits where appropriate, but never at the expense of the relational, formational, and distinctly human dimensions of teaching and learning. Our priority is to ensure that technology serves the mission of Christian higher education, not the other way around. 天涯海角社区 is committed to being a place where humans teach humans.鈥�

On Saturday, May 10, 2025, the Cairn community gathered in the gymnasium to celebrate 161 spring graduates.听Of those 161 graduates, Cairn awarded 114 bachelor鈥檚 degrees, 45 master鈥檚 degrees, and two associate鈥檚 degrees.

Following the awarding of degrees, President Dr. Todd J. Williams delivered the commencement address. He exhorted the students to let the 鈥渨alk a different path鈥� tagline of the University be a mantra students take to heart beyond their time at Cairn as they desire to live a life pleasing to the Lord. Dr. Williams reminded students that the most important thing for graduates to remember is to serve the Lord with all their strength in whatever they are doing. Of all the things that a graduate can recall, Dr. Williams posited, 鈥淵ou cannot remember enough what has been done for you in and through Jesus Christ鈥f you lose the center of that, you lose it all.鈥�

Following Dr. Williams鈥� address, Senior Vice President and Provost Dr. Adam Porcella announced graduates with the highest GPAs. This semester, the hard work and dedication of students resulted in one of the highest levels of academic recognition, including six students with a 4.0 and four with a 3.99.

The ceremony concluded with the University hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness.

The spring 2025 commencement live stream is available here.

Congratulations, class of 2025!

The planning and preparation of the event brought in over 400 students from 15 Christian middle and high schools.听Cairn faculty shared their time and expertise with students through leading various workshops, adjudicating performances, and hosting an awards ceremony that celebrated students鈥� hard work. The culmination of this event allowed students to exhibit their artistic gifts, find a community of peers with similar interests, and learn more about how their passions are a way to glorify the Lord.

Visual Arts Department professor Mr. Matthew Stemler said of the event, “Given the opportunity to rethink the structure of a Fine Arts Festival at Cairn, the Visual Arts Department also reassessed its purpose and sustainability. Should it be a competition, a celebration, or something else entirely? What is the core purpose of bringing us together? One key aspect missing in past events was the opportunity to build a sense of community among the schools. With this in mind, the arts section was designed to better align with this goal, ensuring the experience for both teachers and students supported collaboration and connection.”

Dean of the School of Music, Mr. Ken Borrmann, also added, “It was our privilege to plan and host the Cairn Fine Arts Festival this year. With the assistance of teachers from participating schools, we were able to offer a festival designed to give middle and high school students a platform to display their God-given gifts and talents with instrumental and choral performances and art displays. All were thrilled with this new format, and we look forward to having additional schools attend the festival in coming years.”

Thank you to all schools, faculty, and other individuals who helped come together to make this a successful event.

On Thursday, March 6, 天涯海角社区鈥檚 School of Divinity hosted the annual Church Leaders Conference, welcoming pastors, laypeople, and ministry leaders for a day of encouragement and learning. Keynote speaker Dr. Joshua Chatraw, the Billy Graham Chair for Evangelism and Cultural Engagement at Beeson Divinity School, spoke on 鈥淗elping the Doubting, Disillusioned, and Deconstructing,鈥� drawing from his co-authored book, Surprised by Doubt: How Disillusionment Can Invite Us into a Deeper Faith.

In three sessions, Dr. Chatraw explored the personal nature of apologetics, using the metaphor of a house to illustrate the progression of faith to deconstruction.

 In his first session, he examined the current cultural moment, particularly how social influences shape the faith of younger generations. He emphasized that those struggling with doubt often wrestle with past interpretations of Christianity that feel inadequate in addressing justice and suffering. Rather than solely needing a path forward, they also need to make sense of their Christian past.

Dr. Chatraw then identified four truths that inevitably shape one鈥檚 journey of faith or deconstruction:

1. The big questions of life can鈥檛 be strictly proven or disproven.
2. Our background and history shape our interpretation of faith.
3. Everyone must choose where they will “live” in terms of belief.
4. This choice is influenced by intellectual, social, emotional, and existential factors.

In his second session, Dr. Chatraw outlined four common destinations for those who feel unsupported in their doubts:

• New atheism (outright rejection of faith),
• Optimistic skepticism (uncertainty but openness),
• Open spirituality (embracing alternative spiritualities), and
• Mythic truth (viewing faith as metaphor rather than reality).

As he focused on the second point, optimistic skepticism, a key theme prevailed: how Christians respond to those questioning or experiencing suffering鈥攁 major driver of doubt. He cautioned against overconfidence in explaining suffering, which can alienate those in pain. Instead, he urged believers to embrace and share the Bible鈥檚 complex, nuanced approach to suffering, recognizing that its different perspectives are complementary rather than contradictory.

In his final session, Dr. Chatraw encouraged a renewed vision of faith through the metaphor of 鈥淢ain Floor Christianity.鈥� This aimed to help those struggling with doubt move beyond intellectual arguments to experiencing faith as a lived reality. He distinguished between looking at Christianity (analyzing it) and looking along it (experiencing its light). He stressed that faith must not be reduced to institutional structures but should be centered on Jesus Himself.

Ultimately, Dr. Chatraw concluded that doubt, rather than being feared, can be used for good. It allows God to deepen faith, strengthen understanding, and ultimately bring believers into a more mature and resilient faith and, in turn, that way of thinking can be shared with others struggling with doubt.

In its inaugural year, Cairn was pleased to welcome those that represented 32 homeschooling families. Participants attended multiple sessions throughout the day, each emphasizing the speakers鈥� experiences with building a biblical curriculum. In addition, families also learned how Cairn鈥檚 own resources鈥攕uch as dual enrollment and Kidsport鈥攔einforce these values.

The first two sessions featured speakers from outside the Cairn community, both with extensive homeschooling experience. Mrs. Kristen Jones of shared her insights as a mother, homeschool teacher, and family farm worker. Her experience highlighted the importance of children spending time outdoors and learning about God through nature and observation of their play. She discussed ways to build a curriculum around the seasons, integrating subjects like art, math, and music. Following Mrs. Jones, Dr. Ana Samuel of addressed the growing challenge of objective truth in relation to human sexuality. Her presentation, Talking to Our Kids about Their Identity: Timeless Truths for Confused Times, offered strategies for parents to navigate the distortions of contemporary culture through an intentional curriculum that protects students without making them ignorant to such issues.

After the guest speakers, several of Cairn鈥檚 own faculty members shared their expertise as educators. In a session titled Redeeming the Humanities: Applying the Creation-Fall-Redemption Worldview Assessment Model to Primary Sources, Dr. Tori Aquilone and Mike Zimmerman built on Dr. Samuel鈥檚 theme, discussing how a deliberately biblical curriculum鈥攑articularly through the Creation-Fall-Redemption worldview assessment model鈥攃an teach students about ultimate truth. Additionally, professor Barb Cooper presented practical strategies and resources for working with students who have learning disabilities, providing parents with an opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussion.

Reflecting on the conference, event coordinator Andrea Stange said, 鈥淚t was a pleasure to host and interact with local homeschooling families as well as some who are considering homeschooling. We look forward to making this a yearly event where Cairn partners with the homeschooling community in educating young people to grow in their knowledge of the Truth.鈥�

天涯海角社区 extends its gratitude to the organizers and attendees who made this event a success.