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UM students encouraged by Chris Bell to ‘rise up, represent the initiation of God’

Students should “rise up and represent the initiation of God in every area of their lives,” urged pastor Chris Bell during the Aug. 27 chapel service at the University of Mobile.
  • September 2, 2025
  • Leann Callaway
  • Latest News, University of Mobile
Chris Bell, pastor of 3Circle Church, speaks at the August 27 chapel service at the University of Mobile.
Photo courtesy of the University of Mobile

UM students encouraged by Chris Bell to ‘rise up, represent the initiation of God’

Students should “rise up and represent the initiation of God in every area of their lives,” urged Chris Bell during the Aug. 27 chapel service at the University of Mobile. Bell is pastor of 3Circle Church, which has multiple campuses across the state.

As the UM alumnus began the chapel service, he told the students that being at UM means “being at a place that can and will shape you, but how much it shapes you is personally in your hands.”

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Taking the initiative

Preaching from 1 Samuel 17, Bell cited examples of passivity and taking the initiative while illustrating the differences between David and Goliath.

“As believers, the Bible calls us to be people who aren’t passive,” Bell said. “We represent a God who is an initiator. He initiated grace, sending His Son and redemption.

“We didn’t come up with any of that. God always took the first step toward us, and we are thankful for that. If we are going to be a university that represents Him, then we can’t be passive either,” he added.

Avoiding a ‘pattern of passivity’

“If we aren’t spending time praying or getting into the Word week after week or month after month, it is a pattern of passivity,” Bell noted. “As a believer, when you don’t take action in your life, you become vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.”

Bell encouraged students to protect themselves from patterns of passivity by building a wall around their hearts, souls and eyes as they take action and follow Christ.

“People of action will move forward especially if they are filled with the power of God,” he said.

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