Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Alabama Baptist
The Alabama Baptist
  • SBC 2026
  • The Kids Edition
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Classifieds
  • Free Email Newsletter
  • SBC 2026
  • The Kids Edition
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Classifieds
  • Free Email Newsletter

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.”

Subscribe to The Alabama Baptist today!

SIGN UP for our weekly Highlights emails.

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.

Share with others:

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn
Share on email
Email
Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Books with fathers in mind headline June book reviews
    Books with fathers in mind headline June book reviews
    June 15, 2026/
    0 Comments
  • Lass Words: Spiritual lesson from a cucumber?
    Lass Words: Spiritual lesson from a cucumber?
    June 14, 2026/
    0 Comments
  • Saturday Highlights: Freedom of speech training for college students; YouTuber couple sparks controversy; Mohler shares why he’s frustrated; remains of 6 people found in Manipur
    Saturday Highlights: Freedom of speech training for college students; YouTuber couple sparks controversy; Mohler shares why he’s frustrated; remains of 6 people found in Manipur
    June 13, 2026/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Books with fathers in mind headline June book reviews

June 15, 2026

This month, we have some book reviews for the highlight of June — Father’s Day.

Lass Words: Spiritual lesson from a cucumber?

June 14, 2026

Are you feeling a bit down today? Feel like you are too small to make a difference in the world? You need to take a lesson from the cucumber.

Saturday Highlights: Freedom of speech training for college students; YouTuber couple sparks controversy; Mohler shares why he’s frustrated; remains of 6 people found in Manipur

June 13, 2026

Grab a cup of coffee, and check out these recent headlines reported by The Baptist Paper.

Extremists, residents stop church service in Indonesia

June 12, 2026

A mob of extremists and residents halted a Sunday worship service in Indonesia, protesting the congregation’s new location and alleging the church lacked government permission to meet there.

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Affiliations
  • Partner Links
  • Advertise
  • Internships
  • Find Churches
  • Classifieds
  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Affiliations
  • Partner Links
  • Advertise
  • Internships
  • Find Churches
  • Classifieds

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Archive
  • Sunday School Lessons
  • Editorials
  • Alabama News
  • Podcasts
  • Obituaries
  • Theology 101
  • Someone You Should Know
  • Rashional Thoughts
  • Persecuted Church
  • Heroes of the Faith
  • Reader Response
  • Videos
  • Latest News
  • Archive
  • Sunday School Lessons
  • Editorials
  • Alabama News
  • Podcasts
  • Obituaries
  • Theology 101
  • Someone You Should Know
  • Rashional Thoughts
  • Persecuted Church
  • Heroes of the Faith
  • Reader Response
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story Ideas
  • Staff Change or News Item
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Submissions
  • What Are You Reading?
  • Obituary
  • Correction / Clarification
  • Submission Policy
  • Story Ideas
  • Staff Change or News Item
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Submissions
  • What Are You Reading?
  • Obituary
  • Correction / Clarification
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Start a new subscription
  • Renew your subscription
  • Start a new gift subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Subscribe to the TAB News app
  • Update your subscriber list
  • Subscribe to Highlights
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage Account | Customer Service
  • Start a new subscription
  • Renew your subscription
  • Start a new gift subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Subscribe to the TAB News app
  • Update your subscriber list
  • Subscribe to Highlights
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage Account | Customer Service
The Alabama Baptist

Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209

Copyright © 2026 The Alabama Baptist, Inc.
  • Privacy Policy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy Policy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thealabamabaptist.org

About

  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Affiliations
  • Partner Links
  • Advertise
  • Internships
  • Find Churches
  • Classifieds
  • Free Email Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Affiliations
  • Partner Links
  • Advertise
  • Internships
  • Find Churches
  • Classifieds

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Archive
  • Sunday School Lessons
  • Editorials
  • Alabama News
  • Podcasts
  • Obituaries
  • Theology 101
  • Someone You Should Know
  • Rashional Thoughts
  • Persecuted Church
  • Heroes of the Faith
  • Reader Response
  • Videos
  • Latest News
  • Archive
  • Sunday School Lessons
  • Editorials
  • Alabama News
  • Podcasts
  • Obituaries
  • Theology 101
  • Someone You Should Know
  • Rashional Thoughts
  • Persecuted Church
  • Heroes of the Faith
  • Reader Response
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story Ideas
  • Staff Change or News Item
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Submissions
  • What Are You Reading?
  • Obituary
  • Correction / Clarification
  • Submission Policy
  • Story Ideas
  • Staff Change or News Item
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Submissions
  • What Are You Reading?
  • Obituary
  • Correction / Clarification
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Start a new subscription
  • Renew your subscription
  • Start a new gift subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Subscribe to the TAB News app
  • Update your subscriber list
  • Subscribe to Highlights
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage Account | Customer Service
  • Start a new subscription
  • Renew your subscription
  • Start a new gift subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Subscribe to the TAB News app
  • Update your subscriber list
  • Subscribe to Highlights
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage Account | Customer Service

Our mission is to serve the Church through trustworthy journalism.

As a nonprofit Christian news ministry, we seek to provide grace-filled, trustworthy reporting from a Christian worldview while keeping our content freely accessible online.

Support from readers and ministry partners allows us to continue equipping churches, informing individuals, and providing ministry resources at affordable rates. Would you prayerfully consider supporting this work?

Support Our Ministry

Log In

Lost your password?

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel