Captions Magazine - Bethel University

ALUMNI PROFILE: LISA COOK
Bethel University:
An Instrument
In God’s Plan
Lisa with friends, Beverly St. John (Honorary Degree’77)
and Beverly’s daughter, Jan Davidson (FS’95)
“I will be forever thankful to
Bethel for placing me on the path
that ultimately finds me right
where God planned for me to be
today.”
- Lisa Cook
A Story from Lisa Cook (BS’08)...
I certainly did not realize it at the time, but Bethel University,
then Bethel College, was an instrument of God’s plan for my
life. On Jan. 5, 2014 I will be ordained as a minister of Word
and Sacrament in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. I will
then begin the work God has called me to -- beginning a homeless
ministry on the streets of Nashville as a representative and
member of the Nashville Presbytery. But that journey began a
number of years ago.
In 2005, I attended an educational fair at my corporate job
of 20 plus years with AT&T and began considering earning
my undergraduate degree. I focused on schools with degree
programs designed for adults like me who work full-time. I
spoke with several schools that day, including Bethel College
who has a satellite campus in Nashville for their Bethel Success
degree completion program. After much consideration and
primarily because their schedule was a fit for me, I decided to
enroll at Bethel with the goal of earning a Bachelor of Science
degree in Business and Organizational Development. As a part
of the Bethel Success curriculum, I was required to attend and
successfully complete courses in both Old Testament and New
Testament. It was with some trepidation that I entered these
particular courses because I was someone who, to this point,
had very little experience with matters of religion. When I was
a child, our family did not attend church, outside of the one or
two times I was invited to Vacation Bible School by friends.
This trend continued into my adulthood
as I never considered seeking
out or attending a church. I always
believed in God, but never made
an effort to seek out a church or a
deeper, more meaningful relationship
with God.
I was fortunate to have as my
Old Testament and New Testament
facilitator at Bethel, a Cumberland
Presbyterian minister named Kip
Rush. I immediately felt at ease
with Kip and trusted him. As a
result of this trust I found myself more and more interested in
the Biblical discussion topics we had in class each week. Kip
would open each class with a prayer and one week, during a
prayer by Ted Loder, I felt a feeling like I have never experienced
before. This feeling was so intense, mere words do not
come close when attempting to explain them. To this day, I cannot
tell you what was on the agenda for the remainder of class
that night. It was months later before I truly understood what
happened to me that night in class; however, when I look back,
I mark this point in time as one when my ears were finally
opened and my heart and soul were pointed toward God once
and for all - - and forever. I will be forever thankful to Bethel
for placing me on the path that ultimately finds me right where
God planned for me to be today.
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