Students, faculty, and staff gathered to begin the new academic year with worship, faculty recognition, and a call to embrace formation, community, and expectancy for what God will do this year.

Life Pacific University officially marked the beginning of the 2026–27 academic year on Tuesday, September 1, with Convocation Chapel, bringing new and returning students together with faculty, staff, and University leaders for one of LPU’s most meaningful beginning-of-the-year traditions.

The gathering followed Fall 2026 New Student Orientation and Welcome Week and served as the first chapel of the new academic year. From the opening moments, the focus was clear: begin the year rooted in Christ and expectant for what He will do.

Abiding in Christ

The service opened with student-led worship and introduced students to the University’s 2026–27 Verse of the Year, John 15:5:

“I am the vine; you are the branches…apart from me you can do nothing.”

LPU Worship also introduced an original song inspired by the verse and developed during a recent songwriting retreat with David Ryan Cook, Worship Pastor and Songwriter in Residence.

“Jesus, You’re the vine and we’re the branches,” students sang together, giving the University’s theme a new expression through worship.

The moment reflected LPU’s commitment to giving students meaningful opportunities to develop their gifts while contributing to the spiritual life of the University. Through chapel and student-led worship, spiritual formation is not separated from the college experience but woven throughout it.

Before the worship set concluded, the campus community prayed together over the year ahead, dedicating academics, relationships, athletics, and every part of University life to Christ.

“You Are Here on Purpose”

Although she was unable to attend Convocation in person, Dr. Angie Richey, President of Life Pacific University, welcomed students through a video message and reminded them that their time at LPU is about more than earning a degree.

“You are here on purpose, and you have a divine purpose,” Richey told students. “God has placed gifts and passions and potential within you, and LPU is a place where we want to help you discover that purpose, develop it, and step boldly into it.”

Pointing students back to John 15:5, Richey emphasized that purpose begins with remaining connected to Christ.

“Purpose doesn’t begin with striving. It begins with abiding, staying close to Jesus and allowing Him to shape who you’re becoming.”

She encouraged students to fully engage the opportunities and relationships around them throughout the coming year.

“Show up, build relationships, find mentors, worship, pray, learn, take risks, and say yes when God stretches you because you never know what God will do with your yes.”

Honoring the Faculty Who Shape Students

Convocation Chapel also provided an opportunity to recognize the professors and academic leaders who will walk alongside students throughout the year.

Dr. Daniel Ruarte, Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs, welcomed students to the academic community and described the significance of the annual gathering.

“Today is Convocation Chapel. It’s like welcome chapel, the first chapel of the year, and we just want to bless you and we want to introduce the faculty,” Ruarte said.

As faculty and academic leaders were introduced, Ruarte emphasized their central role in the LPU student experience.

“We could not do this without our faculty, and of course we cannot do this without our staff, but this is the chapel where we highlight our faculty and our administrators.”

The University also recognized its adjunct professors, many of whom balance teaching at LPU with ministry, professional, and other responsibilities.

“They made a decision to be here every week for the semester and teach and invest in you, and we’re so grateful,” Ruarte told students.

The moment reflected one of the defining strengths of an LPU education: students are not simply enrolled in classes but are known, mentored, and developed by faculty committed to their academic, professional, and spiritual formation.

Convocation also provided an opportunity to formally recognize Dr. Ken Bringas, Dean of Life Pacific Seminary, as LPU’s 2026 Full-Time Faculty of the Year. Bringas was honored for his scholarship, pastoral leadership, and commitment to forming students both academically and spiritually.

Dr. Jeff Tolle was also presented with a special service award recognizing his years of faithful leadership and investment in LPU students and faculty. Although Tolle has transitioned from his previous full-time leadership responsibilities, he continues to remain connected to the University and its academic community.

Five Challenges for the Year Ahead

Dan Fernandez, LPU Campus Pastor, then challenged students to approach the new academic year intentionally, beginning with Jesus’ command in Matthew 22:37 to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind.

Reflecting on his own experience as an LPU student, Fernandez shared how college taught him that following Jesus involves more than developing the areas where a person is already comfortable or gifted.

He encouraged students to allow God to shape their entire lives, not simply the areas where they already feel strong.

Throughout his message, Fernandez offered five challenges for the year ahead:

Lean into holistic formation.
Fernandez encouraged students to grow spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and relationally, allowing God to form every part of their lives.

Learn to be comfortable with discomfort.
Growth, he reminded students, will not always feel easy.

“Discomfort does not mean that God’s not with you,” Fernandez said. “God uses discomfort oftentimes to bring some of the greatest seasons of formation.”

Whether through challenging coursework, relationships, new experiences, or seasons of uncertainty, students were encouraged to recognize discomfort as a place where growth can happen.

Refuse to live in offense and cynicism.
Fernandez challenged students to address conflict rather than allowing unresolved hurt to shape how they see others.

“Offense is a wound, and cynicism becomes the lens,” he said.

Instead, students were encouraged to choose humility, reconciliation, and grace in their relationships.

Don’t isolate. Embrace community.
Drawing from Acts 2, Fernandez reminded students that formation happens in relationship with others.

“Jesus saves you, but He uses people to shape you,” Fernandez said.

That shaping happens in classrooms and chapels, but also in residence halls, friendships, teams, churches, and the ordinary moments of sharing life together.

Expect a move of God.
Fernandez’s final challenge was for students to enter the year with spiritual expectation.

“Expect a move of God in your life. Expect a move of God in the classroom. Expect a move of God in the dorms. Expect a move of God on the courts. Expect a move of God on the field. Expect a move of God in the chapel. Expect a move of God on our campus.”

“I Came to Finish Different”

As Convocation drew to a close, students stood together and made a declaration over the year ahead:

“I didn’t go through what I went through, sacrifice, work, travel this way, fight to be here, fight to stay here just to stay the same. I came here to intentionally put myself in a space for God to form me. God, have Your way in my life this year.”

Fernandez then invited graduating seniors to make a declaration of their own:

“I didn’t come this far just to finish here. I came to finish different. God, use this final year to complete what You’ve started in me and prepare me for what comes next.”

The service concluded with prayer over the entire student body as students renewed their “yes” to God and dedicated the year ahead to His work in their lives.

“God, form me, shape me,” Fernandez prayed. “Have Your way.”

Convocation Chapel set the tone for a new year at Life Pacific University, one centered on abiding in Christ, embracing the people and experiences God uses to shape us, and expecting Him to move in every part of campus life.

As the 2026–27 academic year begins, the invitation before the LPU community is clear:

Abide in Christ. Embrace formation. Live in community. Expect God to move.