Houston Baptist University provides a learning experience that instills in students a passion for academic, spiritual, and professional excellence as a result of our central confession, "Jesus Christ is Lord." The mission of our Spiritual Life department is to foster Christian community life and worship by creating experiences for students, faculty and staff in spiritual formation that will support the integration of faith and learning.  Convocation is the medium for a credible, sensitive, comprehensive witness to life in Christ, by which people are introduced and encouraged to salvation and spiritual growth, to the building of community within a diverse student body and faculty, and to the sharing of ideas, information, and talents for the enhancement of life. Convocation is considered the equivalent of chapel on other campuses. It is a vital part of our HBU community.  

The Community Life and Worship Program (CLW) is a requirement for graduation. All students seeking their undergraduate degree from HBU must earn 80 total credits during their college careers to qualify for graduation. Each semester the CLW Magazine lists the different opportunities through which students may earn CLW Credits.

Each year the Spiritual Life Department utilizes a central theme to guide its programming. The theme for the 2009-2010 school year is “Jesus... the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”   Our theme this year reflects the mission and foundation of who we are and what we strive to live and teach at HBU.  We want the world to know that we are grounded in our lord Jesus Christ.  It is our hope that events and programming will reflect this.  We believe that through Jesus Christ we have salvation and relationship.  This transformation is not always easy but definitely necessary.  Join us this year as we seek to grow together. 

Colette Cross
Director of Spiritual Life / University Chaplain