Center for faith and culture in kansas city

Rev. Melissa Bryson Dowling joined the College staff in 2022. She is continuing a rich family tradition as she is the fourth generation of ordained Baptist ministers. She has spent the majority of her ministry serving as a hospital and hospice chaplain in the Austin, Texas, area.

Her experience of pastoral care, in both the church and hospice environments, provides her a deep well to draw upon and a unique skill set to serve the students at Jewell. The vision of campus ministry is to provide opportunity for spiritual reflection, growth and exploration. Bryson Dowling will be coming alongside students at a time when they can set the trajectory and purpose of their future and decipher how their faith will intersect with their academic and professional pursuits.

Bryson Dowling received her B.A. in Religion at William Jewell College, a Master of Divinity at Central Seminary and is a Board Certified Chaplain. She is endorsed as a chaplain by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and was ordained into the Gospel Ministry at First Austin in 2013. She most recently served at Hospice Austin, where she was a chaplain for seven years.

She and her husband, John, have three young children: big sister Clara and twins Andrew and Adeline.

Dr. Brendon Benz is a professor of history and religion; division head of Humanities, Social Sciences and Music; and theologian-in-residence with the Center for Faith and Culture.

Benz is from Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he was raised in the Lutheran Church and attended Lutheran school from kindergarten through 12th grade. After receiving his B.A. in Sociology from Taylor University, Benz traveled to Queens, New York, to teach history at Martin Luther High School. After several years in the classroom, he went on to receive an M.Div. at Princeton Theological Seminary, where he received the Goethe Institute Fellowship and the Henry Snyder Gehman Award in Old Testament. In 2013, he was awarded his Ph.D. in the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies from the Department of Hebrew & Judaic Studies at New York University. While serving as an instructor there, he was granted the NYU College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award. Benz has published several pieces, including his first book, “The Land Before the Kingdom of Israel.” He is currently working on a second book of the Greek philosophical tradition on the interpretation of the imago Dei in Genesis 1. Above all of these things, Benz is most passionate about teaching the message, history and context of the Bible in ways that contribute to the growth and flourishing of individuals and communities of faith.

Classes

Personal Flourishing classes focus on faith as it relates to literature, science, politics, the arts, music, health, finance, biblical studies and more. Courses are taught by Jewell faculty and local pastors on campus and at local partner congregations.

Class Registration

Worship

Personal Flourishing also includes participating in our robust and joyous community worship opportunities that the Center for Faith and Culture will sponsor throughout the year.

These worship experiences include a service of remembrance during Homecoming and our highly popular The City Come Again service at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral in December.

All our worship services will feature the outstanding and award-winning William Jewell College Choir and Performing Arts students and faculty.

We hope you can join us at these faith events and spiritual exploration opportunities.

2026-2027 Events

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WEEKLY

Worship on the Hill
Pursue – FCA
Revive Women’s Group
Forge Men’s Bible Study

August 26

Kickball on the Quad (hosted by PURSUE)

september 14

Rosary on The Hill, for Catholic students and anyone who wants to learn the spiritual practice of praying the Rosary; 7 p.m. on the Jewell Hall front steps

September 18

Opening Convocation; 10:45 a.m. in Gano Chapel

september 26

Gano Chapel Centennial, celebrating 100 years of faith and community; 7:30-8:30 p.m. in Gano

May 7

Baccalaureate Service for the Class of 2027, family and friends; 7 p.m. in Gano Chapel

The Work of the Center in the Core Curriculum

In the classroom, the Sacred & Secular category of Jewell’s Core Curriculum encourages you to consider the implications of spirituality and faith in your life and in the lives of your community, and to explore the impact of religion on the world from diverse perspectives.

While several of these courses are taught by Jewell faculty members, the Center has partnered with prominent faith leaders from the Kansas City metro to help with this endeavor. As Fellows of the Center, they develop and teach courses that integrate their expertise and experience, providing students with the opportunity to learn from and dialogue with a range of perspectives.

These courses also give you the opportunity to interact with the communities that these leaders represent, and to become familiar with organizations and movements with which they are involved. Alumni, area clergy and laypeople will be encouraged to join the campus community in exploring the intersections of faith and flourishing by enrolling in these.

Fellows for the Center for Faith and Culture

• Rev. Dr. Vernon Percy Howard, Jr. – President, Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City; Senior Pastor, St. Mark Church in Kansas City
• Imam Dr. Abdelhamid Algizawi – Imam, Islamic Center of Johnson County in Overland Park, Kansas
• Father Nathan Rueb – Chaplain, St. Pius X High School; Jewell Instructor, Sacred and Secular Core Curriculum

The Center for Faith and Culture is committed to reinvigorating student spiritual exploration at William Jewell College. In partnership with the College Chaplain, the Center created two scholarship opportunities through the Christian Fellows Program.

Christian Fellows Scholarship

The Christian Fellows Program includes small groups, study groups, service-learning, possible internships and partnerships with local congregations, and leading ministries including student-led worship opportunities.

While these Fellowships are available for those considering ministry as a vocation, they are specifically designed for students who take their faith seriously and who desire to integrate a life of faith into their life’s work, calling and career.

All Fellows will pursue majors outside of the Center for Faith and Culture, but all Fellows will be expected to minor in Faith and Culture.

Worship Leader Scholarship

The Center for Faith and Culture offers Worship Leader Scholarships. Recipients will participate in our Christian Fellows program and help lead Jewell’s weekly student led worship service through music.

Applicants should have a strong academic resume and experience leading worship in their local church setting.

The 4-year Journey of a Fellow

1st Year

Fellows will participate in a year-long small group experience with other fellows to encourage and support a student’s faith life and to examine what it means to be a person of faith in the world and in culture. Fellows will begin to dream and vision how their life’s work and vocation will intersect with and perhaps even be driven by their faith.

Fellows will also have opportunities to participate in student ministries and service opportunities throughout the year.

2nd Year

Fellows will form teams to lead their own small groups on campus; Fellows will also continue working in student ministries as well as participate in service opportunities in the community and in local churches.

3rd Year

Fellows will be encouraged to pursue internship work in local congregations, nonprofit organizations and/or social service agencies as well as continue serving as leaders in campus ministry.

4th Year

Fellows will reconstitute their first-year small group to work on a Capstone project that reflects of how they have grown in faith and vision, reflecting on what has changed in their lives and thought processes, how their life’s work will be impacted by their faith and where they see God calling them as they graduate and move into the next phase of their lives.