GOT QUESTIONS? START HERE!

From time to time a studemt might have a question about Spiritual Life at MNU. The Spiritual Life Office is more than happy to connect with you in person and we are located in Weatherby Chapel. However, you might find some of the answers you’re searching for in our Frequantly Asked Questions area below.

Do I have to be a Christian (or a Nazarene) to attend MNU?

Students who enroll at MNU are not required to identify as a follower of Jesus. Our community is led by faculty, staff, administrations, and coaches who love God and whose lives have been transformed by Jesus Christ. Further, MNU is a university that is sponsored by the Church of the Nazarene. For these reasons, individuals attending MNU should know that we are a community of people working to become more like Christ, and we’d love to invite you to join us in this process. That said, students who do not profess faith in Jesus are welcome amongst us! We look forward to living out our passion for Christ with those who are new to the Christian faith, unfamiliar with the story of God, or those who are skeptical of God.

For more information about who we are and what we believe see: https://www.mnu.edu/about/faith-mission

Why does MNU require students to attend chapel and other spiritual life activities?

Despite students not having to profess faith in Christ, we do require that student participate in the rhythms of our community. Our rhythms includes chapel services, small groups, student ministries, mission trips, and retreats. MNU is an institution of learning and faith. For these reasons, spiritual formation is a co-curricular part of your experience at this university. There are a variety of events on campus that are extra-curricular in nature, such as intramural sports, social life activities, and campus clubs. Spiritual formation is a part of the DNA of our campus community and is a part of what it means to attend MNU.

What are the spiritual formation requirements & how does a student fulfill their requirements?

Traditional undergraduate students at MNU need to earn 20 Spiritual Formation Credits (SFC) each semester. 10 of a students 20 Spiritual Formation Credits must come from our Gathering Chapels, held on Tuesday mornings. The remaining 10 Spiritual formation credits can be earned from any other Spiritual Formation events, including additional Gathering Chapels.

Where can I see a schedule of the spiritual life opportunities?

A calendar with the dates, times, locations and a brief description of the event is located on the spiritual life tab of the portal.

To access this calendar, see the following link:http://mnuspirituallife.com/calendar-of-events/

How do I register my attendance at one of the spiritual life opportunities?

Students attending one of our spiritual life events or service by downloading the iAttended App on their smart phone or tablet. At each event/service or event students will be provided with a QR code to scan into the event/service and a QR code to scan out. Once this has been completed, their attendance at the event will be immediately be recorded with their iAttended App on their smart phone. In order to receive credit for attending a event/service a student must arrive within 5 minutes of the beginning of the event/service and stay for the duration of the event/service.

Is there any way to have my spiritual formation requirements reduced or waived?

Reductions in spiritual formation requirements are not based on individual circumstances, but are based on a student’s academic requirements. Being of a different faith, living off campus, work schedules, or other extra-curricular involvement do not qualify a student for a reduction in their requirement. From time to time, academic requirements prohibit students from being able to attend enough of the Gathering Chapels. In this instance, students may qualify for a reduction in their spiritual formation credits for a semester. Students who have a reduction for academic reasons do not have to apply for this reduction. The reduction will be made in the 2nd week of the semester, based on the specific courses a student is enrolled in.

To see details about reductions in spiritual formation credits, please see our requirements http://mnuspirituallife.com/spiritual-formation-requirements/

How do I check how many spiritual formation credits I have received?

Students can check how many spiritual formation credits they have by accessing iAttended app on their smart phone or by going to www.iAttended.com

If I attend a church on Sunday, can it count toward my spiritual formation requirements?

We encourage MNU students to join a local church, but participating in a church service doesn’t count toward meeting your spiritual formation requirements. Our spiritual formation rhythm is intended to gather our whole community together and is a unique aspect of what it means to attend MidAmerica.

What happens if I don’t earn all of my spiritual formation requirements?

Students who fail to earn all of their spiritual formation requirements will receive a fine. Each missed spiritual formation credit garners a $25 fine. (For example, if an individual got 15 out of 20 SFC for the semester, they would receive an $125 fine).

If I do not want to participate in Spiritual Formation, can I simply pay the fine each semester?

Students who fail to meet a minimum of half of their required spiritual formation credits in a given semester will receive the appropriate fine and also be placed on probation. In the following semester, the student must meet their full spiritual formation requirement to be removed from probation. Students who fail to meet their full requirement in the semester in which they are on probation will receive a fine and be suspended in the upcoming semester.

Is there any way to have my fine reduced or eliminated?

Yes, there is a one-time fine reduction/removal program that is available to students who are returning in the following semester.

Here are the details:

1. Once a student has signed-up for the program. their fine will be reduced or removed from their account.

2. An email with a link to a chapel service will be sent to them at the beginning of the following semester. Over the next couple of weeks the student should watch the sermon.

3. Later in the semester, a Student Chaplain will contact them (via the information the fined student provided when they signed-up for the program) to schedule a lunch with them in Campus Center. The Student Chaplain will ask the individual about their experience at MNU, what they thought of the sermon, and simply get to know them.

4. If the fined students completes the above requirement, the fine will remain waived/reduced. If the student does not complete the above requirement, the fine will be place back on the students account at the end of the semester.

Here is an overview of the fine reductions:

$25 to $150: your fine will be eliminated completely.
$175-$250: your fine will be by 1/2.
$275-$500: your fine will be reduced by 1/4.

GOT QUESTIONS? START HERE!

Do I have to be a Christian (or a Nazarene) to attend MNU?

For more information about who we are and what we believe see: https://www.mnu.edu/about/faith-mission

Why does MNU require students to attend chapel and other spiritual life activities?

What are the spiritual formation requirements & how does a student fulfill their requirements?

Where can I see a schedule of the spiritual life opportunities?

A calendar with the dates, times, locations and a brief description of the event is located on the spiritual life tab of the portal.

To access this calendar, see the following link:http://mnuspirituallife.com/calendar-of-events/

How do I register my attendance at one of the spiritual life opportunities?

Is there any way to have my spiritual formation requirements reduced or waived?

To see details about reductions in spiritual formation credits, please see our requirements http://mnuspirituallife.com/spiritual-formation-requirements/

How do I check how many spiritual formation credits I have received?

Students can check how many spiritual formation credits they have by accessing iAttended app on their smart phone or by going to www.iAttended.com

If I attend a church on Sunday, can it count toward my spiritual formation requirements?

What happens if I don’t earn all of my spiritual formation requirements?

Students who fail to earn all of their spiritual formation requirements will receive a fine. Each missed spiritual formation credit garners a $25 fine. (For example, if an individual got 15 out of 20 SFC for the semester, they would receive an $125 fine).

If I do not want to participate in Spiritual Formation, can I simply pay the fine each semester?

Is there any way to have my fine reduced or eliminated?

Yes, there is a one-time fine reduction/removal program that is available to students who are returning in the following semester.

Here are the details:

1. Once a student has signed-up for the program. their fine will be reduced or removed from their account.

2. An email with a link to a chapel service will be sent to them at the beginning of the following semester. Over the next couple of weeks the student should watch the sermon.

4. If the fined students completes the above requirement, the fine will remain waived/reduced. If the student does not complete the above requirement, the fine will be place back on the students account at the end of the semester.

Here is an overview of the fine reductions:

$25 to $150: your fine will be eliminated completely.

$175-$250: your fine will be by 1/2.

$275-$500: your fine will be reduced by 1/4.