Spiritual Life, Leadership and Service
Developing students into servant leaders and disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
With Learning, Serving and Leading as Reinhardt University’s guiding pillars, the Norman W. Paschall Office of Campus Ministries encourages everyone to participate in opportunities to love God and love others. Students can grow in their faith through small groups, worship opportunities and service projects. Campus Ministries also help students get connected to the local community through providing connections to local churches.
Love
The main objective of Campus Ministries is to help students understand God’s love. We also want students to love God and love others. Every program, partnership, fellowship event, and service opportunity is built on these two objectives.
The main way we engage students to understand love is through worship opportunities. Common Ground is Reinhardt’s main campus worship gathering that gives students the opportunity to worship God with the fellowship of other believers. Common Ground takes place the 1st Tuesday of every month from 8-9pm. Common Ground is a welcoming and open space for all students and religious groups.
Additionally, throughout the school year, there are special worship services offered such as Opening Worship, Ash Wednesday, and the Easter Sunrise Service.
Grow
There are several opportunities for students to grow in their faith.
Bible Studies help guide student’s understanding of the Bible while also growing lasting friendships. Prayer gatherings offer opportunities for students to step away from the business of campus life and to focus on spiritual peace.
In addition, there are various ministry groups on campus with space to meet the spiritual needs of our students. All groups work with the Coordinator of Spiritual Life and Service toward the unified spiritual mission of Reinhardt University.
One of the best ways to grow students can grow in their faith is through participating in our Campus Ministries Leadership Team. The Campus Ministries Leadership Team provides leadership for the spiritual development of students at Reinhardt University. This year-long commitment is a rewarding and fun experience. Student Leaders participate in leadership training once a week with the Coordinator of Spiritual Life and Service. They also commit to leading a campus ministry area such as coordinating the Common Ground worship service or planning local service projects. Leaders commit to mentoring others in their faith by leading Bible studies and fellowship groups. To apply to be on the Campus Ministries Leadership Team please email the Coordinator of Spiritual Life and Service at josh.garner@reinhardt.edu.
Do
Our Spring Break Mission Trips are challenging and rewarding experiences that take students out of their normal context to meet the needs of those in the region.
Our Fall Break Leadership Retreat is an opportunity for the Campus Ministries Leadership Team to grow in their connection with each other while also serving the needs of our local community.
Service is another aspect of Faith development. Campus Ministries offers opportunities through local projects and mission trips to meet the needs of others.
Policies and Documents
The Office of Campus Ministries encourages the spiritual development of all students and is focused on providing the space for students to feel welcomed and encouraged to grow in their faith.
Religious Policies
In order to maintain a healthy environment for religious life at Reinhardt University, all religious organizations must meet the requirements detailed by the Student Government Association, work cooperatively with the Coordinator of Spiritual Life & Service, and have a representative be an active member of the Campus Ministries Leadership Team. All groups must also have an accountability structure in place and will coordinate regularly with the Coordinator of Spiritual Life. All religious organizations and clubs are expected to foster and maintain an environment of mutual respect for all students and other clubs.
- Any organization or group on campus that wants to host a religious guest or event must first gain approval from the Coordinator of Spiritual Life & Service.
- Any para-church organization seeking relationship with Reinhardt University shall first gain approval from the Coordinator of Spiritual Life & Service regarding access to campus facilities and access to students, faculty, and staff. If approval is granted, organizations must remember they are guests of the Coordinator of Spiritual Life & Service and can be removed from campus if concerns arise.
Campus Chaplain
Grant Perry
Campus Chaplain
Grant is 34 years old and currently the Pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church in Austell, GA, a Seminary Student at Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and an Army Reserve Chaplain. Hope, his wife, is an ESL Teacher in the Marrietta City School District. They are the proud parents of Ezra Marilyn Perry, born on August 19th, 2024.
He Graduated from the Candler School of Theology, where he learned how to engage with Christian Scripture and Tradition using reason and experience to learn more about God. During seminary he also served as the Pastor at Trinity UMC in Austell, GA. Armed with that experience, knowledge, preaching, and teaching skills, he helps God make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world as the Chaplain at Reinhardt University and in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Before his current roles, he served in several positions in the United States Army, such as a Platoon Leader in the 101st Airborne, the Chief of Operations for 2 ABCT, 1st ID, and finally as Commander of C TRP, 5-4 CAV, 2nd ABCT, 1st ID, an armored cavalry troop. He also held civilian jobs as a warehouse supervisor and youth pastor during a brief break in his military service.
Hailing from Seven Hills, Ohio, Grant grew up in a suburb outside of Cleveland, Ohio. During his childhood, he attended Independence United Methodist Church and was active in the youth group. He participated in and helped lead six mission trips to various cities in the area. After graduating high school in 2008, he attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. During college, he was in the R.O.T.C. program and majored in Criminology and Sociology. While in Athens, he regularly attended church at Athens First UMC and was able to participate in two mission trips to Honduras. Upon graduating in 2012, he attended Armor Officer training at Ft. Benning, GA, near Columbus. At his first duty station of Ft. Campbell, KY, he was very active at Madison Street United Methodist Church, volunteering with their youth group and even becoming employed there as a youth pastor during a break in military service from 2016-2017.
Rejoining the military in 2018 brought him back to Ft. Benning and Columbus, GA, where he attended the Maneuver Captains Career Course and regularly went to St. Luke United Methodist Church. He met his wife, Hope, at St. Luke (who worked there as a children’s minister) and married her there just over a year later in 2019. Grant currently lives in Jasper, GA. He recently graduated from Chaplain Basic Officers Leaders Course at Fort Jackson, S.C., on the 16th of August then began his role at Reinhardt on the 3rd of September.
Grant loves exercising, cooking, spending time with his wife, exploring new places, and growing in his faith and calling as a Christian. He finds great meaning and responsibility in mentoring and coaching people in their professional and faith lives. You can often find him and his wife having friends over for dinner on the weekends or meeting new people in local hangouts.
