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CIU online degree fits the schedule of busy pastor and musician

Pastor Travis Greene with his wife and co-pastor Jackie (Photo: Forward City Church)

August 5, 2022

By Bob Holmes

Pastor Travis Greene of says that every church service should be a celebration that is full of energy. That鈥檚 why there鈥檚 a DJ in the lobby of Forward City, bells are rung announcing first-time visitors, and the host on the shuttle buses shouts, 鈥淗ey, are you ready for church?鈥 听

鈥淭here is excitement, there are smiles,鈥 says Greene. 鈥淭he energy is everywhere. It is contagious.鈥

Greene, who earned this master鈥檚 degree in Theological Studies online from CIU in 2020, founded the 2,000-member church in Columbia, South Carolina in 2016. Its location moved a number of times before renovating a former Best Buy into a state-of-the-art facility.

HE鈥橲 ALSO A MUSICIAN

Energetic is also the way Green describes what he is known for worldwide 鈥 his music. He is a singer, songwriter and producer who has had five . Perhaps his most popular song is which he wrote in 2014 after the premature birth of Marcel, the first of his three children. It followed a difficult pregnancy for his wife and co-pastor, Jackie. The song begins:

Made a way
Don't know how but You did it
Made a way
Standing here not knowing how we'll get through this test
But holding unto faith You know that
Nothing can catch You by surprise
You got this figured out and You're watching us now
But when it looks as if we can't win
You wrap us in Your arm and step in
And everything we need You supply
You got this in control
And now we know that You made a way 鈥

Today, Marcel, is a healthy eight-year-old who 鈥渓oves, loves, loves people,鈥 Greene said, adding, 鈥淚 think maybe gets that from both of his parents.鈥

"CREATE THE PLACE WHERE YOU鈥橠 LIKE TO BE"听

After attending church since he was a child, Greene says he was not finding what he needed in the 鈥渋nstitutional church.鈥 So, when he planted Forward City Church, he says he was following the Lord鈥檚 leading to 鈥渃reate the place where you鈥檇 like to be.鈥

Greene says many of the churches he attended over the years either had a very strong theological base in the presentation of the Word of God, but he 鈥渢olerated鈥 the worship music because 鈥渋t wasn鈥檛 the most energetic, it wasn鈥檛 the most enjoyable.鈥 Or at other churches he says 鈥渢he music was just amazing,鈥 but he would question the doctrinal accuracy of what was being preached.

He says at Forward City Church they strive for 鈥渨orship that will take you to a place where you can receive insight and inspiration through the worship experience鈥 while at the same time you don鈥檛 have to 鈥渟ettle for the preached Word that is not theologically sound.鈥

鈥淭he worship experience is going to be energetic, and the message is going to be one that you can comprehend, infused with humor, and truth and grace and relevance,鈥 Greene explained. 鈥淵ou get to see yourself in the Scripture, but also through that be able to see God in a new and profound way.鈥

And when it comes to children鈥檚 ministry, Greene says Forward City has the largest indoor playground in the region, but more importantly, the children are learning the Bible. Noting that his own son was able to quote every book in the Bible at age two.

鈥淥ur kids are learning Scripture, they are learning about God,鈥 Greene said. 鈥淭he experience is interactive. People dress up as Bible characters and do reenactments. It鈥檚 a church that we all wish we went to as a child,鈥 Greene says with a laugh.

A CIU DEGREE FIT HIS BUSY LIFE

As for his CIU experience, Greene鈥檚 degree was earned completely online. He even took classes and wrote papers while travelling through Africa on a concert tour.

鈥淢y professors were so gracious, especially once I informed them of all I did and what tours I was on,鈥 Greene said. 鈥淚t was a great experience. I learned tons. I love the mission of CIU. It helped expand my heart toward outreach, in-reach, and sharing the gospel with people no matter where they are in life and that鈥檚 what CIU is all about.鈥

奥颈迟丑听听for five straight years, CIU consistently ranks among the Top Regional Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report, as well as a Best Value Regional University in the South.听or request information on enrollment by contacting Admissions at (803) 807-5024 or听admissions@ciu.edu.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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