Cedarville Stories Podcast: A Sheepdog Feeding on the Word
Bruce Upchurch, Cedarville’s new director of campus security, knows that to be God's servant, it’s important that he stay grounded in his relationship with God, which requires grounding in the Scriptures.
Bruce Upchurch, Cedarville’s new director of campus security, brings a deep array of experience to his new role which encompasses more than 30 years in law enforcement in Oakwood, Cedarville, and Greene County. He has served as a K9 handler for criminal investigations and a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) sniper.
Bruce has been pushed to the limit mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. But through it all, the Lord has buoyed him and kept him going, from long stakeouts to altercations with suspects and harrowing danger.
Cedarville’s new campus security director went into law enforcement to help others, and that’s why he came to campus. He is a servant of others, and if he’s not doing that, then he’s failing at his job. He desires above all else to care well for faculty, staff, administrators, students, and visitors.
With this in mind, Bruce knows it’s important that he stay grounded in his relationship with God, which requires grounding in the Scriptures. Memorizing the Bible has kept his heart and attitude in the right place, especially during difficult assignments.
“Sheepdogs and wolves have the same intensity, just one has empathy for the sheep, and one wants to kill the sheep,” he notes during the podcast. “Be a sheepdog, have empathy, but also be connected with the Word of God. If you do not, you can be led down that path of being a little more like a wolf and less like a sheepdog. Stay firm in the Word; memorize the Word of God. To walk in the Spirit, you need to live in the Word.”
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Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,715 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio, recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and high student engagement ranking. For more information about the University, visit cedarville.edu.