Cornerstone University President’s Chapel: The Unchanging Jesus
As the Cornerstone University community gathered for the first spring 2026 semester President’s Chapel, President Gerson Moreno-Riaño began with a clear truth: Change is a certainty. Loss and disruption can arrive without warning, especially in today’s uncertain times. Hebrews 13:8 is a beautiful, immutable constant — “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” — the unchanging Jesus.
Four Christ-centered responses were examined for navigating life’s inevitable upheavals, calling students, faculty, and staff to deepen their longing for Christ and to cultivate transformation, discernment, and peace rooted in Him.
Change, Dr. Moreno-Riaño explained, is rarely welcomed. “It is not a fun thing to talk about sometimes or to undergo,” he began.
Scripture speaks plainly to that truth: “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1, KJV).
Disruptions were highlighted that mark life and linger long after they begin. The president spoke candidly about his parents’ marriage separation during his first year of college, reshaping family relationships and turning holidays into something that required careful navigation.
“That’s called change,” he said. “Not fun, not welcomed, very uncomfortable, very difficult, very painful. And … unavoidable.”
Dr. Moreno-Riaño acknowledged that other students may relate to a similar loss. Some lose parents suddenly. Others face broken relationships or circumstances they did not choose. Some upheavals impact the entire community like the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic — empty streets, isolation, fear, and a deep sense of uncertainty.
“All of a sudden,” he said, “massive change.”
In terms of massive change, forces reshaping life now include cultural instability and rapid technological disruption. From artificial intelligence affecting how people work and relate, to uncertainty surrounding institutions once assumed to be stable, a world where predictability feels increasingly scarce.
Building on Hebrews 13:8, he suggested our first response to upheaval and uncertainty is to cultivate longing for Christ. “Change should drive us to long after that which does not change,” he said. “And the only one who doesn’t is Jesus Christ.”
Next is to think about change as an opportunity to cultivate the pursuit of Christ-centered transformation. He urged, “Think, Lord Jesus, how do I allow you to transform me to the image of yourself in this difficult change?” Romans 12:2 tells us not to be conformed to the world, but to be transformed.
Such moments also require us to cultivate discernment. “It’s easy for us to react,” the president acknowledged, pointing to a culture that increasingly responds to difficulty by rejecting or “canceling” others — especially in strained family relationships. Again, Romans 12 reveals the need for renewed minds to discern “what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God” and to embody Jesus Christ in response to pain and hurt.
Cultivating a lifestyle of Christ-centered peace was the final charge. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
As the chapel closed in prayer, the audience was redirected once more to the unchanging Christ. No one knows what lies ahead. But in a world marked by uncertainty, Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Enjoy hearing the full Cornerstone University President’s Chapel: Unchanging Jesus.
