Dr. Jason Carter, Dean of the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences

As I left for Communio on May 27, the men of my church life group had recently agreed to read Soul Keeping by John Ortberg. A main point that Ortberg drives home in the early chapters is the need to “ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life” – a concept he says was planted through a conversation with Baylor alum and American philosopher Dallas Willard. While at Communio, I couldn’t help but notice how the retreat was providing me with a much needed recentering on my relationship with Jesus Christ, and a renewal toward the unique Christian mission of Baylor. At Communio, I had the pleasure of meeting new faculty and staff colleagues from across Baylor that were equally in need of recentering, and engaged in a programming that challenged us to do the very thing that Ortberg and Willard were advocating. At Communio, we slowed down enough to engage more fully in God’s goodness. We had deep conversations about how to be faithful servants within higher education, and enjoyed many great meals together where we learned more about one another and our passions for faithfulness. While I enjoyed many aspects of Communio, my favorite moments were the morning and evening worships together. There was a sense of tremendous calm that rarely as academicians we have a chance to embrace together. I would strongly recommend Communio, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of the 2025 retreat.  And while I still haven’t “ruthlessly eliminated hurry” to the level I’d like – I continue to strive for this in a world full of distractions. Amongst it all – God is so, so good. 

Jason Carter participated in Communio in May 2025.