Faith Is Not a Destination: ORU’s Conner Burdette on Learning, Questions, and Growing with God
Hometown: Wichita, Kansas
Biblical Literature
Everything you don’t know is something you can learn. This may sound obvious, but
it reveals a deeper truth: there will always be something you don’t know. This truth
applies as much to the spirit as it does to the mind. When it comes to your spiritual
growth, there’s always something you won’t know and always something you can learn.
It’s this unknown (and what can be learned) that motivates ORU’s Conner Burdette.
As a Biblical literature major, Conner believes that spiritual depth comes from research and critical study. Of course, a well-read Bible is always important, but Conner stresses that spiritual growth can happen outside the Bible too. Without research, writing, and analysis, Conner says you risk an “uninformed ministry.”
“There are hundreds of years of research,” Conner said, “so there’s a large and expansive web of Biblical knowledge for people to tap into. The information is diverse, and if you’re not accessing that information, you’re losing out on something. In class, I’m reading scholars from 400 A.D., and while that was long ago, it’s important to be connected to their thoughts and commentaries.”
According to Conner, following one’s faith shouldn’t simply be a “following.” A strong faith is an active and learning faith, and as a Biblical literature major, Conner says he’s developing the ability to formulate his own views and deepen his relationship with God. What he’s learning to do is more than just follow; he’s learning to grow his faith by answering the questions he doesn’t know.
“As a Christian,” Conner said, “you should always be aware of what you’re taking in. And if you have questions about what you learn and hear, you should test them. Go look in the Bible for yourself. Go read a commentary or search for an insight. The beauty of creation is that God made each of us in a unique way, each with a unique mind. God gave every person the ability to think.”
“Everybody comes from a different background and that’s the beauty of creation. As students, we have different views on different things, and you can access those different views by talking to people. When you do this, you might learn a new way to think about something. Or if a friend struggles, his struggles might inform my faith.”
Walking the Walk Together
Conner’s hunger to learn stretches well beyond the classroom. As he sees it, ORU’s diversity is a kind of classroom by itself. For the last four years, ORU has been ranked Oklahoma’s “Most Diverse College” (Niche), with students from all 50 states and 176 nations (in the last 7 years). With this diversity comes opportunities for spiritual growth, to learn from others and to seek guidance from different experiences.
“Everybody comes from a different background,” Conner said, “and that’s the beauty of creation. As students, we have different views on different things, and you can access those different views by talking to people. When you do this, you might learn a new way to think about something. Or if a friend struggles, his struggles might inform my faith.”
Not every lesson has a page number. Some lessons are learned from the people around you … your friends, your peers, your mentors. The ORU community is a learning collaborative, where faith is formed through friendships, relationships, and diversity. And what makes this collaborative special is that every student—every “teacher”—has their own story to tell.
“Everyone has their own spiritual journey,” Conner said, “and no one’s doing it perfectly. We all make mistakes, but we’re all on the path, walking our walk and doing the best we can. I love that I can grow as a Christian by learning from other students. When you’re around people who are on a spiritual walk, you see what faith looks like, you see people make mistakes, and you’re reminded that God still loves us regardless of our struggles.”
Nationally Ranked, Globally Recognized
ORU is a Christian, Spirit-empowered, interdenominational university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 17 years of consecutive enrollment growth. Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ORU offers over 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional programs at the bachelor’s level, ranging from business and engineering to nursing, ministry, and more. In 2024, the Carnegie Foundation recognized ORU with a “Leadership for Public Purpose” award, a distinction earned by only 25 universities nationwide. Under the leadership of President Dr. William Wilson, ORU is preparing students from all 50 states and 176 nations in the last 7 years to be whole leaders for the whole world.
