I lead a small group Bible study in a group of dorms in the Sixpack (Taft, Van Doren, Barton, Lundgren) that have historically lacked InterVarsity presence. This NSO, we already have many reasons to celebrate! At our first gathering, my older core members and I saw three out of four new students commit to InterVarsity as their spiritual community for their Bible study application. One of the three is a non-Christian, Sara, who shared that this was the first Christian setting that she felt comfortable “being real” and “expressing some of her doubts” with. We now have ten new students that are coming from black, Asian, white, Latina, international, and non Christian backgrounds- the diverse array that I was specifically praying for before the school year even began!
These new students are already buying into the mission. After our second small group meeting, five new students joined me in serving our community by passing out homemade cinnamon rolls to other InterVarsity students in the Sixpack. They are taking practical steps towards our small group goal of growing in intimacy and impact!
Our most recent celebration has to do with sign ups for New Student Retreat. Two students, Amanda and Carter, were both stuck between InterVarsity and other Christian groups on campus. But after our last Friday Large Group, both felt compelled to sign up for New Student Retreat even despite scheduling conflicts.
by Charissa Kim