How InterVarsity Reintroduced the Bible to a Pastor’s Kid: Joseph’s Story

Deeply studying Scripture in community can be a unique and life-changing gift to students, even those who grew up deeply involved in the church. That was the case for Joseph, an InterVarsity alumnus of Arizona State University. 

Joseph was adopted and grew up as a pastor’s kid. While this helped lay a foundation for his faith, he still experienced challenges in the church, including questions about his identity that he didn’t feel comfortable sharing with his community.

“I'd seen the highs and the lows of church and been hurt in various ways,” he said. 

When Joseph’s father passed away shortly before beginning college, he was left feeling frustrated as he grappled with questions about how God could allow such suffering.

He still believed in Jesus when he started at ASU, but he wasn’t sure what it would take to fully trust God again.

Surprises in Scripture 

Arriving on campus, Joseph connected with InterVarsity almost immediately through a volleyball tournament outside his dorm. He wasn’t eager to commit to a campus ministry, but he loved playing volleyball and was open to the idea of meeting other Christian students.

A fellow student named Blake invited him to a Bible study happening right in his dorm. From the first time he attended, Joseph was struck by how different studying the Bible with the InterVarsity community was.

“It was eye-opening,” he said. “Even though I grew up in a Christian home, I started to experience the Bible in this way where I was learning new things and asking questions that, I think I had always had deep down, but hadn’t explored with others.”

When Blake invited Joseph to fall conference a few weeks later, it was an easy yes. But he had no idea that this experience would forever change his relationship with Jesus. 

Revelation at Fall Conference 

Joseph arrived at Catalina Island eager to enjoy a weekend with his new friends and dig into Scripture. But as the weekend went on, he instead found Scripture digging into him. 

As he spent hours studying and manuscripting the words of King David in the Psalms, the passages cut deep, unearthing his own hurt and anger with God. 

During a break where students spent time outdoors, Joseph broke down in tears, lashing out at God alone in the wilderness, much like David himself. Afterwards, he was flooded by a profound sense of God’s grace and love for him. 

“I experienced this shift where I felt so at peace with God,” Joseph explained. “I thought, ‘God, you really are somebody I can trust with the deepest and hardest things going on in my life. I don’t have to push things away, neglect them, or try to disassociate. I can bring it all to you.’”

After confessing before God and receiving his grace, Joseph finally felt the freedom to share openly with his community and leaders. He confessed openly about the pain he’d hidden for years, including the death of his father and his struggles with sexuality and identity he’d never discussed. 

“That experience at fall conference was pivotal in seeing that God wants to join with me on this journey where I have highs and lows,” Joseph said. “I learned I could bring anything to him and walk alongside others doing the same.”

Hungry For More   

Starting his journey to healing and wholeness, Joseph returned to ASU eager to pursue Jesus and serve his campus. He joined apprenticeship to begin training to become a leader in his InterVarsity chapter. Soon he was volunteering for outreach, inviting new students into his chapter, and sharing the gospel with others. 

In another leap of faith, Joseph also went with his chapter to Bosnia and Kenya through InterVarsity Global Programs. As he met local believers and shared the gospel with strangers, he discovered the beauty and diversity of the global Church. 

The trip sparked a new passion for evangelism at ASU, inspiring Joseph to take greater risks sharing his faith with students from diverse backgrounds and ultimately driving his decision to lead a Bible study on campus. 

Once he finished training, Joseph strategically  selected the community he wanted to reach. He landed on a place close to his heart: the same dorm where he worked as an RA and experienced InterVarsity Bible study for the first time.

Reflecting on the experience, Joseph said, “Bible study became a place where I was able to lead with vulnerability, sharing all that God had done in my life, and inviting others to follow Jesus more and more.”

After graduating from ASU in the summer of 2026 and completing his second Global Program, Joseph has continued to explore what God has for his future. Recently he decided to return to ASU to live in the InterVarsity ministry house and serve as a volunteer.

As he plans his career, he is studying for the LSAT, pursuing law school, job searching, and discerning next steps in light of all God has revealed to him through his time in InterVarsity.

“Seeing how God has moved in my life, how he’s added and subtracted, I want to be openhanded and let God direct me,” Joseph said. “I want to be a person that says ‘yes’ to what God is doing.”

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