Transformed by Scripture: Neil’s Story

Neil, now an alumnus of the University of Texas at Austin, encountered InterVarsity not through an invitation, a roommate, or a table, but from a humble flyer. 

As a freshman, Neil already had a stack of flyers clutched in his hand as he navigated his way past the student organizations vying for his attention on the way to class. When he was approached by yet another student offering him a flyer, Neil accepted it, only concerned with making it to his class on time. It remained unread for two weeks.

But as Neil slowly adjusted to life in college, he discovered a longing to go deeper in two areas of his life: his Indian heritage and his faith. When he finally got around to sorting through the flyers he had collected, one in particular caught his eye. It belonged to South Asian InterVarsity, or “One Way,” as they called themselves. 

“I looked at the flyer. It said ‘South Asian,’ and it said ‘Jesus.’ And I was like, ‘This is my club,’” Neil recalls. Shortly after, he attended his first InterVarsity event. 

Hunger for the Word

Neil had grown up in church, but he didn’t consider his faith very “active.” He didn’t read his Bible outside of church, and he soon discovered he was unfamiliar with many of the stories other Christians seemed to know well. When he entered college, Neil found himself confused about what it was he really believed… And determined to figure it out.

As he began struggling with his classes and bowing under the weight of his parents’ expectations, Neil became determined to leave behind his failures and sins and simply pursue Jesus. 

“I was pushed against the wall. I didn’t know where to go. At the end of the day, I decided, ‘Hey, I’m going to figure out who Jesus is, I’m going to leave everything — any sin I was part of — behind, and just find out who Jesus is for myself,’” Neil said. “The only thing I want to hold on to is that Jesus Christ is my Lord.”

Thus began Neil’s transformational journey. He got involved in an InterVarsity Bible study and, after receiving encouragement from his Bible study leader, began to participate more and more. Neil’s dedication to Jesus extended into his personal time as well. Determined to fill the gaps in his knowledge, Neil sat down and spent time in the Word twice a day, eventually reading through the entire Bible.

The Transformation of Scripture

Reading through the Bible changed Neil. He could distinguish between his old self and his new self and no longer recognized who he used to be. 

“God really transformed my life, and I can say that I have gotten to know Jesus personally,” he said.

Neil wasn’t the only one who noticed the change. His Bible study leader invited him to join leadership, and though he had never planned to, Neil found himself leading a Bible study his junior year. Then, during his senior year, Neil joined Core, his chapter’s executive leadership team, and took on even more responsibilities. 

Neil remembers his faith feeling different after joining Core. He began giving more time to serving others instead of just exploring his own spiritual needs. 

“Being on Core, I was actually able to put into practice a lot of the things that I was learning through the Bible,” Neil said. It allowed him to love people like Jesus would. 

Serving After Graduation

After graduating in 2019, Neil used his computer engineering degree to get a job in the software industry, but continued to visit his InterVarsity community. When COVID-19 hit, he even joined hangouts on Zoom. 

Three years later, Neil decided he wanted to dedicate his extra time to the Lord and start volunteering for the chapter. Though much of what he did seemed insignificant, like transporting worship equipment to and from large group, Neil’s service had a big impact on the chapter and especially his campus staff. 

“Neil is someone who was like, ‘I see there are needs; I want to fill them,’” said UT-Austin Campus Staff Minister Ard. “He is a very instrumental part of how One Way has stayed grounded this last year.”

Today, Neil continues to serve the chapter and encourages all alumni to consider volunteering, even in small ways. Recalling his own journey to faith, Neil says that having alumni on campus is incredibly valuable.

“There are always going to be people who are experiencing the faith for the first time, not knowing what to do in certain situations. And that experience from adulthood and through the volunteer’s journey of faith can help guide others who are still going down that path.”