Since graduating from the University of Michigan (U of M) in the early 1940s, where he was a member of the InterVarsity chapter, Gordon Van Wylen has lived a life committed to Jesus Christ. For sixteen years he and his wife have hosted a weekly international student Bible study in their home. Dr. Van Wylen was a faculty member at U of M in the engineering department and served as dean of the college of engineering. He went on to become the president of Hope College in Holland, Michigan. He also served on InterVarsity’s Board of Trustees.
Recently Dr. Van Wylen shared with InterVarsity how much he appreciated the foundation he received in InterVarsity for his life as a Christian. He particularly appreciated InterVarsity’s commitment to Paul’s admonition to serve God with all our mind. Dr. Van Wylen enjoyed learning to worship God with his mind by singing hymns at InterVarsity events—hymns that presented sound theology with memorable tunes. InterVarsity also places an “emphasis on quality thoughtful books. Thoughtful reading became an important part of my life,” he said.
Dr. Van Wylen also appreciated the balance evident in the emphasis on applying the work of Christ to one’s life. For him “coming to know Christ and experiencing the presence of Christ in one’s life lead to a life of obedience and character.” One way that InterVarsity encourages this personal relationship with Christ is through daily quiet time, Bible reading and prayer. “I’ve maintained the habit of daily quiet time now for more than 65 years,” he commented.
Evangelism is one area in which Dr. Van Wylen grew through his experiences in InterVarsity. “I grew up in the Reformed Church. I recognized the importance of evangelism, but altar calls weren’t exactly my thing. What I found in InterVarsity was friendship evangelism, where you more or less just be yourself, get acquainted with people and share the faith in that context.”
InterVarsity is serious about the mission to come along side the church and support the spread of the Gospel through the local congregation. Dr. Van Wylen has seen students encouraged to be “eager and comfortable to be in the church after graduation and bring some of the things they learned in InterVarsity into the churches.”
A student’s experience in InterVarsity can affect the rest of his or her life. As Dr. Van Wylen observed, “Lots of things learned in InterVarsity are applicable to any leadership position, the sense of operating with integrity and fairness so that people can trust you, that your word means something. Students should let these qualities permeate the lives, their family lives as well.”
Dr. Van Wylen’s life of service to the church, the university, and his family is a prominent example of InterVarsity’s influence beyond the years spent on campus.
