Keeping Bible Studies Alive

Jay Anderson, InterVarsity staff serving as Team Leader in Eau Claire, WI, is passionate about developing students as leaders and growing InterVarsity chapters. “We don’t have a formal leadership structure—exec team and president of the chapter. We’re trying to develop our small group leaders,” Jay said. The small group leaders on campus are spread throughout the dorms and other campus buildings in hopes of reaching and discipling more students.

The Shepherd Team is a group of students who lead and train small group leaders. An apprenticeship program requires small group leaders who move off campus or decide to leave their leadership position to train their replacements. “Current leaders are given a baton, like in a relay, and must have someone to pass their leadership baton to. This program ensures that Bible studies will continue in the dorms on campus,” Jay explained.

The apprenticeship program allows students to take the initiative, and they are more invested in their leadership role. “Sometimes the baton is passed 3 to 4 times, but it hasn’t fallen on the campus staff members to recruit new leaders,” Jay said.

Other campuses are also using the apprenticeship program in leadership development. Bible studies at the University of Nevada—Reno require students interested in leading a Bible study group to participate in an apprenticeship program the year before they lead. The apprenticeship program ensures there will be Bible study leaders on campus each year and every student generation will hear the gospel of Christ.