Stepping Back on Campus

It’s been a busy decade since I was a college student.  I got married, had two kids, and lived in Nicaragua, China, and South Africa.  And now I’m back in the U.S.

 

I recently went to a meeting of InterVarsity at Marquette University in Wisconsin.  I’ve only gone to three other InterVarsity meetings in my whole life, and those were on a different campus when I was a student.  I’ve seen some discouraging news and thoughts on campus culture lately, and I wasn’t quite sure what I would find.

 

 

I was impressed.

 

 

Students rocked up an hour beforehand to set up some lights.  They prepared a welcome table where people could stop and chat, meet others, and try to win a “Semester Survival Kit” of food and office supplies.  Everybody was laughing, they were cool, and the students were excited to reach and serve other students. 

 

 

Nate

 

 

Nate Bounyong leads the weekly InterVarsity large group gathering for 40 students at Marquette.  He surges with passion to reach his fellow students with good news they can actually hear, breaking through their stereotypes and negative experiences with Christians.  The large group leadership team is organizing Inspired, an open mic event, where any student can share a song, a poem, or just an idea, and tell what motivates their art and innovation.  It’s fun for me to step back onto a college campus and talk to someone who reflects a bit of who I once was while on campus.  Nate’s excited to create an environment of mutual friendship and sharing, moving fellow students toward faithful lives for Jesus.  And that’s just one of the possibilities percolating.

 

 

Fione

 

 

Fione Lim, a Marquette international student, started to follow Jesus eight months ago and now is helping her InterVarsity staff member to lead a Bible study.  She’s from Malaysia and always believed God existed but knew little more.  Fione was brought by a friend to an InterVarsity conference last winter where she understood and accepted that God wanted her to know him and lead her.  She started studying the Bible with Marquette InterVarsity staff member, Jen Wojtysiak, growing in maturity and faith, with zeal for her new life.  This fall, Fione began helping Jen lead a Bible study for Marquette freshmen who are hearing God’s call for the first time.  I sit, listen to Fione, and wonder what Jesus will do through her in the coming years. 

 

 

Emily

 

 

Emily Guzman, another student leader, came to campus as a Christian, but she was unsure how her faith would fit with the rest of her college life.  She was concerned about the balance of faith amid new friendships, more freedom than she’d ever had, and the rigors of academics at Marquette.  She joined a sorority and got involved with InterVarsity.  She began talking to others about her faith and serving the Lord in all she did; and hearing about it encourages me to continue to love and share with those around me in my daily life.  Emily really loves her sorority sisters and she’s mentoring one who is beginning to follow Jesus.  Now, she’s initiating a broader conversation with other sororities and even fraternities about who Jesus is and what he means for our lives now.   

 

 

It was a privilege to step into the world of Nate, Fione, and Emily for a few hours. People often talk of the real challenges to faith for students on college campuses today.  Many Christians are concerned about the faith issues that Millennials face.  Some think the church is fading in the U.S.  

 

 

Yet,I am hopeful.

 

 

_____

 

 

Adam Jeske is associate director of communications for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.