Stories from Campus

Emily Baez

Emily Baez is a writer for ��Ƶ’s communications team. She lives in Tampa, FL, and enjoys long hikes, watching movies, and overly competitive game nights with friends. You can support her ministry here.

NLI 24: Student Leaders Receive a Rousing Call to Campus

ryan.cheng@intervarsity.org — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 20:44:08 +0000

Community and Relationships

August 01, 2024

Hannah Keziah Agustin

NLI 24: Student Leaders Receive a Rousing Call to Campus

“The Lord met me face to face and showed me the revival starting in our generation,” said Nina, a student in the Greek ��Ƶ chapter at San Diego State University.

Nina is one of 65 ��Ƶ student leaders who attended the National Leadership Institute (NLI) in Wheaton, Illinois this past June. Students like her gathered from all over the country to engage in manuscript Bible study, participate in prayer and worship, and workshop with fellow student leaders about being missional on campus.

NLI was a unique opportunity for ��Ƶ student leaders to learn from national leaders in the movement. ��Ƶ’s Executive Leadership Team hosted and served as small group leaders for the student attendees. Vince Bacote, IVP author and Professor of Theology at Wheaton College, taught them how to engage in conflict and to listen deeply as acts of loving their neighbor. Ed Ollie, the chair of ��Ƶ’s Board, gave a challenging call to campus. And NaKhia Hopkins Grays, Assistant Regional Ministry Director of the Mid-Atlantic Region, led a Bible study on Moses’ life.

Learning to Trust

Students learned how to bring their whole selves into their leadership. Like Moses, some of them may have felt unworthy, unqualified, and anxious, but they were reminded of the importance of trusting in a God who qualified them and is the ultimate source of their qualifications.

One of the most powerful experiences for the students came during a 10 a.m. Bible study session. Students were struck by Moses’ words to God: “If your presence does not go with us, I won’t go.” The Holy Spirit moved in the room and the students responded by crying out to see God’s glory, presence, and holiness on their campuses. They were kneeled and cried, longing for revival on their colleges and universities.

Renewed Purpose

For some student leaders, NLI was a place of encouragement. “God confirmed my calling to campus leadership,” said Avion from the College of Wooster.

“I learned how to intentionally use my gifts for God’s kingdom,” said Isaac from Eastern Florida State College.

“God showed me the unique strengths he has given me to use for leadership,” said Olivia from the University of Utah.

For others, NLI was a space for discernment. “I felt God calling me to communities that the church overlooks,” said Emily from the University of Houston.

“God softened my heart to consider applying to be an ��Ƶ staff,” said Haley from The College of New Jersey.

“I have a renewed sense of purpose for leadership and a greater burden for the lost on campus,” said Esther from Hofstra University.

Faithful Steps Moving Forward

Through NLI, student leaders saw how they could live with purpose on campus and beyond and partner with God through small yet faithful steps of obedience. Students like Skylar and Maya were so encouraged by what they learned at NLI, they began taking bold steps to reach others with the gospel almost immediately after NLI ended. Skylar evangelized to people at the airport and Maya shared her testimony with someone who sat next to her on the plane. Another student even shared the gospel with his Uber driver! Many others continued chatting excitedly with one another over Slack about how God used them on their travels home.

As these students return to their campuses this fall to lead their ��Ƶ communities, may everything God began in them at NLI continue to fuel their faith. Join us in praying for them to lean into their God-given callings as they head to campus!

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Scripture

Sharing Your Faith

Hannah Keziah Agustin

Hannah Keziah Agustin is a social media coordinator and writer for ��Ƶ’s communications team. She was born in Manila and is currently working towards an MFA at NYU. You can support her ministry at givetoiv.org/hannah-keziah-agustin.

Loving and Being Loved in Fullness: Jennifer’s Story

kyia.hernandez@intervarsity.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:30:04 +0000

June 04, 2026

Kaitlyn Doty

Loving and Being Loved in Fullness: Jennifer’s Story

“It was more comfortable to just be white than it was to embrace my ethnic identity,” Jennifer said.

Raised in a church that was heavy on legalism and dismissive about grace, Jennifer thought God wanted her to fit in a box. She didn’t think she’d be accepted as her genuine self at church, so she got used to suppressing certain parts of her identity, including her Japanese heritage.

As she started college at West Virginia University, the hurt Jennifer experienced festered into mistrust for God, though she chose to stay a Christian because “hell was too scary.”

It wasn’t until she found ��Ƶ that she encountered God’s true character… and the fullness of who he created her to be.

God’s Global Heart

Jennifer met Jeremy, an ��Ƶ staff, at the local church she was attending. He invited her to the ��Ƶ international student ministry, and though she declined, he continued to invite her every week for a year and a half.

Due to his persistence, she finally said yes her sophomore year.

Jennifer’s first ��Ƶ event impacted her deeply. The chapter had a weekly tradition of providing funds and resources for an international student to cook a meal from their home country to share with the rest of the chapter.

“I felt in my heart God telling me, ‘This makes me so happy,’” Jennifer remembers. “What was special about it is it wasn’t some person preaching Jesus. It wasn’t a bunch of people singing worship songs. It was people from all over the world gathering together, some of them Christians, some of them of different faiths or no faith at all, just embracing hospitality and love for each other and embracing their cultures.”

Jennifer got involved in the chapter, and in this diverse and forgiving community, she felt she could finally embrace being Japanese.

“I don’t need to be diminished or whitewashed because I’m half-Japanese or because I don’t speak Japanese or because I have an American accent. I can embrace [my differences] and talk about them in the ways I want to talk about them. I don’t have to fit in a box to make other people feel comfortable,” Jennifer learned.

Leading with Hospitality

When Jennifer became a junior, she was invited to intern with her ��Ƶ chapter. Curious about pursuing ministry, she accepted and became the main student leader in her chapter. She was committed to showing the same hospitality she experienced to international students on campus.

“We know that God is a global God, and he loves all of the world. And so, we were creating a space for [international students] to be with other people who share their experience and encounter God,” Jennifer said. “We were showing them the love and heart of Jesus, even if we weren’t outwardly speaking.”

Her heart for international students made a big impression. One day, an international student pulled Jennifer aside and asked her a question.

“You’re driving me around and bringing me shopping and helping me with all these things. I feel like no one ever does that. Why do you care so much?” the student asked.

“Because I love you,” Jennifer responded. “I’ve experienced the love of Jesus, and I want to share that.”

When she left, the student shared how much this meant to her. “I don’t think I’m going to remember a lot of Americans, but you’re one of the Americans I’m going to remember,” she told Jennifer.

The Next Chapter

As she approached graduation, Jennifer realized she wanted to continue with ��Ƶ as a full-time staff, proclaiming that, “it’s incredible to work for a ministry that acknowledges the vastness of God.”

She started touring campuses and felt called to an Asian American chapter at Ohio State University. Jennifer finds it special that she now gets to be Asian American in a space that is specifically Asian American.

“I was seeing a lot of the things I had to work through these last few years in those students, and I was seeing their desire for a spiritual leader,” she said. “I’m going to get to love students in the way that I was so gracious to be loved.”

Since her official transition to full-time staff in January of 2026, Jennifer has already received confirmation that this is where God wants her to be. After only four months, she is celebrating being 60% funded.

“If we are all created in God’s image, but we are different, then how vast is our God that all of us can be so unique and yet so mirroring of who he is!” Jennifer said. “He made me Japanese American. That has influenced the way I connect with Jesus and the body of Christ.”

Support Jennifer’s ministry at OSU here!

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Ethnicity, Reconciliation, and Justice

Kaitlyn Doty

Kaitlyn Doty is a writing and social media intern on ��Ƶ’s 2100 team in Madison, WI. She is passionate about books, cats, dragons, and writing for Jesus! You can support her in her ministry here.

Campus Preachers: Yea or Nay?

kyia.hernandez@intervarsity.org — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:30:55 +0000

May 29, 2026

Emily Baez

Campus Preachers: Yea or Nay?

The scene is all too familiar to today’s college students.

On the way to class, you come across a huge crowd and wonder what's going on. In the middle of the crowd, you see someone. Not a student, but someone older. They’re holding a sign and a microphone, and they’re discussing topics like hell or sexuality. Students are arguing with them, laughing, or trying to ignore them. You’re a Christian, and you don’t know what to do…

For some, campus preachers present bold gospel witness. For others, they raise concerns about what it means to effectively share the gospel on campus. Not all campus preachers are harmful, and some even create opportunities for meaningful dialogue. However, because some of the more confrontational ones can be the loudest expression of Christianity on campus, their approach may leave Christian students hesitant to share their faith with classmates.

But is all campus street preaching bad, or are there ways in which this method of sharing the gospel can actually lead to spiritual fruit on campus?

Who Are Campus Preachers?

Open-air preaching isn’t new. Some would argue its origins trace back to Jesus and the apostles — The Sermon on the Mount, Peter in Jerusalem, Paul speaking publicly in Athens, and John the Baptist in the wilderness. Church history continued this tradition through preachers like George Whitefield and John Wesley.

These days, campus preachers like Sister Cindy or Vijay Pisini, are connected to groups called, “Campus Ministry USA” and “Obedience of Faith.” Others, like Tom Rayborn or Brother Matt operate independently or are supported by their own local church. They’re not part of a single centralized movement and aren’t affiliated with the campuses they visit.

Why Are They on Campus?

Like ��Ƶ, campus preachers recognize that college students are especially open to conversations about big life questions during this formative season. They know students are curious about purpose, religion, and identity, and are more motivated to find answers than they might ever be.

Many universities also strongly uphold free speech protections, and preachers can easily gain permits to be on campus, even when some students consider their speech harmful.

“At first, I despised campus street preachers because many of [them] are very confrontational with their preaching tactics. [As] a student who was raised Roman Catholic, I didn’t appreciate how most of these campus street preachers intend to be very anti-Catholic,” Jose, a student at California State University Long Beach, said. “However, I came to a realization that, as much as I despised their anti-Catholic preaching, they have the right to be on campus.”

This does not mean universities have no policies around free speech. Speakers are still required to follow guidelines regarding where and how they can speak. Schools like the University of South Florida, for example, do not allow public speakers to use amplified sound on campus.

What’s Their Impact?

“I think the reason most students dislike campus preachers is because of their approach,” Vivienne, an ��Ƶ student at Michigan State University, said. “At least on our campus, the preachers can be belligerent or contentious, which draws in the wrong crowd to talk to them.”

The issue for a lot of Christian college students isn’t whether these preachers should be allowed on campus, but why they choose to be on campus when their methods don’t seem effective.

“I don’t think [they] ever accomplish what [they] intend to,” Rajeev, an ��Ƶ alumnus from Virginia Commonwealth University, said.

Some preachers associated with Campus Ministry USA have admitted to intentionally using provocative buzzwords to create a spectacle on campus. Because of this, students — even Christian ones — rarely see them as credible spiritual voices. These preachers say their goal is to bring students to Jesus, but students across religious and nonreligious backgrounds find their style off-putting.

“I walk the other way from anyone shouting at people,” Bethany, an ��Ƶ alumna, said. “I will engage with people who are conversing with people. Big difference.”

Another student, Megan, who is involved with ��Ƶ at Arizona State University said, “It seems that street preachers use scare tactics to get people to believe in Jesus, but is that really getting people to believe? Every time I’ve passed by with non-believing friends (or even my family back home), they seem annoyed and try and ignore them. So overall, they seem pointless and unloving to nonbelievers.”

As ��Ƶ guides students in how to engage or not engage campus preachers, we remind them that there is always room for humility, recognizing that no one gets public witness right every time. Additionally, just like anyone we might disagree with, these street preachers are deserving of dignity and Jesus’ love.

“[Go into these conversations] with a firm Imago Dei mentality that whoever you’re talking to, regardless of their beliefs, is made in the image of God and is loved beyond imagination by him,” Sarah, an ��Ƶ alumna from Southern Utah University, said.

Are They All the Same?

“The way of Jesus was not loud, it wasn’t condemning, it wasn’t aggressive. It was charity, love, acceptance, and communion with one another in solitude,” Rajeev said.

This is closer to the approach that apologists like Cliffe Knechtle use. Cliffe formerly worked with ��Ƶ and still partners with some of our chapters while he travels to campuses independently. Instead of opting for aggressive or condemning language, Cliffe creates opportunities for honest conversation on campus. Many students embrace his Q&A-style sessions and willingness to admit uncertainty, saying “I do not know” when he lacks an answer.

This year at Montclair State University, Cliffe spoke at an ��Ƶ event where students could openly ask about Christianity in a safe and respectful space. During the event, he said, “We are all created to reflect God’s character, God’s goodness. That is why we are valuable.”

This sentiment differs largely from other campus preachers. And clearly, it resonates. ��Ƶ chapters and students leave comments on social media requesting Cliffe to visit their campus next.

The Need for Relational Evangelism

College campuses will continue to be one of the few places where public spiritual conversations regularly happen. ��Ƶ considers these conversations most effective when they are marked by honesty, understanding, and deep relational care.

Rajeev remembers how impactful that kind of relational ministry was in his ��Ƶ chapter: “Our outreach was far more effective in being invitational to things like basketball, kickball, pizza, board games, etc. than it was holding canvassing events on the campus quad. By showing people the way of Jesus rather than trying to convince them of it, we actually had a more thriving ministry.”

Megan also affirms Gen Z’s need for relational outreach when discussing what she wished students knew about Jesus that they might not hear from a campus preacher: “God is full of grace and loves everyone. He wants a relationship with you.”

While some students may be wary of campus preachers, one thing is certain: Regardless of method, any open spiritual discussion on campus can lead students to explore questions about religion, faith, and Jesus. Ministries like ��Ƶ can then be there, offering space for them to wrestle with these questions in Bible studies or in meaningful friendships where conversations about the gospel continue far beyond the campus lawn.

To be part of ensuring these spaces exist, click here to see how you can get involved with ��Ƶ’s ministry on campus.

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Emily Baez

Living a New Meaning: Evan’s Story

kyia.hernandez@intervarsity.org — Thu, 21 May 2026 20:39:23 +0000

May 21, 2026

Kaitlyn Doty

Living a New Meaning: Evan’s Story

“Atheism is really boring; there’s not a lot to it once you get deeper in,” Evan said. “Then you’re like, ‘Life has no meaning, what do I do now?’”

This was the predicament Evan found himself in when he arrived at Salt Lake Community College. After the hardships of 2020, he was convinced that religion was a “scam” and that God wasn’t truly there. But the “build-your-own meaning” nature of atheism was unsatisfying, and Evan longed for something more.

When he encountered ��Ƶ, he decided to give God a second chance.

Taking It as Far as It Could Get

“I was very much against religion,” Evan recalls, but coming from a missionary family, Evan’s parents urged him to search for a Christian group on campus anyway. So, midway through his first semester, he joined an ��Ƶ Bible study.

“I had a pretty good time. Even if I wasn’t really a believer then, I still enjoyed studying Scripture in that way. So I just kept coming back,” Evan said. “I wanted to take Christianity as far as I could get.”

Soon Evan was attending ��Ƶ large groups and even said yes to fall conference. When his second semester came around, he began volunteering his free time to the chapter.

Then, Evan was invited to his first spring break camp at Catalina Island.

A Baby Christian

Though Evan said yes to going to camp simply because he “had nothing better to do over spring break,” camp was marked with intimate moments where he experienced God.

One of these moments happened while Evan was talking to a friend who was considering leaving her faith. The chapter came around her as she struggled, and after receiving prayer from them, she made a powerful decision to keep following Jesus.

This made Evan contemplate his own spiritual journey, so he went on a hike. He encountered a herd of deer, and as he looked at them, he realized he had proof that God was undeniably real. This brought Evan to tears, and by the end of the week, something had changed in him.

“I was like, ‘huh, I think I’m a Christian now,’” Evan said. “I was a baby Christian! Once you have these beliefs, you’re just on fire about them, you’re so excited that your life’s been invested with meaning from God!”

A Moment Witnessed by Community

Evan spent the next year growing with ��Ƶ, learning what it means to be a Christian, adopting a prayer routine, and figuring out how to experience God in daily life. Through it all, he was filled with joy because he had finally found the meaning he was longing for.

“When you look at the person of Jesus and how beautiful and perfect he is in the way he treats others, you learn that, as Christians, we are supposed to emulate that,” Evan said. “Our reason to live is to be like Christ.”

By the time he returned to camp for a second time, Evan was ready to make another decision: he wanted to be baptized. He wanted to publicly declare his faith, and he wanted it to be witnessed by the community he had chosen.

As he stepped into the water, he felt incredible peace and contentment.

“I was just enjoying the community I found and the faith I found through ��Ƶ, and the people and the friends I had made,” Evan remembers. “I was satisfied in that. My community is ready to be there with me in my Christian walk and guide me through it.”

Evan is now preparing to become a leader of his ��Ƶ chapter in the fall. Though he no longer identifies as an atheist, he believes that time in his life will help him connect with and offer hope to people who do.

“Before [Jesus], I was directionless. I was hopeless. I wasn’t very satisfied with myself; I wasn’t very proud of who I was. After, I like being who I am,” he said. “The work of the Holy Spirit is that I can sit here today and say that my life is worth it, and God infuses meaning into the thread of my life. I can look back at my pre-Christian self and see that we’re living for completely different reasons now.”

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Kaitlyn Doty

How a Sticker Led Sophie Back to Jesus

emily.baez@intervarsity.org — Fri, 15 May 2026 16:06:04 +0000

May 15, 2026

Ashlye Elizondo Vanderworp

How a Sticker Led Sophie Back to Jesus

“I joined because I wanted a sticker.”

When Sophie started college at the University of Michigan–Flint, she didn’t want to be involved with anything faith-related and identified as agnostic. But that wasn’t always the case for her.

Sophie grew up in a Catholic family and attended a Catholic school where her parents taught religion. Their lives centered around their faith and walks with Jesus.

“It was one of my favorite things to do every week –– going to church with my family, praying together –– I loved it!” Sophie said.

However, her life changed dramatically during COVID. After her family stopped attending mass regularly, Sophie found herself sad and angry at all that was going on in the world.

“I thought I knew everything [and] didn’t understand why all of this happened,” she said.

Then, to make matters worse, tragedy struck Sophie’s family when multiple family members suddenly passed, and both of her grandparents became ill. With her whole family grieving, Sophie felt as though she had no one to process with.

“That’s when the big divide happened,” she said, explaining what caused her to walk away from her faith.

Changes in College

As she began her freshman year on campus, Sophie was surprised at how different things were from the Catholic school she grew up in. There were no more mandatory religion classes, church meetings, events, or prayers in college. She could stay as far away from Jesus as she wanted to.

On the other hand, she was no longer supported in the same ways by her school. When Sophie’s grandfather passed in the fall of her first semester, she missed how teachers back at her Catholic school would email her or let her know they were praying for her family.

During this loss, Sophie felt even more alone and began to question if she should be at UM Flint.

As her sophomore year began, she knew she needed a change. Sophie talked with her brother, who was also a student at UM Flint.

“We’re going to join a club, and I’m going to make you do it with me!” she told him.

Healing in Community

Back on campus, Sophie and her brother checked out different organizations that were tabling when a bright orange tablecloth caught her attention. Her brother walked over and started talking to his friends, who were involved with ��Ƶ.

While she was still hoping to avoid anything faith-related, Sophie was intrigued by the stickers the ��Ƶ students were giving away and took one. Soon, that sticker led her to go to large group.

At her first large group, Sophie thought back to all those she had lost in just the past few years and began to cry. Immediately, another student came over and began praying with her.

Sophie realized this is what she had been needing –– people she could be vulnerable with, people who would be there to pray with her and for her through all of life’s ups and downs.

“I knew I was supported,” she said.

Later that year, Sophie joined the ��Ƶ chapter for fall conference. In addition to growing deeper in friendship with other students, she realized God had been working in ways she hadn’t noticed.

“It was like coming home,” Sophie said.

As her sophomore year continued, Sophie began allowing God to heal her from the sorrow of all she had experienced. She felt as though the love her community showed her softened her heart to trust in God again. And when her friend committed suicide that same year, this time, Sophie knew she wouldn’t be alone.

“With all of the grief I'd gone through, talking with people really helped,” she said.

Drawing Others to Jesus

Now, Sophie is a Bible study leader and large group facilitator. She helps plan speakers, social media, and activities, and wants to help her ��Ƶ community figure out how they can each serve God intentionally with their lives.

As she finishes her undergraduate studies and continues in an accelerated program to earn her master's degree, Sophie is grateful for the ways God used ��Ƶ to draw her back to him. She also loves sharing her testimony with others to help them become interested in pursuing faith in Jesus.

“If it weren’t for ��Ƶ, I would not be as close as I am with God now,” she said.

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Ashlye Elizondo Vanderworp

Ashlye works as the Managing Editor for ��Ƶ's Communications Team in Madison, Wisconsin. She enjoys deep conversations with friends and adventures with her husband (a Video Producer for ��Ƶ) and their corgi, Penny. You can support her ministry here.

“You Don’t Have to Know Everything”: Angelica’s Story

kyia.hernandez@intervarsity.org — Thu, 07 May 2026 18:28:16 +0000

May 07, 2026

Kaitlyn Doty

“You Don’t Have to Know Everything”: Angelica’s Story

Angelica was nearly a senior when she got involved in ��Ƶ.

It started when she met Joy Hope in a dorm kitchen at Southern Methodist University. Their friendship began in the form of casual chats while doing the dishes or cooking. As they got to know each other, the conversations became more spiritual.

Though she already had a solid relationship with God, Angelica hadn’t yet found a good fit when it came to Christian community. Senior year was just a summer away. Near the end of junior year, Joy Hope invited Angelica to ��Ƶ.

Her yes was transformational.

An Intro to Christian Community

As a senior new to the ��Ƶ community, Angelica sometimes felt a step behind other students.

“When I went to my first Bible study, I was a little intimidated because there was a roomful of students who knew the terminology,” she said. “I had never sat down to read any book in the Bible.”

Angelica started meeting weekly with her campus staff Camden, which grew her knowledge of Scripture. But when Camden asked Angelica to consider leadership, she felt unqualified and initially said no.

“I just did not feel worthy. I did not feel like I knew enough,” she said.

After that conversation, however, Angelica began to pray about it. When one of her friends –– who knew nothing about what was going on –– made an offhand comment about how Angelica should lead a Bible study, she realized God had given her an answer.

So, despite her doubts, she told Camden yes.

Leaders Don’t Have to be Perfect

Before she started her Bible study, Angelica accepted Camden’s invitation to attend Urbana 25. Being around 7,000 Christians was encouraging, but when it came to her future leadership, she still had doubts.

That changed when the student leading her Bible study at the conference admitted something to the group: this was only her second or third time leading a study like this!

“I never would have known that,” Angelica told her. “You seem so confident. You seem like you knew what you were doing.”

When Angelica returned to campus, she was encouraged. “If she can do it, I can do it,” she decided.

Her confidence increased even more when Camden assigned Joy Hope –– the friend who first invited Angelica to ��Ƶ –– to be her co-leader.

The Role of Vulnerability

Angelica and Joy Hope wanted their Bible study to be a judgment-free space where everyone, even those less familiar with Scripture, could feel welcome. To create that, Angelica decided to be humble and honest about her own story.

“I know what it feels like to know you’re Christian, but then if someone were to ask me where Corinthians is, I would not be able to tell you. I believe in my heart that doesn’t discount me as a Christian,” she said. “I have nothing to hide. I’ll always share my testimony and I’ll always be honest.”

As she co-led with Angelica, Joy Hope found herself inspired too.

“I grew up in Kenya, [where] we are taught don’t tell people your secrets. Don’t tell people about your story because no one is really out here to support you,” Joy Hope shared. “I find it hard to be vulnerable with people, especially with my walk with Christ and who I was before that. [Angelica is] teaching me slowly that it’s okay to be vulnerable. It’s okay to tell your story. We all learn from each other.”

The new Bible study, which began this semester in the spring of 2026, is attended by around five people of different faith backgrounds, some of whom are new to having a personal relationship with God. One of the students told Angelica that she loves the study so much she doesn’t want it to end. Joy Hope agrees.

“Whenever we're doing Bible study, she will talk about what she's going through, and I think that encourages other people to talk about what they're going through. She'll talk about her imperfect journey with Christ,” she said. “I don’t think there’s anyone who would be the best fit for this role other than Angelica. There’s a reason God placed it in her heart.”

Now, Angelica and Joy Hope are prayerfully exploring how they can continue the small group after Angelica graduates this year. Joy Hope may take over, but Angelica is also considering returning to volunteer. At the very least, she is planning to visit often and continue to encourage students with her story.

“You don’t have to know everything. You don’t have to be the perfect Christian,” Angelica wants them to know. “It’s not too late. If you want to do something, let it be known. If you have the heart to share the Word with people, then being a leader is for you.”

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Kaitlyn Doty

“Everyone is talking about ��Ƶ!”: New Ministry at Salem Community College

kyia.hernandez@intervarsity.org — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:58:18 +0000

April 17, 2026

Kaitlyn Doty

“Everyone is talking about ��Ƶ!”: New Ministry at Salem Community College

Earlier this year, the president of Salem Community College (SCC) in New Jersey held a meeting of the campus department chairs.

"Everyone is talking about ��Ƶ on campus!" one of the chairs said.

That alone is an incredible testament to God’s faithfulness, but just a year ago, Salem had no known ministry on campus.

How it All Started

In September 2024, Christine, an ��Ƶ Area Director in New Jersey, was on her way to prayer walk Salem Community College. She wanted to make a quick stop to grab coffee and walked into a cafe that happened to be playing worship music inside. Christine struck up a conversation with the café owner about SCC and confirmed that there was no ministry there.

“But I think that there should be a ministry like ��Ƶ at every campus in the country!” the cafe owner said.

Afterward, God led Christine to the Student Services desk on campus, where both people working echoed the café owner’s sentiment: “We need a campus ministry like ��Ƶ here!” they told her.

One of them, a Christian woman named Faith who also coached the softball team, asked how faculty could get involved and was confident student athletes would be interested. A couple weeks later, Faith contacted Christine and told her the whole softball team was excited about having a Christian ministry on campus.

All of this felt like clear confirmation that God was up to something. So, on her second visit to campus, Christine set up a table on campus that said, “Interested in a Bible study?”

“There was a 100% interest rate for everyone who came to the table. When we went roving, it was about 90-95%,” Christine said. “Some of them were like ‘Train me in leading a Bible study!’”

Harvest Workers Eager to Serve

Christine realized that if they were going to plant a chapter at Salem, she would need help.

“We didn’t really have a key student or person that could help lead the ministry. I’m 60 to 90 minutes away…We need[ed] someone who’s on the ground.

”When Christine returned to Salem in December of 2024, she ran into Faith again, who introduced her to another faculty member named Irma.

“I want to start a Bible study, but I don’t know what to do,” Irma said. “I know God has called me to Salem.” After talking, Irma and Christine agreed that they were meant to partner with each other.

Two students eager for resouces at Salem Community College

While helping equip Irma, Christine met two student athletes eager to reach their corner of campus. One of them already had a team Bible study going and was looking for resources, and another, Dani, started leading prayer walks, inviting fellow student athletes.

“We’re seeing God answer our prayers!” Christine said. “We found these people who need to be affirmed, and they’re looking for coaching, and they’re looking for resources. That’s what I had! It was the Lord’s beautiful timing.”

Every Campus Needs Christian Community

In the spring 2025 semester, things were slowly beginning to pick up with establishing a ministry at SCC. With some small Bible studies and monthly prayer walks, around seven people were involved.

However, by the fall, Irma was ready to officially launch a small group and eighteen people came to the first meeting! Now, 15 to 20 students and faculty attend. On a campus of only 1,000, this is nearly 2% of the campus community!

“I never expected that students would be this interested!” Irma said.

This new community has already celebrated one first-time decision to faith, another member’s adult decision to follow Jesus, and many students committing to be missional and evangelistic!

Irma and others are training student leaders and are looking for more. While it once had no campus ministry at all, Salem now has a growing community of students and faculty passionate about following Jesus!

“I love this kind of small, faithful obedience that bears fruit in the lives, not just of individual students and faculty, but in the life of the whole institution!” Jon Hietbrink, ��Ƶ’s Vice President of Field Ministries, said. “Praise God for his faithfulness!”

College students are hungry for Christian community, and what God has done at Salem is just a glimpse of what he can do on every campus nationwide. Will you pray for God to send harvest workers to campuses with no Christian community? Will you partner with us to give students everywhere the chance to know him?

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Kaitlyn Doty

Fruit From Perseverance: Sarah’s Leadership Story

kyia.hernandez@intervarsity.org — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:54:13 +0000

April 01, 2026

Kyia Hernandez

Fruit From Perseverance: Sarah’s Leadership Story

Sarah didn’t expect freshman year to be one of the hardest seasons of her life.

She found herself two hours from home — away from her loving parents, diverse church, and where she gained a successful high school academic record. Like most freshmen, Sarah was excited and a little nervous to begin college. But throughout her time on campus, God built her trust, showing her that even if she didn’t know how, he was going to produce fruit that would last.

In the fall of 2022, Sarah started college at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin feeling lonely, stuck in a competitive mindset, and like she wasn’t enough. The hectic nature of the Biomedical Engineering program made her question her ability to be a good student and fit in with others.

I'll never measure up to them, Sarah thought. They don't want to be my friend because I'm not as smart as them.

After attending an organization fair, Sarah sat in her dorm room reviewing all the information she had accumulated, and something drew her to fill out the ��Ƶ contact card. She knew she needed to find Christian community.

More Than a Text

Just a couple of days after the org fair, an ��Ƶ staff reached out. Sarah was immediately impressed since all the other groups she met sent mass emails rather than reaching out individually. A campus minister then met with her to talk about ��Ƶ at Marquette.

In this meeting, Sarah felt cared for, and ��Ƶ seemed like the community she longed for. After that, she showed up and never left.

An Unexpected Call

When Sarah arrived at ��Ƶ’s fall conference later that semester, she was told she was in the leadership track with Joshua and Justice, her Bible study leaders at the time. She assumed there must have been a mistake.

“I was confused! I was like, ‘I don't even know what I’m doing here’” Sarah said. Still, she trusted God had a reason for it.

The rest of the weekend, Sarah reflected on how she saw many Latino clubs and Christian organizations for Marquette students, but none that combined both. As a first-generation Colombian American with a church background that celebrated diversity, she longed for a similar place on campus.

“There wasn’t a clear space where Latinos could come together, support each other, and grow in our faith in a way that honored both our culture and our calling as followers of Jesus,” Sarah said. “I saw people –– me included –– struggling to stay connected to our faith, searching for meaning, and many who just needed a familia to walk this journey with.”

Sarah took this as a call from God to start a Latino Bible study herself.

Leading While Scared

Even though God’s call was clear, Sarah questioned if she could lead.

“How in the world am I going to lead a Bible study when I feel like there's still growth I need to do within myself?” Sarah asked.

After talking with her campus minister, Sarah learned she didn’t have to be perfect at reading her Bible, praying every day, or knowing all the answers to lead. Instead, she could develop her faith while helping others do the same.

So, Sarah launched a LaFe Bible study the next semester, while she was still just a freshman!

She didn’t see fruit right away. While the larger chapter at Marquette grew, the LaFe Bible study had transient members and surface-level community for years.

Still, with each passing semester, Sarah kept showing up and kept saying yes to God’s call, despite not seeing what she hoped for.

Persevering Through Discouragement

By the time she started her junior year, Sarah’s fervor began to wane. Her Bible study still lacked consistency, and her schoolwork became more difficult. What she thought was her final straw came when no students attended a retreat she planned, and she wondered if she misheard God’s call at fall conference all those years ago.

“It was very painful,” she said.

Just as she was about to give up, however, Sarah realized something. Even though people weren’t coming to her Bible study, God still provided for her. Her fellow ��Ƶ student leaders, staff, and a mentor she had since sophomore year continually helped her feel like she wasn’t alone.

“I [saw] the importance of community and not being isolated,” Sarah said. “I'm surrounded by a group of people who care.” She decided to keep her commitment and finish leading her Bible study at least until the end of the school year.

To Sarah’s surprise, she received an invitation to even more when her ��Ƶ staff asked her to not just come back as a leader senior year, but to also become a Campus Intern, taking on more leadership in the chapter and experiencing what it would be like to be a campus minister.

Seeing how the staff believed in her, Sarah concluded that maybe God was doing something new, despite her ongoing discouragement. She decided to hold onto that “sliver of hope” and agreed to intern.

Finally Seeing Fruit

In the fall of 2025, the beginning of Sarah’s senior year, Marquette ��Ƶ tabled and passed out flyers at the exact same organization fair where Sarah met ��Ƶ three years prior. What’s more, the chapter came away with more contact cards than it had in years –– nearly 150!

This was the encouragement Sarah needed. “Maybe I need to have a little bit more faith,” she realized.

While she still considered the first couple months of her small group to be a “flop,” God changed everything by October.

First, a new freshman, eager to study Scripture in community started coming to Sarah’s Bible study. Then, two more students began coming consistently, sharing openly with Sarah and the rest of the group. These students even invited their friends.

“It was different this time,” Sarah said. “Seeing their eagerness was really cool.”

The community Sarah always believed God called her to build had finally taken shape.

Firm Foundation

Now, as she prepares to graduate, Sarah reflects on her leadership journey, how much her ��Ƶ leaders believed in her, and how God was faithful as she remained faithful.

“Despite the fact that I'm more introverted, a little bit more reserved, I can also still be a leader,” she said. “��Ƶ shaped me in ways where I’ve become stronger.”

Sarah looks forward to seeing all God continues to do through the LaFe Bible study after she’s gone, knowing now that his call and her persistence even through difficulty laid a strong foundation for future students. Having confidence in God even when it’s hard to see how he’s moving is a lesson she’ll take with her for years to come.

“I just have to trust [God’s] plan even if it’s really scary,” she said. “He’s going to guide me along the way.”

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Kyia Hernandez

Kyia is a content coordinator for ��Ƶ's editorial team. She is based in Milwaukee, WI. She loves creating, especially with bright bold colors! In additional to her editorial work, she enjoys mentoring the LaFe Bible study at Marquette University. You can support her ministry here.

“Go and Make Disciples”: How Student Leadership is Transforming Michigan State University

kyia.hernandez@intervarsity.org — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:51:52 +0000