Chapter Building

Renewal in New Orleans

webteam@intervarsity.org — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0000

March 26, 2009

Katie Montei

Renewal in New Orleans

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina put 81 percent of New Orleans underwater and caused 1,800 deaths in the region. Recovery has been slow. About 85 percent of the recovery work being done is by faith-based groups. Without volunteer work, from Christians in particular, the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast would be much slower.

��Ƶ chapters in New England have joined together to create the Katrina Relief Urban Project (KRUP) to help clean and rebuild New Orleans. For the past three years ��Ƶ chapters in the Northeast have spent their spring breaks in New Orleans.

The Purpose of KRUP
��Ƶ staff created a threefold purpose for KRUP. It’s first purpose is to walk alongside the people of New Orleans, to help rebuild the lives of families and the health of the community.

The second purpose is to foster community among students who may not naturally befriend each other on campus; the nature of the trip attracts people from various religious and social backgrounds who all have a desire to lend a hand to help others.

The third purpose is to facilitate discussion and reflection about the deep questions of life and to demonstrate the intersection of faith and social justice. The mission has provided an opportunity for students, whether or not they are Christians, to give themselves to a worthy cause.

The Influence of KRUP
This year 496 students participated over the four weeks that ��Ƶ chapters worked in New Orleans. Since its conception, KRUP has drawn students from every point on the spectrum of faith – from those who have little interest in Christianity, to those who are committed followers of Jesus.

KRUP has not only brought restoration to communities in New Orleans, but it has also helped with the life of ��Ƶ chapters. Tom Brink, the New England Missions Coordinator for ��Ƶ, explained that the reason KRUP has been so influential is because it is central to their regional vision “to advance the Kingdom through whole life commitment to Christ.”

Every year more and more students with little faith background are coming. When Brown University first started participating in KRUP most of the students who went were already heavily involved in ��Ƶ. This year, of the fifteen students who went, only five were part of the chapter. Oftentimes on-campus events will be designed for either the seeker or the Christian, but KRUP offers opportunity for growth no matter where someone is on their spiritual journey.

Although the chapters do not treat KRUP as a means to an end in order to convert their friends, the nature of the trip and their unabashed Christian outlook has naturally led people to faith. Sarah Cowan Johnson, Area Director in Rhode Island, said, “It’s so different from our models in the past, because we’re not just witnessing with the people there, we’re witnessing to the team we bring along.”

Lives that are Changed
Last year, a student from the University of New Hampshire named Pete, who was not previously involved in ��Ƶ, came on the trip. Because of the Lord working in his life during the trip, he made the decision to follow Christ. He came back this year and brought ten of his friends from the Track team. His friend Jay became a Christian during the week and together they stood up in front of the whole team at the end of the trip to invite others into relationship with Christ. Another 6 students stood up to acknowledge that they wanted to take a step forward in their faith.

Tom Brink said, “KRUP is probably the most effective event I’ve seen in helping chapters move from a group that is internally focused, to a group that affects the campus.” Students are searching for ways to affect their campus, their country, and the world; and ��Ƶ chapters in New England have met that desire.

Because of the community that students witness both within neighborhoods in New Orleans, and the group of people that they are working with, they leave the project feeling compelled by the person of Jesus and attracted to the community of believers that they became a part of. ��Ƶ is reaching students by providing an opportunity to aid others in rebuilding their lives, and sharing who Jesus is along the way.

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Urban Ministry

Chapter Building

Celebrating Chapter Planters

webteam@intervarsity.org — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:00:00 +0000

News

September 15, 2008

Alec Hill, president of ��Ƶ

Celebrating Chapter Planters

In early July, it was my great pleasure to welcome 19 new chapter planters, their coaches, and trainers for a week of training in Madison. For the past three summers, greeting these cohorts has been a real highlight for me.

This year’s class represents new chapters at 13 state universities, five liberal arts colleges, and a community college.

• Undergraduate Multiethnic:

University of Oklahoma, Norman—Chris Goree
Georgia State, Atlanta— Nick Johnson
University of Missouri, Kansas City—Jamie Veeder
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA—Chris Owen
Champlain College, Burlington, VT—Susan Blodgett
University of Dayton, OH—Hunter Buikema
Alvernia College, Reading, PA—Danny Greenawalt
Aurora University, IL—Jinette Greifenberger
Lynchburg College, VA—Brian Johnson

• Greeks

James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA—Taylor Register
University of Texas, Austin—Sarah Royce
Central Michigan, Mount Pleasant, MI—Tina Aceti

• International Students

University of Oregon— Amy Awtrey
University of Memphis, TN—Amy Brewster
University North Carolina, Chapel Hill— Jim Herman

• Historically Black

Bowie State , MD— NaKhia Grays

• Asian American

University of Missouri, Columbia— Adam Leong

• Community College

Hancock Com. College, Santa Maria, CA —Bekah Weisman

• Athletes

University of New Hampshire, Durham—Maghan Grahn

Context
As stated in our Purpose Statement, ��Ƶ’s mission is to “establish and advance witnessing communities” at colleges and universities. Over a five-year period–believing that this is the direction the Lord wants us to go–we have boldly committed to plant 100 new chapters. This entails raising $3.3 million as part of our Vision Campaign–a daunting task!

Progress to Date
Thankfully, we have a great deal to celebrate. The first cohort (2006) planted 12 chapters. After two years, these chapters now involve 456 core students and faculty, and have seen 52 new believers. Amazing.

After only one year, the 2007 cohort (11 new chapters) have 324 core students and 16 new believers. Thanks be to God!

All total, the three cohorts (2006, 2007, and 2008) represent 42 new chapters. This leaves 58 to go. In 2009, we plan to launch 20 new chapters. Likewise, in 2010.

I am so thankful for the funds we have received to date, including those for most of the 2009 chapters. It also thrills me to see the cultural change that is occurring in the Fellowship. Being a chapter planter–like being an evangelist–is very cool.

Three Great Stories

After completing their seminary degrees, Jeff and Anna Gissing sensed the call of God to reach graduate students at Wake Forrest. To put it mildly, they hit a sweet spot. Today, 117 students are involved in three chapters (law, medicine, and the liberal arts).

Willis and Amy Webber—also part of the 2006 cohort—planted a chapter at Charleston College. Over the past two years, they have seen their multiethnic chapter grow to 75 people in a racially divided context. According to Jim Lundgren, Charleston is a textbook example of chapter planting.

After conducting a thorough evaluation of Clemson in South Carolina (including conversations with other campus ministries), key leaders concluded that it was the right time to plant a Greek chapter there. In 2007 Dusty Harrison started his work as a chapter planter. After only one year, the chapter has 60 core members.

Prayer
It is thrilling to witness the Lord’s hand at work. Please pray for:

The 2008 chapter planters listed above. Planting is highly taxing and these folks will need divine staying power.
Wisdom for the senior leaders who are overseeing this effort – in particular, Jim Lundgren and Bobby Gross.
Funds for the remaining chapters.

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Chapter Building

A Courageous Move: Part Two

webteam@intervarsity.org — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 05:00:00 +0000

News

October 15, 2007

A Courageous Move: Part Two

It is hard to determine success after only a month and a half in any endeavor. At the beginning of September a portion of the ��Ƶ Chapter at the University of Wisconsin — Madison moved back into a dorm on campus, Witte Hall. But, as with any new venture, they have had to continue evaluating their success in accomplishing their vision. So far, the chapter has enjoyed a satisfying first semester.

A group of Christians all moving back into one dorm together is risky. And the students knew that going in. They could be stereotyped as being pushy about their faith, or as living in a Christian bubble; both are twisted outcomes of positive ideals. The ��Ƶ students do want to share their faith with others, and they do want to live in Christian community, but they want to do it with grace.

The presence of ��Ƶ in Witte has not been an obstacle for the chapter to overcome in building relationships. Spencer Montei, a senior at Madison said, “Most of the people around on our floor know that we’re Christians and that we’re part of ��Ƶ. But knowing that about us hasn’t killed any relationships before they start.” In fact, having a visible presence in the dorm has led some students to get involved in the chapter.

One freshman student, in particular, had little interest in getting involved with a campus ministry coming into college. In recent years her faith had become stagnant, and by the time she entered college it was all but dead. She ended up living in Witte among the ��Ƶ students, who quickly took an interest in her. Since that initial meeting, the young woman has become a committed member of ��Ƶ. The chapter has welcomed her involvement, but even more so they have celebrated her rejuvenated faith.

But in most cases, relationships take time, especially in a setting such as this. The ��Ƶ students have been slowly building friendships with their roommates. “Roommates are definitely hanging out with us,” Spencer says, “they’ll come to things ��Ƶ does, or come play Frisbee with us, or come to dinner with us. People are taking steps towards developing strong friendships with their roommates, but it takes time, and it’s still the beginning of the year.”

The gentleness that has to take place in the approach the chapter is taking means that conversions will probably not happen overnight. But the friendships that are made have the potential to plant seeds in students that may sprout in another season of life.

Perhaps the most positive outcome thus far has been the growth between chapter members. The community moving into Witte began the year by spending a lot of time together because of new student outreach. “We were going out together to hand out freezy-pops and lemonade to incoming freshmen. So right off the bat we were working together. When Christians are working together for a Kingdom cause, growth in the community is bound to happen.” Without forsaking new and old relationships with those outside the chapter, the community has devoted a lot of time to building each other up. They hang out together, eat their meals together, study together, and support each other in their respective ��Ƶ roles.

The adventure of living in dorms is really just beginning for Madison’s ��Ƶ chapter. And they are taking it as it comes, continually relying on God for guidance. Some bumps may lie ahead for the ��Ƶ chapter, but so far, in their estimation, the year has been a success.

“Hundreds of students from Witte don’t need to join ��Ƶ for what we’re doing to be a success,” Spencer said, “people are noticing us and some have joined our chapter, and those are all good things. But, we went into this without desiring numbers to be the criterion for success. Living together has been really great for our community – and in that sense it’s been 100 percent successful.”

Part one of this story

___

You can make a direct financial donation to support ��Ƶ’s work on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus by following this link.

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Witnessing

Chapter Building

��Ƶ's New Initiatives Address a National Problem

webteam@intervarsity.org — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 06:00:00 +0000

News

February 15, 2007

��Ƶ's New Initiatives Address a National Problem

America has problem: Twentysomethings are leaving our churches. “A new study by The Barna Group shows that despite strong levels of spiritual activity during their teen years, most twentysomethings disengage from active participation in the Christian faith. . . .” (The Barna Update, 9-11-2006) This age group’s abandonment of Christian faith will eventually result in weakening the church and our nation. The church will suffer a depletion of Christian leaders, and our nation will find fewer leaders who are Christians.

While in college, young students encounter new worldviews and spiritualities that shape their futures, and in turn, the future of this nation. Christian students may not always discern between biblical truth and the errors within secular ideologies and non-Christian, religious worldviews. Research by The Barna Group has recently shown that over 50 percent of college students from church backgrounds lose hope in the Christian beliefs of their parents. The solution, however, is not withdrawal from secular institutions and isolation within Christian communities, but is active participation in society by demonstrating hope and transformation.

��Ƶ is on campus to offer students eternal hope, transformation of spirit, and strength of character to discern truth from error and withstand evil. For non-Christian students, such hope leads to a new life in Christ; for Christian students, this hope results in a growing relationship with Jesus within a welcoming, ��Ƶ chapter.

Today, ��Ƶ continues to help college students and faculty love God, serve people, and do God’s mission around the world. Our vision to see students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed, and world changers developed is an outgrowth of our sixty-five years of ministry on campus.

��Ƶ’s vision is accomplished by building witnessing communities of Jesus’ followers at college and universities throughout the United States. Over the last ten years, we have established 150 new witnessing communities on campuses. But almost all of those communities are either second or third ��Ƶ chapters on campuses where we already have an established presence. We have not grown to new schools.

Our new chapter planting and chapter building initiatives are designed to remedy not only our need to establish new chapters on unreached campuses, but also to address the larger problem of spiritual leadership for the future of this nation. We believe that God is calling us to help address the loss of so many twentysomethings from our nation’s churches, and the loss of future Christian leaders within our nation.

Over the past four years, senior ��Ƶ leaders have engaged in a planning process for planting new chapters on unreached campuses and for growing the chapters on campuses where we now have witnessing communities. In the next five years, ��Ƶ’s new chapter planting and chapter building growth initiatives will (1) pursue a 35 percent increase in the number of new believers, (2) develop 120 promising students, train 200 select staff, and upgrade our training facilities, and (3) reach 10,000 more students and faculty with the gospel, while expanding our ministries to 125 more campuses.

Accomplishing these initiatives will mean that we are reaching many more students for Christ and will mark a new period of growth for ��Ƶ. We ask for your prayers. To partner with us in prayer, please visit our intercessors page. You can also sign up for monthly prayer emails.

We are excited by the possibilities for new growth. But these initiatives require additional resources. If you wish to contribute financially to the Campus Ministry Growth Initiative, please call 866-743-4823 or you can donate online.

Together, we can help many college students and faculty regain hope through a relationship with Jesus Christ, and we can prepare future Christian leaders for service in our nation and throughout the world.

News Keywords

Campus Ministry

Chapter Building

Alec Hill's Thanksgiving Message

webteam@intervarsity.org — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 06:00:00 +0000

News

November 22, 2006

Alec Hill's Thanksgiving Message

Even when he was confined to a Roman prison, the apostle Paul gave thanks. Writing to the Christians at Ephesus, Paul said “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” (Eph 1:16 NIV)

Highlighting these words from Ephesians (This letter is the scriptural focus of next month’s Urbana 06 Student Missions Convention), ��Ƶ President Alec Hill offered “Seven Things I’m Thankful For,” in a pre-Thanksgiving chapel service at ��Ƶ’s National Service Center in Madison, WI.

Chapter Planters – Expanding on 12 new campuses
“This represents three to four years of dreaming and envisioning,” Alec said. Among the new chapters doing well: Towson University, just outside of Baltimore and Maryland’s second largest university. The school is identified as Maryland’s growth campus. As it continues to grow, ��Ƶ is growing with it. University of California–Merced is a brand new school in the California system and ��Ƶ is there at the beginning.
b>Chapter Builders – Growing the size of current chapters
From a New Mexico community college to Harvard University, 30 campus outreaches have taken on the goal of doubling the size of their chapters. Each chapter has a coach to help it reach this goal. “This is the heart of what we do and we’re now focusing on it,” Alec said.
Evangelism – Welcoming students and faculty into the Christian faith
“I’ve heard it said that in the last 30 years we’ve never seen a harvest like this,” Alec observed. “This is just astounding.” He noted that 28-percent of those involved with ��Ƶ chapters are self-identified non-Christians. ��Ƶ has become more intentional about asking them to join the faith. On many campuses, such as Oakland University in Rochester, MI, ��Ƶ is teaming up with World Vision to present issues of social concern as part of an evangelistic outreach. “There is no better model for evangelism,” Alec said. “The evangelical church has struggled with this false dichotomy for 50-plus years. This collaboration is a model for bringing it together.”
Urbana – The world’s largest missions convention
With just over a month to go, more than 19,000 registrations are in for Urbana 06. That’s well ahead of previous Urbanas, and is possible because of the larger capacity of the new location at the Edward Jones Dome and The Americas Center in St. Louis.
��Ƶ Press – ��Ƶ’s publishing arm
Of the 50 most influential Christian books of the last 50 years, listed in a recent issue of Christianity Today, eight were published by ��Ƶ Press and two more were written by former ��Ƶ staff. Several more were by authors whose other books have been published by ��Ƶ Press. “We’re 65 years old and we have this amazing publishing legacy,” Alec said, noting that ��Ƶ Press publishes fewer than 100 books per year.
Alumni
Two of note, representing many: Gary Haugen, president of International Justice Mission, spent four years with ��Ƶ as a student at Harvard. “He is an ��Ƶ product by his own definition,” Alec said. Mark Earley*, president of Prison Fellowship, was involved in ��Ƶ at William and Mary in the early 1970’s. Prison Fellowship is involved in compassionate ministry and prison reform in over 100 countries.
*Campus Access issues*
Working to restore official recognition of ��Ƶ chapters on the University of Wisconsin-Superior campus and at Georgetown University “has taken a lot of emotional energy,” he said. “But I’m so thankful for our student leaders.” He praised the leadership on both campuses for the way they have handled the difficult situation imposed upon them by school officials. He is optimistic that both situations will be positively resolved in the coming months.

The chapel ended with a time of spontaneous prayer as employees of the National Service Center expressed their thanks for God’s hand of direction and blessing in the ministry of ��Ƶ.

To listen to Alec Hill’s chapel message, click here.

^{*��Ƶ alum Mark Earley broadcast a Breakpoint Commentary on this same day focusing on Christian witness on the college campus and a book by recent college graduate Abby Nye, entitled Out of Water: Surviving and Thriving as a Christian on a Secular Campus (New Leaf Press).}

News Keywords

LaFe Gets Started at UT-Pan American

webteam@intervarsity.org — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 06:00:00 +0000

News

November 13, 2006

LaFe Gets Started at UT-Pan American

When God loves a campus, watch out. Carlos, Abbey, and Aaron are three students with an amazing story of how the Lord is doing a new thing on their campus. They just met each other this fall, but God has obviously connected them for a reason. Through their leadership, a new ��Ƶ LaFe chapter has started at UT–Pan American.

Carlos Lopez was in the school chapel during the first week of school, praying to find a Christian fellowship on his campus. He could not have imagined how God was about to answer his prayers.

Carlos had become a Christian less than a year earlier and was eager to connect with other believers when he arrived on campus in the fall. “I wanted to find a group that wasn’t just a Christian social club,” he said. In the chapel, a guy named Nick Dombrowski introduced himself and told Carlos that a new group was just forming that would be an active, witnessing community at UTPA. At first, Carlos was a little hesitant and wanted to pray about getting involved. The next night Carlos and Nick met for coffee and Carlos asked, “Okay, what’s the plan?”

In the first weeks of building this new fellowship group, Carlos has become one of the core student leaders with a vision to reach the UTPA campus with the good news of Jesus. The school is located just twenty miles from the Mexican border and has a growing student population of 17,000 students, 93 percent of whom are Mexican-American. “I love the different cultural and spiritual backgrounds of everyone in the group,” Carlos reports. “It creates a synergy that helps me grow in my faith.”

Abbey Muniz is another student who has been pivotal in getting the group organized. After talking with Nick, she was so excited about the mission of ��Ƶ that she signed the necessary papers to get the group registered as a student organization, becoming the first official ��Ƶ president.

“I wanted to help get ��Ƶ LaFe off the ground because I know it would be a blessing to the whole school,” Abbey said. “I want to reach everybody and ��Ƶ can help us do that. It also provides such a close community of believers and emphasizes serving God with our whole lives.”

Nick Dombrowski is the ��Ƶ staff member who felt called to the UTPA campus to serve the Latino students there. When he arrived in Edinburgh, TX, he quickly saw that the Lord had already been working before he ever set foot on campus. Within Nick’s first week, he had discovered a chapter president, a core group of excited students, a faculty advisor, and relationships with community and church supporters. After only a few months, this growing group has about 30 committed members, several regular Bible studies, and an active outreach.

Aaron Ford got involved in the group after seeing a flyer on campus. He called the number (Nick’s cell phone), and asked if this was ��Ƶ Christian Fellowship. When Nick said yes, Aaron replied, “Oh good! I want to get involved! People at my home church told me they’d shoot me if I got involved in anything besides ��Ƶ.” Aaron’s magnetic and welcoming personality has been instrumental in drawing others into the chapter.

Some of the students in the new group came from a church Bible study that was led by man who had been in ��Ƶ elsewhere and was eager to see a group get off the ground. Three Bible studies have quickly started on campus. One of them is in the brand new dorm on campus, Unity Hall, and has 13–15 members. The Hall Director, Desiree, knew about ��Ƶ from ��Ƶ alumni at her home church. She is regularly attending the Bible study and is even promoting it in her hall.

Positive relationships are developing with university administrators. The Director of Residence Life said, “��Ƶ is one of the best organizations we’ve ever worked with. The publicity is excellent and the student leaders are high quality.”

Developing leaders is important to ��Ƶ and the university, and they are partnering together. The university sponsors an elite leadership program for twenty top campus leaders. Daisy is one of the student leaders in the program. When Nick met the graduate student in charge of the program, he asked Nick to mentor Daisy as part of the requirements for Daisy to be in the program. Nick and Daisy meet together regularly and study Scripture to learn more about the leadership style of Jesus.

For Jacqui Torres, the LaFe group helps her connect to people that will help her grow spiritually. “I see it as my family away from home,” she says. “They’ll support me and I can rely on them.” She adds, “I’m just glad that I can be a part of something that is reaching out to people who don’t know him. It’s just awesome.”

For Carlos, Abbey, Aaron and others, the fall semester has been a surprising journey of discovering how to start and build a campus fellowship group. “Every time I go to meetings I see people who are really interested and who love God, and it pushes me further to think of what I can do,” Abbey says.

“The strong relational bond we have with each other and with God is amazing, and I love learning how to grow in my faith with others,” Aaron summarizes. “We’re a familia de Cristo.”

^{This story originally appeared on ��Ƶ’s Student Soul website.}
^{Photo: Some members of UTPA ��Ƶ LaFe: Ernest, Nick, Christine, Aaron and Carlos}

News Keywords

LaFe

Chapter Building

Chapter Building

Renewal in New Orleans

Renewal in New Orleans

Celebrating Chapter Planters

Celebrating Chapter Planters

A Courageous Move: Part Two

A Courageous Move: Part Two

������Ƶ's New Initiatives Address a National Problem

������Ƶ's New Initiatives Address a National Problem

Alec Hill's Thanksgiving Message

Alec Hill's Thanksgiving Message

LaFe Gets Started at UT-Pan American

LaFe Gets Started at UT-Pan American

��Ƶ's New Initiatives Address a National Problem

��Ƶ's New Initiatives Address a National Problem