Trinity University

Transformation at Trinity

AD-16225 — Tue, 03 May 2011 16:18:03 +0000

Gordon Govier

Transformation at Trinity

“Before I came on staff, while I was a Trinity student in San Antonio, Texas, God gave me a vision for Trinity ��ñ�� to rise up and become the most diverse place on campus. I believed God would use that vision to renew our liberal arts university of 2,500 students.”
– Laura Abrams, speaking at staff conference 2011

Laura Abrams was a part of ��ñ�� during all four of her years at Trinity University, and chapter president as a senior. Her first experience with an ��ñ�� Bible study overcame any hesitancy that she had about getting involved in a Christian organization.

“I went and found a community that was taking God seriously and having fun at the same time. That was really exciting for me,” she said.

Laura first met her staff partner Jacob Foor when they were on the same recreational soccer team. He was a freshman and she was a junior. He was a friend to some of the students in ��ñ��’s Asian American Fellowship, and as a sophomore he responded to an invitation to attend a chapter retreat.

“At the chapter retreat I came to the blunt realization that my life needed changing and I decided to follow Christ,” Jacob said.

Chapter Transformation
Laura has been on ��ñ�� staff at Trinity for five years. Jacob joined the staff two years ago. First as students and then as staff, Laura and Jacob have seen the transformation of ��ñ�� at Trinity from two moderately successful chapters (one multiethnic and one Asian American) to one multiethnic chapter that has grown to contain 5 percent of the student body. (Although it has a historical connection to the Presbyterian Church, Trinity is an independent university.)

Unifying the two groups, rather than expanding them, was a difficult decision. And the process was not easy. “It took two-and-a-half to three years for the transition to solidify,” Laura said.

But now, looking back, the wisdom of the decision is clearer. “God’s call to interweave was the linchpin for renewal,” Laura said. “With each step of faith towards God, the campus has taken notice,” Jacob added. Laura and Jacob gave a report on their ministry at Trinity during ��ñ��’s National Staff Conference in January, 2011 (video above).

More Effective Outreach
The change to one multiethnic chapter also helped to make ��ñ�� more interesting and attractive to international students. The chapter now works with Trinity’s International Students Office to help the students settle into their new campus home. “We meet 70 percent of each new international class within 24 hours of their arrival to the states,” Laura said. “Internationals comprise 14 percent of our fellowship and the majority of our GIGs (investigative Bible studies).”

One of the biggest hurdles for the chapter to overcome was the students’ reticence about proclaiming the gospel boldly. “On a small campus proclamation is very costly,” Laura said. “You’re outed as soon as you do it, because there’s nowhere to run and hide.”

But students learned to depend on God and trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the campus culture began to change. “The desire of our fellowship is to be the most authentic place on campus, where people are experiencing God,” Laura said.

Staff Source
The Trinity chapter is also having an impact on other campuses in the region. Over the past five years six Trinity students have joined ��ñ�� staff. Laura and Jacob are pleased that three more will join staff after this year. Laura is now planning a new transition, moving to the Dominican Republic to do campus ministry through ��ñ��’s Link program.

Working as a staff team at Trinity, Laura and Jacob have grown to appreciate each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Their differences complement each other well. “What we care about most is God, and the mission,” Laura said. “Recently we’ve been seeing more fruit from our efforts. I really pray that we become people who are dependent on God in prayer. I trust God that he will do that.”

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A Shift in Priorities

webteam@intervarsity.org — Mon, 01 Dec 2003 06:00:00 +0000

News

Kristine Whitnable

A Shift in Priorities

Lindy has been a Christian since high school; however she had not always given Christ first place in her life. Lindy made her decision about where to go to college based on how well the institution fulfilled her desire to succeed in the world. She chose Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, in part because the engineering school was nationally ranked, and Lindy wanted to be able to get a good job when she graduated.

In order to succeed, Lindy took full advantage of many of the activities offered on campus. She was involved in music, athletics, and ��ñ��.

In order to succeed, Lindy took full advantage of many of the activities offered on campus. She was involved in music, athletics, and ��ñ��. Then, through reading a book that explained that God had a plan for her life and through the leading of the Holy Spirit, Lindy was challenged to make God and his purposes the priority in her life. One change she considered was her schedule. It was too full to be open to what God wanted to do in her life.

Lindy prayed about her choices and talked with Jamie Teague, the ��ñ�� staff person at Trinity University. Jamie suggested that Lindy write down all of her activities. The list was long: ��ñ�� meetings, discipleship relationships, Bible studies, university classes, piano lessons, Ultimate Frisbee Club team, volunteering, and time with friends. With her schedule so full, Lindy was aware that she would not have time for some important commitments, like the First Year Women’s Bible study. “Since my job wasn’t so much to lead the Bible study as to be there for the women and support them, I knew I had to be available. If someone wanted to talk to me, I didn’t want to have to pull out a schedule and say, ‘Well, I can fit you in for a fifteen minute chat next Tuesday at 3:15’.” Something had to go. Lindy made the choice to quit piano lessons and Ultimate Frisbee.

As she began her sophomore year, Lindy implemented changes in her life that would allow her to be more open to what God might have her do. These changes not only allowed God to use Lindy for his purposes, but they also encouraged others. Seeing that Lindy would be willing to give up Ultimate Frisbee, something she really enjoyed, other members of the ��ñ�� chapter were encouraged to make changes in their own lives in order to know the good that God desires for them.

As Lindy reordered her priorities, God moved in her life to give her new responsibilities. Soon after school was out in the spring, Lindy met someone who told her about Susan, a non-Christian who would be a freshman at Trinity in the fall. Lindy prayed for Susan during the summer. When she arrived on campus, another person told Lindy that they also knew Susan. By this time meeting this freshman was a high priority for Lindy. Then Lindy was given a list of people who had indicated that they were interested in ��ñ��, and Susan’s name was on the list. Lindy contacted Susan, and they met at a large group meeting. Since then the two of them have had gotten to know one another, studying the Bible and talking about spiritual things. Even though God seemed intent on Lindy knowing Susan, their friendship might not have happened if Lindy had not shifted her priorities so that she had time to spend with Susan.

Lindy’s shift in priorities has also affected her school work. She has changed majors from engineering to economics, with the thought that she will be able to use that knowledge in an overseas mission setting. “I am hoping that Urbana (��ñ��’s triennial Student Mission Conference) answers some of the questions about my future.” Whatever the answers, Lindy is now sure that God is directing her future rather than her own desire to succeed.

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Trinity University