Weber State University

Adventures in Bible Study

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 14:46:29 +0000

Kathryn Brill

Adventures in Bible Study

Reading the Bible is unlike reading any other book in the world. As the Word of God, the stories of the Bible are more than just intriguing or entertaining—they have the power to change our lives and bring us into closer relationship with God. Through the Bible study they lead together, Weber State University students Jordan Barbadillo and Michelle Frias have grown to love reading God’s Word in community and acting on what they hear.

The Power of the Word

For both Jordan and Michelle, their time in Weber’s ��ñ�� chapter has transformed their view of Scripture. “I’ve fallen in love with the Word and constantly have to rely on its truth,” said Michelle. “Before college I had no idea that God wants to and can speak to us, but now I know how to hear him in Scripture.” Jordan has also found new significance in the Word of God that he hadn’t seen before: “After just the first year in ��ñ��, I got a glimpse of the depth of God’s Word.”

Jordan and Michelle decided to use their love of Scripture in leadership. Throughout this past year, they have co-led a small group Bible study in their dorm. The group, which averages about twenty people, meets each week to study the Bible and encourage each other. Together, they are discovering the power of the Word of God.

Serving the Dorms

But Jordan and Michelle knew that simply studying the Bible would be inadequate. They also needed to help their Bible study respond to the things they learned in Scripture. In order to do that, they came up with a creative form of service: trash disposal.

“We wanted our small group to be doers of the Word, so we decided we would serve the dorms by taking out students’ trash,” said Michelle. “Before and after each Bible study, we go through our dorm collecting trash.” As they go, they share who they are, what ��ñ�� is, and why they are doing this.

Taking out the trash isn’t glamorous. But Michelle and Jordan feel that it’s the best way their group can show the servant heart of Jesus to the rest of the dorm community. And interacting with people as they take out their trash lays the groundwork for future interactions: “Every time someone opens up their door, we have an opportunity to build a relationship,” said Jordan.

Taking out the trash of their fellow students has also helped the Bible study grasp what it means to apply what they learn from Scripture to their daily lives. “If we have a nice little Christian huddle, nod our heads when something deep is read or said, and then just go home, what kind of impact is it truly going to make in us or anyone else?” said Jordan. “Taking out trash reminds us that the Word is for everyone, not just ourselves.”

Stepping Out In Faith

Six members have taken to heart this lesson that God’s Word is for everyone and have become part of a group of leaders sent out to start additional Bible studies in Jordan and Michelle’s dorm. “They have taken a step of faith and are excited about what God has in store for them,” said Michelle. Some of the new Bible studies are reaching out to people that might be otherwise overlooked—one meets on Saturdays for those who aren’t free during the week, while another is specifically for medical students.

Training and sending out new leaders has become an important part of Michelle and Jordan’s small group. “I see God stirring in the hearts of those leading new studies, and new leaders becoming passionate about reaching the campus,” said Jordan. He holds debriefing sessions—times when he and the new leaders can talk about what went well, what could be better, and what they might do differently next time. They also spend an hour praying and preparing before each group meeting.

The Joy of Leadership

The development of new leaders is especially encouraging to Michelle, who will graduate this year: “I find great joy in seeing people grow, and watching younger leaders who I disciple go out and start their own Bible studies has given me great hope for where our chapter is headed.”

Of course, leading is not without its challenges. “It causes me to re-examine how I live my life,” said Jordan. “I often ask myself if I’m willing to do the things I call my Bible study to do.” It can also be tiring, as Michelle and Jordan balance homework and Bible study, and can make them hyper-aware of their own shortcomings and failures. But ultimately it’s not about how strong they can be—it’s about God’s strength working through them. “Watching God move and accomplish great things in people despite my brokenness and mistakes as a leader has taught me about God’s sovereignty and power,” said Michelle.

Although training and discipling leaders and seeing their small group grow from ten to thirty members has been exciting for Michelle and Jordan, their ultimate goal is to help those they lead understand how God can speak to them through Scripture. “I see the Word not just as a book to be read, but as something that has the power to transform a person every time they read it,” said Michelle. “The Word is Jesus, and he is living and active.”

News Keywords

Weber State University

Bible Study

Heading in a New Direction

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:40:44 +0000

News

Drew Larson

Heading in a New Direction

As a member of the Mormon church, Weber State senior Justin Neville didn’t think he had to make a choice about following Jesus. After all, he was raised in the LDS (Latter-Day Saints) faith, and he was a two-year mission trip veteran, having been the assistant to the president of the missionary effort in Germany, overseeing the efforts of 150 missionaries. To Justin, spiritual truth was a settled matter.

After returning home to Ogden, UT, Justin enrolled at Weber State University, got involved in student government (he is a self-described “business major by necessity but political science major at heart”), met a girl, and eventually married.

Drifting

Justin’s marriage ended in divorce. “This was a difficult time for me,” Justin said. “I became distant from God. I developed feelings of bitterness, anger, and resentment in my heart.” Justin held onto those feelings for over two years, going about his life while ignoring the toll those feelings were taking on his psyche. “It was difficult to maintain relationships and engage in positive behavior. It was a serious sickness in my heart. . . . I was in a spiritual lull and I couldn’t get out of it.”

Justin first met Shalie Barber through a mutual involvement in student government at Weber State. From the outset of their friendship Justin could tell that she had a special quality about her, something Justin couldn’t pinpoint. He agreed to go with Shalie to ��ñ�� Large Group meetings and Bible studies in order to learn more. “I was curious,” Justin said. “And I didn’t see it as a situation where I could lose anything by going.”

After attending multiple group meetings, Justin was impressed by the openness and authenticity in the people he found there. No one pretended to be perfect. No one tried to look more spiritually together than they were. “It was refreshing to learn about what it takes to become friends with God. It was a new concept for me, although I had spent my whole life active in the LDS Church,” Justin said.

Trilogy

Trilogy is a regional ��ñ�� conference where Utah and Idaho chapters gather for a time of worship and teaching. The students in the chapter had been enthusiastic about the conference for weeks. As an ��ñ�� newcomer, Justin had little idea of what to expect. He resolved to keep an open mind, thanks to encouragement that Trilogy would be a worthwhile experience. “I made a conscious decision to have an open heart through everything… I knew this would be an important time for me.”

Justin’s open mind was rewarded. “The weekend was packed full of great socializing time with other students and plenty of opportunities to commune with God. It was at Trilogy that I felt the love of God change me and help me establish a new direction.”

Part of that new direction meant making a decision about who Jesus is. As Justin talked through the decision, he realized that he wanted all that God had for him and to follow him. One of Justin’s staff workers sensed that the time was right for a bold question. “Do you want to leave the Mormon Church and become a Christian?” the staff worker asked. “Yes!” Justin replied.

The other part of that new direction meant allowing God to heal the wounds of his past. “I was fortunate enough to leave that weekend with a new heart,” Justin said. “I allowed Jesus to fill the holes and heal the pain, anger, bitterness and fear.”

As a senior, Justin is preparing for life after college. He will soon graduate with a degree in Human Resources Management, and an internship in California promises to open potential career doors in that field. As for local church involvement, Justin is optimistic. “I enjoy teaching, leading, and I love an audience. I would feel very comfortable helping in any way possible.”

‘Helping in any way possible’. What a perfect phrase to crystallize the vision ��ñ�� has for its graduates’ church participation. This month, thousands of students like Justin are preparing to exit college and enter a new season of life. ��ñ�� wants them to be not only world-changers, but people-servers as well- joining churches where they can, as Justin so aptly puts it, "help in any way possible."

News Keywords

Weber State University

Red Cup's New Role On Campus

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:34:25 +0000

News

Gordon Govier

Red Cup's New Role On Campus

The red plastic cup is ubiquitous on campus because, well, students are thirsty. But students are seldom reflective about their drinking habits. Until ��ñ��’s Red Cup Campaign comes to campus.

This fall the Red Cup Campaign was launched by ��ñ�� staff and students on campuses across the country. The students were trained in evangelism and then set up the Red Cup display on campus. Thousands of students are hearing a presentation of the gospel.

The Red Cup Campaign uses an interactive display (called a Proxe station) that asks students what they are most thirsty for: love, purpose, fun, or success. Their response often starts a conversation that leads to an opportunity to discuss Jesus’ statements about Living Water and eternal life.

Red Cup Gets Results

More than 1,300 conversations took place in one week at the Red Cup Campaign Proxe station at UCLA. Students were invited to ��ñ��’s Large Group meeting. At the UCLA chapter’s first Large Group meeting of the school year, 47 students stood to make first-time decisions or recommitments to follow Christ.

Over a four day period at the University of Chicago there were 250 conversations at the Red Cup Campaign Proxe station. At the first Large Group meeting of the year, three students stood to make first-time commitments to Jesus. At the second Large Group, 12 people raised their hands to commit to Christ.

Making contact with incoming students at the beginning of the school year is a priority for every ��ñ�� chapter. The Red Cup Campaign not only facilitates contacts, but immediately establishes the evangelical character of ��ñ��’s outreach.

“Almost everyone who went through the Proxe station heard the gospel and was prayed for,” reported Mac Smith, ��ñ�� Campus Member at Weber State University in Utah. “We had 161 students show up to Large Group and seven students become Christians during the call to faith. More than 60 students who were already Christian believers stood to give Jesus control of an area of their life where they were trying to get their thirsts met on their own. We have never done so well with contacts during the first week of school.”

Students are Lining Up

A Campus Staff Member at the University of Northern Arizona called it their most effective Proxe station ever. “It’s drawn both Christian believers and seekers,” he said.”Thanks for designing something that students are lining up to interact with.”

An ��ñ�� student at West Virginia University said: “It’s very easy to get into conversations with students about what they want out of their college experience and life. I think the transition from talking about our thirsts to talking about the gospel is very natural. I think the Red Cup is effective because it gets college students thinking about how our earthly thirst quenchers never satisfy us.”

Some ��ñ�� chapters jumped into the Red Cup Campaign at the very beginning of the school year, others are setting up the display on campus as the year goes on. We praise God for the effectiveness of this tool for reaching students with the gospel message.

News Keywords

West Virginia University

Weber State University

University of Northern Arizona

University of Chicago

UCLA

Red Cup Campaign