Being a sophomore, I had become quite adept at avoiding street vendors, whether with my cell phone or a brusque “I’ve got class.”  I was almost past the table about to put my hand up to tell the voice that I was late, but I couldn’t.  Something that day made me freeze, turn around and look up to see a man wearing frat glasses and Sperry’s.

I grew up in a Christian household.  We went to church most weekends and my parents waited for me to get baptized until I fully understood the commitment.  As I got older, we went to church less when the usual sports or work got in the way.  I left high school a believer, but a convenient one who turned his Christianity on and off.

I came to Northwestern not thinking about fraternities.  I had no idea what they were all about so for the first few months I pretty much ignored their rush posters.  January was the first week fraternities could give out bids.  That first night, I meandered up to the fraternity quad for one reason, the free food.

The first and only house I visited was Delta Chi.  I did enjoy a delicious meal but beyond my growing pile of wings, I found something else.  A bond between brothers that I couldn’t explain.  They weren’t just friends, something else held them together.  I left that night with a new view on fraternities, or at least Delta Chi.

The next night I was given a bid.  I accepted the greatest gift college has given me so far.  What I didn’t know at the time was it would also be one of the greatest challenges I would have to face.

After initiating 13 new members in my pledge class, our fraternity faced deactivations and leaving seniors.  We came into this year with only 28 active members.  With the realization that we would not be able to stay viable unless we found a great rush class, my fraternity faced a culture change.  It started with a realization that we were not very good at rush but it quickly morphed into a realization that our chapter was facing deeper problems.  Brothers were content with where they were as a chapter.  Simply put we got lazy.  Not just in rush, but in brotherhood and the betterment of our community.

It took a few months but our chapter did change, and with it came 27 new members, doubling the size of our fraternity.

This brings me back to the day I met Ryan Mercer in the fall.  I wasn’t actively pursuing a Christian group on campus but to this day, I believe Jesus told me to stop turn around and tell Ryan yes, that indeed I actually was looking for a Christian group.  That group turned out to be Greek InterVarsity.

Religion was sort of a taboo subject in my chapter.  It wasn’t persecuted but it was just something that was not talked about.  I bought into this culture my freshman year.  I would quietly pray but I doubt any of my brothers actually knew I was a Christian. I think God stopped me that day because he wanted me to stop making my faith convenient and quiet.  I was put in a transitioning fraternity so I could make a difference.  Greek InterVarsity has helped me get over my fear of talking about my faith.  Through it, I’ve found other quiet brothers who want to talk about Jesus.

This has culminated into Sunday nights at 6 p.m. when Northwestern’s Delta Chi holds it’s Bible study.  Ten brothers meet together and have real discussions about faith.  I joined a changing fraternity and I think God wanted me to join Greek InterVarsity to change it even more.

I registered for the Thrive concentration, again not knowing what to expect, but God knew what was in store and had me in that concentration for a reason. The first night we started by talking about masks that we were wear. My mind instantly went to where I was two years ago during my freshman year; I thought I had removed all the masks I was wearing and hiding behind. Throughout the weekend I realized that I still wore many masks, such as hiding being my “religion,” being a people pleaser, and always saying “I’m fine” when I wasn’t. When we were asked to name some of the lies that we were believing, for me those included: not being capable of following or doing God’s call, how I can’t have “fun,” can’t be forgiven, how it’s always my fault, and that people just won’t understand.

On the last day we had the opportunity to lay down our masks at the foot of the cross and pick up a message that told us who Jesus said we were. My passage ended up being from Luke 15: “I am waiting for you. Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen.” That was the same night that the main session message was about Luke 15. God showed me why I received the verse from Luke 15. He revealed that I have been working hard and doing things out of obligation because I was trying to please Him and earn His acceptance. I had to wrestle with the fact that I was living in close proximity to God but very far in heart and had become cold hearted since He was not giving me what I wanted. I sensed God was calling me out of the major I was in for three years and instead calling me to go into ministry. I was having a hard time with this change in plans because I had done everything to please God, but after working hard for three years, he was taking it away.

@beaucrosetto lastnight I came back home to Jesus in heart. No longer living as the older son but am now the servants in Luke 15!! #GCXII

February 19, 2012 2:22 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@hjterrell

hjterrell

Saturday night at Greek Conference, God called me to come back home to Him. When we were asked to stand up to accept His invitation I hesitated since my staff was sitting right next to me. However, my heart was beating so fast that I knew God was calling me to take a stand for Him, to say yes and come back home. That night I stood up and came back home to Christ. I am no longer just living in close proximity but am also living close in heart! It wasn’t an easy thing to do, but I did it because I knew if I wasn’t able to stand up at a place where everyone was so accepting, then how was I going to stand up on campus and tell my sisters who I truly was and share the great news of Christ to them?

Sunday when I returned to my campus, I took the risk and stood up in front of all my 120-130 sorority sisters and invited them to study scripture with me. I was not expecting anyone to say yes, and I would have been pleased if even one person said yes. However, five people said yes and everyone else was supportive of what I was doing. My one person that I expected turned into five!! I wouldn’t have been able to stand up and invite my sisters to study scripture with me if it weren’t for the experience I had at Greek Conference and heard the challenge that God gave to me to start up ministry within my sorority. So take a risk for God because He wants to reveal Himself to us in greater ways than we expect!

Just asked all of my sisters to consider studying scripture with me during chapter tonight!! Thank you GC! #GCXII

February 19, 2012 6:57 pm via txtReplyRetweetFavorite

@hjterrell

hjterrell

Next semester, I left to study abroad and began to feel very disconnected from InterVarsity, God and my friends.  After coming back on campus, returning to my previous life was very hard.  I found that I had become bitter with God.  I wasn’t even going to attend Greek Conference, but I decided at the last minute to give it one last shot.  I came to the conference with my heart cold, and distant. However, throughout the weekend God spoke to me, and used me in ways I never thought possible.  He reminded me of the passion and love I had felt over the summer, and coming back to campus I am more in love with InterVarsity and God than I ever thought possible.  I can’t wait to return to conference next year, and reflect back to see where we are as a chapter.

I suppose it started with Steve, my Greek InterVarsity staff worker and brother. He encouraged me to really consider this conference, knowing something was there for me. At the time, I didn’t know what it was, but I felt I had to give it a try.

When I registered for the conference, I was signed up for the LEAD concentration, but once at the conference I became anxious and started looking into the other sections. My anxiety was off the charts and eventually I find myself in the CONNECT concentration, standing at a group table. The table leader looked at me and said, “have a seat, you are welcomed here.” My nerves cleared – I found myself calm and willing to open my heart and mind to everything to be discussed.

Throughout the weekend, I got a chance to talk about many of the feelings that I have had since my falling out with Jesus. During one part of the weekend, we were asked to imagine Christ. The first time, we were told to picture Christ taking away what was occupying our stress. My image was a pair of hands, taking these stresses from me. He did this for me, selflessly, when I shut Him out for so long. The second time, He gave me an embrace. He welcomed me and I felt His love.

My weekend at Greek Conference helped begin repairing my relationship with God. With the help of those around me, other fraternity brothers and Greeks following Christ, I will continue working on my relationship with Him. I have a lot to work on and I will continue to connect.

This weekend has opened my heart to Christ after it has been closed so long. Thank you #GCXII. It is because of the speakers, participants, staff members, that I have felt His love again.

The hope is that through this unique atmosphere, some of the typical barriers that hind Greeks from encountering and experiencing God can be removed. This year was slightly different than last year because the speaker not only fielded questions, but also presented the message of Jesus  and asked if there was anyone who would like to receive Christ’s message and follow Him. Before I share the conclusion of this invitation, I have to back up a bit.

Matt  is a member of Phi Delta Theta and has been a leader within the Greek InterVarsity chapter for a little over a year.  Matt has a huge heart and desire to see his brothers in his house to experience God.  As you might  know, starting a House Ministry is not always easy and can even be somewhat risky.  When Matt started extending invitations for a house bible study to his brothers he was met with hesitation and skepticism. Outwardly,  it seemed there was no spiritual interest in his house. However, it is here that Matt’s story takes an unexpected turn.  In preparing for Pub Theology Matt was encouraged to invite some of his brothers to check out the event, with the thought being “who wouldn’t want to hear a great band and ask about some of life’s biggest questions”.  One brother responded to Matt’s invitation and decided to attended the event.

Now, back to the invitation.  After discussing some insightful questions and having some productive discussions, the speaker explained why the types of questions we’ve been talking about are so important.  They are important because the hope is that these questions will point us to the truth – that God does exist and that He came in the flesh in the person of Jesus.  After presenting the Good News that Jesus is offering, the speaker asked any who wanted to follow Jesus to indicate their intent by standing up.  Eight people stood.  Among them, was Matt’s Phi Delt brother.  Wow.

Stories like this are why I work for Greek InterVarsity and why this ministry is so important. One never knows who God is pursuing or who is merely waiting for someone to ask them to “come and see”.  Matt has been extremely encouraged through this experience and through having his brother tell him that he should start a Bible study in his chapter.  No place is outside God’s grace and nothing is irredeemable.  May this story encourage you as much as it did Matt.

During the Spring semester, I was encouraged to go to a Greek Conference in Charlotte. This weekend was so powerful for me personally. Things in life were starting to make sense and I was starting to understand that we are not in control, but that by putting trust and faith in God’s grace we will feel His love. It was such an amazing event to get together with other Greeks and worship the Lord. I saw that If we keep our hearts open, God will do wonderful work inside us.  I pray that students that are open and seeking the love of Jesus can have similar opportunities to mine in my years at Clemson.

This past summer my brother, who had just finished his freshman year at Clemson and in my fraternity, suffered a fatal wakeboarding accident. This has easily been the toughest thing I have ever had to face and I pray that others do not have to, but I have found a great deal of peace in knowing that God has a plan for us all. My brother’s gifts are still evident on earth. I thank God for blessing us with 19 wonderful years with such a wonderful person. We will never know the whole plan that is ahead of us, but I am so thankful for the opportunities that God has placed in front of me. Without the understanding and life altering events that Dusty and Greek IV helped provide, I could very easily be super frustrated and rebellious against God. Instead, I know God has his hand on me and I trust that he will raise us up in the end.

The DePauw Missions Challenge was a five-month, twenty person endeavor to pray that God would raise up missionaries, strengthen our persecuted brothers and sisters, save the unreached around the world, give us as individuals a passion for missions, and bring the international students to Christ through revival. Though we largely prayed individually and not all remembered to pray consistently, I do believe that God opened doors and answered prayers. Below is a summary I wrote in an e-mail at the Challenge’s conclusion.

God has opened many doors in the past five months. Bibles have been given to international students in their own language (at least two in Vietnamese, 12+ in Chinese, and others are in the works). A young Chinese believer was baptized at Cornerstone. DePauw Intervarsity was featured in the New York Times, an article that’s led to multiple gospel discussions. Two students have expressed interest in long-term medical missions. 5+ international students came to church for the first time in their life. The interfaith curry night grew to 30 people, many of whom heard the gospel for the first time (we hope to have a larger one in April). Many seeds were planted, and many tears shed. The other stories–prayers that affected the unreached and our persecuted brothers and sisters–we won’t likely hear until heaven. But God is good, and we’re blessed through our obedience.

The DePauw Missions Challenge was a blessing. I hope that events like this continue at DePauw and other universities, as they have since America’s founding (Read about the Haystack Prayer Meeting). In the end I am most comforted by God’s command and promise in Psalm 46:10.  Our God will be true to his word.

Greek at NW – Rebecca from InterVarsity-twentyonehundred on Vimeo.

Greek at New Hampshire – Johnny and Ross from InterVarsity-twentyonehundred on Vimeo.

During my first semester of college, I came to believe in that message, and it changed my life. The next semester, I decided to pledge Sigma Chi. Throughout the next year, I got to know my fraternity brothers and much of the rest of the Greek system. They were great people, having a general knowledge about God, but many did not know they were missing out on a real relationship with God. In so many ways, they were exactly like I used to be. In light of this, God broke my heart for my brothers.

My sophomore year, my InterVarsity staff told me about Greek InterVarsity and Greek Conference. For months I tried to get my brothers and other Greeks on campus to come with me to check out Greek Conference. When February rolled around, I was still the only one registered from Louisville, so I packed my bags and headed to Indianapolis alone. While there, I had a phenomenal weekend of meeting other Greek Christians and hearing tons of encouraging stories.

I headed back to Louisville excited about improving Greek ministry. However, it was hard to get moving on all these great ideas when I seemed to be the only one who cared about them. I prayed for God to raise up Christian leaders to help out with the ministry. The next year, Fall 2010, God answered my prayers. A girl in Kappa Delta, Robin, approached me about the Greek Bible study she heard I was involved in. Fresh off a year of spiritual growth capped off by a trip mission trip to Africa, Robin was eager to share her newfound faith with her sisters and the rest of the Greek system.

Although we had no Greek IV chapter at U of L, Robin was excited about the possibilities of ministry in her sorority and the rest of the Greek community. We talked about how we could reach all Greeks with the gospel message, while still being faithful within our own houses. We knew getting students to Greek Conference would be key in launching Greek-wide ministry on campus. Later that year, when Greek Conference rolled around, I didn’t go alone this time. Eight other Greeks from Louisville attended, largely because of Robin’s recruiting efforts. In addition, my sister, who attends Western Kentucky University, recruited ten students to attend from her school, where no students had ever attended GC! God had taken two campuses with virtually no ministry and sparked movements on both of them!

Today, God continues to move in amazing ways in Louisville’s Greek community. Last year’s semi-fruitful all Greek Bible study has turned into two amazing house Bible studies in KD and Sigma Chi, where students can open up and discuss big questions with their fraternity brothers and sorority sisters. Non-Christians have been hungry to pursue a true relationship with God, while leaders in other organizations have stepped up and are eager to start Bible studies in their houses! We continue to pray for our Greek system and can’t wait to see God move even more at U of L!