I’ll never forget Andy Dalton talking about leaving a legacy at Greek Conference 2009. It was then I knew that our bible study needed to be 100% God-focused and God-dependent, and it needed to continue after I left the house. That was before my senior year of college. The summer in between junior and senior year I prayed that God would draw Christians to our house during fall rush, or even that girls would potentially hear about the bible study and Greek IV while rushing. I was also on our leadership team for Greek IV and I made note of the freshman that came to Greek IV events. After rush, a few of the girls I had seen at Greek IV’s events joined my house.

That fall multiple girls began coming to my bible study as well. God was answering my prayers. A senior even messaged me on Facebook saying that she had been too scared the year before to approach me about the Theta Bible study (TBS as I affectionately called it,) but she was going to begin coming to the study and she was going to bring other seniors. I began relying on God even more for direction in my study and for praying for the Thetas that were coming. By the end of the school year Thetas were always reppin’ at Greek IV on Wednesday nights. Only two other Thetas were able to come to Chapter Focus Week during the beginning of the summer but one of them made the decision to follow Christ, while the other learned how to lead a bible study.

Since I am going back to Illinois for my masters program, I will be able to continue coming to our bible study at the house. I am excited to see God’s legacy and the bible study I felt called to lead my junior year-continue on. I can’t wait for the younger girls to influence other young girls in Theta. Through some Greek IV connections I also was offered to be the assistant to the house mom of Sigma Kappa at U of I. Although this is not my sorority house, the offer came after I was praying that God would lead me to who I was to live with in grad school.

Through Greek IV leaders and friends, I was emailed that the house mom was looking for a Christian grad student to live in and help her since she is moving out. I accepted and I’m excited to see what God will do through me in that sorority house as well. I’m planning on helping the Sigma Kappa Greek IV’ers lead their bible study as well. The more I rely on God and trust Him, the more shocked I am in what He can truly do in the Greek system if we let Him take hold of it. Lives transformed, the Greek system renewed, and world changers developed-God can do it all.

That was over four years ago and looking back the risk I took by joining my Fraternity was the single best decision I have ever made in my life. Quickly after joining I was invited to numerous Greek Intervarsity events by amazing leaders in my Chapter; through large groups, bible studies, and social events I soon felt like I did fit in here and that I could maintain my values and beliefs while being Greek. My four years in Purdue’s GIV Chapter were incredible for both my spiritual and personal growth. I was transformed from a lukewarm churchgoer to a bible study and ministry leader to those around me.

As I graduated last spring I couldn’t help but reflect on what an immeasurable role my Fraternity played in shaping the person I had become. Graduating, however, opened up an entirely new set of challenges and opportunities. One of my biggest challenges was how I was going to continue to grow in my relationship with Christ now that I didn’t have my GIV community. After a ton of thoughts I made the decision to spend part of my summer in Kenya on a Global Project. Similarly to pledging, this was a huge risk but would hopefully pay off with huge rewards.

In late June I packed up and headed to Chicago to meet the rest of the team, a group organized by Northern Illinois’s IV Chapter. Over the next five weeks I would encounter too many life changing experiences to count. We spent our time in a variety of mission related activities. A majority of those activities revolved around a group called Homeless Children International (HCI). HCI is a ministry to serve children in need; whether orphaned/abandoned by their parents or taken off the streets, HCI was able to provide children in need with shelter, education, and a place to call home. I quickly grew attached to these amazing children. I loved every minute I spent with them: whether teaching them some new math, pushing them on the swings, or just being there to show these children the love they so desperately deserved. I felt like I was truly making a difference in these kids lives.

I was so blessed to be able to share my love and God’s love with these children. This trip once again stretched me out of my comfort zone and once again allowed me to grow even closer to God. My experience in Kenya was life-changing in so many ways. I thought that I would find myself broken by the extreme poverty of the country and to an extent I did, but more importantly was the joy I found in an amazing group of people. Despite the fact that they didn’t have an Xbox 360, nice clothing, or even a person to call mom or dad these children were far happier than anyone I have ever encountered. They took great joy in the simplest of things: a $.10 piece of fruit at the market, someone to push them on the swings, or most importantly the chance to praise and worship the Lord for their many gifts. Their faith and desire to live a Christ-worthy life was remarkable and in many ways it was the people of Kenya that were making an impact on my life and not vice versa.
No longer sheltered by my safe and comfortable American university life, I was able to find God in new and powerful ways.

Our God is an amazing being; He is big enough to influence the entire universe and people of all walks of life yet small enough to personally impact each and every one of us. I look back on my nervous and scared self four years ago and am amazed at how God has been able to not only work in my life, but to influence those around me. Through Fraternity life (Yes, Fraternity life) and with God at my back, I truly have been able to further my personal relationship with Christ, bring God into my Chapter house, help renew my campus, and bring about some positive change in the world!

During Fall Rush I first met Dusty and he told me he was starting a ministry for Greek students.  I was hooked. I didn’t know Jesus as my Lord and Savior when I joined ATO but as I came to know him as my Lord and Savior I could see that he wanted you use me in the Greek system to bring people back to him. However, I was young in my walk and not to confident in what I was doing. I tried to be a Christian in the Greek setting (I knew it was possible but wasn’t succeeding too well) but was struggling with being busy and feeling all alone. Then along came Dusty and Greek IV and seeing that I was not the only one at Clemson that felt this way was an encouragement to me. This has given me the motivation to be more serious about my faith and my Greek friends. 1 Thessalonians 2: 11-12 says “For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”

I feel that this has been what Greek IV has been about so far: gathering a strong core group of students who proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior and comforting and encouraging each other in our trials, tribulations, and struggles of trying to bring Light into a dark place. We are now taking steps into urging one another into living lives worthy of God: Bible studies are popping up in new chapters and our attendance is growing. We are also planning some outreach events such as a guy’s camping weekend to get more males involved and a tailgate. Greek IV is growing fast at Clemson University, but we aren’t there yet. It is our hope that you will continue to support us and encourage when you can.

Update: Michael (far left in the picture) graduated from Clemson in May 2007. He is now in his second year of grad school at Clemson, where he remains active in volunteering with Greek IV, Greek Conference and staying in touch with some of his younger fraternity brothers.

     This year, I organized the senior banquet for all five InterVarsity chapters and we make it a really big deal. We typically hold it during finals week and get a good turnout.  The Catholic center on campus has a great basement room that they’ve lent to us for free.  Our area team budget sponsors a catered meal from a local Thai restaurant and then I’ve asked alumni and donors to donate desserts and drinks.  I send out an Evite, with staff reinforcements, inviting the seniors and telling them it’s a semi-formal affair.  I ask them to bring their checkbook if they’d be willing to write a check for $2 to IV.  We decorate the room with tablecloths, candles, and table decorations.

     After some time for them to eat and enjoy each other, we have a program.  We invite a bunch of alumni back, which is fun for them to see their friends.  The alumni sit with the seniors, and they are part of the program. They also help with setup and clean up.  Usually, I have one alumni couple share some tips for life after college, with some of its realities and challenges.  Then we have about five alumni on a panel discussion to answer relevant questions.  Finally, a staff or donor asks for partnership on three levels – prayer, service and financial.  Then we have them write checks and fill out the graduating senior forms.  I also give out all the free stuff from IV and a senior dinner packet full of info, plus a book like Following Jesus in the Real World.  One other unrealized goal is to have a google doc running where they can all enter in their names, contact info and area of the country they’re moving to, so they can connect with each other in the future (if they attend different chapters, they might not know each other).  Then they hang out and take lots of photos together. It’s been really fun and we’ve gotten about 30-40 seniors total each year.  It’s a big investment of staff time and money, but I think it’s worth it.

I love the students, and recently had the opportunity to speak about my personal experience with an eating disorder. I am forever grateful for that opportunity, and hope that at least one life was saved from my speech. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for my role with UGA’s Greek InterVarsity!