Campus Bible Studies launch with good attendance

Campus Bible studies launched with solid attendance this semester and continue to thrive as the weeks go by. With four different groups to choose from, there are many opportunities to get involved.

Lauren White, the assistant director of campus ministries, is responsible for choosing the Bible study topic for each group to focus on this semester. During their first meeting in April, the Campus Ministry Assistants, or CMAs, discussed their different passions and what they wanted to share in their studies.

“We chose the Bible study groups based on the needs we saw on campus and providing at least one group that each student could participate in,” White said.

In the end, they decided on four different focuses; one for freshmen specifically, one studying the women of the Bible, one on faith in mental health and one targeted specifically for the men of Waynesburg.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has provided many issues thus far, Waynesburg University remained deeply rooted in the importance of faith and ministry across campus, no matter the circumstances.

Holly Fischer, third year CMA and one of the leaders of the freshmen study said, “It’s been going really well. We’ve had a really good turnout.” She went on to say it is typical to see about 10 to 13 students at her study. “We have a really solid group,” she said.

Her study is going through the book “The Common Rule” by Justin Earley, which discusses different habits that Christians can implement into their daily lives to strengthen their faith. The study plans to build these habits while the students are in the process of building a new routine. The goal is to implement more and more habits as the semester goes on.

These Bible studies are striving to facilitate a welcoming and judgement-free zone. Seth Fischer, sophomore and first year CMA, expressed how happy he is with the community that has developed in his study, “Men’s Huddle.” They are focusing on how to incorporate Jesus into the different aspects of  “life as a guy.”

This is his first year as a CMA, and he decided to participate because it would “be really nice to do something back, especially after being a part of the freshmen Bible study last year,” which he was a part of for the entirety of the school year. “Why not just go for it?” he said.

Where there is a men’s study, there is also a women’s study as well. Rachel Redinger, first year CMA, is one of the leaders of the “For Such A Time As This” study, where they are studying the stories and importance of the women of the Bible.

“Honestly, God just blessed us right off the bat,” Redinger said. “The community is just really beautiful and we’re starting to really connect more.”

There are quite a few people that attend the women’s Bible study, all ranging from freshmen to seniors. Redinger looks forward to seeing how the study will grow as the semester progresses.

“Ministry on campus is the foundation of Waynesburg,” Redinger said. She wants everyone to have confidence in their relationship with Jesus and be able to fellowship with other students across campus.

Ministry major and second year CMA, Maria Hanni, is one of the leaders of the “Faith In Mental Health” Bible study. They are focusing on how faith can impact mental health in a positive way and how to take what they learn from scripture and apply it to their own mindsets. Hanni says the study has gone very well since the beginning of the semester and that the group has had some really good personal conversations.

“In all the chaos of your mind, being able to find the Lord is really important,” she said. Hanni also expressed how passionate she feels about ministry on campus. “It’s so important,” she said. “Especially with faith being one of our three pillars. Ministry on campus is so honed in on. The more we drive it, the more impactful it will be.”

“The CMAs are doing a fantastic job in leading these studies,” White said. “We are blessed to be in a community that yearns to know more of the Lord and to gather in small groups to learn more about who Jesus is … my hope is that all students at Waynesburg have the opportunity to experience the love of Jesus this semester. I hope that CMAs and other students learn more about who the Lord is and grow more intimately to Christ through the opportunities on campus,” she said.

Redinger also commented on the impact of this community, “At the end of the semester, I hope that we still have the same family mentality. I really think that it will produce long lasting relationships.” Redinger said.

She is looking forward to seeing the campus community become confident in their faith and knowledge of the gospel. “It’s good to listen and absorb,” she said, but having a “peace” in what you know is the goal, and what she and the rest of the CMAs hope campus ministry will provide. 

To get connected, students can visit the women’s study on Mondays at 7 p.m., the men’s study on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., the freshmen study on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. or the “Faith In Mental Health” study on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. More information can be found on each Bible study’s corresponding social media page.