Red Cup Video: UCLA and U Chicago

The Red Cup Outreach Campaign made a huge impact and I couldn’t have done my part without your support. Students thirsty for meaning, happiness, identity, and second chances have been introduced to Jesus. We produced a short video of the Red Cup outreach at UCLA and the University of Chicago. As you watch it, know that this is possible directly because of your funds and prayers. Thank you.


Red Cup Documentary from InterVarsity twentyonehundred on Vimeo.

What students are thirsting for at University of Chicago:

Central Asia: The Lamb of God

I left the big city last week and rode 6 hours through the mountains to visit a small, isolated city and the IFES work there. We rode up the switchbacks, through a tunnel, and stopped for dumplings and tea on the jailoo (mountain plateau) where a few remaining summer yurts (traditional herder's tent homes) held out against October winds. As we left the mountains for a valley filled with neighborhoods, cows stood in the road, beautiful herds of horses crossed, and chickens watched from the ditches (Why would a chicken cross the road, really?). We barreled down on a flock of sheep traveling ahead of us, led by men on horseback. The taxi driver honked wildly and multicolored sheep bounced hurriedly out of harm's way. It happened at least ten more times.

As I lay in bed that night I thought of the sheep in the symbol of the Moravian church, the conquering Lamb. I imagined that Kyrgyz must understand much better than we Jesus's role as the Lamb of God. Little did I know.

A day later my hostess, Kyrgyz IFES staff, took me to the tomb of Manas, the larger-than-life warrior who united the 40 (Kyr) tribes against the Chinese, the Russians and the Tajiks. He is celebrated in the Kyrgyz's proudest literature: an days-long epic poem, memorized by ear and chanted/rapped by Manaschi. We walked around the statues, took some cheesy pics and headed past a building my host identified as 'for shamanism.' Then we came upon a patio ringed by pavilions; each had a fireplace with a metal bowl on top. My host explained, 'Here people put sheeps and kill for Manas...hm...like Old Testament.' Sure enough a man was boiling meat; we greeted him. Another couple was skinning a hanging sheep (he) and braiding it's innards (she). Their teenage son was chopping wood in his skinny jeans. He was one of this staff's non-christian students, and as they chatted he invited us to eat when the meat was ready. 'I not eat, for my conscience,' she whispered as we left them. This staff's own family wants to come and sacrifice next year, she told me sadly. 'Yes,' I said, 'I was thinking that Jesus is our sheep for God.' 'Yes,' she said.

We wound our way up the pointed hill within which Manas's spirit is said to live. At the top, overlooking the city, she told me about Kyrgyz Christian practice. In her church, a man who can afford it gives a sheep to the church every year. They slaughter it and have a picnic feast in the mountains on Easter day. They kill a sheep to celebrate the day when God sacrificed, in place of a sheep, Himself, for us.

I am reminded of Revelation, the letter John wrote to the churches of  Turkic Asia: " I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives."
 
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 

Central Asia: Uyger Fever

One of my earliest cultural experiences in Kyrgyzstan is one I can't resist telling, but its difficult to summarize how many differences there were to take in. While It's not nearly everything, here's my best shot: 

We are Backwards Invited

On my second day in the country, my hosts and I were invited to a Uyger (pronounced Weeger, an ethnic group) circumcision party. This would be a big, formal event held at a restaurant banquet hall. The men were invited for the morning and women for the afternoon. A long skirt and sleeves to the elbow would be a Muslim-sensitive must. I asked my hosts why I hadn't been told we'd be attending. Well, they explained, they didn't know we'd be going, since, the invitation had been given the day before. What!? In Central Asian culture, you honor the last invitation you receive, not the first. Where we as Americans might say 'sorry, I already have plans,' a Central Asian would cancel any previous plan with a simple 'Sorry, something else has come up.'  Because a circumcision party is so important--like a christening or a Chinese 1st birthday--they sent the invitations at the last moment, so everyone could come.

The Pony Poops

When the men of my host's family returned from bunch and prayer by the local imam, we women set off. Our party was much better. About 300 ladies enjoyed four course feast, games for the kids, and dancing. As we sat down to our first course, two little boys in gold embroidered hats and jackets, about 5 and 7 years old, the circumcise-ees (who seemed fine), were paraded in on a pony. Grandmas cried tears of pride and joy, everyone Ooed and Awwed and congratulated. This was all very cute until the pony pooped right next to a table of old ladies. The banquet hall, tables piled with food and all, filled with the stench of pony poo. The ladies in their glittering dresses lost no time in covering their noses with their headscarves. This is not a culture where politeness dictates one must pretend something unpleasant isn't happening.

Tigger Appears

Soon games for the kids began and the mix of American and local entertainment got surreal. Vaguely Russian tunes switched to such classics as Bad to the Bone and YMCA. A very puffy Spiderman and some sort of blue-haired fairy danced with the kids while shrill Russian-speaking Tigger directed games. An emo teenage magician with a Harry Potter cape emerged to pull scarves out of various openings. Meanwhile I had Fanta with my traditional pasta salad dish. 

I have to Dance for Everyone

When the kids sat down, the MC came over to our table where the four white, western people were sitting. Since we were the guests from farthest away, we were to be honored most by being asked to give our congratulations first. We were called onto the dance floor and each given the mic in turn. I said "Congratulations" in English, which the MC (I am told) translated as "I am so happy to be here!" Then the music began and my neighbor hissed 'Dance!' I did so. The four of us moved in a circle in our best imitation of traditional Uyger dance-- which is a bit like hula without the hips. My imitation was poor. My hosts had mentioned we'd be dancing and I had asked their ten year old for a lesson. She said 'it's like this' and twirled her wrists. I did not understand that there was no time where everyone gets out on the floor to dance. You dance as a gift to all the guests, so that everyone can enjoy the sight. And if you enjoy the dance, you give the dancer a scarf. I got six scarves. Friendly, welcoming, pity scarves. Sheer pink flowers, silky leopard print, cotton stars on blue. I was grateful and confused. 

I Consider Regifting

Other women came up, gave their congratulations and danced. When the congratulations were finished women who were beautiful dancers graced us with their movements. At one point early on I was enjoying watching an old lady (it was mostly older ladies) dance quite near our table. She looked right at me and I smiled appreciatively. We had a moment. I thought, 'Oh, I should give her a scarf,' but the only scarves I had were those I had just been given. 'Would it be offensive to give away my gifts?' I wondered. 'Would she be disappointed I didn't give her a scarf?' Later, through careful observation I discovered that regifting was happening all over the place. Ah, well. 

As the Belgian lady shouted to me over the music: it was all very Arabian Nights. 

Central Asia: Pray for the Fellowship!

I got to meet with the IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students) staff for the first time yesterday! They are very busy with the start of school. I had brought a presentation about donor communications from our national staff conference, but I wasn't sure if it would apply to the staff here. But one of the first things the director asked was if I could talk about good fundraising communications! A great fit! I've also offered to share about the Red Cup outreach, and they are interested to hear about our work and how God is working among students in the States. 

I will present at the city team staff meeting on October 22nd, just before I leave on the 23rd. They have also invited me to visit a city team about a 6 hour bus ride west, over mountain passes. This smaller city may have some english-learning based activities I can help with, as well as presenting to the staff. If the trip can be arranged, and hopefully someone can come with me, I'll travel to the other city October 12th-16th, so please be praying then.

Tonight I'll be attending the IFES women's meeting at one of the Universities here, and tomorrow is Bible study. They are called 'Salt of the Earth' in Russian and meet regularly Thursday and Friday nights.The movement can be fairly open in it's activities at the moment. Since the revolution the new government has other projects than monitoring church activity, but people are still cautious (hence not naming cities). Invites are mostly word-of-mouth, ministry is relational. The work seems much the same as in the US-- we are one body!--but I'll see for myself this evening. The city team leader will pick me up and she speaks English, so hopefully she'll translate a bit for me!

Central Asia: Curb Appeal

One thing I can't get around here is the language, which means, literally, I can't get around. Today I took the marshutka, which is a van/minibus- a jitney bus like in New York or Manila, almost by myself (one of my hosts road on to another stop). When you have to stand you can only see the curb looking down through the windows, so I'm learning to remember the number of turns and the way the curb looks. I paid my 8 som and practiced Russian for "Please stop at the bus stop" and "yes, yes." 

It's roughly 45 som to the dollar, making a marshutka ride one of the only things cheaper than in the States. Lunch is a bit cheaper too--200-300 som--at the cafeteria down the road from the office. The Ex-pat co-owners go home and eat a kit-kat respectively, so I've been eating with the two other employees, women around my age, one Russian, one Kyrgyz. They both speak English & we have great lunch conversations-- I wish I could zap my friends from work here to be part of it. 

I feel like I've already settled into the work. Probably not really, but I have been helpful. We work all in one room, just as I do at InterVarsity, and there are always multiple projects to work on, so the pace is similar. I've worked on a book cover, an identity and diagrams to come this afternoon, gone on a client visit, and will give a little typography presentation to the office non-designers tomorrow. With me doing some of the design and educational work, the creative director has gotten in a little time to research new opportunities--a good sign. 

Central Asia: Hello from the Future

Yes, I'm 10est/11central/12pacific ahead of you here in Kyrgyzstan and the weather is great: crisp but nice. After a week, jetlag is wearing off, but the tiredness that comes from everything being new hasn't. I have a bit of double cultural difference since I'm living with (very wonderful) Brits. We have tea instead of dinner and there is Marmite in the fridge, but most of the differences that catch me off guard are the ones I can't articulate. Even with those, though, they've really helped me feel at home.


Double Take--  Out and about most everyone is Kyrgyz, that is, they look Asian, with a few Russians mixed in. I have the odd experience of forgetting I look any different until a particularly Germanic, American-dressed white person walks by and I think 'oh they look like me!' and remember what I look like. I try to dress the part by wearing alot of black, skinny jeans and black boots like the stylish young locals. It seems like Hong Kong mixed with Moscow, with Asian bubushkas and old Kyrgyz men in their high felt hats, until you see the surroundings. Then it reminds me of Berlin--apartment building-lined avenues-- but leafy and more run down. Everything seems just a bit worn and uncoordinated, nothing matches, design is bad, because prices are the same as the States, but everyone makes less.

Aslan's Country-- Running in the mornings down by the dry canal I see yarrow, rose bushes, poplar trees and stray dogs. One of the high-walled expensive homes has chickens out back, then further there's an abandoned lot & old gas tanks. On the other side are the botanical gardens, where most people run and walk, but it's so over grown you can't see the high mountain peaks, do I don't run there. Someone's graffitied "Aslan" with a crown on one of the concrete barriers. No, they haven't read Narnia: Aslan is Turkic for 'lion' and a Seljid royal title, the ruling empire here from the 11th-14th centuries. There isn't much I haven't seen before in some way or another (except for the bubbly salty-sour yogurt & wheat drinks). It's more about the awesome mix: a culture with characteristics I think of as utterly separate. They sell burgers at the Bazaar. 

Red Cup Report: Chico State,Tufts, & Oregon State

 Student at Chico State shares his thoughts with friends on Facebook

Liz Wheatley, staff at Chico State in Southern California, worked on Red Cup follow-up Bible studies and presented Red Cup with me to staff planting new chapters this year at national training. She has reported:

"On Monday a junior who went through the interactive boards wrote on the 'Purpose' section "Do I matter?" and our IV student had a really good conversation with her. Things are off to a great start: we've clearly shared the gospel with about 15 students so far [day one]. Please pray for open hearts and positive responses." 

She also took a video of a few of her students at the proxe:

Red Cup Campaign- Chico State from Elizabeth Thrasher on Vimeo.



Alex Nesbeda, staff at Tufts University, Massachusetts, and a chapter builder (featured in an earlier video here) wrote:

"We borrowed 2 pop-up tents from a local church and did the proxe in the rain. It worked out well - we provided shelter from the rain, great drinks and quality conversation. I am surprised by how many seekers we have met. I met 2 students today who told me that they were searching for meaning and purpose in life. One senior with no faith background said that she wished she had met us sooner."

Staff Michael DeGarmo and Ben Emerson report their students are setting up the Red Cup again tonight at Oregon State, so pray for them if you are reading!

Red Cup Gets Personal (NAU, Reno & CMU)

I presented Red Cup to the chapter builders, whom I've worked with for two years now, so when the Steven Grahman, who's building a chapter at Northern Arizona University, reported on their Red Cup Outreach he mentioned me by name:

"Last night 6 students stood in response to Theo Davis' call to faith at our third Large Group at NAU! We've been doing Red Cup for all three weeks now, and it's drawn in both missional Christians AND seekers. Wow!! Thanks to those who've worked so hard on making this campaign work - and look - amazing. Special shout out to Grete for designing something students are lining up to interact with!

One more thing, Grete-- our students were on the fence about Red Cup - until they SAW it. That was it for them, they were sold. It's been our most successful - and widely accepted - Proxe ever, and almost everyone attributes that to how stinkin' impressive it looks. THANK YOU!!!"

That's a big 'thank you' to you, supporters and prayer partners! :)



Another shout out came from Amy Hauptmann, staff in Reno: 

"Grete- just wanted to echo Steven's comments! This is definitely the BEST proxe yet! Now we are transitioning into our four week large group series called "What are you thirsty for?" each week we are talking about one of the categories- success, love, purpose and fun...and how Jesus satisfies those thirsts. I had the honor of giving a talk on success last night... it was electric! And I think we had around 8 people stand up to start following Jesus (first time/recommit)!
I also noticed an email invite to a thirsty themed event at Carnegie Mellon, my alma mater. I don't think they've used Red Cup yet, but to see the theme is spreading to my campus too, awesome! Paul Hassell, a staff who influenced me (and some of you, too) while at CMU, just ordered Red Cup displays yesterday!

Please pray for the follow up to all these events!

Red Cup Report: South Dakota, Boise & Superior

 Starting the Red Cup Root Beer Bash at Dakota State

From Christina O'Hara, staff at South Dakota State:

"We had "Quench Your Thirst" tonight. I gave the students red cups with sand in them and talked about how we run after mirages and end up thirsty every time. About 45 students dumped out their sand and filled their cups with water to symbolize giving up the things they've filled their lives with and asking Jesus to fill them and quench their thirst. Probably 30 students stood to indicate that they want to share Jesus with others. All from John 4... :) "

Theresa Mereszczak, staff at Boise State: 

"Eleven students hosted [ the red cup proxe station] with me. We had about 80 conversations...shared the gospel in about half of them, I'm guessing! Follow up has begun as of tonight...one more day of Proxe with a call to faith Large Group tomorrow night, a rootbeer social to follow. I prayed with a girl to receive Christ and am meeting with her Monday to talk more about what that means!"

Brian and Sandi Asker, staff at University of Wisconsin-Superior:

"We were doing the red cup proxe station at UW-Superior today. A student came up to the table named Sunyoung. She had been a part of our international ministry last year. She spent the summer with staff in Milwaukee studying the Bible with them because our faculty advisor had referred her to them. Today, she made a decision to follow Jesus at the Red Cup Proxe station!"

Red Cup Report: Ashley's Testimony

The testimony of a student shared at San Diego State University's Greek InterVarsity, about finding something more than what comes in (and with) a red cup to quench her thirst...

Red Cup Report: Weber State, SDSU and Wake Forest

From Mac Smith (also in early reports) at Weber State in Utah:

"We had 7 students become Christians during my call to faith at Large Group where 161 students showed up. Some 60 students that were already Christians stood to give Jesus an area of their life where they were trying to get their thirsts met on their own. We have never done so well with contact cards during the first week of school. Last year we got 60 and that was the most that we had ever received. This year through the Red Cup Proxe we gathered 130 contact cards and then another 30 at the interest table. 100 more students signed up...praise God! We trained every student leader to share the gospel and pray with each person so almost everyone that went through it heard the gospel and was prayed for."

From the staff team at San Diego State University:

(They posted a video of the call to faith at their first large group.)

"At a call to faith at SDSU’s first meeting of the year 18 students stood to commit to letting God fill their soul. What a joy in heaven! At the end of the night we counted 11 cards that were filled out by students saying they made a decision for faith. Follow up is extremely important to us, so we are on this to see what God is doing and how we can help them grow. We had 200+ chairs and some standing and the room was packed. We had our meeting right in the dorms, and it was so fun to be with God right in the fray of campus creating worshipers with Him!"

UC Davis Staff (doing Red Cup next!) gave a shout out to SDSU:

"Your large group tonight served a couple of our UC Davis students who were home for the summer. The two girls brought their brothers and the one who was an adamant atheist stood up to receive prayer for God to do something about the sin in his life. Are you kidding me right now?! That’s amazing! Thank you for the work you’re doing 500 miles away! Really makes InterVarsity feel like one big family! "

From Kevin Boyd at Wake Forest in North Carolina:

He writes on his blog that in 2 days, they had 119 participants, 37 contact cards, 10-12 gospel presentations, and students 33 who expressed interest in either a GIG or Small Group.

“Talking to others about Jesus is not as scary as I thought it would be. It was actually exciting getting to share the gospel and talk about how Jesus quenches our 'thirsts'. I am so thankful that we took this leap of faith and followed through with this proxe station because I believe it was a growing experience for everyone involved.”
- Hannah, Wake Forest senior

"My favorite part...was this one guy who Kevin shared the gospel with. He walked away like he was going to leave but continued to stand around. Then he started grabbing people and making them participate! He would stop his friends and say, "Hey, hey do this thing... what are you thirsty for? Hey, who's got the stickers? Come here and make him do this!" I was struck with how natural it is for someone who has encountered the gospel to tell the next guy about it. It was awesome!" - Brittany, Wake Forest senior

PRAY FOR:

The 24 students from 3 schools in Duluth/Superior who were trained in Red Cup last night. They are starting the Red Cup today at the University of Minnesota Duluth!

Red Cup Report: The Origin Story

As our New Student Outreach development team (four field staff and I) tossed around ideas, Serene from SoCal shared about a thrist-themed campaign had gone well. She described the idea & how it'd gone. We ended up going with it (& adding the iconic red plastic party cups), but I never knew where it had actually happened until Krizel Reyes, campus intern at Allan Hancock College last year, told me it was her students. Here's how she tells the story (from her blog):

"After Ignite, an annual evangelistic training conference held for the IVCF SoCal Region, student leaders felt burdened to respond. The theme focused on the concepts of “hearing” and “obeying”. However, some of the students expressed deep frustration and hurt because they felt like they couldn’t hear God’s voice. During reflection time, I led a meeting with the students and encouraged them and prayed for them as they took the time to listen for God’s voice. To their surprise, much of the words and scripture they heard were affirmed through other students who heard the same message. As we collected our thoughts, we shared two specific verses: Isaiah 55:1-5 and Revelations 21:6, both of which point out the concept of thirst. In visions, they saw students in need of drinks but a lack of liquid supply or they saw buildings in flames but not enough water to extinguish it.

To obey what we’ve heard, we decided to implement an on campus outreach, where we created a proxe station (an interactive art wall) that involved a specific question for students to answer: “What do you thirst for?” Some examples of the responses included companionship, financial stability and love. We then would transition the conversation to Jesus and how he cares about our concerns and works in the areas they thirst for. It challenged our community to enter into meaningful conversations and to boldly proclaim their faith in Christ Jesus."

A student response to the original 'what are you thirsty for?' proxe station

Praise God for the faithfulness of the students at Allan Hancock-- it's going a long ways!

Red Cup Report: University of Missouri --St. Louis

Chioma Chukwu, staff at University of Missouri- St. Louis, shares how the first day of Thirsty (Her name for The Red Cup) went on her campus:

"People said the question of the day on campus was "What's the red cup"? Not a bad day for the first day of two weeks of the Thirsty Campaign!

My students shared the gospel in ways I had never seen them do it before. Since we were able to train them and give them practice doing it at pre-fall retreat, they were just rolling getting all the way to the gospel presentation with multiple people. I saw Daniel approach a group of 4 people checking out the display and say, "Hey people! Have you gone through this yet?"

He shared the gospel with all 4 of them at the same time, and gave them his information, and all 4 were interested in hearing more about Jesus. I have no idea how many GIGs [Groups Investigating God- Bible studies for non-Christians] were started with students yesterday yet, but I know there were some and I know that the gospel was proclaimed thoroughly multiple times! Continue to pray for this kind of boldness in them!

Also, Christians we've met have walked by and have signed up to work Thirsty as they see the success. So not only is the gospel being proclaimed, but we are also gathering missional Christians and training them on the spot on how to share their faith!

I also met a girl at the proxe [grete's note: we call displays with conversation and interaction 'proxe stations' Red Cup is a one] who wants to do a GIG with me and said that she is "looking for a way back to God". I told her she stopped at the right place!"

Keep our campus staff in your prayers!

The Red Cup: Early Reports

This is what happens when designers have to print panels all day...(I start making up nicknames for staff who order them).

But 187 panels and two weeks later the Red Cup displays are out on campus! New Student Outreach is beginning. Mac Smith, staff at Weber State University in Utah-- who's order for 8 panels I filled last week--reports:

"I was nearby as one of our students shared the gospel at the Red Cup proxe station and then prayed with two guys to receive Christ today! One student shared about Jesus in her class because her professor asked her what her Red Cup shirt meant in the middle of the class. 80 + interest cards filled out in one day which is more than one week during last year's NSO! Praise God!"

Julie Helwig, staff at Montana State, said she bought 1,000 red cups from Costco to use with the campaign. Students at University of Colorado-Boulder put red solo cups through a chainlink fence to make a statement:

The Red Cup

The newest national New Student Outreach & Evangelism Campaign

Doug training The Red Cup with an intern posing as a skeptical passerby

Out of my chapter building committee partnerships came an evangelism/new student outreach campaign last year called Choices- you may remember. Well, this year’s is called The Red Cup, using the iconic cups so prevalent at campus parties. Students at the station ask passers-by: what are you thirsty for? Fun, Purpose, Love, Success? What if someone told you, they could quench that thirst forever? Jesus claims just that. (Living water, of course!)

“50% [of people] wanted to stop and talk. We picked a theme than would catch and draw, and it seems to be working.” Said Doug Schaupp, who led the western region’s campus intern training. They used this four-panel display & “script” (we call them proxe stations) on campus at University of New Mexico. Jason Jensen, the regional director, said “I can add an AMEN to Doug’s testimony that the proxe was good. God was merciful and led us to many conversations, many gospel presentations, and at least 11 first time decisions to follow Jesus.”

Check out more photos of the Interns training and presenting Red Cup on the trek website.

Proxe Panels--

The interns and staff spread the word, and it’s fast becoming the most popular campaign materials I’ve ever designed... it’s just that now I have to print them all. I have 35 orders so far, most for multiple copies. I’m racing to get them to chapters before school starts.

PRAISE--I am so grateful to God for wonderful campus partners on this project: Doug, Sam, Serene and Beth, and that it’s so popular with staff and students already. My work is not in vain!

PRAY—Do pray for new freshmen as they as they arrive on campus looking the quench a variety of thirsts.

World Assembly

Lord of the Universe, Lord of the University

The International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES), of which InterVarsity is one national movement, just finished their World Assembly in Krakow, Poland last week. Students and staff from across the globe- hundreds of countries, open and closed- praying together from every language and nation. This is the sort of gathering I dream of being a part of-- one where there are hundreds of people for whom everything is different- except our love for Jesus. One of my co-workers wrote about his Bible study with a jailed-for-her-faith attendee:

"With wide, fierce, young eyes, she began in halting English. 'Carrying the cross like Jesus is hard. When they arrested me and my husband. We separated by them. The man teased, ‘There are no problem with your faith. Maybe you had a dream or something, and you are confused. The problem is why you share that news with other peoples? You say, “OK, I don’t share Jesus any more.” Why don’t you say it? Then I let you go, free.’ "

Read the whole post: For Churchy Americans

As an American, citizen of a country with a huge university system, and a large number of campus ministry organizations, I am both humbled and encouraged by the work of our sister movements. I was a recipient of the care and hospitality of the Studenten Mission Deutschland when I studied abroad, a movement where staff support quadrants of the country- not campuses. And yet the IFES has great impact-- here's an idea from a real infographic we drew up. (Disclaimer: the stats are the best we could find, via the internet.)

You can get a taste of the gathering through daily update videos, which are all posted on the IFES World Assembly media page. They all have no words, so someone from any language group can view them. This one, about unity and diversity, is my favorite. And it features 2100's (my team's) founder Eric Miller, who works in Kenya now: he's the old man to the right, who looks like Santa.

Praise God for our brothers and sisters all over the world and pray that students in closed countries can gather safely and freely at their universities.

Like Us and Follow Us

If you're a fan of InterVarsity and a social media user I highly encourage you to check out InterVarsity's facebook page InterVarsity USA and our twitter feed @intervarsityusa. The writing team here (good friends of mine!) do an exellent job giving updates from chapters around the country and finding articles and happenings that affect or interest InterVarsity students, donors and alumni. If you want to feel more connected to the movement, it's a great way to know what's going on. (Besides calling me- I'd be ok with that too.)

My team has 2100 facebook page too. We use it to get feedback and post photos-- but we also have fun posting weekly spoof infographics. If you're an InterVarsity insider or want to be, you'll get the jokes too!

Here's one from a a couple months ago that's still relevant. (Since it's still summer!) It's more tongue-in-cheek than laugh out loud, but you get the idea.

Chapter Building Training

“I came back to my dorm room and sat down and said out loud to myself ‘God exists!’ ” –Meagan, Tufts U.

The chapter building committee and tester meetings in June went very well—it was refreshing to see the dear staff I am serving again. They loved the latest diagrams. Theo, 2nd-year staff from Arizona, said “I understood the figure 8 diagram [how to develop students as bold disciples] in a completely new way when you gave us a linear version. I realized I could plan my whole year using the cycle we’ve been learning!”

This year’s gathering practiced creating a tailored, interwoven series deepening students spiritual commitments, rather than non-contiguous teaching and events on campus. Last year’s training had focused where to spend staff and student energy and how to refocus students on evangelism and mission. While one chapter lost members over the year, all the other chapters grew in members, conversions, and stature on campus. Tufts University, in Boston, had eight new Christians this year, and I worked with the 2100 video team to capture the change. Watch the video!



Chapters in the Chapter Building Cohort:

University of Washington
Wayne State (Detroit)
University of Arizona
University of California Davis
Tufts University (Boston)
Northern Arizona University

Here are the Campus Staff teams, Interns, and their Area Directors, along with Doug Schaupp and Val Gordon, from California and Massachusetts respectively, who led the training. I took the photo on the Wisconsin Capitol lawn during our June training in Madison. After four days of training, it was just a hour before everyone left to fly back home.



I'll be praying for them this year and I invite you to pray, too!