Campus Revival

By Erica Oda, San Diego, CA

As we emerge out of the pandemic, we have been able to witness God bring about a sense of revival in our group. God is working powerfully through our coastal campus ministry in the San Diego Church of Christ. We wholeheartedly believe that cultivating family,  creating memories, & being Christ-centered are at the heart of any strong campus ministry. The early church is our example. As stated,

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” Acts 2:42 (NIV).

Miracles on Miracles

It’s been refreshing to have a physical presence on campus after such a long time of holding only virtual meetings or Bible talks. Having disciples living on campus is great because they can eat together, study together, and create memories while being a light to the people around them. The difference has been tangible. Kaitlyn, a freshman at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), lives on campus and shares a suite with six other girls. Most of her suitemates have come out to events and church services. One was recently baptized into Christ! This was our first baptism at UCSD since before the pandemic.

We have a diverse group of students from various backgrounds but are bonded together through our love for Christ and our desire to be more like Him. Our times together have created a campus culture that draws people closer. When one person is missing, we all feel it. Last quarter we had 8 people studying the Bible and we consistently have the same number of visiting friends as we have disciples. What’s even more amazing, is that our visiting friends have been coming to church early to help set up and are demonstrating serving hearts.

Family Fun

Creating family involves making memories. This is done simply by living life together. Every week we have Bible talks on campus and fun events on Friday nights. We love to hang out long after an event ends. We often get boba tea, play tennis until midnight, and just have fun as we “spur each other on”.  Not only do we create fun memories together, but we also strive to keep ourselves grounded in Christ. Our church in the Coastal Region of San Diego began a reading plan on the Bible App that takes us through the book of Colossians. This has been a great way for us to grow in our relationships as a small group, but also to stay connected to our church family.

In addition, we have about 70 disciples who are college students across San Diego’s five worship centers. We have two congregational events a month to connect with students from other colleges and build relationships as we inspire each other. Many students on campus are looking for community, a place for deep connection, and a life of purpose and impact. By sharing the gospel with students and inviting them into our family, we can give them a hope that can only come from Christ.

 

 

About the Author

Erika is originally from Boston. She became a disciple of Jesus at the Pioneer Valley Church of Christ during her freshman year at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Erika has a big heart for global missions, so upon graduating college she moved overseas where she was able to serve and be part of the fellowship of believers in mainland China. After living out her kingdom dream of being part of a church planting in a city with no church, her life was forever changed. She left China after five years to work as an intern with the campus ministry at UCSD and continue her graduate studies to become an English teacher. She hopes to serve God overseas again someday in the future. Her dream is to continue reaching the unreached and helping many people come to a knowledge of the living God.