This semester, the Office of University Ministries is starting student-led Bible study groups across campus called Journey Groups. Different from Life Groups, the purpose of Journey Groups is to give sophomores through seniors a chance to continue to commune with a group of peers dedicated to reading and studying Scripture together.
“We want to heavily encourage consistent reading of the Word of God,” said Landon Todd, a sophomore digital media communications major. “We want to equip students to do more than simply read the Word, but also meditate on it and apply it to their lives.”
Journey Groups was created after a demand for on-campus Bible studies was recognized by student leaders and faculty in the Office of University Ministries.
“We get asked regularly, ‘Hey, are there any Bible studies on campus that we can be a part of?’” said Joe Ball, director for discipleship and ministry in the Office of University Ministries. “We are creating Journey Groups to kind of help answer that.”
In addition to partaking in a Bible study together, Journey Groups want to provide students with a place where they can disciple one another, as well as grow spiritually alongside one another through the studying of the Scripture. The intent for this new gathering is to have Journey Groups every semester go through a different book of the Bible each time.
“Having students be able to grow together and hold each other accountable for reading the Word on campus is what Journey Groups is all about,” Todd said.
While it is clear that the hope for Journey Groups is to provide students a place for community and growth, those behind the conception of the idea want to ensure that they are not devaluing the importance of local church participation.
“The intention is not to take away from local church involvement,” said Ball. “As we read the Word together and grow in our walk with Christ together, people will want to be more involved with the local church.”
“While I feel that the local church is the main place where we should be taking part in a Christ-centered discipleship community, we also have a great opportunity to do something similar on campus,” Todd said.
If you are interested in learning more or getting involved with a Journey Group, visit the Office of University Ministries in the Barefoot Student Union Building or email Joe Ball at jball@uu.edu.
Photo By Tamara Friesen
