#intervarsity

Part of the ISM group during some outdoor meeting.

A UC Davis, le nombre de clubs en général est impressionnant. Mais d’un point de vue français en particulier je pense, le nombre de clubs à vocation religieuse l’est encore plus : il y a littéralement des dizaines de groupes de jeunes chrétiens différents. Par dénomination, par pays, etc., + tous ceux qui m’apparaissent comme des doublons. 

Moi, un peu par hasard, et beaucoup par chance je crois, je suis tombé directement sur un groupe en particulier, InterVarsity (https://intervarsity.org/). C’est une sorte de “chaîne” je dirais, c’est à dire que c’est à la base une organisation développée à échelle nationale et qui développe des “cellules” dans divers campus à travers les états. Au sein du club présent à UC Davis, assez conséquent quand réuni au complet (une fois par semaine pour les vrais), se distinguent plusieurs “sous-groupes” créés pour regrouper des populations cibles. Plus spécialement, ils sont prévus non pas uniquement pour des déjà-chrétiens qui souhaitent se retrouver, mais aussi pour des étudiants lambda de divers social backgrounds qui sont intéressés par la nourriture gratuite l’aspect social et “spirituel” de ces groupes. C’est ainsi qu’il y a un groupe pour les latinos, un groupes pour les afros, un groupe pour les étudiants en “frats” (les fameuses fraternités et sororités), etc... et un groupe pour les étudiants internationaux : International Students Ministry (ISM).

Bon, perso je triche un peu parce que j’aime bien les gens de partout et du coup je squatte un peu dans tous les groupes 😄, mais dans l’idée mon groupe de rattachement principal c’est ISM. C’est le groupe que vous pouvez voir sur la photo en haut notamment ! Essayez de me trouver ! Un indice : je suis le seul “caucasien” 😁

A chaque fois que je rejoins mon groupe c’est ce que je vois, en un tout petit peu simplifié 😋

L’aspect foi et spiritualité complètement mis à part, le gros avantage de ce type de groupes est le tissu de relations sociales, de sorties, d’amitiés et d’évènements en tous genres qu’ils procurent. La grande majorité de mes soirées sur le campus ou en dehors sont de bonnes soirées, et so far c’est essentiellement grâce à eux, avec les réunions, sorties improvisées, hang outs, soirées, etc. Et en plus, ça me permet de lire et de méditer sur la Bible un tout petit peu plus régulièrement, alors c’est parfait pour moi (même si je comprends que cette dernière partie n’est pas susceptible d’intéresser tout le monde).

Ci-dessous, quelques photos de moments passés avec IV (InterVarsity) et ISM  😊

California State University recently announced it would no longer recognize InterVarsity Christian Fellowship because it requires leaders to adhere to Christian beliefs. In response, the organization says it will "reinvent" its ministry--but will not change its leadership policy.

California State University recently announced it would no longer recognize InterVarsity Christian Fellowship because it requires leaders to adhere to Christian beliefs. In response, the organization says it will "reinvent" its ministry--but will not change its leadership policy.

inter-varsity cricket: Need to revive inter-varsity cricket, stresses Dilip Vengsarkar | Cricket News

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MUMBAI: A long time before the Indian Premier League (IPL) happened, there was a stage on which a young cricketer would look to shine on. It was the inter-varsity tournament — the Rohington Baria Trophy, or the Vizzy Trophy. Most of the star players of the ’70s — Dilip Sardesai, Sunil Gavaskar, Mohinder Amarnath and Dilip Vengsarkar — would dazzle for their college or university in front…

This post is by Angela Xie, a third year at Northeastern University, studying Psychology and Philosophy. She is passionate about asking questions regarding faith, culture, and philosophy, is interested in pursuing something related to psychology in the future, but also just enjoys cooking and a good TV show. 

My journey with Jesus has taken many different turns in the past few years. From extreme pride in my relationship with God to complete disbelief in God’s existence, ultimately my faith has played a significant role in the meaning of my life whether I’ve liked it or not.

Growing up with my family at CBCGL, I had always felt a strong pressure to be the “best Christian”. I grew up driven by guilt and fear to read the Bible, bring my friends to church, be a role model, and be a good leader to younger lyfers in LYF. Though my experience was complicated, ultimately I think CBCGL was where I first found God and felt empowered to grow into the confidence that He had for me. Therefore, going into college, I took those same sentiments and made it my first priority to continue seeking God.

Entering college, I quickly got plugged into the InterVarsity chapter at Northeastern. In my first year, I felt as if I grew more than ever before. Being in a multi-ethnic fellowship, I learned so much more of God’s character through seeing how people of other cultures engaged with God differently than Chinese Americans. I truly saw a different form of worship, prayer, and an understanding of God’s word that gave me a fuller picture of His kingdom. As I was learning too, God gave me numerous opportunities to serve. In IV, I spoke at large group as a freshman, began helping lead a Bible study full of non-Christians, and had weekly Bible studies with a non-Christian friend who eventually came to Christ. Unimaginably, I saw an abundance of ways God was caring for me while showing me what fruit an identity in Christ truly would bear.

Fast forward to this past year. I had just spent a summer doing missions in China and was about to go back to school as a leader in my fellowship. However, for many reasons, this past year was and is still probably the most spiritually dead I have ever been. After coming back from China, I realized I didn’t want to base my relationship with God out of my emotions or the Christian community I had at school. Therefore, I began to have many questions such as “Does God actually hear our prayers?”, “What does it actually mean that God loves me?”, and “What if God doesn’t actually exist?”. Studying philosophy as well, I was surrounded by many conflicting people and ideas, and I began to question everything Christianity stood for. Most of the time, I felt as if I was merely making up excuses to back the little faith I had in God. At many points in this past year, I was ready to give up on my faith, but the meaning my faith still had in my life prevented me from fully giving it up. 

Through all of this, I never told anyone about the struggles I had, out of shame and guilt of the “perfect Christian” I was expected to be. However, at the end of last semester, I finally told two of my friends the internal crisis I had been facing in the past year. Through their patience and gentleness, I learned that it was actually okay to feel entirely distant from God. Ultimately, if I am still a daughter of God, then God still hears me and loves me for my questions, and I have no earthly reputation to uphold or uncertainty to fear. I am still thinking through all the questions I have, but I no longer hold them with a sense of guilt or shame that I used to have. My faith journey has had its many ups and downs, but I know that it is one that is eternal and never-ending.