A message of Condemnation and God's miracles on Campus

What I can tell you about the first thought of my day is that I did not think I would encounter a seemingly crazy guy quoting scripture like he was a human Bible Dictionary on Georgia Southern University's Campus.  Literally, it happened.

A good buddy of mine sent me a text requesting that we meet up because he had some things on his mind. Little did I know that upon my arrival to meet him On Campus at the Russell Union I would find a man standing amongst what had to be at least 120 or so students preaching what sounded like the Word of God.

Now, I was gravely mistaken. As I moved into the crowded attendance I could hear distinctly the battle shouts of the students against the man. It broke my heart to see that he was mis-using the Holy Word of God. He was boldly calling students slurs and negative names that I shall not repeat. Furthermore he was claiming God felt exactly as he was saying.

There was so much discouragement being thrown back and forth from the crowd to the man and from the man to the crowd I almost couldn't take it. To see a man claiming to be from the Father I know and representing Him in the most horrific of ways was heart clenching.

Despite this horrific seen there was so much to be proud of. I saw with my own eyes miracles being performed by the grace of God. Chi Alpha students who were spread sparingly amongst the crowd were showing the love of God in power as they ministered to the hearts of students who were being hurt by the words of condemnation.

At this realization I was inspired to act. I asked a fellow Chi Alphian for a bible and I tried to ease my way closer to the guy. I felt it on my heart just to discreetly ask him some questions and kind of shed some light on the fact that if he was a Christian this was not a great venue for administering the Gospel in hope of Salvations. After speaking the a police officer he allowed me to step out from the crown towards the man's right shoulder. I tried to politely get his attention but as he saw the bible in my hand he ignored me.

After 10 or so minutes I gave up and went to sit with some of the students to pray only to be called back by the crowd of students to come over and ask my questions. I was startled that so many people realized my attempt to speak with the guy. It dawned on me that many of the students must have seen me before or at least knew some of the students I work with. So, I hurried over and stepped out from the crowd to the man's side once again. This time he acknowledged me and told me as loud as for all to hear that I better not have come to preach but only to ask a question.

I prayed silently and waited for a second. Then attempted to let him know that it is in my experience  that it is hard to minister to students on campus through the venue he was attempting to use. I was cut off and called spineless and a devil worshiper. I repeated again this time using scripture quoting 1 Cor 8:9. I told him if he is a believer we must be careful not to use our freedom in a way that would cause brothers to stumble. I mean't this simply as he was using Scripture which is the truth but the way he was using it hardened hearts. To the students this man was attacking them with Words that they have been taught should not be spoken of lightly. *We must use discernment in how to administer the Gospel in a way that is glorifying to God.


He then grew angry and bombarded me with questions about if I believe sinners go to hell. I gently said that is not what I came here to address. He then raised his voice to the crowd and things grew even more grave. He petitioned a vote if people liked him more or myself. Unfortunately I won the vote because of how hateful he was being towards the students. He then quoted that I won the World because I was of the World and that I did not know the Lord.

At this I told him thanks for hearing me and retreated from the front to make my way through the crowd. This was not possible because I was stopped by 6 students who wanted to know who I was and 1 reporter who wanted to get some more information about what I had spoken. I spent the next hour and a half preaching the Gospel to all who would hear not 20 feet from the Crazy Guy telling people that God hates sinners.

I recount this story because today I learned a little bit more about who God is. That even in the gravest of circumstances God's goodness will be shown. He is sovereign over all things. Nothing will separate us from God's love. Today I felt embarrassed, I felt angered, I felt made fun of, I felt like I was inadequate in my knowledge of scripture and most of all I felt attacked. Let this be on the record I would do it all again because the Salvations and the sharing of the Gospel that came out of it was beyond worth it.

If I could leave anyone who reads this a message this is what it would say, "God is real. Jesus is his Son. Get to know him because he is what you are seeking in your life whether you know it or not. And to the believers Walk in Power take every opportunity to put yourself in a position where the Holy Spirit can administer the Power of Christ in your life. Be a radical!--Most importantly---God loves you."

A Lasting Memory

It is through working with Chi Alpha that I found my passion to be aiding college students in coming to know Jesus. There is nothing more gratifying than to be apart of God's awesome plan for his sons and daughters. After half a year here in Chi Alpha God has moved in such a spectacular way.  

This story was written September 1st 2011 by a freshman student who attended one of our weekly services. This piece of writing is a lasting memory and encouragement to how God is working through Chi Alpha to touch the Georgia Southern University Campus.

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“My First Campus Ministry”

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My first week, I focused on surviving. I was at Georgia Southern University by myself for the first time, I mean truly by myself. So my first week instead of looking for ministries I was getting a crash course in time management, memorizing key dates, not to mention being told what to do at 4:30a.m. (I’m used to telling cadets what to do at about 4:30pm.)

This week, my second week, I dedicated time to finding a campus ministry where I can be connected to followers of Christ here at southern. I found a couple online on the Student Organizations page and lined up the schedule so that I could check out a few. All around campus, and I mean literally ALL AROUND CAMPUS, I saw advertisements for Chi Alpha, a Christian ministry that always starts its ad with; “We are not a fraternity or sorority” just a group of students finding out what it means to follow Jesus.” So do to the great marketing of Chi Alpha I decided I would try there first.

I was embarrassed. For the first time, I think in years, I was embarrassed to say that I as going to a ministry meeting. I mean who does that? This is college; we’re supposed to leave those “childish” religious beliefs at home. Instead we should live and believe how and what we want. Only holding on to our religion as something that we are born with, something that has no purpose something that is just there… almost like a birthmark. So walking sheepishly out the door, one of my roommates asked me where I was heading to, “to see Jessica,” I quickly replied. Knowing this was a blatant lie and a violation of Matthew 10:33. I could almost hear the rooster crow as I got on my bike and went to the IT building where the meeting was to be held. I passed a small mostly African American ministry group doing devotion under a gazebo looking thing on my right, that was a little encouraging, but still doubt crept into my mind. I wondered if there wasn’t really any meeting, what if I just walked into an empty room, what if it was just me and the preacher-guy, what if there all crazy, what if there’s nothing but overwhelmingly southern rural white people, what if, what if, what if… you get the idea my mind went on a full sprint down interstate what if and it was hard to see the upcoming exit.

I saw a sign in front of the IT building advertising the event. I finally left interstate what if as I confirmed that there was actually a meeting. As I walked in God answered a whole lot of what ifs and then some. I was greeted by a director-like lady, who was a senior at the university, and she told me about Chi Alpha being an abbreviation of the Greek “Christou apostoloi” written by Paul meaning literally “Christ’s sent ones.” I love languages and stuff (international studies major/ history nerd!) like that, so it was a great way to start a conversation with me.

Then the doors opened. As we walked in I looked around and just kind of observed what was going on, and I as truly amazed by what I saw. I saw a group of college students, larger than my congregation in Augusta, gathered talking, laughing, and when the time came praising God, reading Bibles, taking notes, etc, etc. Here’s the craziest part, you ready? It was on their own time. Like me they were all college students who just came, not because of parents, or grandparents made them, not because their friends or roommates would think its cool (I KNOW it was not that one lol), but simply because they loved the Lord. They could have been studying, a lot were over 21 and could have been chilling at the bar, to be honest even the ones under 21 could have been chilling at the bar (that’s for another reflection though). They could have been literally anywhere but they wanted to be here. There are universities where students are required to go to chapel and stuff like that, I promise I don’t mean to bash these schools, but to me this was way more beautiful.

This was very much different. The next thing I noticed was just how diverse college Christianity is. By diverse I could have simply meant there was a good mix of both black and white students, and there were. As a matter of fact the band played a mix of music. Some was contemporary stuff that you would hear on 88.3 others are the gospel stuff that you would hear on BET Sunday mornings. This is good, different, but good. Let me remind you though that this is still not the diverse that I am talking about. Alongside the blacks and whites, there were Hispanics, Asians, and a ton of other cultures! Behind me sat a VERY middle eastern looking guy who if I would have saw anywhere else on campus I would have pushed off as Islamic (but I have a stereotyping problem to be honest lol). Here at there’s Georgia Southern even a Japanese’s foreign exchange student that believes in Christ, a country that is “Proud of their secular society, most Japanese aren’t religious in the way Americans are” according to Dan Gillgolf, religion editor for CNN. Some didn’t like certain songs, I personally HAT, excuse me STRONGLY DISLIKE southern gospel, but we all seemed to put that aside to embrace unity in diversity. I liked that though because I my mind as the Church we should truly be the epitome of the Latin phrase E pluribus unum, meaning “Out of many, one.” I saw this amongst Christ’s sent ones Tuesday night.

People doubt all the time the ability of God to do his work, especially in the United States, and I don’t judge them because I think that too, a lot more that I would like to admit. I expected to see Christianity at a stand still here, on the ropes in a fight against postmodernism, atheism, and simple apathy. Instead I saw a group of believes still running the race that Paul tells us about in 1st Corinthians 9:24. I saw them doing it in a place that I personally consider more hostile to Christianity than the famous “10-40 window.” Audrey Assad, a Catholic singer, wrote her most famous single “It’s You I’m chasing after cause I am captivated by who You are and how You move I’ll follow You forever.” (Italics are mines). Like Mrs. Assad I am truly captivated to see Christ move especially as I remember that this is only the first ministry I’ve looked at. I hope that my optimism last as I go through the years (I like to live in terms of semesters now actually).

-written Sept. 1, 2011
by: Jonathan Quintyne

Fresh brightly laid crystals of ice

stretching for miles in each direction

Confusion is everywhere I turn,

for this beauty rises and I am caught in between

The moon’s light is reflecting and rebounding off

 what looks like an endless sea of jewels

Something in the still air looks so warm

Cold nights I remember but this

is no memory of mine

Never have I seen black look so light

Never have I felt my insides swell

and my thoughts so chaotic

What is it? What is it I ask?

Why does my heart feel so foreign

Almost like it is not my own

Where are my footprints?

I feel as though I’ve walked for hours

These words,

Someone put these words on this slim page

What is it about this book?

Why is it when I’m close to the answer

thoughts come and steal the fruit from

which was being grown?

Is it I that is so hungry?

Fresh brightly laid crystals of ice

stretching for miles in each direction

Confusion is everywhere I turn,

for this beauty rises and I am caught in between

The moon’s light is reflecting and rebounding off

what looks like an endless sea of jewels

My heart is throbbing for in these words

I see him; My Father