Being Christian and being Greek
 

Today I was approached by my campus minister to do an outreach bible study for the greek community on campus. I was approached because I am the only greek member in my church and in the last couple of years there has been a decrease in the 1 greek bible study that was being offered by another organization. I was wondering if any of you have been in this situation and how you went about starting a bible study. Also if anyone has any good ideas for a study that would be helpful.

Michelle

Couldn't tell you what would be helpful. When I was in the Student Senate a few years ago, we approved a similar organization called Campus Crusade (despite the objections of Muslim student organizations). They held their meetings in various GLO houses. Was a good program.

Although I don't know much about it, there is an organization at my school called Greek Christian Fellowship (GCF). I do know they meet once a week for bible study and prayer, etc. I think it's pretty geared towards developing Christian leadership skills as visible members of the Greek community. It seems to be a really strong program.

Do you have a Greek life director who could assist you in getting the program started? Or, contact another campus Christian organization (InterVarsity, etc.) to help advertise your new organization.

Tech had an All Greek Bible Study. I can't recall if it was held every week or not. From what I recall, it rotated sorority/fraternity lodges (houses). It was announced during chapter meetings along with all of the other Panhellenic announcements. Other than that....I'm not sure what to suggest.

At my school, Campus Crusade for Christ was active on campus and had certain people that worked for the organization to organize a Bible study with different chapters. For example, on guy would organize a study with the Pi Kappa Alphas and Sigma Chis, at their houses, which were next to each other, alternating each week.
Check with the religious organizations on you campus, such as the Baptist Campus Ministries (BCM), Campus Crusade, Christian Student Fellowship (Church of Christ affiliated), etc. All these type org's have a campus minister of sorts who can help you organize a Bible study group.

I really enjoyed attending the Greek Bible Study at the University of Florida. It was very strong at one point and then kind of faded away. We also held Bible Study within my chapter with great devotions based from our ritual. I loved it. We had to stop having Bible Study in our physical chapter house because it made the women of other religious backgrounds within our chater feel uncomfortable. I would advise being aware of other religious/ethnic groups within your greek community and be willing to help them start up meetings of their own. Good luck!

Ours is called Greeks for God. I love the name.

Also, something good to do is have ice cream socials and such when new members join greek life. It's a low pressure way to get people to show up! Plus, who doesn't love ice cream?

We called ours The Sorority Action Group - our school not exactly being in the Bible Belt. Those of us who put it together took turns having people in, and making a simple meal, after which we did Bible study, and discussed where He was in our lives.

Hope it works out well for you!

We have Greek IV on our campus. I haven't been, but I know it was very well-attended. They held it at different houses every week. The links above will definitely give you more info :)

I think a Greek Bible study would get laughed off our campus. Maybe individual fraternities had it (but according to my good friend who is a Sigma Chi, THEY didnt even have it) but it certainly wasnt publicized and i think a lot of people would find it offensive. There were groups like Campus Crusade for Christ, and im sure there were GLO members involved, but not an organized Bible study for Greeks.

Why would it be considered offensive? It's not a mandatory or required activity. It's very similar to just a random group of students from a dorm hall getting together for Bible study/worship... instead, the group members know each other from the Greek system.

Carnation, are you reading this?

I think her daughter either started this or at least was involved in it in the chapter I used to advise.

I was so impressed with the way it was handled. They just announced it at chapter meetings and dinners, no pressure.

You would be amazed at the number of chapter members who participated, and I think they did at some point try to do some outreach and involved other Greeks besides just our chapter.

(I posted this question)

At my school campus crusade for christ had a very strong greek bible study when I was in undergrad with more then 50 people showing up for one bible study a week. The people who ran this group moved two years ago and the bible study was moved to the Sig Ep house and it disapated from there. There is still a greek bible study but its not widely known and is contained to those who are involved in Campus Crusade for Christ which is huge on our campus.

My church is affiated with Christian Student Foundation and we would like to do an outreach also to help get the attendance once known in the greek system back up. We are thinking about trying out the sororities first and hosting it in one of the chapters suites then later if it works inviting the guys to join.

Does anyone have any topic ideas that they think would be really interesting to focus on? Remember that we are inviting 12 chapters to join us so we can't focus on specific rituals.

Some Christians approcahed me. I told them any Greek that practices doesn't do it within the school. There's just way too many atheists and apathetics to do something like that.

Especially since they've turned the Babtist church down the street into a dating service.....

Religion is an issue that is actively downplayed at UofT (for Greeks)... the approach that religion is personal is respected by most orgs. and besides it can just lead to further conflict or controversy on campus... something that is to be avoided if we want to stay around.

However that is not to say that outside organizations do not make efforts to recruit greeks or "worm" their way into GLOs... I have seen the Campus Crusade (don't know if there are back of the prohibited list for campus again), Jews for Jesus, Catholic Youth (pretty big around World Youth Day), Church of Latter Day Saints, Habonim Dror, Muslim Students, and a mirade or other Christian groups all come up to the house (or my office when I was on the student council) trying to win converts to their cause. UofT students are generally aprehensive about these groups though, to many groups have been exposed as little better than cults in the past, while others are critized for placing their religious views (or political) before the school community.