Notes from Alumni Panel, 10/17/2003

Introduction

Where have you seen God's faithfulness?
and What would you have done differently in college?

John Carey

John (A.B. 2000) lived in B-J all four years and served as a IVCF small group leader. He currently works for the U of C Athletics Department. John and his wife Sophia have served for several years as Resident Heads for Thompson House in Pierce.

There wasn't just one way that I experienced God's faithfulness, but through several different experiences. I came to the U of C wanting the experience of both an academic education but also athletic excellence (for me, in football). But during college I had two knee surgeries, which not only curtailed my playing time but made me spend a lot of days on crutches. It was very humbling.

God was also faithful to me in my choice of concentration. I really didn't know what I wanted to major in, even by my third year, and it was almost on a whim that I took some psychology courses and discovered something I really liked.

I also had some really good and enriching experiences in the Burton-Judson small group, both as a participant and as a leader. The community I found there was a powerful demonstration of God's love and faithfulness to me.

What I would do differently: I wish that I would have shared the Gospel more with my peers, especially my football teammates. I wonder--if I had invited them to IVCF or to church one more time, taken the opportunity to have that certain conversation, and so on--if I could have shared the Gospel with them.

Sophia Carey

Sophia (AB 2000) lived in Shoreland and B-J. She works for CAPS. (Also see John, above).

In high school, I asked God to prove Himself to me. I thought that if what I felt about God was really true, He would demonstrate his faithfulness. When God never did that, I grew resentful. In college, I didn't go to church much my first two years, and it wasn't until I went through some tough times and really hit "rock bottom," that I came to understand that God loved me and was faithful to me.

I determined to start going to church again, and I had heard about CCUC (in Chinatown). Even though I had only been there once--autumn quarter of my first year--I decided to go back. I'd never really traveled on the Red Line alone, but somehow I got up and made it up to CCUC on a Sunday morning. As I was riding the bus and train up there, I was praying that God would send me a "church buddy," because I knew I couldn't make this trip alone every week.

When I got up to CCUC, the pastor greeted me, and when he found out I was from the U of C he introduced me to some other U of C students that were visiting that day. It turns out there were 3 of us, and that we had all come up to CCUC separately, and on the way we had all been praying for church buddies! It was definitely an answer to prayer and an example of God's faithfulness.

Perhaps the supreme example of God's faithfulness to me is my marriage to John. When I first met John I wasn't sure about marrying him, but God was faithful and helped me see that this would be a wonderful thing.

What I would do differently: I don't think this is a problem a lot of U of C students face, but I would be more responsible with the opportunities God gave to me. I went to a lot of parties during my first two years, and I should have studied more.

Nicole Voelkel

Nicole will graduate in 2004. She has spent several years on leave of absence for studies abroad.

I'm the daughter of missionaries. When I was a kid, we lived in Mexico and saw powerful responses to prayer. We wouldn't have anything to eat for supper, so we would pray--and someone would happen to come out of their way and give us food. I grew up thinking this was the way the world works, so it was a little bit of an adjustment when God placed me in a situation where such prayers were not always granted.

On a missions trip to Colombia I learned about God's faithfulness. There I met a woman named Jeanine--it seems like half of Colombia knows her. She always says that Jesus is her husband, and taught me to see Him in a new way. God has been faithful to me not so much as a friend, but as a husband or boyfriend. That is, he's been faithful to me in a very personal and passionate way.

In Colombia you're always told not to take taxi rides: that the taxis will take you out into the mountains and rob you or worse. However, one time I was late for meeting a friend, and I had to take a cab. I climbed in, told the driver the destination (a shopping mall). I was a little scared, and got more so when it seemed we were heading out of the city and going nowhere near where I thought the mall should be. Eventually I worked up the courage to ask the driver where we were going, and it turns out we misunderstood each other--he thought I wanted to go to a chapel that was outside the city (the chapel and the mall have very similar-sounding names). He turned around, but at this point it seems like we've driven halfway around the city. I only had 10 pesos in my purse--just enough for the quick mall trip, so there was no way I could pay for such a long ride. So I prayed that God would "be the man" in this situation: that he would take care of this for me. When we got to the mall, the driver turned around and said, "10 pesos." God really answered my prayer.

Winnie Eng

Winifred (AB 1996, Sociology) lived in Woodward Hall all four years (Rickert and Wallace Houses). She served as Woodward small group leader and on the Ministry Team. After graduation Winnie taught English in China as a missionary for several years and now works downtown teaching ESL.

I first learned about God's faithfulness through my college choice. I was not confident at all that this was the place I should go, and I came here without really knowing why I had chosen the U of C. But God was faithful to me, and helped me understand this was the right choice.

Another way I experienced God's faithfulness is through prayer. It's really exciting for me to see all of you here, because we prayed for you--the future students--when we were here at the University.

God also taught me about what's mine and what's God's during college. I tried to keep a Sabbath during my time here, and to tithe. This helped me understand that all my talents and gifts belong to God.

Finally, I learned that God is by definition faithful. He can't be unfaithful--it's not his nature. So the real question wasn't whether God would be faithful to me, but if I would be faithful to Him. I think of Jacob, wrestling with God, and refusing to let go until he receives a blessing. I had to learn to hold on, like Jacob did, and cling to God's promises.

What I would do differently: I wouldn't have wanted to leave on "good terms" with my first year roommate. Let me explain: my roommate and I had a good relationship, but we definitely didn't have the same views on everything. When first year ended, I thought I'd definitely see her around, so I didn't press issues or have conversations I wanted to have. It turns out I never saw her again until graduation. We did start corresponding after graduation, but I should have pursued her more during first year, or kept in touch during college, because it might have affected relationships she's had since then.

Nate Williams

Nate (AB 1994, Fundamentals) lived in B-J all four years. He was IVCF chapter president in 1993-94. After graduation, Nate worked with Operation Mobilization and founded a data processing and analysis company.

I experienced God's faithfulness in three ways. First, through the community of other believers. Never underestimate the power of a word of encouragement. You may think it's a rather small thing to give, but it can be the exact thing your brother or sister needs to keep them going.

Second, through the depth and richness of the Bible, especially the narrative histories (Samuel, Kings, etc.). I was originally led to these histories by my Fundamentals question: are politics and religion reconcilable? As I read these histories for my study, what I also discovered is that Scripture has a depth and wisdom unlike other texts. Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions of Scripture. Be humble, and approach the text with a willingness to learn and be taught, but with confidence: the Bible can and will provide the answers.

Third, through the grace and mercy I received in my academic career. Graduation gave me a run for my money, so to speak: more than once I felt like I was in an impossible situation with a huge amount of work that needed doing. During those times I received a great deal of encouragement from God. [German story]

What I would have done differently: well, obviously I would have planned certain academic things differently! Seriously, I would caution you about two things. First, beware of the culture of pride. We are told, from our first day here, how wonderful, special, smart, and intelligent we are. But remember to see what it means to be human in the eyes of God, not in the eyes of other people in our community. This applies to both intellectual and spiritual pride: be on the lookout for both in your life.

Second, be realistic about your goals and embrace more grace. I was ambitious, and set a lot of challenges for myself. It felt like I was always on the go, always reaching and pursuing. Don't be so hard on yourself: it's good to have goals, but if you do too much, you might miss out on God's riches: the joy and peace He has for you.

Andrew Varcoe

Andy (AB 1995, Fundamentals) lived in Shoreland and served on the Ministry Team during college. He received his J.D. from Harvard and currently works as an attorney in the Washington D.C. area.

I'll start with regrets and the things I wished I had done differently, as it's a lot easier for me to talk about regrets. I do not regret taking advantage of all the academic riches we have here at the U of C. While the University can be a secular, even anti-Christian place, it can also be a hospitable environment where your faith can grow. I would warn you, however, against the fallacy of believing that our spiritual life and academic life are sealed off from each other. Paul says we should "take every thought captive for Christ," however, this does not mean we run away from or ignore the hard thoughts, or the ones that seem confusing.

I do regret my role in the broken relationships I had in college. One example is dating relationships. Another is friend relationships, especially those we have among our Christian friends and in Christian fellowships. Remember that even though we are united by God's grace we are still, through faith in Christ, different people. See Romans 14-15 and 1 Corinthians 10. You're going to meet a lot of people who don't believe the same things that you do about such issues as doctrine, what songs to sing, how to pray, even personal hygiene. You will disagree. You may even be right--there are right and wrong sides, especially with regard to personal hygiene! Even so, bear with that person (Romans 15:1). You can still learn from them.

Remember also to be cautious labeling things as sins rather than areas of disagreement. Don't take real differences to be sins in your brother or sister if they aren't.

Remember, also, that Christians mess up--we sin. We do horrible things to each other that require forgiveness: lying, adultery, and many others. The fact that Moses and Paul have to tell Christians not to do these things illustrate how easy it is to sin. Take to heart, then, Paul's words in Ephesians: Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." (4:31-32). Your friends will hurt you, and you will hurt them. Be ready to forgive and be forgiven.

A second regret: not recognizing my need for help with emotional and personal problems, such as depression. I went through some pretty hard times in college, and while I eventually spoke with a Christian counselor, I wish I had done it earlier than I did. Depression and other "down" issues are endemic to the U of C. If you deal with issues that seem too hard to bear, talk with somebody! Don't suffer in silence. There are a wealth of counseling resources available at the University: there is the Student Counseling Center--not for everyone, of course, but they can be helpful--and there are friends. Joel (our staffworker) would be happyt to refer you to good resources. We are all in need of the love and support provided by our neighbors.

Moving on to God's faithfulness: One way I saw God's faithfulness was in knowledge and wisdom. I came to faith right before I came to the U of C, in 1991. Thus when I arrived on campus I was still new and inexperienced. God used IVCF and other campus ministries to teach me what it meant to be a Christian.

A second way I've experienced God's faithfulness is through the spiritual disciplines, many of which others have mentioned: prayer (both individually and corporately), Bible study, fellowship, observing the Sabbath, worship, tithing--and the list can go on. These disciplines and habits help us get through the rough times and dry spots in college.

Finally: don't let your Christian experience and fellowship be a "holy huddle": that is, doing no more than turning inward and shielding the candle of your faith against the cold and darkness of the secular world. In other words, flourish in other aspects of your life too: classes, athletics, music, other RSOs, wherever God leads you.

Q. What was the biggest challenge facing IVCF when you were a student?

SC: For me, the biggest challenge was the lack of contemporary worship. I was used to singing contemporary songs with a full praise band, and we didn't do that at Large Group. I had to realize that worship comes in a lot of different forms.

NW: The challenge during my time was blocking out time for prayer and prayer meetings. Prayer is central to our lives and to our chapter's life, but it sometimes got lost in the crush of all the other events--Large Group, Small Groups, other things.

AV: A few things: the chapter's relationship with AASC was/is a perennial source of tension for some people. I also witnessed tension between two chapter goals: being a welcoming community open to non-Christians and being a community that is authentic and faithful to our Christian calling.

Q. What challenges did you experience to your faith during college, and are they different than the challenges you face after college?

WE: I found discipline and regularity in study and prayer much harder after college and outside of IVCF.

NW: The challenges are different--because you're different. You grow, and change, and so at different points in your life the challenges are going to be different. That being said, at the U of C it's very easy to find challenges to your faith. (You don't even need to really find them--they usually find you!) Out of college, the challenges to faith may not be as evident, depending on where you end up. You may need to actively seek out challenges.

AV: Outside of college you may have to deal with challenges that you didn't experience in college, such as friends who were Christian losing their faith. As people get older, you also have to deal with people you know passing through life: sickness and death. Usually in college we're too young to really have to worry about such things yet.

Q. We are called to be "in the world but not of the world." How did this play out at the U of C? Were there places you had to be "in the U of C but not of the U of C" because you were a Christian?

JC: When I interacted with my non-Christian friends, I noticed that, as a Christian, I seemed to possess some things my friends did not. For instance, through IVCF I enjoyed steady friends and a support network, that some of my non-Christian friends didn't seem to have.

NW: The world has a "pecking order." Comparisons are made, people try to get ahead and be the best, and so on. The "pecking order" even happens within academia. However, I believe that the Kingdom of God is completely contrary to this. It's tempting to buy into the world's desire to rank, compare, and be the best. Don't buy into it.

NV: One thing non-Christians don't seem to possess is a great deal of joy, or joy for the wrong reasons. As a Christian, be joyful! If this seems hard, remember what Jesus said: "remain in Me, and I will remain in you." (John 15:4). Remain in Christ, and it will make you more joyful.

SC: As a Christian, remember that your non-Christian friends will often see you as apart from the world. They may stereotype you or expect you to do/not do certain things because you're a Christian. A funny story: there was a guy in my dorm who had several tattoos, and insisted Christians couldn't get tattoos. We argued about this all quarter, and finally one Saturday morning I went down and banged on his door. I said, "I'm getting a tattoo. Let's go." He was floored, but agreed to take me up to the north side to a tattoo parlor with some friends.

Now, I had spent some time thinking about this. I had my design picked out--a small gecko, which I thought would be really neat. So we got up to the tattoo parlor, and I signed all the forms indicating I was doing this of my own free will, and then the tattoo artist asked me what design I would like. And at that point it really sunk in that the tattoo would be permanent, and that this was an irrevocable decision--when I was 80 years old I would still have this design. When this hit me I completely discarded the gecko, and asked the artist if he could do a small, simple black cross.

The guys from my dorm thought I was nuts and so boring. But I was convinced, and as we were riding back on the El afterwards one of them turned to me and said that I was really cool.

Final Sentences

SC: Go to Small Group Bible Study!

JC: ditto. One of my best experiences here.

AV: Two things: First, a quote from John Wesley: "There are no solitary Christians." Second, don't be afraid to be a strange and radical Christian and do something wierd. The disciples acted like that at times, and they turned out OK.

NW: "Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) As Nicole said, be joyful.

NV: ditto.