When walking on a college campus you are met with a barrage of advertisements. They try to get you to attend an event, join some club, or to make a moral stand. There are tables upon tables of people giving out information. There is poster after poster, all of which would lead you to believe that the message on it is more important than the hundreds of other posters surrounding it. With so many groups vying for attention what are we to do? How can we make sure that our message is also being heard? What can we do to stand out? The message of the truth of Jesus is important, it is real, and it matters; far more than the knitting club or the BBQ club and yet it seems that sometimes nothing we do will get the attention that we might desire. 

Shouting Above the Noise

We have never hidden the fact that as a church we seek to invest in our local campuses. We want to reach students with the truth of God. If we can reach students now, at the start of this year, the start of their college career, the start of their adult life, there is no telling what incredible things God will do both in and through these individuals. There is no doubt that the potential is great. These students are going to find community, invest their time, energy, and resources, and pursue dreams. The question is where? Will what they seek be found only in the temporal activities that the university and culture around them has to offer? Or will they find real community, invest deeply, and pursue fulfillment in the kingdom of God?  What can a little group like ours do to encourage the latter? 

So far we have set up tables at three different college campuses, given away coffee and Street Level information to as many as possible. We have attended student org fairs and welcome week activities. We released the newest issue of Word on the Street Magazine. We had our first weekly meeting as well as hosted a well-attended canoe trip. We have had bonfires where we gave away hot chocolate and apple cider. The start of the semester has been a busy one. It’s been a lot of fun. And many of these things were good. Many we will continue to do in the future, as well as continually seeking new ways to meet and talk with students. They are all important and we should seek to do them with excellence. But none of them are the answer. 

What is the Answer?

Last Monday we had our first Bible Study of the semester. At it we talked about how we cannot rely on our past experiences with God, we cannot assume that because something worked once it will again. Instead God desires us to continually seek and know Him. And that is what I want for Street Level this semester. I want us to be a people that are marked with the presence of God. I’d like to strive to be a group that is close to God, that knows Him, and that desires Him above outward success, attendance, and notoriety. If that is true of us, I have no doubt that God will do a great work both in us and through us.

Things to Pray for Street Level Twin Ports

• -Weekly dinner and BIble study at UW-Superior on Monday nights

• -Coffee Giveaways and other student outreaches

• -New weekly Bible studies at Perk Place coffeehouse for Duluth campuses on Tuesday nights