USA (MNN) — As more and more college students come to know Christ across the United States, two things are clear: believers are praying, and God is answering.
Over the last two weekends, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship hosted two Greek Conferences: one in Charlotte, North Carolina, and one in Indianapolis, Indiana. Greek Conference takes place across the country, bringing together college students who are in sororities or fraternities. Some are Christians, some are just seeking, and all are learning about Christ and having fun.
The response this year was encouraging, to say the least. In fact, the Indianapolis conference was record breaking.
"630 students from 43 campuses came to Indianapolis. 43 different campuses represented at the Indianapolis conference was a new record for us," explains Greek InterVarsity's Eric Holmer. "We are very excited to think about what that means for all those different student going back to 43 different campuses, taking what they learned and how they were shaped by God this weekend to go back and make an impact back on campus."
Furthermore, 50 students committed to following Christ for the first time or rededicated their lives to Him.
Teaching hundreds of sorority and fraternity students not only that they don't need alcohol to have a good time, but that Christ has a plan for each of their lives is a major success, and it seems like more and more students are willing to hear the Good News. InterVarsity gave out 175 Bibles to students, many of whom had never owned one.
Is it the beginning of revival?
"I don't want to make assumptions about some sort of growing trend; all I know is there were 470 students in Indianapolis, and we got 630 this year," says Holmer. "So we're definitely excited to see that sort of increase, and we hope that it leads to increase the ministry back on campus, and the sign of–hopefully–great things to come."
Whether or not it's a trend, we need to be praying in that direction says Dave Warn, director of Collegiate Impact. Collegiate Impact is heading up the Collegiate Day of Prayer today for the third year straight with a focus on revival such as this.
"We're just calling on students, campus leaders, faculty, as well as the body of Christ throughout America to pray for the world of higher education," Warn says. "Specifically, the Collegiate Day of Prayer is united prayer, praying for spiritual awakening."
Warn–not to mention hundreds of campus groups–is calling on campuses, churches, and individual believers to pray today.
"We're keeping the focus simple, and that is to see spiritual awakening on our campuses. And really that can be fleshed out three ways: open hands, open hearts, open heavens," says Warn. "We're really praying in those three areas that first, we'd have open hearts for God to do what He wants us to do; open hands to serve Him, serve the body of Christ, serve the campus; and then, open heavens to really see God manifest His presence on our campuses."
Find out who is praying near you at www.collegiatedayofprayer.org. As you take time to join campuses nationwide in prayer today, keep the hundreds of InterVarsity Greek students in mind.
"There's going to be the temptation to maybe forget about what happened this weekend, or maybe not follow through on starting up that house ministry," says Holmer. Pray that students would not only remember their commitments made, but would eagerly spread the Good News among the sometimes-forgotten Greek population, and across campuses. Revival has historically taken place among college-age students. Pray for it again today.
