The local church. For so many, this phrase is comforting. Local churches have been around for centuries serving others and giving hope to many. There is great power in a body of believers joining together for a common goal and then setting out to accomplish it together. My freshman year at the University of Alabama I was drawn to join a local church in my new community. The church I chose was Calvary Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa.
For many graduating high school students in America, going off to college is a rite of passage. I was blessed to be one of those students. After I had grabbed my diploma and thrown my hat in the air, the next logical step seemed to be college. When I first came to the University of Alabama, I was shocked at all there was to get involved in. I could not believe how many student groups there were on campus. I felt like the old adage was true for me, the world, or in this case the university, was my oyster. Naturally, like most entering freshmen, I wanted to get involved with groups that mattered and made a difference, not just at the University of Alabama, but in the world. My most important goal was to find a local church home for the next four years, give or take a year.
When my search began, I looked at most every Christian campus ministry there was. There was the BCM (Baptist Campus Ministries), RUF (Reformed University Fellowship), the Navigators, Campus Crusade for Christ, the Wesley Foundation and so many more. Then there were churches. Three stood out to me the most as I was searching. They were TCAT (The Church at Tuscaloosa), pronounced t-cat, Riverwood Presbyterian, and Calvary Baptist. Each church was vastly different than the other and I saw great qualities in all three. The fact that all three possessed aspects of church-life I was looking for made the process of dwindling down to just one a difficult decision. To top it all off, I had never chosen a church home by myself before.
For almost a year at school I struggled with the decision. I knew that I was looking for a church that was welcoming and engaging. I wanted to go somewhere that served the community in a powerful way. One of my biggest desires, however, was to join a congregation that offered a strong community of believers my age. I was looking for a college ministry to be a part of. In the end, this is what I found at Calvary. At Calvary I have found friendships that have encouraged me and challenged me, and I have joined a church family that supports and teaches me. I have never regretted my decision.
My experience is not rare, especially not today. I am only one among thousands of college students looking to belong to a church or campus ministry. Research shows that more and more college students around the United States are searching for religion as they come to college. In the church community we see that there is more of a need for those who want to minister specifically to college students. Because of these rising trends, I wanted to examine the local church through taking a closer look at Calvary, look at what might be causing college students to search for religion more and more, and finally, how churches like Calvary are responding to this raise in interest.
My Visit to Calvary
It is a beautiful morning in Tuscaloosa. I take a short drive dressed in my Sunday best, and arrive at the corner of Bryant Drive and 12th Avenue. This is a familiar corner for me because it is the site of Calvary Baptist Church, my church home in Tuscaloosa. I arrive, a little late as always, for the 9:45 service and walk in with a few stragglers like myself, mostly young couples. As I head for the side door I can hear the band playing worship music inside. It is a sound I love to hear on Sunday morning because it invites me in to take part in the service. As I walk up the stairs, I am greeted by an older gentleman who gives me a smile and an order of service. I take one last flight of stairs to the balcony to find my friends and begin to prepare myself for worship.
Today is like any ordinary Sunday, except for one thing. I am watching, with a slightly more observant eye, the goings-on at “the 9:45”. As we are seated for the sermon, given by our brand new senior pastor, Tim Lovett, I begin to watch the congregation. This service hour is just one of three held in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings. It is the more contemporary service, so the room is filled with mostly college and high-school students. The first three to four pews in the front of the sanctuary are filled with middle and high-school students. I zone in on them first.
Everyone has packed into these pews and there is very little space between each kid. I see some whispering and fidgeting, but for the most part, the kids seem well-behaved, which may be a result of their close proximity to the preacher. It seems pretty strange to me that students at this age would want to sit in such a highly visible section of our sanctuary. After-all, it is a large space and can hold close to 1,000 bodies. So why the very front, I wonder? These students may have something to prove. While students generally have more of a reputation for acting up at church, or simply being forced to come by their parents, it seems odd that so many of them would choose to sit front and center. My best guess would be that these kids want to take initiative and set an example to their peers, maybe even their parents. By sitting here they are almost forced to control themselves and listen to the sermon. It is an interesting arrangement.
Focusing on other groups of people, I notice that college students are scattered all around the sanctuary. There are small pods of college students spread among other church-goers. These other church-goers are adults within the congregation. Though they are fewer in number for this service, they are still participating along with everyone else. The 9:45 service is generally thought of as a “younger” service because it is more contemporary in nature, so it is refreshing to see adults worshipping alongside younger members of the church. This service offers a small window into the unity found among members of Calvary. I think it is also a big indication of why so many college students are drawn to this church. Here there is a church family made up of more than just college students like what is found in campus ministries that are unattached to a local church.
Attentiveness is not surprising here, especially with a new pastor at the front of the church. A new pastor in a church that has seen many successful years of service and growth in this community will naturally be watched with careful observation. He was officially hired several weeks ago by a congregational vote. Each member of the church is entitled to one vote in the matter of hiring a new pastor. The process is an interesting one in which what is called a church business meeting is called, the prospective pastor is introduced for recommendation by a member of a search committee, and the members are invited to stand and fill out a ballot. This meeting was the first I had ever had the honor to participate in and it was a very interesting process for me. It is great to know that as a member of a body I am able to participate in such important matters as the hiring of a senior pastor. College members are offered the same opportunity as me as long as they have committed to a college membership. This feeling of belonging draws college students in.
After the sermon, the congregation stands to sing a couple more songs led by the band and then we are dismissed to go to Sunday school. As we walk out the doors of the church it is easy to see that this is a great time to mingle and fellowship with other members. People are standing in small groups all around the front yard of the church, catching up on the past week’s events, laughing and joking around, and sharing hugs as they pass to go to their classrooms. Naturally, I go to the college Sunday school which meets behind the church in trailer classrooms. Before we head to our classes, the large group meets briefly in the gymnasium to gather together for fellowship. The smell of coffee fills the room, and a faithful Sunday school teacher stands by the refreshment table on the other end of the gym to welcome us and hand out cookies, doughnuts, coffee and soft drinks. All around the room are students wearing nametags, and when I look closely I can tell that many of them are personalized with something funny shared between the nametag maker and themselves. As I look around I do not see one single student standing alone, which makes me feel as though most people feel very welcomed here, at least that has always been my experience. There are a large number of college students, so the fact that we split off into smaller groups gives the ministry an even more welcoming and intimate atmosphere. Alan Henderson, one of the college ministers, comes up to the front to give a few brief announcements and dismiss us into classes.
I catch up with some familiar faces and go into one of the classrooms. The format of splitting into classes goes as follows: pick up list of bible studies, find one that interests you, go to assigned room, enjoy the learning experience. Each class that is offered is geared toward the utmost spiritual development as well as creating a community for college students to feel welcome and involved. Some classes are offered to only guys, others to only girls, but the majority are offered in a co-ed format. This particular Sunday I go into a co-ed classroom where they are studying other world religions. It seems to be an interesting and in-depth study on the religious beliefs of others, which I find refreshing in a Baptist church. The class is taught by a very sweet, young couple who seem interested, not only in the subject of the class but in teaching college students. The relational aspect of the class shows me just how much people care here, which to an out-of-towner college student is nice to find in a church. I believe this is the secret, if there is one, to the success of this church, which was started many years ago as a mission to college students. Though Calvary is very much a family church with members ranging in age from 1 to 92, it is clear that college students are loved and belong at this church.
After about an hour, Sunday school ends, and I walk out with the rest of my class to more groups forming around the ping-pong and pool tables. This time, people are coming together to make the lunch plans. It is a time for debating and deciding, and the best choice will always win, usually the restaurant that can accommodate the most people. In true Baptist form, the parking lot usually clears out in about 10 minutes. We get pretty serious about our lunch.
Calvary is much more than its Sunday morning activities. Throughout the week the church is alive with people walking through its hallways and interacting in its classrooms. Wednesday is known for being another big night at Calvary. Like Sunday, there is something for most everyone to participate in. The largest events seem to be youth activities and the Well, the Wednesday night worship service for the college ministry. The Well is a contemporary service that starts at eight every Wednesday night during the school year and carries on, on a slightly smaller scale, during the summer. There is a segment dedicated to singing, led by The Well Band, then there is a speaker followed by more songs. All Wednesday activities are beneficial to the life of the church, and they serve the community in many ways. With all of these ministries and services, I felt it was necessary to go to the source to see where all of the planning takes place.
The church office was my destination. I knew there I would be able to see the true inner-workings of the church and observe just how all of the activities happen. The office is easily accessible and sits right behind the sanctuary. Walking in, I am immediately greeted by the secretary at the front desk and do not have too much further before I walk into the college office, which I am familiar with. This office has an open-door policy. I have never been stopped or asked to wait to come in. This policy of welcoming makes the college ministry and staff seem very accessible. When any student walks in they can expect to be greeted warmly by the entire staff, which is my exact experience today. Alan Henderson and Lindsey Lee, two of the college ministers, say hello to me and invite me to come in and sit down. While I spend time talking and enjoying their company, many students pop their heads in the door to say hello. Many jokes are passed between the staff and the students which make it great to just be a part of the atmosphere.
The other administrative staff of the church has offices down the halls. When I walk by, many of them know me, mainly for my involvement in the church, but they are all interested in what I am doing and seem ready to help me in any way. Just sitting for a while in the waiting room I can tell that the staff relies on one another to get things done. There is a good bit of interaction between all ministries, and this shows me that unity is a strong-point for this church. Many times the college ministry is called on to serve the youth and children’s ministries. On the other hand, adult ministries often serve the college ministry by offering free meals. There is even an “adopt-a-student” program for families to take in a college student who is away from home to serve them meals, or simply allow them a place to do their laundry. It seems like a very cool idea.
Overall, what I have found in doing close observation of Calvary is that it is a church with a strong foundation. For it to be as flourishing as it is and for as many people to come as do, there is only one explanation. The roots of this church run deep and the staff and members seem to hold true to the same principles and ideals they were founded on. College students are a priority here; that is certainly clear. The rest of the members, however, are not forgotten. It is a community church attended by people from all over the city of Tuscaloosa, but more importantly, it is a church that serves the community it is in. As Shane Claiborne says in his book Irresistible Revolution, “What the world needs is people who believe so much in another world that they cannot help but begin enacting it now” (Claiborne). I have found this spirit in so many of the members of Calvary. These members, some who are my closest friends, are not serving the name or idea of a church. The clear goal of Calvary is to serve, welcome, and love, and I see that in so many of its members. To step inside of Calvary is to step into a history of service and a community set on continuing that legacy. The next question that needs asking is what that history is. To know the future of anything, we must first examine the past.
Today is like any ordinary Sunday, except for one thing. I am watching, with a slightly more observant eye, the goings-on at “the 9:45”. As we are seated for the sermon, given by our brand new senior pastor, Tim Lovett, I begin to watch the congregation. This service hour is just one of three held in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings. It is the more contemporary service, so the room is filled with mostly college and high-school students. The first three to four pews in the front of the sanctuary are filled with middle and high-school students. I zone in on them first.
Everyone has packed into these pews and there is very little space between each kid. I see some whispering and fidgeting, but for the most part, the kids seem well-behaved, which may be a result of their close proximity to the preacher. It seems pretty strange to me that students at this age would want to sit in such a highly visible section of our sanctuary. After-all, it is a large space and can hold close to 1,000 bodies. So why the very front, I wonder? These students may have something to prove. While students generally have more of a reputation for acting up at church, or simply being forced to come by their parents, it seems odd that so many of them would choose to sit front and center. My best guess would be that these kids want to take initiative and set an example to their peers, maybe even their parents. By sitting here they are almost forced to control themselves and listen to the sermon. It is an interesting arrangement.
Focusing on other groups of people, I notice that college students are scattered all around the sanctuary. There are small pods of college students spread among other church-goers. These other church-goers are adults within the congregation. Though they are fewer in number for this service, they are still participating along with everyone else. The 9:45 service is generally thought of as a “younger” service because it is more contemporary in nature, so it is refreshing to see adults worshipping alongside younger members of the church. This service offers a small window into the unity found among members of Calvary. I think it is also a big indication of why so many college students are drawn to this church. Here there is a church family made up of more than just college students like what is found in campus ministries that are unattached to a local church.
Attentiveness is not surprising here, especially with a new pastor at the front of the church. A new pastor in a church that has seen many successful years of service and growth in this community will naturally be watched with careful observation. He was officially hired several weeks ago by a congregational vote. Each member of the church is entitled to one vote in the matter of hiring a new pastor. The process is an interesting one in which what is called a church business meeting is called, the prospective pastor is introduced for recommendation by a member of a search committee, and the members are invited to stand and fill out a ballot. This meeting was the first I had ever had the honor to participate in and it was a very interesting process for me. It is great to know that as a member of a body I am able to participate in such important matters as the hiring of a senior pastor. College members are offered the same opportunity as me as long as they have committed to a college membership. This feeling of belonging draws college students in.
After the sermon, the congregation stands to sing a couple more songs led by the band and then we are dismissed to go to Sunday school. As we walk out the doors of the church it is easy to see that this is a great time to mingle and fellowship with other members. People are standing in small groups all around the front yard of the church, catching up on the past week’s events, laughing and joking around, and sharing hugs as they pass to go to their classrooms. Naturally, I go to the college Sunday school which meets behind the church in trailer classrooms. Before we head to our classes, the large group meets briefly in the gymnasium to gather together for fellowship. The smell of coffee fills the room, and a faithful Sunday school teacher stands by the refreshment table on the other end of the gym to welcome us and hand out cookies, doughnuts, coffee and soft drinks. All around the room are students wearing nametags, and when I look closely I can tell that many of them are personalized with something funny shared between the nametag maker and themselves. As I look around I do not see one single student standing alone, which makes me feel as though most people feel very welcomed here, at least that has always been my experience. There are a large number of college students, so the fact that we split off into smaller groups gives the ministry an even more welcoming and intimate atmosphere. Alan Henderson, one of the college ministers, comes up to the front to give a few brief announcements and dismiss us into classes.
I catch up with some familiar faces and go into one of the classrooms. The format of splitting into classes goes as follows: pick up list of bible studies, find one that interests you, go to assigned room, enjoy the learning experience. Each class that is offered is geared toward the utmost spiritual development as well as creating a community for college students to feel welcome and involved. Some classes are offered to only guys, others to only girls, but the majority are offered in a co-ed format. This particular Sunday I go into a co-ed classroom where they are studying other world religions. It seems to be an interesting and in-depth study on the religious beliefs of others, which I find refreshing in a Baptist church. The class is taught by a very sweet, young couple who seem interested, not only in the subject of the class but in teaching college students. The relational aspect of the class shows me just how much people care here, which to an out-of-towner college student is nice to find in a church. I believe this is the secret, if there is one, to the success of this church, which was started many years ago as a mission to college students. Though Calvary is very much a family church with members ranging in age from 1 to 92, it is clear that college students are loved and belong at this church.
After about an hour, Sunday school ends, and I walk out with the rest of my class to more groups forming around the ping-pong and pool tables. This time, people are coming together to make the lunch plans. It is a time for debating and deciding, and the best choice will always win, usually the restaurant that can accommodate the most people. In true Baptist form, the parking lot usually clears out in about 10 minutes. We get pretty serious about our lunch.
Calvary is much more than its Sunday morning activities. Throughout the week the church is alive with people walking through its hallways and interacting in its classrooms. Wednesday is known for being another big night at Calvary. Like Sunday, there is something for most everyone to participate in. The largest events seem to be youth activities and the Well, the Wednesday night worship service for the college ministry. The Well is a contemporary service that starts at eight every Wednesday night during the school year and carries on, on a slightly smaller scale, during the summer. There is a segment dedicated to singing, led by The Well Band, then there is a speaker followed by more songs. All Wednesday activities are beneficial to the life of the church, and they serve the community in many ways. With all of these ministries and services, I felt it was necessary to go to the source to see where all of the planning takes place.
The church office was my destination. I knew there I would be able to see the true inner-workings of the church and observe just how all of the activities happen. The office is easily accessible and sits right behind the sanctuary. Walking in, I am immediately greeted by the secretary at the front desk and do not have too much further before I walk into the college office, which I am familiar with. This office has an open-door policy. I have never been stopped or asked to wait to come in. This policy of welcoming makes the college ministry and staff seem very accessible. When any student walks in they can expect to be greeted warmly by the entire staff, which is my exact experience today. Alan Henderson and Lindsey Lee, two of the college ministers, say hello to me and invite me to come in and sit down. While I spend time talking and enjoying their company, many students pop their heads in the door to say hello. Many jokes are passed between the staff and the students which make it great to just be a part of the atmosphere.
The other administrative staff of the church has offices down the halls. When I walk by, many of them know me, mainly for my involvement in the church, but they are all interested in what I am doing and seem ready to help me in any way. Just sitting for a while in the waiting room I can tell that the staff relies on one another to get things done. There is a good bit of interaction between all ministries, and this shows me that unity is a strong-point for this church. Many times the college ministry is called on to serve the youth and children’s ministries. On the other hand, adult ministries often serve the college ministry by offering free meals. There is even an “adopt-a-student” program for families to take in a college student who is away from home to serve them meals, or simply allow them a place to do their laundry. It seems like a very cool idea.
Overall, what I have found in doing close observation of Calvary is that it is a church with a strong foundation. For it to be as flourishing as it is and for as many people to come as do, there is only one explanation. The roots of this church run deep and the staff and members seem to hold true to the same principles and ideals they were founded on. College students are a priority here; that is certainly clear. The rest of the members, however, are not forgotten. It is a community church attended by people from all over the city of Tuscaloosa, but more importantly, it is a church that serves the community it is in. As Shane Claiborne says in his book Irresistible Revolution, “What the world needs is people who believe so much in another world that they cannot help but begin enacting it now” (Claiborne). I have found this spirit in so many of the members of Calvary. These members, some who are my closest friends, are not serving the name or idea of a church. The clear goal of Calvary is to serve, welcome, and love, and I see that in so many of its members. To step inside of Calvary is to step into a history of service and a community set on continuing that legacy. The next question that needs asking is what that history is. To know the future of anything, we must first examine the past.
The History of a Ministry
Calvary Baptist Church is commonly described as “the big white church on the corner” or “the church in the shadow of Bryant/Denny Stadium” (Thornton). Though all of these descriptions are appropriate, they do not reach the depth of ministry and service done here over the past century. As it approaches its 100th anniversary, the church is examining its rich history of service to the community and the University of Alabama. This church that practically sits on the campus of the University of Alabama has seen ups and downs, triumph and tragedy through the years and still stands strong today.
Not only as a member, but as a curious observer, I wanted to know more about the history of Calvary. The college ministry, particularly, is one of the largest ministries at the church, and trends are rising all over the United States among groups of college students as they search for religion. I desire to know more about these trends in religion and spirituality and how Calvary seems to fit into all of that.
Calvary is a friendly church. It is not difficult for me to obtain information on its history. The church staff is preparing for the upcoming centennial celebration of Calvary’s founding, so much of what I need is readily available to me, and the church staff is very helpful in trying to guide me in the right direction. Ms. JoAnne, one of the secretaries, gives me a whole stack of old church directories, which I was able to look through and see some humorous pictures of my friends, as well as old bulletins and documents on the church. It was a treasure trove of information. I sat down in the floor of the college office and started leafing through it all.
A look at the church’s history reveals a great deal about Calvary I never knew. According to church records, much of which are on the church website, Calvary began in 1910. A Sunday school class out of the First Baptist church of Tuscaloosa decided to sponsor a mission toward college students at the University of Alabama. This same mission is very present today. The church is in close proximity to Alabama’s large campus and is also easily accessible from other colleges in the surrounding Tuscaloosa area. The current college outreach does not simply stop at Alabama, but strives to reach out to students in all colleges across the Tuscaloosa area.
The records show that the church was originally held in the homes of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Davenport and Mr. and Mrs. W.Z. Jones. For a time, worship services were even held in a store. Eventually, a man by the name of F.W. Monnish decided to completely fund the construction of a church building. This original building was dedicated to his son, Sage Monnish, therefore, the original name of the church from its first organization in 1911 until 1925 was the Sage A. Monnish Memorial Baptist Church. Just knowing that Calvary was founded under a different name makes the history that much richer for me. Seventy-seven charter members founded this first church.
These first years saw significant growth with many building additions and a name change to Calvary Baptist Church, until what the church’s records term a “tragedy” struck in 1925. On December 5, 1925 both the new and old buildings were completely destroyed by fire. The congregation could not let this keep them down. They were determined to rebuild. A year later, Calvary had a new sanctuary and on December 5, 1926 the church was worshipping in it, almost as if nothing had happened. Even long ago little could hold back the people of Calvary from what they felt called to do.
Between the years of 1933-1960 Dr. Horace G. Williams pastored the church. In his years as pastor the church saw such a growth in number that they were able to call themselves the largest church in Tuscaloosa. All this time, Calvary was ministering to college students and meeting many of the needs in the community, but it was not until 1994 that the church designed and built what is known, still, as the college annex. This annex served the college ministry well, becoming a place that college students could identify as their own where they could enjoy fellowship and learning together. In 2006, another event rocked the church. The Alabama Baptist reported, “in the early morning hours of July 19, an explosion blew the front part of the church’s Allan Watson College Ministry Building to pieces, wounding one man and crippling the church’s plans for the upcoming rush of students” (Thornton). Though this article painted a rather dim outlook for the college ministry, a later article by the same publication tells a different story. “Nearly five months after a devastating explosion, college ministry leaders at Calvary Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, are amazed — in the tragedy’s aftermath, a revival has caught fire among college students” (Henderson). This “revival” is something I am honored to have experienced. After what seemed like a devastating loss to the church, more students from all of the universities in the Tuscaloosa area began to flood into the college ministry. There was such an intense spike in numbers that the church saw fit to renovate the sanctuary to accommodate a larger influx of college students.
Many wondered if this surge of interest was in Calvary or in college student’s deeper curiosity about religion and spirituality. While we in the college ministry at Calvary believe it to be a more God-centered reason, trends linking college students and religion are popping up everywhere that seem to tell us the latter explanation may also have something to do with it. In a recent article from the New York Times, Alan Finder discusses the shift in religious thinking among college students. Many religious officials on campuses from Harvard to Berkley claim that where religion, and the people seeking it, was once almost “under siege”, it is now a topic openly discussed on many college campuses. Many officials feel like this is due to a number of things. Some say it may be “a result of the rise of the religious right in politics” that makes it a topic of more general conversation. Others argue for the attacks on September 11 saying that they brought religion more into world issues. As Finder states, “an influx of evangelical students at secular universities, along with an increasing number of international students, means students arrive with a broader array of religious experiences” (Finder). This rise in this sort of interest may be what has brought so many people to Calvary’s college ministry. Whatever the reason, the ministry is happy to welcome any student. The history of the church has clearly prepared them for such a time as this. Their focus has always remained clear and steady. As I learned through my research, the mission of the church is everywhere, even in some peculiar places, such as one of the windows welcoming people into the sanctuary.
A stained glass window at the front of the church has always seemed to call a good bit of attention to itself. It is a beautiful window that displays an open bible at the center surrounded by the words of the 111th Psalm, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” A final feature of the window is a perimeter of eight images. Clockwise from the bottom they are a star, a dove, a fish, a chalice, a cross, a lily, a world or globe, and a crown. My search for the meaning behind this beautiful window brought me to a very interesting explanation. The window’s design was very intentional, with each image representative of the mission statement and focus of the church. The open bible represents the centrality of God’s word to everything that Calvary pursues. The verse that surrounds it acts as a fitting mission statement. Due to the church’s original roots in ministering to college students, gaining wisdom being an issue that students deal with daily, it is an appropriate parallel between earthly and Godly wisdom. The eight remaining images follow the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The star stands for his virgin birth, the dove symbolizes his baptism, the fish, his miracles and teachings, the chalice, the Last Supper and the fellowship we have with him. The cross represents Jesus’ death for man’s redemption, and the lily stands for his victorious resurrection. The world is a symbol of his great commission to his followers, and finally, the crown which represents his second coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is Calvary’s aim to celebrate and act in reverence and obedience toward each of the events symbolized.
Calvary Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa Alabama is a unique body of believers. Over so many years there has been a great deal of change. It has seen a number of pastors and staff members, as well as faithful congregations made of people of all ages. One thing that is undeniable is the impact they have had on the University of Alabama and other colleges surrounding it. The times have changed drastically since the first days of its ministry. Not only has the University changed, its students have as well. Calvary has always been able to meet the challenges they face head on with unswerving faith, and that is a legacy that has been passed on to today.
To further confirm these thoughts, I went to talk with a staff member and close friend of mine, Alan Henderson, to get his perspective on Calvary and college students.
Not only as a member, but as a curious observer, I wanted to know more about the history of Calvary. The college ministry, particularly, is one of the largest ministries at the church, and trends are rising all over the United States among groups of college students as they search for religion. I desire to know more about these trends in religion and spirituality and how Calvary seems to fit into all of that.
Calvary is a friendly church. It is not difficult for me to obtain information on its history. The church staff is preparing for the upcoming centennial celebration of Calvary’s founding, so much of what I need is readily available to me, and the church staff is very helpful in trying to guide me in the right direction. Ms. JoAnne, one of the secretaries, gives me a whole stack of old church directories, which I was able to look through and see some humorous pictures of my friends, as well as old bulletins and documents on the church. It was a treasure trove of information. I sat down in the floor of the college office and started leafing through it all.
A look at the church’s history reveals a great deal about Calvary I never knew. According to church records, much of which are on the church website, Calvary began in 1910. A Sunday school class out of the First Baptist church of Tuscaloosa decided to sponsor a mission toward college students at the University of Alabama. This same mission is very present today. The church is in close proximity to Alabama’s large campus and is also easily accessible from other colleges in the surrounding Tuscaloosa area. The current college outreach does not simply stop at Alabama, but strives to reach out to students in all colleges across the Tuscaloosa area.
The records show that the church was originally held in the homes of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Davenport and Mr. and Mrs. W.Z. Jones. For a time, worship services were even held in a store. Eventually, a man by the name of F.W. Monnish decided to completely fund the construction of a church building. This original building was dedicated to his son, Sage Monnish, therefore, the original name of the church from its first organization in 1911 until 1925 was the Sage A. Monnish Memorial Baptist Church. Just knowing that Calvary was founded under a different name makes the history that much richer for me. Seventy-seven charter members founded this first church.
These first years saw significant growth with many building additions and a name change to Calvary Baptist Church, until what the church’s records term a “tragedy” struck in 1925. On December 5, 1925 both the new and old buildings were completely destroyed by fire. The congregation could not let this keep them down. They were determined to rebuild. A year later, Calvary had a new sanctuary and on December 5, 1926 the church was worshipping in it, almost as if nothing had happened. Even long ago little could hold back the people of Calvary from what they felt called to do.
Between the years of 1933-1960 Dr. Horace G. Williams pastored the church. In his years as pastor the church saw such a growth in number that they were able to call themselves the largest church in Tuscaloosa. All this time, Calvary was ministering to college students and meeting many of the needs in the community, but it was not until 1994 that the church designed and built what is known, still, as the college annex. This annex served the college ministry well, becoming a place that college students could identify as their own where they could enjoy fellowship and learning together. In 2006, another event rocked the church. The Alabama Baptist reported, “in the early morning hours of July 19, an explosion blew the front part of the church’s Allan Watson College Ministry Building to pieces, wounding one man and crippling the church’s plans for the upcoming rush of students” (Thornton). Though this article painted a rather dim outlook for the college ministry, a later article by the same publication tells a different story. “Nearly five months after a devastating explosion, college ministry leaders at Calvary Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, are amazed — in the tragedy’s aftermath, a revival has caught fire among college students” (Henderson). This “revival” is something I am honored to have experienced. After what seemed like a devastating loss to the church, more students from all of the universities in the Tuscaloosa area began to flood into the college ministry. There was such an intense spike in numbers that the church saw fit to renovate the sanctuary to accommodate a larger influx of college students.
Many wondered if this surge of interest was in Calvary or in college student’s deeper curiosity about religion and spirituality. While we in the college ministry at Calvary believe it to be a more God-centered reason, trends linking college students and religion are popping up everywhere that seem to tell us the latter explanation may also have something to do with it. In a recent article from the New York Times, Alan Finder discusses the shift in religious thinking among college students. Many religious officials on campuses from Harvard to Berkley claim that where religion, and the people seeking it, was once almost “under siege”, it is now a topic openly discussed on many college campuses. Many officials feel like this is due to a number of things. Some say it may be “a result of the rise of the religious right in politics” that makes it a topic of more general conversation. Others argue for the attacks on September 11 saying that they brought religion more into world issues. As Finder states, “an influx of evangelical students at secular universities, along with an increasing number of international students, means students arrive with a broader array of religious experiences” (Finder). This rise in this sort of interest may be what has brought so many people to Calvary’s college ministry. Whatever the reason, the ministry is happy to welcome any student. The history of the church has clearly prepared them for such a time as this. Their focus has always remained clear and steady. As I learned through my research, the mission of the church is everywhere, even in some peculiar places, such as one of the windows welcoming people into the sanctuary.
A stained glass window at the front of the church has always seemed to call a good bit of attention to itself. It is a beautiful window that displays an open bible at the center surrounded by the words of the 111th Psalm, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” A final feature of the window is a perimeter of eight images. Clockwise from the bottom they are a star, a dove, a fish, a chalice, a cross, a lily, a world or globe, and a crown. My search for the meaning behind this beautiful window brought me to a very interesting explanation. The window’s design was very intentional, with each image representative of the mission statement and focus of the church. The open bible represents the centrality of God’s word to everything that Calvary pursues. The verse that surrounds it acts as a fitting mission statement. Due to the church’s original roots in ministering to college students, gaining wisdom being an issue that students deal with daily, it is an appropriate parallel between earthly and Godly wisdom. The eight remaining images follow the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The star stands for his virgin birth, the dove symbolizes his baptism, the fish, his miracles and teachings, the chalice, the Last Supper and the fellowship we have with him. The cross represents Jesus’ death for man’s redemption, and the lily stands for his victorious resurrection. The world is a symbol of his great commission to his followers, and finally, the crown which represents his second coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is Calvary’s aim to celebrate and act in reverence and obedience toward each of the events symbolized.
Calvary Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa Alabama is a unique body of believers. Over so many years there has been a great deal of change. It has seen a number of pastors and staff members, as well as faithful congregations made of people of all ages. One thing that is undeniable is the impact they have had on the University of Alabama and other colleges surrounding it. The times have changed drastically since the first days of its ministry. Not only has the University changed, its students have as well. Calvary has always been able to meet the challenges they face head on with unswerving faith, and that is a legacy that has been passed on to today.
To further confirm these thoughts, I went to talk with a staff member and close friend of mine, Alan Henderson, to get his perspective on Calvary and college students.
Through the Eyes of Calvary
I drive up to the home of Alan and Lauren Henderson at about 4:30 on a Friday afternoon. It is a very cloudy day and the weather channel has shown the threat of severe storms in Tuscaloosa all afternoon. Such is an Alabama summer. One would think that this would be a bad time to meet someone for an interview, but Alan is not just someone to me. No matter what the condition of the weather or what time constraints might threaten, Alan has always made time for me. I walk into his and Lauren’s small, cozy apartment and find Alan on the couch playing video-games. Lauren greets me with a hug, and I feel like I’m at home before I even sit down. Any anxiety I have about interviewing escapes me as I begin to joke around with Alan. This should be a fun experience.
Going to meet with Alan is nothing new for me. I have had numerous meetings with him over the last several years to get advice, moral support, and friendly conversation. Alan is the associate college minister at Calvary Baptist Church, and he also leads worship for many of the services during the week, namely our Wednesday night service, The Well. He had the biggest hand in my joining the church. During my first year at the University of Alabama I was intent on finding a church to join. I did a lot of searching through different churches and campus ministries, going to a different service or activity almost every day of the week. All during that time I also met Alan for lunch on a regular basis.
I have known Alan since I was in seventh grade and he was a college student at the University of Alabama. That was my first official year in the youth group at my home church in Birmingham and he was one of my favorite councilors. I thought he was hilarious, and to this day we tell people that he had an integral role in forming my sense of humor; we are eerily alike. But more than just in humor, I look up to him spiritually. Over the years we have become very close. When I came to college, he took me under his wing and it always made me feel better knowing someone I could trust was here for me while I was away from home. Alan always encouraged me to search for the church I could join that would help me to get involved and serve. Although he was always an advocate for Calvary, he never pressed me to join. He simply became someone I could talk to about my search. Over the whole year I took my time trying to find a church home in Tuscaloosa, but eventually I felt that Calvary was where I belonged. Alan invited me to join and become the leader of a life group, the heart of the college ministry at Calvary. I have had the opportunity to lead freshmen and upperclassmen in bible study for the past two years through Calvary and it has been one of the biggest blessings of my life. I have been at Calvary ever since the end of my freshman year, and I have also grown closer to Alan in that time.
So now, it seems interesting to be doing a formal interview with Alan, especially when our normal conversation consists of a lot of sarcasm and joking. It is as if I’m sitting down to interview my brother. It takes some time for us to get serious about the task at hand. I start off the interview by giving him an overview of the direction of the project and he seems interested and happy to give me information. According to an article in The New York Times, “Across the country, on secular campuses…professors and administrators say students are drawn to religion and spirituality with more fervor than at any time they can remember” (Finder). I would like to see if this is a trend on the campus of the University of Alabama as well, and if so, how Calvary’s college ministry is responding to it. Alan looks at me in way that tells me he has thought about this before.
Starting off, we talk out some of the basics. I want to know some of his general thoughts on college ministry and his feelings about his own position. We begin with why he is a college minister. He answers, half-jokingly, “Well, I enjoy working with college students and getting to mold young minds.” His wife and I both shoot him looks that basically say, “be serious”, and he continues to answer the question more thoughtfully.
“I enjoy being able to be around college students because they’re at a point in their lives when they’re searching for things and they’re not afraid to ask questions, and they like to take things seriously enough to where they actually want to know things. So, it’s a fun stage of life to get to experience with different people. I get to be around people who are fun to be around and get to do things with students, if that’s, you know, athletic activities or music activities…you get to kind of be a mentor for them in those things they’re passionate about. You get to see them grow from their freshman year to their senior year, and they almost become a different person. It’s the maturation process, getting to see that, and that’s really, really neat.”
Spending a good chunk of my time around the college ministry, I know that being a college minister has to be an enjoyable job, but I am also aware that it is not all fun and games. According to Alan, many seminaries offer degree programs for aspiring college ministers, but Alan’s degree is a masters of art and worship studies. This being the case, I wondered what the challenges of the job might be for him. I ask about the more difficult parts of the job. He doesn’t seem to hesitate much in letting me know.
“Ah…college students think that they know everything, so that’s frustrating sometimes. But I think it’s just a process. It’s a stage of life. They think they have all the answers…a lot of them. So that lends to frustration. They kind of take the newest, coolest idea they’ve ever heard and run with it, take it to extremes.”
For the sake of clarification, especially because I am currently a college student and wouldn’t want to misunderstand his meaning, I ask if he thinks college students are extremely idealistic. He is quick to offer up a clearer explanation.
“I mean, no, I don’t think so. I think they have a grasp on the world. I’d say they are far more cynical than idealistic. I mean, they question everything, which I think is good. [Questioning] lends itself to a lot of discussions…a lot of lengthy discussions. But on the whole, I think it’s a good thing for the future. They don’t just accept things just because someone’s told them to. What’s challenging, I think, is that you always have to be on your toes because there are so many questions, and there’s this desire for knowledge. It forces you to constantly learn, just like they’re constantly learning.”
Desiring to get a little more in-depth information on college students and their thoughts, specifically on religion and trends in thinking, I asked him to expand on this idea that they “take an idea and run with it” to see what some of these ideas might be.
“I think it’s any idea. Most students come from a very sheltered life, even if they grew up in a big city. They have been sheltered to the neighborhood or community they lived in. So when they get to college, they’re constantly exposed to new ideas they might’ve never heard before. There’s a segment of the population of college students who will take those ideas and make them this banner that they want to live by. It’s frustrating because some of them might have never researched it, but they just liked the way it sounded when they heard it. You’ll have that group, but then you’ll have another group who wants to question everything. So there’s that constant battle.”
Getting even deeper more specifically into a religious viewpoint, he continues by saying,
“If we’re talking Christianity, there are college students that will just take everything you say without ever questioning. And they’ll do that with anything. If that’s a book they’re reading, if that’s a speaker they hear, if that’s a teacher that they have, they’ll take that and just run. Where as there’s another group of people that question everything that ever happens. They are very cynical about what they believe. So I think, out of those two realms, that’s a difficult thing to mesh, because both can be very good, but then again, they can both be very bad as well.”
By this time I was beginning to see that college ministry was even more complex than I had thought. The kinds of issues and concerns we deal with as college students are brought into the way we approach church, and ministers have to be well-equipped to handle what college students throw their way. I was interested in finding out more about Calvary and their views on college ministry. Alan told me the following,
“They think it’s very important. Calvary was founded to minister to the campus. [College] ministry has always been at the forefront of their objectives as a church. The congregation funds our ministry with money from tithes and offerings. There are always adults who want to teach in our Sunday school department. The church has always been willing to back anything that the college ministry needs, if that’s funds, or equipment, or staff members or anything like that. So not just with their money, but with their time, and with the way they plan out how the buildings are used. Sunday school classes come and cook us dinner Sunday nights. So they’re very generous with time and their resources.”
After hearing all of this and reflecting on my own experience with the church, I was encouraged by just how much support the college ministry receives. Trying to think back to my days of searching for a church, I am reminded that part of the reason I chose to join Calvary and stop my endless attendance at every other ministry on campus was due to this support. Thinking back caused me to think about other students and their search, understanding that not every student comes to college thinking the same things I did. Curious about current trends in thinking, my next question was directed toward “the search”. What is the typical student coming into college for the first time searching for? Alan responded by saying,
“I think students like to experience freedom. I think most of them have been under the “rule” of their parent’s house, and now they come and they don’t have that anymore. They’ll experience freedom in whatever way they want to. You see that some people experience that by being able to choose what church they go to and what they’re a part of. Some people choose that by not going to church. Some choose that by becoming part of a kind of party scene. Some choose to sit in their room not doing anything because they can. So I think that’s one of the huge things. They’re trying to cope with that freedom and trying to choose what they want to be a part of. I think all students want to be a part of something. And I think freshmen and new students coming in, especially, want to find somewhere to be accepted. So wherever they find that acceptance, whether that’s a fraternity or sorority, or if that’s with a church organization, or if that’s with a group of friends who like to go out and party, or an athletic team, or intramural team, or whatever, I think they’ll go wherever they are accepted. Whatever is important to them, that’s where they’ll land.”
“I think college students are searching for everything! I think they’re searching for their purpose, what they’re going to do in the world, and I think they want to give their lives to something more than them, something that’s bigger than them. I just think that a lot of times that doesn’t end up being religion. I think that ends up being, you know, their job, or a club, or some political scene. I just don’t think it has to be religion.”
Even more specifically I wanted to find out about those students who are choosing to follow religion coming in. Reminiscing on my experience jumping from ministry to ministry, I wanted to find out if that is a common trend, or if it is only a select few indecisive students who go through that sometimes grueling process. I wanted to know if students were more often choosing churches to join or if they were involving themselves in campus ministries for their experience. The issue of acceptance came up once again with Alan’s answer to this.
“There is a large portion of students that will go to different things every night of the week because they get something out of it. I think they’ll go to whatever they’re getting the most out of, especially at the very beginning when they’re younger. It’s wherever they’re most accepted and feel they get the most out of. If that’s a church or campus organization or campus ministry…or even a dorm bible study, that’s what they’ll go to. The ones who really want to be a part of something that’s godly will search around and will choose what they want to be a part of. Some people choose a lot of different things because they like different aspects of those organizations, and some will choose one thing and plug everything they have into it. The ones who know they’re just kind of supposed to go to church will normally choose the least amount of involvement they can. So those people will go to one worship service or go to church, but never really get involved because they don’t want to. I don’t think, to them, there is a distinction between church and a campus ministry. I think they see it all as the same thing, but I think, hopefully, they come to the conclusion that those are really different.”
I was able to agree very strongly with this answer. My experience was definitely expressed in his observation as well as many of the people I know. He went even further in his observations of college students and the searching they do when I asked him to compare the similarities and differences of his own college experiences with those of students today; particularly because of the position he is in ministering to and serving college students on a daily basis. He had this to say,
“I think college students are all the same. You know, I was in college from 1998 to 2002, and I think people I was in school with searched for the same things people in school now search for. They wanted to be accepted and they wanted to give their lives to something bigger than themselves, and I think that never changes. That’s just the stage of life college students are in. Now, the methods in which people try and reach them are different. Now people use a lot more technology, whereas then, we didn’t really use a lot of technology, because it really wasn’t that big a deal. Now, technology is a big deal, so we try to use things like Facebook and Twitter. When I was in college it was a lot of letter-writing and email. But now, with social networking sites, we can get stuff out a lot faster than we could when I was in college. The methods in which we reach college students are different, really, more than who college students are.”
I am also very interested in this new generation of students being denoted as the “millennials”. I asked him to reflect a little more on this particular generation.
“They have a lot more offered to them with the way the world is now. They have a lot more information at their fingertips. Stuff was just kind of getting off the ground when I was in college. I don’t know if there’s a huge difference between generation ‘X’ and the millennial generation. Psychological differences, yes, maybe, because they grow up with a lot more than I had, and as we say all the time, than our parents had. So they’re a very self-centered generation. But I think college students are all self-centered, no matter what generation, because that’s the stage of life they’re in. You think about yourself more than you think of anything else. Our job as college ministers, or one of the things we try to do, is to get students to stop thinking about themselves and start thinking about others and they way they can affect others.”
I thought this was an interesting observation. I like that though the world, at least in the corporate sector, seems to be changing the way it does things to accommodate for this new up and coming generation of people, the church does not seem phased by it. According to Alan, college students are all going through a time of extreme change and alteration and the approaches made toward new generations are slight yet fruitful.
The final idea we discussed was the issue of religion. I wanted to know if Alan felt that it was a “hot topic” among college students as well as his own personal views on religion.
“I would say that someone who is religious follows the tenants, beliefs and core values of some faith. By my own definition I would say I am religious because I follow the core tenants and beliefs of Christianity. I don’t know that it’s a “hot topic”. I think in the culture where we live religion is. But I think that if you were somewhere else, I don’t think that, as a whole, religion is this huge thing. I think that everyone wants to have a belief in something, even if it’s believing in nothing, that’s still believing. I would say, I don’t think it’s a hot topic as in everybody talks about it, but I think that when it is brought up in different circles, I think everyone has an opinion on it. So yes, it is in that sense, where everyone has an opinion, but no, I don’t think it’s like “hey, let’s get around and talk about religion all the time.”
Following the interview, I felt much more in tune with the way that Calvary sees college ministry, especially in the current times. Alan is very passionate about his position, and it is very easy to tell in the way he answers my questions. His confidence is not necessarily in having the “right” answers but making sure that he his clear with what he conveys. It is good to see that the ministry I have chosen to be a part of and serve is one that tries to know what is going on in the world and is focused on the lives of college students. When all the questions have been asked and I am putting my things away I agree to stay and eat dinner with Alan and Lauren. This invite is the final item I need to drive home a successful interview. The warm and welcoming feel of my visit is simply and outward showing of the care that comes from the Calvary. It is the kind of ministry I am proud to be a part of.
Going to meet with Alan is nothing new for me. I have had numerous meetings with him over the last several years to get advice, moral support, and friendly conversation. Alan is the associate college minister at Calvary Baptist Church, and he also leads worship for many of the services during the week, namely our Wednesday night service, The Well. He had the biggest hand in my joining the church. During my first year at the University of Alabama I was intent on finding a church to join. I did a lot of searching through different churches and campus ministries, going to a different service or activity almost every day of the week. All during that time I also met Alan for lunch on a regular basis.
I have known Alan since I was in seventh grade and he was a college student at the University of Alabama. That was my first official year in the youth group at my home church in Birmingham and he was one of my favorite councilors. I thought he was hilarious, and to this day we tell people that he had an integral role in forming my sense of humor; we are eerily alike. But more than just in humor, I look up to him spiritually. Over the years we have become very close. When I came to college, he took me under his wing and it always made me feel better knowing someone I could trust was here for me while I was away from home. Alan always encouraged me to search for the church I could join that would help me to get involved and serve. Although he was always an advocate for Calvary, he never pressed me to join. He simply became someone I could talk to about my search. Over the whole year I took my time trying to find a church home in Tuscaloosa, but eventually I felt that Calvary was where I belonged. Alan invited me to join and become the leader of a life group, the heart of the college ministry at Calvary. I have had the opportunity to lead freshmen and upperclassmen in bible study for the past two years through Calvary and it has been one of the biggest blessings of my life. I have been at Calvary ever since the end of my freshman year, and I have also grown closer to Alan in that time.
So now, it seems interesting to be doing a formal interview with Alan, especially when our normal conversation consists of a lot of sarcasm and joking. It is as if I’m sitting down to interview my brother. It takes some time for us to get serious about the task at hand. I start off the interview by giving him an overview of the direction of the project and he seems interested and happy to give me information. According to an article in The New York Times, “Across the country, on secular campuses…professors and administrators say students are drawn to religion and spirituality with more fervor than at any time they can remember” (Finder). I would like to see if this is a trend on the campus of the University of Alabama as well, and if so, how Calvary’s college ministry is responding to it. Alan looks at me in way that tells me he has thought about this before.
Starting off, we talk out some of the basics. I want to know some of his general thoughts on college ministry and his feelings about his own position. We begin with why he is a college minister. He answers, half-jokingly, “Well, I enjoy working with college students and getting to mold young minds.” His wife and I both shoot him looks that basically say, “be serious”, and he continues to answer the question more thoughtfully.
“I enjoy being able to be around college students because they’re at a point in their lives when they’re searching for things and they’re not afraid to ask questions, and they like to take things seriously enough to where they actually want to know things. So, it’s a fun stage of life to get to experience with different people. I get to be around people who are fun to be around and get to do things with students, if that’s, you know, athletic activities or music activities…you get to kind of be a mentor for them in those things they’re passionate about. You get to see them grow from their freshman year to their senior year, and they almost become a different person. It’s the maturation process, getting to see that, and that’s really, really neat.”
Spending a good chunk of my time around the college ministry, I know that being a college minister has to be an enjoyable job, but I am also aware that it is not all fun and games. According to Alan, many seminaries offer degree programs for aspiring college ministers, but Alan’s degree is a masters of art and worship studies. This being the case, I wondered what the challenges of the job might be for him. I ask about the more difficult parts of the job. He doesn’t seem to hesitate much in letting me know.
“Ah…college students think that they know everything, so that’s frustrating sometimes. But I think it’s just a process. It’s a stage of life. They think they have all the answers…a lot of them. So that lends to frustration. They kind of take the newest, coolest idea they’ve ever heard and run with it, take it to extremes.”
For the sake of clarification, especially because I am currently a college student and wouldn’t want to misunderstand his meaning, I ask if he thinks college students are extremely idealistic. He is quick to offer up a clearer explanation.
“I mean, no, I don’t think so. I think they have a grasp on the world. I’d say they are far more cynical than idealistic. I mean, they question everything, which I think is good. [Questioning] lends itself to a lot of discussions…a lot of lengthy discussions. But on the whole, I think it’s a good thing for the future. They don’t just accept things just because someone’s told them to. What’s challenging, I think, is that you always have to be on your toes because there are so many questions, and there’s this desire for knowledge. It forces you to constantly learn, just like they’re constantly learning.”
Desiring to get a little more in-depth information on college students and their thoughts, specifically on religion and trends in thinking, I asked him to expand on this idea that they “take an idea and run with it” to see what some of these ideas might be.
“I think it’s any idea. Most students come from a very sheltered life, even if they grew up in a big city. They have been sheltered to the neighborhood or community they lived in. So when they get to college, they’re constantly exposed to new ideas they might’ve never heard before. There’s a segment of the population of college students who will take those ideas and make them this banner that they want to live by. It’s frustrating because some of them might have never researched it, but they just liked the way it sounded when they heard it. You’ll have that group, but then you’ll have another group who wants to question everything. So there’s that constant battle.”
Getting even deeper more specifically into a religious viewpoint, he continues by saying,
“If we’re talking Christianity, there are college students that will just take everything you say without ever questioning. And they’ll do that with anything. If that’s a book they’re reading, if that’s a speaker they hear, if that’s a teacher that they have, they’ll take that and just run. Where as there’s another group of people that question everything that ever happens. They are very cynical about what they believe. So I think, out of those two realms, that’s a difficult thing to mesh, because both can be very good, but then again, they can both be very bad as well.”
By this time I was beginning to see that college ministry was even more complex than I had thought. The kinds of issues and concerns we deal with as college students are brought into the way we approach church, and ministers have to be well-equipped to handle what college students throw their way. I was interested in finding out more about Calvary and their views on college ministry. Alan told me the following,
“They think it’s very important. Calvary was founded to minister to the campus. [College] ministry has always been at the forefront of their objectives as a church. The congregation funds our ministry with money from tithes and offerings. There are always adults who want to teach in our Sunday school department. The church has always been willing to back anything that the college ministry needs, if that’s funds, or equipment, or staff members or anything like that. So not just with their money, but with their time, and with the way they plan out how the buildings are used. Sunday school classes come and cook us dinner Sunday nights. So they’re very generous with time and their resources.”
After hearing all of this and reflecting on my own experience with the church, I was encouraged by just how much support the college ministry receives. Trying to think back to my days of searching for a church, I am reminded that part of the reason I chose to join Calvary and stop my endless attendance at every other ministry on campus was due to this support. Thinking back caused me to think about other students and their search, understanding that not every student comes to college thinking the same things I did. Curious about current trends in thinking, my next question was directed toward “the search”. What is the typical student coming into college for the first time searching for? Alan responded by saying,
“I think students like to experience freedom. I think most of them have been under the “rule” of their parent’s house, and now they come and they don’t have that anymore. They’ll experience freedom in whatever way they want to. You see that some people experience that by being able to choose what church they go to and what they’re a part of. Some people choose that by not going to church. Some choose that by becoming part of a kind of party scene. Some choose to sit in their room not doing anything because they can. So I think that’s one of the huge things. They’re trying to cope with that freedom and trying to choose what they want to be a part of. I think all students want to be a part of something. And I think freshmen and new students coming in, especially, want to find somewhere to be accepted. So wherever they find that acceptance, whether that’s a fraternity or sorority, or if that’s with a church organization, or if that’s with a group of friends who like to go out and party, or an athletic team, or intramural team, or whatever, I think they’ll go wherever they are accepted. Whatever is important to them, that’s where they’ll land.”
“I think college students are searching for everything! I think they’re searching for their purpose, what they’re going to do in the world, and I think they want to give their lives to something more than them, something that’s bigger than them. I just think that a lot of times that doesn’t end up being religion. I think that ends up being, you know, their job, or a club, or some political scene. I just don’t think it has to be religion.”
Even more specifically I wanted to find out about those students who are choosing to follow religion coming in. Reminiscing on my experience jumping from ministry to ministry, I wanted to find out if that is a common trend, or if it is only a select few indecisive students who go through that sometimes grueling process. I wanted to know if students were more often choosing churches to join or if they were involving themselves in campus ministries for their experience. The issue of acceptance came up once again with Alan’s answer to this.
“There is a large portion of students that will go to different things every night of the week because they get something out of it. I think they’ll go to whatever they’re getting the most out of, especially at the very beginning when they’re younger. It’s wherever they’re most accepted and feel they get the most out of. If that’s a church or campus organization or campus ministry…or even a dorm bible study, that’s what they’ll go to. The ones who really want to be a part of something that’s godly will search around and will choose what they want to be a part of. Some people choose a lot of different things because they like different aspects of those organizations, and some will choose one thing and plug everything they have into it. The ones who know they’re just kind of supposed to go to church will normally choose the least amount of involvement they can. So those people will go to one worship service or go to church, but never really get involved because they don’t want to. I don’t think, to them, there is a distinction between church and a campus ministry. I think they see it all as the same thing, but I think, hopefully, they come to the conclusion that those are really different.”
I was able to agree very strongly with this answer. My experience was definitely expressed in his observation as well as many of the people I know. He went even further in his observations of college students and the searching they do when I asked him to compare the similarities and differences of his own college experiences with those of students today; particularly because of the position he is in ministering to and serving college students on a daily basis. He had this to say,
“I think college students are all the same. You know, I was in college from 1998 to 2002, and I think people I was in school with searched for the same things people in school now search for. They wanted to be accepted and they wanted to give their lives to something bigger than themselves, and I think that never changes. That’s just the stage of life college students are in. Now, the methods in which people try and reach them are different. Now people use a lot more technology, whereas then, we didn’t really use a lot of technology, because it really wasn’t that big a deal. Now, technology is a big deal, so we try to use things like Facebook and Twitter. When I was in college it was a lot of letter-writing and email. But now, with social networking sites, we can get stuff out a lot faster than we could when I was in college. The methods in which we reach college students are different, really, more than who college students are.”
I am also very interested in this new generation of students being denoted as the “millennials”. I asked him to reflect a little more on this particular generation.
“They have a lot more offered to them with the way the world is now. They have a lot more information at their fingertips. Stuff was just kind of getting off the ground when I was in college. I don’t know if there’s a huge difference between generation ‘X’ and the millennial generation. Psychological differences, yes, maybe, because they grow up with a lot more than I had, and as we say all the time, than our parents had. So they’re a very self-centered generation. But I think college students are all self-centered, no matter what generation, because that’s the stage of life they’re in. You think about yourself more than you think of anything else. Our job as college ministers, or one of the things we try to do, is to get students to stop thinking about themselves and start thinking about others and they way they can affect others.”
I thought this was an interesting observation. I like that though the world, at least in the corporate sector, seems to be changing the way it does things to accommodate for this new up and coming generation of people, the church does not seem phased by it. According to Alan, college students are all going through a time of extreme change and alteration and the approaches made toward new generations are slight yet fruitful.
The final idea we discussed was the issue of religion. I wanted to know if Alan felt that it was a “hot topic” among college students as well as his own personal views on religion.
“I would say that someone who is religious follows the tenants, beliefs and core values of some faith. By my own definition I would say I am religious because I follow the core tenants and beliefs of Christianity. I don’t know that it’s a “hot topic”. I think in the culture where we live religion is. But I think that if you were somewhere else, I don’t think that, as a whole, religion is this huge thing. I think that everyone wants to have a belief in something, even if it’s believing in nothing, that’s still believing. I would say, I don’t think it’s a hot topic as in everybody talks about it, but I think that when it is brought up in different circles, I think everyone has an opinion on it. So yes, it is in that sense, where everyone has an opinion, but no, I don’t think it’s like “hey, let’s get around and talk about religion all the time.”
Following the interview, I felt much more in tune with the way that Calvary sees college ministry, especially in the current times. Alan is very passionate about his position, and it is very easy to tell in the way he answers my questions. His confidence is not necessarily in having the “right” answers but making sure that he his clear with what he conveys. It is good to see that the ministry I have chosen to be a part of and serve is one that tries to know what is going on in the world and is focused on the lives of college students. When all the questions have been asked and I am putting my things away I agree to stay and eat dinner with Alan and Lauren. This invite is the final item I need to drive home a successful interview. The warm and welcoming feel of my visit is simply and outward showing of the care that comes from the Calvary. It is the kind of ministry I am proud to be a part of.
The Truth of Calvary
Calvary is a church that has impressed itself on my life. Not only mine, but the lives of so many of my friends and fellow church members have been impacted by the opportunities given by this church. The Greek work ekklesia used in scripture means ‘church’ in the sense that it exists, not as a building, but as the body of believers. This is what church is meant to be, and this is what Calvary is to so many. As college students today come onto the campuses of the University of Alabama, Stillman College, and Shelton State Community College they are looking for something more. Whether they are searching for religion, community, or something bigger than themselves, Calvary offers opportunities for this to happen. They show that no matter the changes time brings, the church still has a mission and a calling. That calling is to serve the world and love the way Christ loved. Outreach to students is just one of the ways that Calvary answers this call and guides searching college students to the answers they desire. Calvary has been a constant on the University of Alabama campus, and in Tuscaloosa, for almost 100 years and it will continue to serve and love as long as its doors remain open.
Works Cited
Claiborne, Shane. The Irresistible Revolution. 2006. Zondervan. Grand Rapids, MI.
Finder, Alan. "Matters of Faith Find a New Prominence on Campus." New York Times 2
May 2007 1-2. Web.23 Jun 2009.
Henderson, Jeremy Dale. "Explosion at Tuscaloosa Church Sparks Revival." The
Alabama Baptist 14 Dec 2006 Web.23 Jun 2009.
Thornton, Grace. "Blast Rocks Annex of Tuscaloosa Church, Wounds One." The
Alabama Baptist 27 Jul 2006 Web.23 Jun 2009.
Works Cited
Claiborne, Shane. The Irresistible Revolution. 2006. Zondervan. Grand Rapids, MI.
Finder, Alan. "Matters of Faith Find a New Prominence on Campus." New York Times 2
May 2007 1-2. Web.23 Jun 2009.
Henderson, Jeremy Dale. "Explosion at Tuscaloosa Church Sparks Revival." The
Alabama Baptist 14 Dec 2006 Web.23 Jun 2009.
Thornton, Grace. "Blast Rocks Annex of Tuscaloosa Church, Wounds One." The
Alabama Baptist 27 Jul 2006 Web.23 Jun 2009.
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