Christian Challenge is one of many examples of equipping students to serve at California Baptist University.
“Christian Challenge is a discipleship process within the Office of Spiritual Life,” said Brian Zunigha, director of Campus Ministries and head of Christian Challenge. Our purpose is to invest in students’ lives and develop followers of Jesus.”
Every Thursday, around 100 students participate in Christian Challenge. The event takes place at 7 p.m. in the Copenbarger Presidential Dining Room. Each meeting consists of worship, a guest speaker and breaking into small ministry groups.
“Our ministry groups are made up of students who have really bought into what we are doing and seek to make ‘disciples’ on campus,” Zunigha said.
Meghan Geoghegan, senior liberal studies major, started attending Christian Challenge her freshman year and continues to each week.
“Christian Challenge is great at teaching that every life decision made needs to bring glory to God,” Geoghegan said.
Geoghegan said she has seen growth in herself from Christian Challenge because of the practical spiritual advice offered to students.
“Whether it is a guest speaker or a weekend retreat, Christian Challenge will penetrate your spiritual wisdom, and awaken biblical knowledge,” Geoghegan said. “It would be easy to attend each week, listen to the speaker and after an hour forget the message. Christian Challenge breaks down scripture to a way anyone could understand. The staff is great at keeping you accountable.”
The tight-knit community within Christian Challenge is the reason for her spiritual growth, Geoghegan said.
“Zunigha is great at living a godly life as an example for students,” Geoghegan said.
She said she believes being involved in Christian Challenge gave her the confidence to become a resident assistant her junior and senior years because of the leadership skills she learned from the ministry group.
“As a freshman, I had no idea how spiritually immature I was and how much there was to learn about the gospel,” Geoghegan said. “Christian Challenge has also taught me the correct ways to share the gospel, and all of us are capable of doing so.”
Learning to love like Christ loved is by far the most important lesson Geoghegan said she will take away from Christian Challenge when she earns her degree in the spring.
“Christian Challenge changed my life,” Geoghegan said. “It has strengthened my walk with the Lord (and) given me all of the tools I need to live a gospel-driven life.”
