A Ministry That Continues: Covenant Connect

Being involved with college ministries both at the University of Findlay and Bowling Green State University are an absolute joy. The partnerships with UF’s Campus Ministries and BG’s Campus Outreach bring many opportunities to help with Bible studies, invest in leaders, disciple students, and more. While many of the normal pieces of these ministries have had to be put on hold or reworked due to the current pandemic, one opportunity with UF’s Campus Ministries has continued on this year: Covenant Connect.

“Covenant Connect is a program that seeks to provide spiritual accountability and mentoring for college students, matching up students who desire spiritual guidance and insight with community members who have a measure of wisdom and experience to give. UF’s Campus Ministries believes that we grow best in the faith when we are in vital community with one another. Part of being in vital community is maintaining a healthy sense of accountability. Covenant Connect helps to structure opportunities to do just that through discipleship.” (https://www.findlay.edu/offices/student-affairs/campus-ministry/covenant-connect) College is a time for many young Christians when they first have the opportunity to make their faith their own. Students who desire to grow in their faith read God’s Word more and often have questions about the Bible, theology, church history, or how to approach tough topics with a Biblical worldview. CC allows students an opportunity to grow in relationship with a more experienced believer that can help them grow in the faith while still maintaining their studies, sports, social life, and more.

Several members from Gateway jumped at the opportunity to offer themselves as a mentor for the Covenant Connect program and have already been encouraged by the positivity that has presented itself from the relationships being built. One of our Gateway mentors has said that she “sees a little bit more of her student’s personality each time they meet” and can see trust building as they have been going through a book of the Bible together. Another mentor excitedly admitted that she and her student connected instantly at their first gathering and have been getting even closer since the start of the school year. Finally, one other Gateway mentor said his CC student helped lead worship at North Main, and he even brought him along to help with a Backyard Mission Trip project of raking leaves and trimming pushes for an elderly woman in our community. The countless stories like these are a great representation of the success that Covenant Connect has, and we are thankful that UF Campus Ministries asks us to help disciple students in this way!

If this is something that interests you in the future, please reach out to Cody at cohnmeiss@gatewayepc.org.