On Saturday I spent all day at a camp (whose name I can’t remember) in Michigan for the University of Chicago’s InterVarsity retreat. It was a long day- early departure, midnight return, three teachings, praying for students- but well worth it. It was good to spend the day with 50-60 undergraduates along with their fantastic InterVarstiy staff workers, Barnabas Lin and Lauren Dueck.
I was especially impressed with they way the students interact with their Christian faith. As best I could tell, these students see their InterVarsity chapters (both the Asian American and Multi-ethnic chapters were on the retreat) as a place to reorient and encourage their faith rather than as an escape from a thoroughly “secular” university. This is an important distinction and one that will serve these students well after they graduate.
I should also say how much I appreciated their willingness to hang with me for three talks. We covered a lot of ground and throughout the day they followed along, asked thoughtful questions and were willing to consider some of the personal implications of the Gospel and God’s mission on their campus. What more could I have hoped for?
David W. Swanson 
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