During my freshman year, I felt lost without my family and friends from back home. It wasn't until I got involved with Summit College that I finally felt at home. If any of you are considering joining a student ministry, here are seven reasons why you should choose Summit College.
1. J.D. Greear
J.D. is the pastor of the Summit Church which has campuses throughout the triangle area. If you haven't heard him preach before, you should go look up one of his sermons. Every Sunday, Summit College students meet at one of the campuses to listen to him preach, and that's one of the highlights of my week. No matter what you're going through, what season of life you're in, J.D.'s messages will impact you deeply.
2. D-Groups
This is one of my favorite parts of Summit College. D-Groups meet once a week with a small number of people to grow in Christ together. Each week, the group looks at specific verses, discusses, and answer questions about. However, these groups are way more than just a bible study. These people will become some of your best friends. They're the people you'll call up to study with, confess all of your problems to, and workout at the gym with.
3. Spikeball
This may not have to do with religion at all, but spikeball is a big deal in Summit College. People play with friends from their D-Group, their Family Group, other Family Groups, and even strangers! There are even GroupMe chats for meeting up to play with other Summit College students. If you have a love for Jesus and spikeball, this is the right student ministry for you.
4. Diversity
Throughout my experience with Summit College, I have learned that they are some of the most inclusive people I know. No matter what the event, you will never feel left out. A big part of their mission is to reach as many people as possible, including international students who may believe in other religions.
5. Spreading the Word
One of the biggest parts of the Christian faith is spreading the religion with others, which is something this ministry has been set up to do. Family Groups are there as a chance to invite other friends, maybe even nonbelievers, to hang out and see what Summit College has to offer. D-Groups are there to grow in the word once you've accepted Jesus. During the first week of school, Fresh 10 is a period of 10 days where Summit College hosts events on campus for anybody to join in on. In my D-Group, we even walked around campus one night to talk to random people about Jesus. If you're passionate and want to share your faith with others, Summit College gives you so many opportunities to do just that.
6. Family Groups
Family groups are one of the most fun things about Summit College. Family Groups are made up of a couple of female D-Groups and a couple of Male D-Groups. Each week, the Family Groups meet up to hang out, giving everyone the chance to join in fellowship with other believers. Whether it's eating dinner, playing volleyball in the gym, or having a bonfire, Family Group meetups are always fun!
7. Mission Opportunities
If you're interested in getting involved in mission work, Summit College has many opportunities to offer you. One of the most popular choices is City Project- a two-month experience where students serve in NYC, Durham, and overseas. Some of the overseas countries in the past have included places such as Poland and Spain. However, this isn't the only opportunity- they also offer semester missions, two-year missions, and opportunities to serve in the Raleigh-Durham area.
