It’s a pretty typical Monday evening on a college campus. The student center is buzzing with students playing pool, hanging out on couches, and working on computers. A few minutes before 8:30 p.m., about 30 students file into a quiet sitting area just off the main student center. They’re touting Bibles, notebooks, and pens, and they arrange the chairs into a big circle for their weekly Bible study at AIB College of Business.
Rewind to spring 2013. A small Bible study led by Collin and Jen Cameron of Walnut Creek Windsor Heights started meeting on AIB’s campus. Two of the students involved, Leo Lazarini and Nolan Defour, started attending Walnut Creek West and joined a Community Group led by Tim Greeno, in addition to the Bible study on campus. Other AIB students, including brothers Andrew and Jacob Mueller and Raven Terrell, also started attending church and Tim’s Community Group.
That fall, Tim, along with his wife Jenna and other members of his Community Group, launched a more formal Bible study on campus after seeing God begin to move in these students. Many AIB students continued attending Tim’s Community Group while also serving on campus and reaching out to others.
One year later, the AIB Bible study had grown large enough to split into its own self-sustaining group.
“It’s full-on Campus Fellowship,” Tim said. “We did Epicenter over the summer, some of the guys coached Central City Soccer, and about a dozen went to the Fall Conference together. We’re now officially one of Walnut Creek’s college ministries.” The students also attend Alive, an on campus worship night, at Drake University on Thursday evenings and the 7 p.m. Saturday service at Walnut Creek Downtown.
Even when there are no formal activities planned, the AIB students spend their evenings together. “That’s when the magic happens—late at night,” Tim said. “We’re together almost every night of the week.” The group also recently accepted a challenge of reading through the Book of John together by reading a chapter every day.
“It’s never boring. There’s always something going on,” said Travis Small, a freshman AIB student who met Leo on move-in day and has been actively involved ever since.
Growing Fruit
Travis is one of the many testimonies of God’s work at AIB. He had gone to church once in a while throughout high school but didn’t have a solid walk with Christ or complete confidence in his salvation when he first met students from Campus Fellowship.
“It’s been truly life-changing to get involved in a church group with other people who want to learn and help you grow,” he said. “I’m growing into a better friend and family member. I’ve learned how to have better relationships and friendships and accept everyone for who they are. I’ve learned to talk to people because I can make their day just a little better.”
“It’s been truly life-changing to get involved in a church group with other people who want to learn and help you grow."
Travis is now reading the Bible daily and is confident in his salvation. “There is eternal life, and knowing that has made me a better person,” he said. “It’s changed my view—how I look at other people and how I look at life after this.”
Talking to others about the Lord has also helped Travis grow as a Christian and has given him a vision of how God can use his life.
“They can help me, and as I grow, I can teach others and spread the Word of God,” he said. “I feel alive again. I find myself asking, ‘What am I going to learn about God today?’ My friends, the people, the church have made me feel alive again.”
The Future
Although there are differences between AIB and more traditional four-year colleges like Drake and Grand View, there are many similarities. For one thing, AIB offers the typical dorm experience and is becoming more traditional as it works toward becoming a four-year college.
“It’s just like any college campus,” Tim said. “There are a lot of students soft toward Christ who want to figure out what to live for.”
And, like any college campus, there are many things vying for students’ attention. “College students are five feet from fun every minute,” Tim said. “If they don’t have fun with you, they’ll have it with someone else, and they’ll be influenced by the people they’re around.”
Tim says the future at AIB is very bright and has growth potential. “Lord willing, we’ll continue to be here and grow into an established, self-replicating ministry,” he said. “The Grand View and Drake model is achievable here.”