1 2 • GCU TODAY
The trinity of sacredly held campus ministries
at Grand Canyon University — small group
Bible studies, chapel services and local/global
outreach activities — not only are surviving
unprecedented student population growth,
they are thriving amidst it.
Call it a God thing.
“The more people who come, the more
opportunities we have to impact the kingdom,
and it’s up to us to figure out how to reach
them,” said GCU’s Dean of Students Pastor
Tim Griffin. “God is allowing thousands and
thousands and thousands to come to this
campus, and it’s a great opportunity that we
don’t want to miss.”
Upon Griffin’s arrival a little more than four
years ago, he spelled out spiritual life at GCU
and drew a line in the sand with Christian
organizations clamoring to provide those services
on campus. In those early days, Griffin might
have felt like Daniel in the lion’s den.
“We told them they were welcome on
campus but that they would have to do
something different from small groups,
worship and outreach,” he said. “We defined
our field of play, what the rules would be and
how we would engage these three basic areas
of spiritual involvement. We said, ‘Let’s do
what we do best.’”
Now, the numbers of students attending
weekly Life Group meetings in the dorms,
worshipping together on Monday morning in
GCU Arena and Tuesday evening in Antelope
Gym and helping the less fortunate in their
communities and around the world are off the
charts (see chart on facing page).
The key to success has been student
leadership, Griffin said. Scholarships were
developed to help students willing to step up
to the plate, and staff members were trained to
coach the student teams.
“In the midst of an exploding campus,
we had to figure out how to keep our arms
around it, and we became very proficient at
mobilizing, training and developing student
leaders,” he said.
Students shepherding students
Of the three ministries, Griffin said, Life
Groups are the anchor. Buoyed by head life
Spiritual
Growing
Spree
As student population keeps multiplying,
so do campus ministries
B Y J A N I E M A G R U D E R
