Midweek Small Group Options

Carla Montaruli  

Staff writer  

Mishawaka- At Bethel University the Midweek Small Group started on Sept. 20.  

These are small group discipleship activities that enable students to learn to apply the ideas and debates from the chapel, classroom, and general spiritual practices in their lives. As a student, you can participate in a small group for many weeks each semester. Midweek small groups are necessary for most students as part of their overall spiritual development programming. Topics and places change each semester to provide a diverse range of growth opportunities. These small groups are subdivided into three different groups, depending on the need that the students have in regard to that spiritual life: KNOW JESUS, BE LIKE JESUS, ON MISSON. Also, they are divided by what kind of approach students want to have with Jesus: Come and See, Come and engage, Come and practice. Considering these subdivisions, students can pick a different time mainly between Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  

Students consider this meeting as an opportunity to grow.  

“I think midweeks are impactful because they allow us students to be in community and encourage one other in their faith, especially since a lot of the group are led by students,” said Saige Rinkenberger, a junior student at BU. According to Shawn Holtgren, Vice President for Spiritual Life and University Affairs, we are intended to grow and develop as Christians, and we aren't healthy if we aren't developing in our religion. In order to achieve this, Holtgren considers midweek essential.  

“Midweek Small Groups at Bethel are intended to help students grow in their faith through personal interactions with mature believers and peers,” Holtgren said. “While Chapel provides a meaningful setting for the BU community to worship and hear from God’s Word together, Midweek Small Groups provide a context for students to go “deeper” by interacting with one another and faculty and staff leaders.”  

 Midweek Small Groups this year complement Bethel's notion of discipleship as well as students' levels of faith and desired degree of commitment. This year goal is  that all members of the community, students, staff, and teachers, will take "next steps" in their religious journey.