Breaking It Down
Ministry attempts in one University of North Alabama fraternity have proven fruitless in past years. This fall, several young men have committed to live for Christ in a way that stands out dramatically from those around them. They have committed to love and follow Jesus, pray earnestly, and leverage their lives for the sake of the great commission. As these young men lead the charge for holiness in one of the campus’ darkest places, their brothers are being brought to their knees as they watch their peers live differently. At the New Year’s conference this year, 39 University of North Alabama students attended, and 15 were from this fraternity.
Corbett Kessler, staff at UNA, shared, “Bigger groups have gone to conferences in the past, but I have never seen a group so engaged. I am STILL hearing about all the things that went on!” The same men leading on campus set the pace at the conference. They initiated spiritual conversations and created opportunities to hang out. One such opportunity, the “breakdown,” was repeated each night. All 15 men met in one hotel room and took turns sharing what they had heard that day, confessing spiritual need, and admitting challenging personal struggles — some for the first time. These meetings concluded with everyone around the circle praying.
Dillon was one of the brothers who went to NYC. The first night in Chattanooga, he sat across from Corbett and shared, “I don’t think I understand the significance of what God did for me. I want God to reveal Himself to me. How will I know when He does?” Corbett prayed right then that the Spirit would act and reveal the Truth to Dillon during the conference. Days later, Dillon went into a conference session frustrated. He cried out to God, “I’m here! Please show yourself to me!” Dillon joined others in the room on their knees and prayed. Later, he would share that he felt the heavy weight of his sin and the physical relief of forgiveness. “It felt as if God reached in and grabbed my heart, took it out, and put in a new one…I want everyone to have this,” he said. He shared his news with his brothers that night at the “breakdown.”
This authentic feel of community and connection is what students seem to be longing for, and a “breakdown” has already happened back on campus this semester. Guys shared about the days between the conference and returning to school and how God had been working in their lives. At the end of the meeting, Dillon shared a verse that put into words what God had done for him: Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
What a privilege to support the South/Southwest Network ministries! Join us and pray for the men in fraternities at the University of North Alabama: for spiritual growth, strength to withstand temptations, and salvation for those who still need Jesus.