“People are very interested and very hungry for something deeper than this life,” said Iisa Tornberg, worship and media director for Real Life, a Christian ministry on the Oregon State University campus.
For students experiencing this hunger at Oregon State University, Christian student organizations such as Real Life, Mosaic and Cru may offer an outlet for shared purpose.
Real Life meets every Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Toyota Club in Reser Stadium. Roughly 300 students gather for worship and Bible study every week.
Each academic term, Real Life selects a theme to guide its studies. This term’s theme, “Firm Foundation,” focuses on building a life rooted in Christian faith.
Throughout the week, students participate in peer-led groups. The ministry also hosts retreats twice a year, traveling to Sunriver in the fall and Lake Shasta in the spring.
Director of Operations Ryan Tornberg said many students are drawn to faith communities as they navigate the uncertainty of college life.
“There’s challenges in this season of life when we’re trying to figure out who we are and where we want to be,” Tornberg said.
Real Life regularly tables near the Student Experience Center, encouraging students to ask questions and learn more about the ministry.
Another Christian organization at OSU is Mosaic, a student ministry led by College Director and Worship Leader Jason Tai.
Tai said Mosaic emphasizes student leadership to strengthen its community.
“There’s something special about students leading students,” Tai said. “(It) adds a depth and richness of culture to the ministry.”
Mosaic hosts student-led Bible studies called Places of Discipleship on Monday and Tuesday nights in students’ homes. The ministry also gathers as a large group on campus every Thursday from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tai also leads a small group for first-years to help them adjust to college life and build early connections. To reach new students, Mosaic tables near the Student Experience Center and offers free coffee as a way to begin conversations.
“That’s … a soft way … for (students) to start investigating the community without feeling like the need to fully dive in,” Tai said.
Mosaic hosts recreational events throughout the year. Second-year interior design student Kahanalei Moliga participated in Mosaic’s softball team last fall and said the ministry emphasizes relationships alongside faith.
“It’s not solely based on the church all the time,” Moliga said. “It’s building friendships and maintaining them and sharing beliefs.”
According to Mosaic, the ministry’s goal is “to connect Oregon State students with God, their peers, and the world around them.”
Cru, another Christian organization at OSU, works with college students to help them grow in their faith.
Cru holds weekly meetings on Wednesdays, along with small groups for first-years and upperclassmen during the week. The organization also hosts a fall retreat and separate men’s and women’s retreats in the spring.
Cru team leader Stephanie Sauter, who has worked with Cru for the last 22 years, supports staff and students as they engage with campus life.
“(We try) to help students that are involved in Cru learn how to have spiritual conversations … in a way that isn’t pushy,” Sauter said.
According to Sauter, isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic made it difficult for students to connect, but this year students are eager to meet others and build friendships.
All Campus Worship will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 and 10 in the LaSells Stewart Center.
