"Five Faith Foundations" at 2015 Collegiate Fall Conference

The 2015 Fall Conference brought over 150 students to Jordan Park Camp this weekend. 

More than 150 students from Drake, Grand View, and DMACC attended the 2015 Fall Conference this past weekend at Jordan Park Camp. Students and young adults from churches in Ames, Cedar Rapids, and Minneapolis attended the conference as well.

The weekend, hosted by Campus Fellowship, offered students an opportunity to take time away from work and school and focus on hearing from God and His Word. Pastor Dan Rude spoke five times throughout the three-day conference, addressing five key foundations to the Christian faith. "My prayer is that by the end of our time, you will own your faith," Dan said.

Dan's emphasis on the ownership of faith resonated with Drake student Apple Lim and encouraged her efforts to love students on campus. "It is very refreshing to us as we do outreach to people. How we can help people own their faith–sustainable and strong faith," Apple said.

Campus Fellowship has ministries on Drake, Grand View, and DMACC campuses. 

The conference challenged students to think about who God is and strengthen their foundation of faith. Students also enjoyed bonfires, a flag football tournament, sand volleyball, and free time to fellowship with one another throughout the weekend.

"Dan is very clear in both providing evidence in scripture and giving visual examples to remind and grind the truth into our minds," Apple said. "It impacted and encouraged me a lot just seeing my brothers and sisters spend their time at the conference, wanting to grow and learn together with me in His knowledge."

Visit fallconferencedm.com to learn more about the conference.

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By Jackie Wallentin 

Walnut Creek Windsor Heights

Tom Short Addresses "Five Crucial Questions" at Fall Conference

Campus evangelist Tom Short challenged students to believe God and live lives of faith at the 2014 Fall Conference.

Campus Fellowship welcomed campus evangelist and pastor Tom Short to speak at the 2014 Fall Conference held this past weekend at Jordan Park Camp.

Tom spoke five times throughout the weekend, addressing the questions from his book, "Five Crucial Questions about Christianity." Tom ministers full-time to students, traveling around the country to evangelize and engage in conversations on college campuses. The week of the conference, Tom spent a few days at Iowa State University doing just that.

"There is something more important to God than for us to be perfect–to receive His love and love Him back," said Tom. "Discover what God says and by the grace of God live it."

Campus Fellowship students from Drake, Grand View, DMACC, and AIB attended the Fall Conference as well as students and young adults from Ames and Cedar Rapids. The three-day conference offered students an opportunity to take time away from work and school and focus on hearing from God and His word.

"Since I have been involved in Campus Fellowship, I have really been able to see what it truly means to live out your faith and what the life of a Christian looks like," said Stephanie Gaub, a sophomore at Drake University. "The Fall Conference was the climax of all the growth that I have experienced since coming to Drake. It got me so pumped for Jesus."

The conference challenged students to think about who God is and strengthen their foundation of faith. Students also enjoyed bonfires, a flag football tournament, sand volleyball, and free time to fellowship with one another throughout the weekend.

"At the Fall Conference we saw a lot of new people–Christians and non-Christians. Tom Short did a great job answering the questions that come to Christians on a college campus. People were strengthened in their faith," said Jacob Van Sickle, Campus Fellowship Director.

Visit tomthepreacher.com to learn more about Tom Short and view his resources on faith, apologetics, and evangelism.

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By Jackie Wallentin 

Walnut Creek Windsor Heights 

Central City Soccer Kicks Off Season

Over 460 kids are participating in Central City Soccer this summer. 

Donning their signature pink shirts, Central City Soccer coaches begin setting up goals and painting lines on the grass every Saturday at 7 a.m. In a few hours over 460 kids and their families will arrive.

Central City Soccer, an inner-city soccer league, began its 10th season the first week of June. The league is completely directed and run by about 100 Epicenter students from Drake, Grandview, DMACC and AIB. Epicenter is a summer leadership program for college students.

Coaches plan and run practices, attend and referee games, and set up and tear down the goals and fields. Members of a Windsor Heights Community Group also help coach. This summer, Central City has over 30 teams with kids ranging from 1st grade to high school.

The league promotes character and self-esteem in every child and many opportunities for both personal and athletic success. But more than that, these families hear about the love of Christ through this faith-based league.

"Central City is unique because it provides an opportunity for lower income families to get their kids involved in sports when they might not otherwise be able to play," said Tiffany McCarthy of the Central City Soccer staff. "I've heard some of the parents say that our league is like a 'family' because we care about their kids just for who they are."

With the number of registered kids increasing every year, Central City added a second league this summer at Lovejoy Elementary on the Southside of Des Moines.

McCarthy said as a league they are praying for players and their families to attend games regularly, and for the players to love talking and hearing about Jesus.

Games run through August 2, with the awards banquet as the season finale on August 3.

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By Jackie Wallentin
Walnut Creek Windsor Heights 

A Fresh Look at The Gospel

By Jon Heggestad


ESPN, Facebook, Harry Potter, and Cosmo Magazine: probably not the first things you would think of when considering topics for a sermon. Yet that is exactly what they have been for the past several weeks at Alive—a Thursday night service Walnut Creek's Campus Fellowship holds on Drake University.

Last fall, Campus Fellowship at Drake decided to do a series of messages that centered on themes present in pop culture. Now, they are currently in the middle of this series that has been named “The Gospel According to:” series.

The idea behind the message series is that speakers would take a common element of our pop culture and use it as a starting point from which they can share biblical truths.

Mitch Lefebvre, a senior accounting and marketing major at Drake who’s been involved with campus fellowship since his freshman year, says that he has been enjoying the series and learning a great deal from them.

“My favorite message so far is probably the Gospel According to Facebook,” says Lefebvre. “Most of the time, posting a status or tweeting something is just a way of getting attention. Facebook shows us how much we all desire that attention, but it also shows us how God made us unique, that He has designed us individually and loves us individually. He loves us for who we are because He made us that way.”

There are two messages in the series left. This Thursday’s message (on February 9, 2012) will be The Gospel According to Cosmopolitan Magazine and will be at 9:00 p.m. in Room 101 of Meredith Hall on the middle of Drake’s campus.