The Church in Berkeley (TCIB) is the inspiration for the Christians on Campus (CoC) club at Contra Costa College, filling the void of faith-based fellowship opportunities on campus.
In spring 2018, TCIB partnered with Bibles for America (BfA) to distribute free copies of the “New Testament Recovery Version Study Bible” at CCC.
TCIB outreach team, led by Don Mangold, put boots on the ground to fulfill one of the commandments given in Matthew 28:18-20 (go into all the world and teach the gospel).
“The Bible distribution at the college created an opportunistic condition for discourse,” Mangold said. “The response to our Bible distribution was amazing and encouraging. We realized there was a need for an ongoing Bible study.”
One of the club’s challenges has been the acquisition of a permanent room in which to hold their meetings.
Already this semester because of room conflicts the club has had to start some meetings late and were pushed out of rooms before their time was up.
It was during one of those unsettling dilemmas, in which the club was asked to leave a room they were occupying, that they were assisted by health and human services professor Mary Johnson.
Johnson came to the club’s rescue by providing access to a room for the remainder of the club’s time that day.
In a sense, it could be said she became their guardian angel.
“I have been instrumental in helping them obtain a permanent room,” Johnson said.
“In spite of the inconveniences, their spirits are always lifted.”
The Christians on Campus club meets every Wednesday in GE-304 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. and everyone is welcome.
Second-year health and human services student Pamela Griffin said, “I appreciate having this club on campus.
“I know from personal experience that when you have God in your life there is an inner joy,” she said. “What I mean by inner joy is, when bad thing happen you can let them make you better and not bitter.”
She said she was once told that the word of God is deep enough for a scholar to drown in, but shallow enough for a baby to wade in.
Mangold said that the club gave out The New Testament Recovery Version because BfA thought it was more cost effective and allowed them to reach more people through God’s word.
The word “recovery” is not referencing alcohol, drugs, or any other addictive substance. According to BfA, it is referring to the recovery of lost biblical truth, Christian experience and church practice through centuries by God’s people.