By Nile Hosni —
The sacred American tradition of fraternity life of overindulgence of alcohol and libertinism is being dumped at Clemson University for Bibles and church attendance.
“My eyes being open to my faith have driven me to the point where I’ve found purpose in Jesus Christ,” said Alex Osburn, member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity.
Frat boys are becoming goody-goodies? Greek InterVarsity, a ministry that aims to see Greek students transformed by the gospel, has seen a 43% increase in participation over the last school year, according to Dusty Harrison, associate director of Discipleship for Greek InterVarsity.
“Really in the past year or two, we’re seeing the spiritual hunger increase of students who are showing up,” Harrison says. “I mean, we’re seeing pictures and stories of fraternity houses that are just being packed and overflowing with students who are coming to Bible studies.”
Revival is not just in the fraternities. It’s sweeping the sororities as well.
“We’ve had everything from helping a girl get her first Bible to talking to girls about leading in the future,” says Mallory Sickles of Pi Beta Phi sorority.
Student Trey Dowling is the “chaplain” of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.
“Jesus would’ve been in the fraternity,” Dowling says. “And so, before you go crazy about that, he hung out with just the worst of the worst. He hung out with the tax collectors and the Pharisees and the Sadducees and got dinner with them and the biggest sinners of all time.”
On 500 campuses nationwide, Greek InterVarsity is a ministry that foments Bible studies in the houses where members can get the chance to find hope instead of hedonism.
“Our vision and our philosophy is to pour into, mentor, and to disciple student leaders in different fraternities and sororities on campus so that they can be encouraged and equipped to lead ministry in their chapter in a way that they uniquely can because of the relationships and the proximity,” Harrison says.
“With his faith in Christ, Sully Smith of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity says he doesn’t need chemicals to induce happiness.
“I’m that guy who can go downtown with them and not drink and get a water at the bar and just stand with them and have more fun than they are,” he says. “Everyone’s like, ‘Dude, why aren’t you drinking? Why aren’t you doing all this stuff?’ So, that’s been really cool to me. And they’re like, ‘Why do you do this?’ and that leads to those conversations.”
At first, Eric Mendenhall, of Kappa Sigma fraternity, had no interest in scripture.
“It wasn’t that interesting to me,” he says. “But ever since I started going to Greek IV (InterVarsity) freshman year, last year, like the Word is so interesting to me, and I like to learn about it, and it’s something I look forward to.”
For Kappa Sigma’s Luke Totten, a renewed attention to spirituality came at a time of devastating loss..
“My grandpa unfortunately passed away towards the end of that eight weeks while we were rushing a fraternity,” Totten says. “But it gave me an outlet to go and talk to people in a more serious setting than just sitting around outside or doing whatever.”
For many college students, reading the Bible seems boring. But when you realize you’re broken, it brings hope for new life.
“Reading the Bible but also like talking about the Bible in a fraternity with a bunch of guys and everyone admitting that they’re broken but we’re in need of saving is one of the coolest things I’ve ever been able to experience in college,” Mendenhall says.
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