The Campus Advance Bible Talk club stems from the Los Angeles International Church of Christ, and is among the many ministries in the church spreading the word about Jesus of the Bible.
“It’s an outreach for students,” social work major Kimberly Lemos said. “Our main goal is to really help people gain a relationship with God or just kind of help them find themselves, or whatever they’re looking for in a relationship with God or just in life.”
Michael Suard, a new member of the club, said he enjoyed the meeting and would come again if his 17-unit schedule allowed it.
“It’s in between classes,” Suard said. “I [have] a biology class I just finished and then I’m waiting for football.”
Annette Chevez, a child development major, usually attends both meetings each week.
“There’s not really a big difference between both days. They’re both ‘Bible Talks,’” Chevez said.
Since more people began to show up, the club decided to meet on two different days.
“We realized that if there’s more of us maybe we can divide it,” Chevez said. “That way we have two ‘Bible Talks,’ not just one, so if people can’t go to a Wednesday [meeting], they can go to a Thursday one.”
Chevez, who has been a club member for a year, was introduced to the club by former Associated Students Organization President Febe Ruiz.
“I was actually walking down the Mall area and Febe walked up to me, kind of introduced the club to me,” Chevez said. ”She asked me if I was interested in getting to know the Bible and seeing what it had in store for me, so I was really intrigued and was like, ‘Yeah, I would.’”
Since then, Chevez began to come to the events and has become more involved with the club.
Aside from the meetings at Pierce, the club has “fun nights” on Fridays, where they have small meetings similar to the on-campus ones, barbecues, bowling, karaoke, trips to the snow, or retreats.
The club has midweek meetings Tuesday nights at 7:30 p.m. in the Christian Science Center along Zelzah Avenue and Lassen Street.
The club members also meet for church service Sundays at Canoga Park High School at 10 a.m.
Currently, the club leaders on Wednesdays are Matthew Mike and Alicia Bunn, while Enrique Vargas and Lemos lead the club on Thursdays. The adviser heading the club is academic counselor Robin Sawyer.
There are Campus Advance Bible Talk clubs present in other colleges such as California State University Northridge, Mission College and Valley College, according to Lemos.
“We’re just really a part of a bigger church,” Lemos said.
People of different religious backgrounds and viewpoints are welcome to the club.
“We’re totally open to whoever wants to come in and we answer any questions that they have,” Lemos said. “Obviously we don’t know everything, we’re not perfect, so it’s more of a learning and teaching experience for us.”
The Campus Advance Bible Talk club meets Wednesdays and Thursdays at 1 p.m. in EB 1260 by the Botanical Garden.
