Something New at OSU
June 17, 2008
By Aziz Nahhas
“See, I am doing a new thing! …Do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19)
Did you know? The Ohio State University is the largest university campus in the USA! However, there is relatively little student involvement in Christian campus ministries.
Since the beginning of GCM, Mosaic Church has worked to meet this incredible opportunity and need for Jesus Christ here at OSU. We have helped hundreds of students from all over the world become disciples of Christ and go on to fruitful ministry after college. But for the last several years, our church had most of its staff and volunteers move on for various reasons. I found myself as the last full-time staff person, in a role that was not a good long-term fit.
At the same time, especially this last school year, we have seen God do wonderful things in and through our church. Our members are passionate about Jesus and excited about ministry. It seemed clear to me that God was using our church at OSU, but I also sensed that we were not going to be able to continue if something didn’t change in our staff situation.
In the fall of 2006, our sister church at the University of Michigan (New Life Church) expressed an interest in planting a new church on the OSU campus. At first, I wasn’t interested. I was looking for God to send someone to help our existing church, not start a new one.
But a year ago, God changed my mind. One day, while praying, I sensed God prompting me to immediately call NLC and invite them to come to plant a church. I didn’t understand why God would want two GCM-supported churches at OSU, but I obeyed, and now the church plant is beginning this summer!
What about Mosaic Church? Since that phone call, God led me to verses such as these in John 12:24 and 3:30. “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” And, “He must become greater; I must become less.”
I finally realized that God wants to do something new at OSU. He does want Mosaic to flourish, but not in the way I had expected. He wants us to bear much fruit by dying: to our structure, to our way of doing things, to our established status at OSU, and to our name. He wants us to shut down Mosaic Church and join with the church plant.
The new church will be called H2O, and our students are excited to be a part of it. Take a look at the smiles in the photo: that was on a recent trip to visit New Life Church on the U of M campus. Only Jesus Christ has the power to bring Buckeyes and Wolverines together!