University Baptist Church (UBC) will bring religion to students by forming residence hall bible study groups.

UBC College Minister and TCU’s CAMPUS/Life Skills Program Coordinator Kathy Raines was helping jump-start bible studies in a few residence halls.

“We want to connect with [students] in their homes,” she said. 

The residence halls are students’ comfort zones, and there was already a community within the halls, Raines said.

UBC is located across the street from Sherley Hall on Wabash Ave. The church targeted students who expressed an interest in forming a bible study group within their residence halls.

Both Milton Daniel and Colby Hall were in the process of beginning their bible study groups, Raines said. Raines’ goal was to have a small group of students meet in every residence hall by the end of the year.

First-year business major Kayce Simmons is a leader of Colby Hall’s bible study group.

It would be easy to relate to other students since members are going to start the group together, Simmons said.

Junior piano performance major Robyn Meahl participated in the women’s bible study last year.
Meahl said she wanted to build relationships based in Christ to create a support system between members. She would be assisting Raines as a student leader in Milton Daniel and Colby.

UBC said they hoped to accommodate their bible study times to students’ busy schedules.
Awareness and availability were two obstacles the groups would have to overcome, Raines said.

Simmons said she would like to discuss the Book of James with members.

“The Book of James talks about how someone can say [she or he has] faith, but if your actions don’t show it, your faith is useless,” she said.

Many students could improve the standards of Christianity by avoiding the temptations surrounding college-life, Simmons said.

First-year chemistry major Jacob Boswell said he did not want Milton Daniel’s bible study to have a Sunday-school atmosphere.

To compete with the Thursday night party rush, the bible study will be a “mini-party” with snacks and drinks, Boswell said.

“It’s a win-win set up if you do it right,” he said.

Raines said she would like to see students “grow in their walk with Christ.”

So far, there are no set meeting times and dates for each dorm.

For information about residence hall bible studies, contact Kathy Raines at [email protected].