IMAGO DEI COLLEGE connects Portland college students with one another to engage with Christian truth and interact with today's most challenging questions. This is a place for Christians and for those who are not. All are welcome to come, hang out, listen, and even jump into the conversation if desired.
Why College?
Transfer credits. Campus housing. Meal plans. Study groups. Course schedules. Labs. Great roommates. Horrible roommates. Tuition payments. Part-time jobs. Getting fired from part-time jobs. Desperately taking any part-time, minimum-wage job you can find, even if it makes you work until 4 a.m.... Can someone say "transitional"?
Yeah, you can scream it. You don't have time or money or well-developed non-Facebook social networks, and you're feeling it. This time of constant change makes it tough to genuinely connect with anybody, never mind establish and build real life-giving friendships. But we want to know you and we want you to know us. We are compelled to build a community that not only supports college students by helping them "get through" these crazy years—we want to collectively thrive.
What?! A video clip on the Internet?
Check out Part I of a three-segment documentary about 18- to 29-year-olds who are leaving their churches. Pastor Ben (he's the guy in the reddish shirt who waves his arms around a lot) was invited to be a part of this project, and he along with the others who share their thoughts here are serious about confronting these issues head-on, creating community environments that welcome discussions about doubt and real-life challenges, finding true belonging at church, and so forth. You'll see some of his heart for college students and his love for Jesus' Church....
What does an average night look like?
We rendezvous every Friday night, from 7-9:30 p.m. to, at times, engage in a brief presentation of theology, philosophy, or biblical teaching from professors, pastors and other speakers. At other times, share meals, hang out and talk, watch and discuss movies, and so on. We're big on switching things up a lot.
We also encourage you to stay late with us. We'll keep the lights on until 10:00 and the world is your oyster. Take avantage of the gym for a game of dodgeball or ask nicely and maybe we'll even throw a log in the fire. It's during this downtime that we have the opportunity to build spiritual friendships, even if it means taking a kickball to the face.
College Mentorship Opportunities
We are developing a network of older men and women who truly want to mentor and disciple college-age people. One goal will be to connect students not only with those mentors but also with the life of Imago Dei Community as a whole, including its home communities, church ministries, men's and women's forums and other places that will help them fight the loneliness of autonomy and live the lives they were built for—lives in real community.
For questions about college group, contact our Pastoral Intern/Point Leader:
Patrick Wilson - - (503) 313-3342
To become a leader or mentor, contact our Pastor of Students:
Ben Tertin - - (503) 780-0784
