Fellowship Groups Empower Spiritual Growth

Every other Thursday night, men gather in the Price Room and women in Needham Chapel. All coming together in student led-fellowship groups, The Well and Gather the Women have been created to focus on empowering the two genders independently, building one another up in Christ.

The Well, run by senior Josh Barnhart and junior Miguel Morales, has been established this year with a purpose to develop young men to grow in their faith, according to Barnhart. 

“We wanted to create a space for men specifically to have an encounter with God and be reconciled to Him through Jesus. The vision for this men’s group is to be a place where one can receive God’s grace and forgiveness and a place to lay down one’s burdens,” Barnhart said. 

Both Barnhart and Morales are chaplains on campus and, because of this, received approval for meetings to count as chapel credits. 

According to Morales, he hopes men will be encouraged to put God at the center of their lives.

Women on campus are also placing emphasis on building relationships with their sisters in Christ. Senior Jessica Engler, one of the leaders of the group, desires for Gather the Women to be a group of women seeking Godly community. 

“The purpose of this group is to bring together the girls of Vanguard University to worship God, pray for each other, and grow together. At our gatherings, we love to talk about the simplicity of the gospel; that Jesus came, died for us, and rose again to give us life, and has empowered us to reach the lost,” Engler said. 

According to Engler, she is excited to bring women together to be encouraged in their walks with God. She believes that women play a significant role in the kingdom of God and wants the group to highlight the amazing things God has done in the lives of women.

The women involved seek to empower each other in their walks with the Lord. One of the women who has been impacted by this group is junior Samantha Medeiros. 

“When I show up to Gather the Women, it’s a time to be honest and take off the mask. It’s an environment without judgment and it fosters encouragements and genuine connection,” Medeiros said.

Similarly, the two fellowship groups have been created with the intention to focus on the genders individually and the hope of creating stronger bonds as they push each other closer to God. Both the men and women’s group are looking forward to a semester of spiritual growth and fellowship.