All of life 
It comes down
To just one thing
And that's to know You, Lord Jesus - 
And to make You known

By Lora Victorio

Some students kneeled. Some sat. Some stood, and some even planted their faces to the floor as the words of this song appeared on the screen. In the sea of closed eyelids, outstretched hands and moving lips, a united cry shot to the roof of the Waves Cafe for what students called “Total Surrender.”

This semester, students have been rethinking what it means to be a Christian and are finding ways to redefine their faith. Through weekly gatherings and special events, as well as new student ministries, students from freshmen to seniors are getting involved and helping others to know God.

Students gathered nightly for an explosive week of praise and worship in the Cafe entitled “Total Surrender.” The event, organized by senior Religion major Brian Swarts and members of the Malibu Church of Christ, Malibu Presbyterian and Malibu Vineyard, focused on five themes of humility, holiness, sacrifice, conviction and victory.

“The idea was really a response to many people's desire to see revival on Pepperdine's campus,” Swarts said. “‘Total Surrender’ really challenged Christians to seek out God in a new and radical way … (to) let God take control over our lives.”

Hundreds of students packed the lower dining area of the Waves Cafe each night from October 16-20, as groups from different campus and church ministries led the audience in worship. Swarts spoke on the first night and addressed the topic of humility. He wanted to send the message to students that “God wants everything-we cannot truly be Christians if we are not fully given to God.”

photo by Brianna Fleetham Michelle Demaree and Julie Winkler worship at “Total Surrender,” a week-long prayer and praise gathering at the Waves Cafe in October.

Senior Tynitra Wilson attended all five nights of the event. She believes the nightly meetings helped unify the student body.

“I think it’s awesome how people from different ministries came together to seek God’s face,” she said. “We’re being sensitive to God’s spirit and everyone was a part of it.”

Dave Neal, a junior at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, Calif., heard about the event while at Malibu Vineyard and wanted to check it out. “I wanted to spend time with other believers and be with people who are on fire for God,” he said. “At Cal Lutheran, similar events are starting up because people have hearts to see God move.”

Swarts believes that young people everywhere are starting to feel this same desire for God.

He says that events like “Total Surrender” are re-kindling the spiritual life at Pepperdine as “Christians call out to God in a single voice.”

But a weeklong meeting isn’t enough for these students. Every other Thursday night in the Howard A. White Center, senior Dave Burcham leads the Sacred Ground Coffee House.

He emcees an evening for students to showcase their musical talents. Complete with smoky candles, colorful tablecloths, and free coffee and cookies, the event is trying to move away from the traditional Sunday morning church atmosphere to something more comfortable and relevant to students.

photo by Katie Murphy Junior Amy Hunter prays for and ministers to a young woman at the Malibu Vineyard.

And the idea seems to be working.

Burcham sees a consistent turnout of more than a hundred people who show up to listen and hang out each week. He says the numbers are growing.

“I pray that the Christian music that is being played, and the passion that it is played with, will help to be an example to some to work for a deeper relationship with our amazing God, and others to seek Him for the first time,” Burcham said.

Burcham says he hopes that regular events like the Coffee House will enable students to understand what Christianity is all about.

“I pray that students will realize the difference and the importance of living a Christian life and not just going through the motions of Christianity when it’s cool or acceptable and fits their timetable.”

The office of Student Ministries at Pepperdine also tries to help students make Christianity more than a Sunday experience.

Special events punctuate the semester, and staff are available for students desiring spiritual counseling. This semester the office sponsored “See You At the Pole” on campus. Students gathered by their school flagpoles in this nationwide event for early morning prayer. About 200 students, faculty and staff gathered at 7 a.m. that day.

“We would hope that through our examples and programs, people who may have been turned off by a condescending word or judgmental Christian experience in the past would come to see that that is really not what Christianity is  all about. We would hope that people everywhere would see that-not only through simply our program, but through the many other Christian opportunities on campus and off,” said Jonathan Pearce, a Student Ministries intern.

Student Ministries intern Michelle Gieseke agrees. “Our desire is to encourage students to become involved in spiritual activities on campus,” she said.

“The key element is simply a love for God and what He revealed to us through Christ.”

This love for God is reaching more people who are developing new ministries to make God more relevant to students.

“True North” is a Scripture distribution program that started this semester. Directed by Junior Cody Jones, the program’s goal is to serve God through Scripture distribution by sharing the gospel with nonbelievers and providing resources for Christians to use in evangelism.

True North is sponsored by the International Bible Society, and currently operates on four college campuses throughout the United States. This semester, True North distributed items to a variety of different groups on campus.

Athletes on campus were given Bibles that included testimonies from professional athletes who are Christians.

In addition, Bibles were ordered for all international freshmen in their home language.

Other pamphlets included the books of Psalms and Proverbs, as well as “Heaven & Earth,” a booklet showing how creation glorifies the Creator. The ministry has distributed over 2,000 pieces of Scripture this semester alone to reach Pepperdine’s students, faculty and staff.

“Statistics show that the majority of students either own or have access to a Bible,” said Jones. “The challenge that True North seeks to confront is getting students to read and use Scripture. For this reason, True North attempts to distribute Scriptures that will grab attention and invite interest.”

And inviting interest into the Christian faith is just the beginning of what some students at Pepperdine want to do.

Some are dreaming bigger dreams and hoping for a revival on campus that would change the spiritual climate of the university.

Religion professor Daniel Rodriguez defines revival as “a new realization, accomplished by the Holy Spirit, of one’s identity and purpose accompanied by a new embrace of that identity and purpose.”

He says he hopes that the renewed vigor for experiencing God will have lasting effects on campus.

“I hope there would be a renewal on a corporate level that includes rededication to holy and consecrated living - a holy dissatisfaction with the way things are.”

And for a generation whose parents said they “can’t get no satisfaction,” Rodriguez’ call to young people to not be satisfied with the spiritual status quo is welcomed.

“I think Pepperdine is primed for spiritual revival. There is a tangible spirit of expectancy on this campus,” Jones said.

“Students are more passionate about God than they have been in the time I have been here. The focus is shifting from denominational concerns to concerns about fellow Christians, from division to cooperation.”

Swarts agrees. “God calls every generation to a radical commitment of faith. We are a generation of non-conformists, anarchists, punk rockers, activists, free thinkers,” he said.

“We think we are radical … but we are not nearly radical enough for God. (We need to) shake the status quo and live out the Word of God.”

Junior Amy Hunter believes that although new ministries are positive and beneficial on campus, the students need to take responsibility.

“If we really want to see certain things change on this campus, or if we want to fully understand God’s purpose for our lives and for Pepperdine, we have to lay down everything else that we depend on in order for Him to do what He desires to do in us,” she said.

For now, students are hearing the cry for a “holy dissatisfaction” and want to see God work in the different programs and events by transforming the lives of the people around them.

“I pray that by the time students graduate from Pepperdine, they will have a clear understanding of Who God is and what Christianity is all about,” Burcham said.

“I would love for students to have a full understanding of what God’s love really entails, and to see real life examples of amazing Christian people here on campus.”

And in the end, these students all agree. “All of life comes down to one thing - to make God known,” Neal said. “That should be the cry of the hearts of this generation.”