The campus now has an alternative means for students and community members to practice religion.

Apostolic Christians in Today’s Society, otherwise known as ACTS Campus Ministry, is a multicultural ministry on Eastern’s campus, which consists of both students and local residents.

Dr. Andrew Robinson, the pastor and advisor for this registered student organization, is currently in his third year working with ACTS after resigning from his former church in April 2007.

“I felt God leading me away from the traditional church ministry,” Robinson said.

Robinson said that he felt a burden to provide ministry to Eastern’s campus. Many of the older members followed Robinson from his former church in order to share what they felt was the responsibility to give students a place of worship.

“One of the things that we’re here for is to help [students] maintain [their] faith while pursuing education,” Robinson said.

A recent trend within the ministry has been students giving their own personal testimonies, which Robinson believes is more influential among their peers.

“It’s amazing to listen to what people go through on a daily basis and to hear how they overcome their trials and tribulations,” said Otis Seawood, senior family consumer sciences major and vice president of ACTS. “I think it’s important to let other people see that others do struggle, but they still keep their relationship with Christ.”

One of the students who has participated in this trend is Tim Bell, sophomore journalism major.

Bell, born in Monmouth, Ill., was shuffled between his parents’ home and foster care at the age of 3. At 5 years old, he was ultimately placed in foster care, where he remained until he was adopted at age 12.

His experiences included being beaten and demoralized which, when compiled with other struggles, drove him to a point where he “didn’t want to go on.”

Through it all, Bell’s faith kept him strong.

“He [God] kept telling me that I could make it,” Bell said.

Bell said he kept his faith through prayer and personal conversations with God, which kept him strong in the midst of many personal problems, including the time when he had no contact with his immediately family.

Bell lost contact with his siblings after they were adopted, and he remained living in foster care. After almost 17 years of separation and no communication, Bell found his siblings in June 2009, the summer before he left for college.

“I always felt empty,” Bell said. “Even though I was ready to give up at times, I never did.”

As he was getting ready for college, Bell said he anticipated that he would be one of the few students on campus who believed in God, and he thought this would make him an outcast from others. He was excited and relieved when he discovered ACTS.

“ACTS gave me a church to look up to,” Bell said.

Bell said he appreciates the relationship that younger and older members have with each other within the organization. He said the older members look up to the students who attend and share there personal testimonies because they understand the difficulties that are faced by current college students.

“It makes us feel good that we are appreciated,” Bell said.

Seawood said ACTS ministry provides a spiritual outlet for the campus so that they can experience God. The students now have a church away from home.

“I think it’s important, whatever faith you are, to have a relationship with whomever you believe in,” said Seawood. “To me, it’s important to have a relationship with Christ.”

ACTS holds a weekly Bible study at 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday in the EIU Cultural Center and holds a worship service at 11 a.m. every Sunday in the Buzzard Hall auditorium.

Spencer Nobles can be reached at 581-7942 or at [email protected].