A Different Kind of campus Ministry

A home away from home? A retreat from academic life? Is that what a campus ministry is?

Or is it action - to confront and change the campus? Events of outreach? Is that a campus ministry?

Or maybe it’s a think-tank? Perhaps a Christian group in academia exists to show to the world of ideas the relevance of a Christian worldview to every field of inquiry?

Inward? Outward? Forward? (Sometimes it’s just awkward! 😊)

Areopagus is a different kind of campus ministry. We do some of the above but we are more.  

 

WHAT WE ARE ABOUT

  • JESUS CHRIST AND GROWING FAITH IN HIM

  • A PLACE TO BELONG

  • SERVING IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

God placed each of us for a purpose at Iowa State University. We seek to equip ourselves in God’s Word to do His mission, as salt and light, in the lab, the classroom, the ESL table, the gym, the field or the club.

Areopagus is a ministry of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA), and we joyfully bring a distinctly Reformed perspective to what we do. We care deeply about ISU and want it to flourish.  We care about creation and our community (and international community) in Ames. We care about connecting people to the local church. And mostly, we care about the Lord Jesus, who transforms us, and all the above, for His glory.

 

Director



Lora Copley

(coffee, anyone?)

Hi friends! I’m Lora Copley.

First things first. I’m a servant of Jesus Christ, and try to honor Him with every ounce of I am. He has made all the difference in my life and I want to help others experience that “He’s where the joy is”.

I’m married to Joel— we’ve been a team now for 25 years! We are parents to four amazing kiddos. We’ve lived in New Mexico, Washington, Florida and Michigan. I graduated eons ago with a Theology degree from Dordt University and a Masters of Divinity from Calvin Seminary.

I love studying the Bible and sharing its riches. I love meeting new conversation partners — and walking alongside old ones. There is so much to learn and rejoice over!

I hope God gives the opportunity where I may get to know you better!


 

our CLUB LEADERS

Derek - Prez Elijah- Treasurer Lauren -Steering Grace - Steering (Spring 2025)

“Seek the peace and welfare of the place to which I have carried you …

Pray to the Lord for it, because in its welfare, is your welfare.” Jeremiah 29:7

 

P.S. what’s with the name?

Here’s a picture of the steps of the original Areopagus. The place may be in the ruins. But the message given here (in Acts 17) is still a force to be reckoned with.

Areopagus is the Greek name for “Ares Hill” or “Mars Hill”. It was a gathering spot in ancient Athens, just opposite of the Acropolis, where thinkers met to discuss ideas and weigh out the issues of their day. (Much like a university of today.)

The Bible tells how Paul (one of the first proclaimers of Jesus’ good news to a non-Jewish world) went to the Areopagus to engage the worldviews and skepticism of his time. He listened and observed and then showed how the death and resurrection of Jesus overturns assumptions and changes everything.