• How Cougars for Christ Unfolded

Our story began to unfold way back in 2002 when Fred Liggin felt led to begin a small weekly Bible study at Perk Avenue Coffee House, a local coffee shop in Columbus, Georgia. The study was open to all ages, but was specifically designed to reach young adults and college students who were looking to know more about the Bible. The study actually began with only about 5 young adults, but through God’s provision quickly grew to about 15 people every week. In a period of only ten months, eight people were baptized and committed their lives to Christ and as the study continued to grow, a few college students expressed a need and desire for something similar for their college campus at CSU.

After much prayer, thought, and consideration, Fred saw that these students were onto something and felt God calling him to pursue this idea further. Later that year, Fred presented the idea of “Cougars for Christ” to the elders of Rose Hill church where he served as associate minister. Though even Fred could not have known what God was going to do from there, the elders offered their full support and Fred, and his wife Alison, began to follow God relentlessly into the unknown and uncharted territory of campus ministry. And thus the ministry “Cougars for Christ” was born at Columbus State University in the fall semester of 2003.

That fall Cougars for Christ met bi-weekly for a bible study on campus called “Family Time” with a group of about eight students. The next semester, Cougars for Christ continued to grow and began meeting weekly with nearly twenty students in attendance every week. In its second full year as a campus organization, Cougars for Christ really became a strong presence on campus and with between 25 and 40 students in attendance each week. Fred began to disciple and mentor a small core group of dedicated students, giving them leadership opportunities and gradually helping Cougars for Christ to be a truly student-led campus organization.

After three years of incredible growth and devoted leadership in Cougars for Christ, Fred and his wife Alison left Columbus to pursue a campus ministry full-time at UGA in Athens, Georgia in September of 2006. It seemed that God had some amazing things in store for our group and Fred and Alison as well. When Fred left in September, a student leader who was very close with Fred, Derik Roberts, was asked to step up into the campus minister position and lead the organization at CSU while simultaneously finishing his Secondary Education-English degree at CSU. Though challenging at times, the ministry continued to grow and see incredible blessings. In the summer of 2008 after another wonderful year with Cougars for Christ, Derik graduated from CSU with his bachelor’s degree and Rose Hill offered him a full-time position as campus minister for Cougars for Christ and as a college and young adults minister at Rose Hill. He now continues to serve as campus minister, a product of the ministry itself when it began with Fred, along with his wife Kristin and several dedicated, motivated, and spirit-led student leaders.

Obviously, we have experienced a great deal of growth in every area of this ministry and have rejoiced in over 28 baptisms thus far. God continues to amaze and astound us every year and show us that He truly is in control by using the most unlikely of circumstances to really impact our community and campus with His radical love. Currently, Cougars for Christ is the largest, most active, and most diverse Christian organization at CSU. It boasts a membership of between 60 and 100 students and only continues to grow. It is our prayer that He will continue to shed light and grace on our path as we pursue His will and follow hard after Him.