What is the Barnabas Team?

None of us do life alone.  The Bible gets that.  So should we. We are designed to be in relationship, to be in community.  We are encouraged to do life together. Nowhere is that more clear than when we find ourselves living in a dorm or an apartment complex at Calvin College.  This is one of the rare opportunities we get in life to live in such a diverse & dynamic community.  Maximizing this opportunity can be life-changing.

The Offices of Christian Formation and Residence Life take seriously the exceptional opportunities given to students by living in community.  Perhaps the greatest opportunity that faces residents is that of growing, challenging and embracing their faith formation.  We are sold out to the idea of doing everything we can to encourage students in their faith formation

The Barnabas Team is responsible for promoting Christian growth among the student body at Calvin College.  The Barnabas Team strives to develop Christian community, challenge students to live together as the Body of Christ, thus promoting Christian growth so that students are transformed in all aspects of their lives.  The Barnabas Team does this by being servant leaders of fellow students, gathering students together for activities promoting Christian community, and helping students find ways to minister to one another within that community.

Serving as Barnabas Team members, students will be supervised directly by their Resident Director, but will be additionally trained, equipped, mentored and encouraged by the Pastor of Residence Life, along with other staff in the Office of Christian Formation.  Team members experience life-changing growth through personal and team challenges and support, and through involvement in Christian leadership, supervision, programming, and human services.