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Nathan Wigfield

wigfield_nate.jpg“My involvement in the CCO constantly challenged me to question what it meant to be faithful in all spheres of life, whether it was in the classroom, the dorms, or on the baseball field,” says Nathan Wigfield. “The CCO also shaped me as a student leader. I was encouraged to embrace a leadership role among my peers, and was given the resources to do so effectively. Waynesburg Chaplain and former CCO staff, Tom Ribar, proved to be the most influential person in my life. Tom invested time and energy into walking alongside me in my journey of faith during my time at Waynesburg. He taught me what discipleship meant by being a friend and a mentor, and by challenging me to think Christianly about my role as a student-athlete, friend, fiancé, and citizen.”

Today, Nathan is one of the pastors of Origins Church, a young congregation in Long Beach, California, where he lives with his wife, Bethany. He is also enrolled as a student at nearby Fuller Theological Seminary.

“There is not an area of my life that has not been inspired by the CCO’s commitment to the work of God’s Kingdom,” says Nathan, “whether it is the discipleship relationships that I have with young men in our community, leading small groups, or devoting time to my studies. It was the CCO that first introduced me to a gospel that was bigger than a private relationship. I am pursuing the movement of God’s kingdom in the context of my marriage, the neighborhood I live in, the relationships I have been blessed with, and the community of faith that I have the privilege of leading. It is always a challenge to integrate the work of God into every facet of life, but it is a pursuit that I am committed to. Thankfully, I am not alone as I travel this journey.”

Nathan points to the two times he attended the Jubilee conference as “the most influential experiences during my college years.”

“Thanks to people like Byron Borger of Hearts and Minds Books, I began to learn the importance of embracing the journey of faith as a life of learning,” he says. “It was at Jubilee where I was first challenged to consider the part that God had invited me to play in the story of His Kingdom. I found myself immersed in conversations concerning God’s passion for justice, the relationship between Christ and culture, and the biblical vision of the restoration of Shalom in the world we live in. Jubilee pointed to the compelling vision of God’s Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven and led me to committing my life to embracing that as a reality among us, not simply a hope for the future.”

This is the vision that ultimately led to Nathan and Bethany choosing to leave southwestern Pennsylvania for the west coast. They have helped to plant “a community of faith that envisions the impact that followers of Jesus can have on a culture when we decide to actually be the Church, not simply attend it,” says Nathan. “Since moving here, we have committed to doing life in a specific neighborhood within the city. It has been such a blessing to walk the streets of our neighborhood and frequent local coffee shops, restaurants, and businesses. Riding bikes to the local market to pick up groceries, hosting neighborhood events for kids and their families, and being only a few blocks from close friends who we consider to be family has created opportunities for us to presence the love of God in unique and creative ways.

“Without the ministry of the CCO during my college years, I would not have been challenged to think Christianly about my role as citizen of God’s Kingdom in all areas of life. When I began attending Waynesburg University as a freshman, my faith consisted first and foremost of a private relationship with God. It was difficult for me to see beyond my pursuit of personal piety to even begin to ask what my relationship with God had to do with my education, my relationships, and so on. If it wasn’t for the CCO, I am not sure if I would have ever begun to ask those questions.

“The CCO shaped my experience as a student by fostering environments and relationships that provided space for me to grow and mature as a follower of Jesus. This is a ministry that has changed my life, and it encourages me to know that so many others have been and are still being impacted by the fruits of your labor.”