There are many campus organizations which satisfy the various needs of NIU students. One of those needs is spiritual, but in addition to a religious outlet some students discover a deeper fellowship.

One spiritual group at NIU is the Navigators, a Christian student organization on campus.

Drew Parlee, Navigators intern staff member, said the focus of the organization is “to know Christ and to make him known.”

Some ways in which the organization does this is through conducting surveys in the residence halls and by using residence hall advertisements, but “primarily, it’s by friends inviting friends to our meetings,” Parlee said. The Navigators include about 30 members.

“We have meetings on Thursday nights. We have Bible study and encourage each other to be better Christians and we also do some singing,” he said. “We also have retreats and training meetings on how you can talk to other people who don’t believe in Christ.”

Navigators member Pam Edwards said being a Christian student takes precedence in her life.

She said she got involved in Navigators during her freshman year because “it was just something I could identify with on this big campus.”

Edwards said since she has been a member of Navigators she has seen it grow in size and recognition. “People are more aware of the Navigators. Our goal is not to be exclusive. We welcome all students to come to our meetings,” she said.

Edwards said that spiritually the organization has a lot to offer students, depending on their relationship with God and Christ, and whether or not they’re willing to reach out to other people.

Another religious organization at NIU is Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC). Craig Seifferth, Campus Director of the CCC, desribed CCC as an international, interdenominational group.

“The objective (of CCC) is to give every student a clear opportunity to get or hear a clear understanding of how to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior,” he said.

Seifferth added, “The CCC takes a conservative view to the Bible because we seek to find the intention of the author of each book of the word of God. Some churches say it’s just stories but we don’t believe that.”

He said the CCC plans different ways to reach students and make Jesus Christ a relevant figure in their lives. Seifferth said he wants the members know that God affects their studies and relationships with others.

“We work hard with students to communicate their faith and to defend their faith biblically, historically, philosophically and scientifically,” Seifferth said.

Under the umbrella of the Wesley Foundation Methodist Church there are two NIU religious groups, the Wesley Tour Choir and the Wednesday Night Service.

Paul Rodgers and his brother, Peter, have been working to keep the 35-year-old tour choir going strong. Rodgers said, “I got involved in the tour choir two years ago. I knew some people who were in it and I knew it was a tremendous opportunity to sing praises to God.”

Rodgers said the choir usually travels on Spring Break. Last year, the choir travelled to Washington D.C. and this year they plan to visit New Orleans.

The tour choir concentrates their performance on contemporary Christian music.

From being involved in the tour choir Rodgers said he’s gotten “a sense of good Christian fellowship and growing together in the Lord.”

The Wednesday Night Service at the Wesley Foundation is a church service with an easygoing atmosphere, said member Amy Williams.

Williams said the service is a good break from studying and is “a very good organization to be involved with. We are a very intimate group. The Wesley Foundation is a good place where you can gain a foothold.

“Being a Christian on campus gives you the opportunity to be more open to people and more loving to people,” Williams said.

Another religious group on campus is the Islamic Society of NIU, which is comprised mostly of Muslims. Their religious dedication is to be submissive to God.

Issa El-Hussain, president of the Islamic Society, said the group holds congregations on Fridays. “Every two weeks we have Islamic teachings and monthly we have one of our faculty advisors give us a lecture and we pray together,” said El-Hussain.

The Islamic Society of NIU meets at what members call the “Muslim House” at 721 Normal Rd.

“All Muslims must and should believe in the Christian and Jewish books and the prophets,” El-Hussain said.