University Ministries: 37five

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people need to be in the small group or Cadre?

A small group needs a minimum of three people, and a maximum of nine. If your group is larger than nine people, please break it up into two smaller groups (to allow for deeper relationships). There is no maximum size for Cadres. If your Cadre is large, we suggest breaking down into smaller groups for participation in the 37five Project. This makes for better accountability and gives you an opportunity to submit more grants.

Does my small group or Cadre have to attend the seven worship events together?

No. It will help your small group or Cadre if you worship together, but it's not required for the 37five Project. Members need to hold one another accountable as individuals for their attendance.

What happens in a small group?

Small groups can look very different from each other, depending on the people involved and their goals and interests. At their core, all small groups respond to God’s mission to the world through Jesus Christ.

We suggest your small group spend time getting to know one another by hearing each person’s life story. Small groups also pray together, study the Bible and other books, have fun, and find ways to reach out to others in service. Small groups are about sharing life with one another and learning how to grow as followers of Christ.

All small groups must commit to hold each other accountable to attend SPU worship gatherings at least seven times per quarter.

What happens in a Cadre?

A Cadre is a discussion group that meets regularly to talk about how the Christian faith relates to a particular academic discipline or other area of special interest. Cadres are facilitated by staff and faculty members from across the University. Most Cadres do not require a long-term commitment — many Cadres allow students to drop in whenever a student is available.

If your Cadre would like to submit a grant application, you should commit to attending the cadre at least once every two weeks, as well as attending SPU worship gatherings at least seven times per quarter.

How often does the small group or Cadre need to meet?

You are welcome to meet as often as you like, but if you wish to submit a grant application you must meet at least once every two weeks.

How do I join a small group or Cadre?

If you live on campus, talk with your student ministry coordinator (SMC) about small groups that meet in your hall. If you live off campus, email the Sharpen program (sharpen@spu.edu) to get connected with a small group. You can also get more information about the 2009–10 Cadres.

Do church small groups count?

Yes, as long as at least three members of the group are SPU students and the students commit to attending SPU worship gatherings at least seven times per quarter.

Can classes participate?

Yes! However, for Fall 2009 only USEM courses can participate in 37five. All classes and students may participate in Winter 2009 and Spring 2009.This is a great opportunity for classes to integrate Christian community into their curriculum. Students break into small groups within their classes, then use the course content to shape their group. They participate in the 37five Project just like any other small group.

To whom can we give the money?

You can submit an application for any 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose work is consistent with SPU’s mission and values (exceptions to the 501(c)3 requirement are possible for international organizations). Most missionaries have relationships with 501(c)3 organizations. A committee of students, faculty, and staff will evaluate the applications and make a final decision about how to allocate the grant money at the end of each quarter.

When will the money be distributed?

Grant applications may be submitted by your small group each quarter in the regular academic year. The more quarters for which you submit an application, the better chance you have of contributing money to your selected organization. You can start during any quarter. If you don’t have an agency in mind until Winter Quarter, then create a proposal in Winter Quarter.

How can staff and faculty members get involved?

Faculty and staff members can lead a cadre or join a small group.

If you are a student in a small group and you would like to invite a faculty or staff member to join you, feel free to do so. If you are a faculty or staff member and you want to start a small group or Cadre, recruit students to join you.

If staff and faculty members want to participate in the grant application process, we ask that you commit to attend at least six campus worship events per quarter. Should I go to worship events even if I don’t want to submit a grant application?

Of course! When we worship together, we honor God and we are changed as people. It is an expectation that SPU community members will join in worship each week, regardless of their plan to submit a grant application.

Am I required to go to Tuesday morning Chapel?

When we worship, believers have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Christian story. We learn who we are, hear God’s word of challenge and care for us, and understand how he calls us to participate in his work on earth.

In worship, people unfamiliar with the faith have a chance to understand this vital element of the Christian story. In our other special gatherings, we recognize significant achievements of community members and hear from world-renowned speakers with an inspiring word for our community. We place great value on our gatherings, and we fully expect students to participate in these events.

We place especially high value on Tuesday morning Chapel, because it allows the entire SPU community — students, faculty, and staff — to gather together in one place at one time.