On February 3 and 4, students at Houghton will be hosting an IF:Gathering women’s conference focused on gathering, equipping, and unleashing the next generation of women to live out God’s calling on their lives.
Amy Brennfleck ’19 took initiative to organize and host the event at Houghton for any women who wanted to participate. “Each year, Jennie Allen hosts the IF:Gathering in Dallas, Texas, but in order to make it more accessible, their team created IF Locals,” she said. “IF Locals are simulcasts of the event hosted by individuals across the world. The IF team asks you to gather your community of women, grab some food, and learn about Jesus through the speakers together.”
According to their official website, the purpose of the IF:Gathering is to equip ordinary women to become leaders who rise up to make disciples in every city in the country and every country in the world. Jennie Allen, the founder of the IF:Gathering, is a Christian speaker and author who felt called by God in 2007 to disciple a generation. Out of this seemingly impossible and improbable calling, Jennie Allen, together with a team of friends, established IF:Gathering.
Sydney Shufelt ’17, along with approximately forty other students, will be attending the event. “I signed up for the IF:Gathering because it seems like an awesome opportunity to gather together with girls across campus and share our mutual love for Christ,” she said. “Even though Houghton is a small campus, I still feel like there are so many girls who I haven’t had the opportunity to connect with and this seems like a great way to bring us all together.”
Brennfleck saw a need at Houghton for intentional discipleship among women. “The reason that I want to hold an IF:Gathering at Houghton is because I see a lack of women intentionally coming together to learn more about God,” she said. “My hope is that this group of women will be vulnerable and real together, so that we can begin to build a strong community of women.”
The IF:Gathering believes that a strong community of Christian women is built around coming together to wrestle with essential questions of faith and encountering God in a powerful way.
“Along with learning and growing in faith, I’m hoping to leave this experience feeling more connected to the community of amazing women we have on campus,” Shufelt said.
Brennfleck hopes this IF:Gathering will only be the start of building a more intentional community of women at Houghton College who desire to pursue God’s calling in their lives. She said, “My hope is for each of the participants of the IF:Gathering to leave the weekend feeling equipped to be obedient to whatever the Lord asks them to do in their lives.”
This event will be hosted in Gillette Hall from 5 p.m. today until 5 p.m. on Saturday. Shufelt and many others are eagerly anticipating a weekend of fellowship and growth. “I’ve always felt like any opportunity to learn more about the heart of God is something to look forward to,” said Shufelt. “To do that with some of my best friends here on campus is really exciting.”