Walking around campus, no matter how hard I try to avoid eye contact with daily Bible peddlers, I can’t help but wonder if I am being spiritually called to look further into my faith.
Of course, if God was trying to communicate with me, it probably wouldn’t be to say, “Hey, you! Let’s talk about Jesus this Wednesday at GSH. Track Town on me.” Still, what do I know, right?
Something I do know is that there are more than 400 student groups at UO. This begs the questions: What are they? Where are they? They certainly aren’t outside the EMU preaching the glories of debate or spikeball or whatever else their clubs have to offer.
Instead, most clubs rely simply on word of mouth to recruit new members. This is weak.
Some groups, like the UO Taylor Swift Society, find creative ways to seek new members. UOTSS co-president Ryan Kovatch said making an Instagram account was the club’s “first major outreach” and was met with an unexpected amount of interest.
But many UO students know the struggle of finding a club all too well. The university does little beyond hosting rare club fairs to help the clubs recruit. Instead, it is up to the club organizers themselves to advertise — and I know if business-esque clubs advertised like Chrisitan groups, resume-starved Lundquist students would line up across East 13th Avenue eager to join.
Offering anything from coffee to eternal salvation, Christian student groups over-achieve in encouraging new members to join. Parker Durbin said he was actively sought out by members of nationwide Christian student organization Cru at Oregon, members he didn’t know would text him regularly and even wait outside dorms to talk with him and other students.
“Yeah, it’s some weird stuff,” Durbin said. “But they do a great job of getting around and recruiting people.”
Many students do not keep this blithe attitude about the in-your-face-ism of religious recruitment on campus. With the sporadic appearances of those Christians that yell at people outside the EMU, this is understandable. It is hard for some to not lump together hateful followers with the broader religion. 
My advice to these students: If you hate the player, join the game and beat them. Find your own passion, be it debate or Taylor Swift, and seek like-minded souls with intensity.
There is a major limiting aspect here: money. Events, food, fliers and posters are expensive, and smaller clubs may lack the funds that would grant them the ability to grow their groups. In contrast, as Forbes’ 25th largest U.S. charity and the recipient of $591 million in private donations last year, Cru undoubtedly has the resources, and motivation, to seek members.
On top of millions, I would argue that genuine faith drives groups like Cru to recruit so passionately. Faith is a powerful thing. It makes sense why religious groups have this seemingly-fervent desperation to seek members — they believe they’re doing the right thing. There is a purity and a grind that is admirable there.
Whatever it is keeping the hundreds of UO clubs from advertising like Christians, I hope one day it dissipates. While exploring clubs on ASUO’s engagement page is easy, many clubs offer no further contact information. UO club leaders should use any opportunity and resource available to actively seek potential members.
I feel blessed by Ms. Swift herself that the UOTSS responded to me so quickly and kindly — and I pray that, for now, word of mouth alone will be enough to unite all UO students with the clubs that fit their interests.