Rebels for Christ (RFC) is a campus ministry organization at The University of Mississippi and has been an active participant in campus ministry life since 1961. Student involvement with RFC varies from year to year and has more than 100 members, 80 percent of whom are undergrads.
The organization’s home church is the Oxford Church of Christ where members have Sunday Bible studies. RFC convenes at the Alpha Omega Student Center across Jackson Avenue from Stockard and Martin Halls for Wednesday night Connects. Connects are weekly sessions that give students the opportunity to worship and discuss various social and theological issues.
“The main goal (of RFC) is to tell students about Jesus and share why he is worth following, combining fun, social events with spiritual experiences,” said RFC campus minister Casey Coston.
RFC also reaches abroad by giving aid to foreign countries in need. For the past two years, RFC members have traveled to Haiti to offer their help.
“In Haiti, one of the big things is we’re trying to bring water purification there, cholera being a big problem,” Coston said. “For the last two years we’ve been able to install a water purification system to help bring clean water to communities.”
RFC also hosts an annual Brian Dahl Birthday Ride (BDBR) in October and has a different Connect session planned for this week.
The ride is in honor of Brian Dahl, an Ole Miss graduate, RFC member and avid biker who died in 2007.
“Brian really cared about people, and he loved kids,” said Eric Dahl, Brian’s father.
The ride features numerous different routes around town, the longest being a 55-mile route from Stone Park to Water Valley, Brian’s personal favorite.
All donations are given to Christian Relief Fund (CRF), a non-profit organization that focuses on rescuing orphans and other vulnerable children from poverty.
“More and more people turn out every year,” Dahl said.
A special Connect session is planned for Wednesday at 7 p.m.
RFC will host special guest speaker Milton Jones, president and CEO of CRF.
“Every year we have three children, two from Haiti and one from Africa, and our goal is to raise enough money the night of October 31 to sponsor all three,” said senior psychology and criminal justice major Sam Lyons.
The special Connect will take place in the Student Union Ballroom.
“We’re trying to have a wider outreach than we’ve had before,” said Coston. “What we’re doing with this event is giving (students) an opportunity to hear about what CRF does and why they might want to sponsor a child.”
