Do you stand with Dave? UW-Madison senior and men's basketball player Dave Mader is the spokesperson for a campus campaign to get students talking about religion.
The campaign, which started Monday, is aptly named \I Stand With Dave."" It is being organized by Student Impact, the campus branch of the international organization Campus Crusade.
""Our goal is to promote religious discussion and dialogue on campus,"" says Bonnie Roe, the assistant campus director for Student Impact. The ""I Stand With Dave"" campaign is also supported by InterVarsity, Youth with a Mission, St. Paul's Catholic Center, Athletes in Action and Cornerstone Church.
Jordan Mancl, a UW-Madison junior majoring in civil engineering and a Bible leader for Student Impact says interest in the campaign since its kick-off Monday has been high. The campaign's Web site had 900 visitors Monday alone and the forum now has 117 posted messages.
These messages include appreciation for the campaign, questions about religion and criticism for ""trying to push your ideas on others.""
Mancl says this is what the campaign is hoping for, to start a conversation by exposing students to the Christian message and hopefully change any negative perceptions people have about Christianity.
""We wanted, as a group of Christians, to share our heart with campus,"" said Mancl.
There is also a message from Dave Mader on the Web site explaining why he is involved in the campaign.
""I did this not because I am a student or a basketball player, but because I am a Christian. I have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and it is something I would love others to find as well, if they haven't already. It is our desire to have some open and honest dialogue about where we all stand in our beliefs or non-beliefs of spiritual things."" Mader thanks those who have written in to express their support of the Web site as well as ""those who have shared their disagreement.""
The goal of the group is to not only promote dialogue on the Web site, but also around campus. Supporters are encouraged to wear ""I Stand With Dave"" T-shirts, which are available on the Web site in an attention-grabbing kiwi green. The hope is that curious students will approach T-shirt wearers and ask questions.
Mader will speak today about the campaign and his faith at 11:55 a.m. on Library Mall. According to Roe, Mader's talk will be about the difference God has made in his life.
