Jesus Christ was proclaimed on the University of Arizona campus because of this simple question. Here's what
happened:
(This is a brief journal written by Bob Krepps, Director of Campus Crusade for Christ at the University of Arizona, Tucson, in Nov. 1999 - Bob is now Director of the Spiritual Formation Division of New Mission Systems International.)
Week of Nov. 8 -12- Lime green table tents went up on all the tables in the Union with just the question "Do you agree with Dave?" on them. Flyers with that question also went up all over campus.
Nov. 14 (Sunday) - Students held a rally with evangelism training & training on what to say when someone asked about the T -shirts. We handed out lime green "I agree with Dave" shirts that night.
Nov. 15 - An ad appeared in the Arizona Daily Wildcat (student newspaper) with a statement of faith signed by sophomore Dave Goffeney (this is the statement we were agreeing with). Students & staff wore T -shirts on campus and we set up an information table on the mall in front of the Union. Students got up early and wrote the question "Do you agree with Dave?" on most every blackboard or whiteboard on campus. Flyers went up in every classroom and dorm. The response was amazing. We gave away nearly 500 brochures with Dave's testimony and the Four Laws printed on them that first day alone. Students were asked by professors what this "Dave thing" was all about -several were able to share the entire gospel with their class. We sponsored a Bar-B-Q at one of the Dorms Monday night. A guy received Christ with Dave at the Bar-B-Q. Everywhere we went we were stopped and asked, "Who is Dave?" or "What is this Dave thing about?" Students who never before shared their faith were sharing the gospel. One guy, Bernie, told me that it was the best day of his life. He got to share Christ with several friends that he thought he would never be able to talk to. Another student, John - a freshman, told me he was scared to death to put on the shirt that morning but did it anyway. He had numerous opportunities to share his faith as other students asked him about the shirt. I got to share the gospel with a couple of dozen students through-out the week because they stopped and asked me to explain what this was all about (students had even more opportunities).
Nov. 16 - We were on the front page of the student newspaper, an editorial entitled "No Harm in Agreeing with Dave" appeared and the letters to the editor started. A lot more interest was generated and there was never a moment at our information table when someone wasn't sharing the gospel with someone. "I disagree with Dave" shirts started appearing on campus. We sponsored a "Dave" program in a freshman residence hall - Dave shared his testimony and the gospel.
Nov. 17 - More ads & more of the same type of reaction.
Nov. 18 - A Biology professor gave a lecture on evolution and finished the
lecture by saying, "I have come to the conclusion that none of this is true.
I agree with Dave." He then turned off the
microphone and walked out of the room. We ran an ad of varsity athletes who
agree with Dave. Over 300 showed up at a night meeting on the U of A mall
- an evangelistic talk was given by a student - Jon
Bickerton, and testimony by Dave. Reporters showed up again - mainly to photograph Dave. More letters to the
editor. Anti Dave stuff was appearing everywhere -T -shirts -"F--Dave", "Who the Hell is
Dave?", "I agree with Darwin", "I disagree with Dave", etc... Flyers appeared with "I disagree with Dave",
"Reasons why I disagree with Dave", etc... A freshman student, Cameron, found a poster on his door
that was titled "I Disagree with Dave", A lot of profane statements were also on this poster
- it was signed by
every guy on his dorm floor. Lots of reports of students being verbally abused for wearing the shirts.
One girl said no one would sit within three seats of her in a crowded lecture hall, Many Christians also came
to the surface -they wanted to buy a shirt or simply whispered to a student wearing a shirt "I am a
Christian too - I agree with Dave."
Nov. 19 - Friday, much more of the same. Dave (wearing an "I am Dave" shirt) spoke for almost 3 hours in the free speech area on campus sharing his testimony, the gospel and answering questions. He did a great job. We ran an ad in the Daily Wildcat of Professors who agree with Dave. Even a comic strip in the student paper featured a guy with an "I agree with Dave" T - shirt.
Overall - We sold 250 lime green "I agree with Dave" T-shirts at cost, 1800 brochures with Dave's story (testimony) and the Four Spiritual Laws printed in them were given away, an additional 500+ Four Laws or Knowing God Personally booklets were given away, 45 More than a Carpenter books were given away. The gospel was shared with hundreds of students. We spent a total of just over $2,700 on ads, flyers, brochure printing, etc.. We'll probably never know the full impact or results. I continue to hear stories from students of what God did that week. What started as a crazy idea ended up literally saturating the campus with the gospel.
And it continues, ministries on over 70 campuses inspired by
"Dave Week" at the University of Arizona have held similar weeks on their
campuses! This even went international as campuses in Australia,
Canada and Scotland
have also held their own versions of "Dave Week".
Here is a partial list of campuses where an "I agree with..." campaign
has been held:
Humboldt State University - I agree with Tom - Dec. 1998
University of Arizona - I agree with Dave - Nov. 1999
UC Santa Barbara - I agree with Glenn - March 2000
Penn State - I agree with Adam - Feb. 2000
UC San Diego - I agree with Michael - March 2000
University of Hawaii - I agree with Audree - first female - Fall 2000
SUNY Stonybrook - I agree with R B - April 2000
UC Berkley - I agree with Paul - Feb. 2000
University Northern Colorado- I agree with Aaron - Spring 2000
University of Illinois - I agree with Mark - Oct. 2000
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo - I agree with Jimmy - Spring 2000
University of North Florida - I agree with Ray - Feb. 2001
William & Mary - I agree with Sam - Fall 2001
LSU - I agree with Andy - Oct. 2001
UC Riverside - I agree with Ike - Oct. 2001
Colorado State University - I agree with Dave
University of Nevada - Reno - I agree with Wes - April 2001
New Mexico State - I agree with Dave - Fall 2000
Towson - I agree with Tim - April 2001
Fresno State - I agree with Jason - Mar. 2000
Central Washington State - I agree with Tyler & Peter - Feb. 2002
Rutgers - I agree with Mike
University of Central Florida
University of Oregon - I agree with Ryan - Spring 2000
Ball State U - I agree with Andy - Fall 2000
Purdue - I agree with Matt - Oct. 2000 - I agree with Jake - 2004
NC State - I agree with Mike - Spring 2000
Harvard - I agree with Kyle - Spring 2000 & again in 2001 (I agree with Tina)
Ohio State - I agree with Jared - Spring 2000
University of Wisconsin - LaCross - I agree with Dan - Spring 2000
University of Wisconsin - Stout - I agree with Dave - Fall 2000
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point - I agree with Justin - Feb. 2001
University of Colorado - I agree with Rachel - Fall 2000
Portland State - I agree with Mike - Feb. 2001
Clackamas State - I agree with Paul - Spring 2001
East Tennessee State I agree with R C -Fall 2000
University North Dakota - I agree with Eric - Nov. 2001
University of Iowa
Northwestern University - I agree with Marvin - Apr 2001
Middle Tenn. State University - I agree with Dave - March 2002
Chico State - I agree with Rich - April 2001
Pasadena City College - Nov. 2001
Clemson - I agree with Greg, Emily and Gary - April 2002
Penn College of Technology - I agree with John - March 2002
Yale - I agree with Dave - April 2001
University of Pennsylvania - I agree with Kris - April 2000
Montana State University - I agree with Mike & Ryan - April 2001
Chandler-Gilbert Community College - I agree with Moses - Spring 2001
University of Indiana - I agree with Dave
Kansas State - I agree with Joe - April 2002
UC Davis - I agree with Jessica - Spring 2000
College of Sequoias, CA - I agree with Katie - Nov. 2000
University of Michigan - I agree with Scott - Fall 2000
University of Washington - I agree with Lynette and Joe - May 2001
University of Alaska, Anchorage
Cal. State LA - (April 2002)
Compton Community College
Merced Community College (CA) - I agree with Katie - Oct. 2001
Monterey Peninsula College (CA) - I agree with Jared - Spring 2001
James Madison Univ. - I agree with Russ - Spring 2000
Miami University, Ohio - 2001
University of Cincinnati - I agree with Justin - Oct 2001
Miami University - Middletown - I agree with Melissa - March 2002
Glasgow, Scotland - I agree with Roger
University of Queensland, Australia - I agree with Pete
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia - I agree with Richie - 2001
University of Western Sydney, Australia - I agree with Rachel - 2002
University of Florida Gainesville - I agree with Eric - Feb 2001
University of North Carolina - I agree with Marty - March 2001
University of St. Thomas & other schools in St. Paul, MN - I agree with Rachel - March 2002 - that is Rachel Scott, Columbine victim
Hampton Beach Summer Project - I agree with Paul - Summer 2000
Minnesota State University at Moorhead, MN - I agree with Chad - April 2002
North Dakota State University - I agree with Jon - April 2002
University of Kansas - KU - I agree with Lee - April 2002
Iowa State University - I agree with Dave - September 2002
Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada - I agree with Jamie - November 2003
University of Manitoba - I agree with Joleen and Brian - Spring 2003
University of Alberta - I agree with Blair - Spring 2003
McNeese State University - Lake Charles, LA - I agree with Dave
Northern Michigan University - I agree with Ben
University of Idaho - I agree with Mark and Brenda
High School Campus - Arcadia, CA - I agree with Joylani - Spring 2001
High School Campus - Austin, TX - Spring 2001
Bartram Trail High School - Jacksonville, FL - I agree with Jenna and Justin
McMaster University - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada - Do you agree with Dave? - October 2004
University of Guelph - Guelph, Ontario, Canada - Do you agree with Graydon?- October 2004
University of Waterloo - Waterloo, Ontario, Canada - Do you agree with Bryon? - October 2004
NAU - Northern Arizona University - I agree with Randy - February 2005
Illinois State University - I agree with Kyle - Fall 2005
Interested in Missions? Check out New Mission Systems International
Back to Ministry and Resources Page