Axiom

A ministry of Christian Campus Foundation
Making followers of Jesus who are making followers of Jesus

• Weekly Meeting

  Date: Thursday at 7pm

  Place: 810 W Oregon, Urbana, IL 61801

• Life groups

  Dates: Tuesday at 8pm and Wednesday 7:30pm

  Place: 810 W Oregon, Urbana, IL 61801

• Online Presense

  

• Values

  Biblical Teaching - We strive to teach the absolute truth of God's Word through relevant, creative, and challenging methods and messages.

  Spiritual Formation - We cultivate the lives of students through challenging discipleship.

  Community - We aim to connect people to each other in order to promote an environment of unity, fellowship, and belonging.

  Prayer - We aspire to form a body of believers who actively pursue a life of constant prayer.

  Service - We encourage each student to serve each other, our larger community, and globe through sacrifices of their time, their resources, their talents, and their gifts.

  Worship - We actively foster an atmosphere conducive to the worship of God through the arts.

• History

  

  The "Christians Challenging the Campus for Christ" was founded by affidavit on April 27, 1963, and later recorded with the Champaign County Recorder of deeds on July 10, 1963, as document number 698474, book 730 at page 669, specifying, "A religious foundation under the general not-for-profit laws of the State of Illinois."

  
  

  In the 1980's, the ministry name was changed to "Christian Campus Fellowship," and "Christian Campus Foundation" was the name for the Board of Directors and non-profit organizational purposes, and "Christian Campus House" referred to the certified housing.

  
  

  The general ministry and house name were rebranded to "Axiom" in 2009, while "Christian Campus Foundation" was legally retained for the organization.

  
  

  In early 1963, local churches saw a growing need for a para-church organization on the University of Illinois campus. The churches pooled their resources to purchase a house and then hire a campus minister. G. Stan Smith, a local elder and Sunday school teacher, resigned from his full-time professorship the U of I to move into the house and become the first part-time and unpaid campus minister at the U of I campus. Dr. Smith began working full-time in 1966, which allowed him to move out of the campus house, which provided living space for Christian men. Stan left CCF in 1968 to resume teaching in the university setting at the University of New Mexico, Las Cruces.

  
  

  Smith's departure made room for Jerry Gibson, who, after helping establish Ghana Christian College in Ghana, West Africa, stepped into campus ministry at the U of I in 1978. Gibson ministered as Chaplain of the Illini football team and Counselor for the Dean of Students Office as well serving as a Campus Minister here at CCF.

  
  

  Ron Simkins, who served as Gibson's associate from 1970-78, became the next Director as Jerry departed to serve as President of Mid-South Christian College, Mississippi in 1978. Simkins, in addition to being Director, started New Covenant Fellowship. During his tenure at CCF, Simkins served with two associates: Don Follis, 1978-82, and Cathy Loeppke, 1979-81.

  
  

  Ron felt called to continue with New Covenant and so turned CCF's reigns over to Don Follis, who served as Director for the next 12 years. Don worked alongside three associates to bring unity amongst all denominations at the U of I: Sue Ellen Butler, 84-87; David Sandel, 89; David Blauw, 90).

  
  

  Following Don's departure, Dennis Durst stepped in with his intellectual prowess from 1992-97. When Durst departed CCF for academic purposes, Shane Taylor (1997-2003) jumped at the campus ministry opportunity. Serving alongside Shane at one time or another during his tenure, were Danah Horner (2000-2002), Chip Ewald (2001-2008), Ashley Lawrence (2002-2004), and Melissa Comstock (intern, 2002-2003). Shane phoned Aaron Bird to inform him of the new vacancy due to Shane's calling to church planting in the Northwest United States.

  
  

  During Aaron's time at CCF, there have been a number of interns: Pamela Klein (03-04), Matthew Phillips (03-04), Ali Wells (04-05), Drew Smith (06-07), Lindsay Polarek (04-06), Ryan Mathews (07-09), and Jonathan Butcher (09), along with two bookkeepers: Stacey Sarver (03-05) and Donna Higgins (05-present), and a part-time female campus minister: Karrie Kearney (06-07).

  
  

  Aaron (2003-present), along with Benjamin Woods (2008-present), and Mary Baird (2008-present) are participating with God to form a vibrant campus ministry.