@powertochange:

Graham Undergoes InDrewigation

Written by Eric Reynolds

December 20, 2011

It’s a mouthful of a title: Graham Watt is the National Creative Communications Director of Power to Change Students. Forget about the title, is he qualified to fit the role?

That’s what Drew Marshall wanted to know on air, Saturday, December 10 as he applied a scrupulous inDrewigation to Graham’s character, as only he can.

“You guys just did a crazy survey. Did you ask students any religious questions?”

“We surveyed 30,000 students across Canada. The survey was hinged on the question ‘What do you crave?’ And yes, about half the people responded asking for follow-up to talk and learn more about spiritual things.”

30,000 students is a lot. That’s more than most surveys by a landslide. Graham and his team have certainly polled the audience, but what have they discovered?

“Have you found that kids are talking more about spiritual stuff or less?” asked Drew.

“I’ve worked with university students for 14 years now and it’s pretty much the same. What has increased, however, is the desire to change the world. Students care about issues like poverty and are wondering what will truly bring change.”

Graham’s mild, assured voice continued to describe the spiritual temperature on campuses across Canada.

“We have very well-attended events. Sometimes students assume that the Christian community is being obnoxious, but as they begin to exchange with us, they realize we just want to talk. We try and use the language of cravings, things that are common to all of us. When I was a university student, I had a deep craving for meaning. Those cravings we have are things Power to Change Students can speak to really well.”

Drew seemed to approve of Graham ‘qualifications’ and turned to the professional for advice. “I’ve seen more Christian kids grow up in a kumbaya household and get eaten alive like guppies in a Japanese Fighting Fish tank. What advice would you give Christian parents to help their kids assimilate into university life?”

“That’s exactly our role. We exist to help everyone on campus. For a Christian, we exist to help them understand and explain their faith to others in a relevant manner, to be self-aware spiritually.”

Drew tried a test of the technological. “How does the internet play into this?”

“We host online chats answering questions about Jesus. We put up a live chat and try to graciously answer questions, often difficult ones. Students are online a lot. We’re also launching My Story which helps students share their faith online with their friends.”

When it seemed like Graham might have passed the test, the inDrewigation continued. “You seem to value being authentic. Are you ready to be vulnerable?”

“Ya, sure.”

“How is your wife’s depression?”

Graham responded to the public knowledge with straightforwardness and sincerity. “My wife has gone down a long road of health concerns, one of them being depression. We’ve wanted to share a message of hope with other people. It’s been a very difficult thing, but it has brought us closer together. I’ve educated myself about the issue because I didn’t understand at the beginning. She’s had other health concerns too. We’ve discovered we can cling to God, that He is good, and that He is kind. There is a journey of self-understanding, where you can see God’s grace weaved through things. God is a real person, relevant in our day-to-day existence; He wants us to seek to understand ourselves and His work in our life.”

That was it. Graham had passed the test.

“It matters to me that you’ve had to process these difficult things. You need to have the right people dealing with students, cause they can sniff out the b.s.”

Graham went a step further, acknowledging that the process of suffering and self-understanding does not inherently qualify somebody.

“I’m not seeking to try to become authentic; I’m trying to experience life to the fullest. There are some dark days in our life, and yet He does not abandon us. Jesus was a man of sorrows too. We’ve learned Christianity is not for your head, it’s for your heart. It’s easy to fill your head with ideas and concepts, but our hearts must learn to follow Jesus.”

And like a stamp of approval on yet another inDrewigation of a Power to Change staff member, Drew concluded, “Dude, there is no wonder you are the National Creative Communications Director of Power to Change Students.”