Small Circle
6–10 people around a table. Intimate, everyone speaks, deep relationships form quickly.
Weekly · Same group
Faith · Discussion Groups
Bring your questions. Find honest conversation.
“Can faith and science coexist?”
Discussion Groups are open, respectful spaces where students wrestle with the big questions of faith, doubt, science, and culture — together. No question is off-limits, and every voice belongs at the table.
8
Group Types
40+
Weekly Conversations
650+
Students Engaged
MMaya · Biology
“Is there evidence for design in the cell?”
JJordan · Facilitator
“Great question — let’s look at what Scripture and the research each say.”
DDev · Skeptic, welcome
“I’m not sure I believe — but I like that I can ask here.”
Coffee + conversation, Thursdays
What Are Discussion Groups?
A table where doubt and faith sit together
Every question is welcome. Discussion Groups exist for the curious, the convinced, and the skeptical alike. Whether you have deep faith or deep doubts, you’ll find a place to think out loud without fear of judgment.
We reason together. “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. We engage Scripture, science, philosophy, and culture honestly — listening well, disagreeing graciously, and pursuing truth without pretending the hard parts away.
Relationship over debate. The goal is never to win an argument — it’s to know and be known. Groups are small enough for real conversation, and friendships formed around a table often last far beyond the topic.
Faith that can be examined. We believe Christianity invites scrutiny. Bring your toughest objections — a faith worth having is a faith that can be questioned, tested, and still stand.
Find Your People
Hover to ripple open
Types of Discussion Groups
Eight kinds of conversations for every kind of question. Hover a card — it ripples open to show what to expect.
Faith & Science
Where the lab and the gospel meet — cosmology, evolution, mind & meaning.
Tuesdays · STEM students- Origins & design
- Neuroscience & soul
- Ethics in research
- Reading great thinkers
Big Questions
Suffering, doubt, hell, purpose — the questions that keep us up at night.
Thursdays · Seekers welcome- Why does God allow pain?
- Is the Bible reliable?
- What about other faiths?
- Meaning & identity
Book Clubs
Read a chapter a week — Lewis, Keller, Stott — and talk it through over coffee.
Mondays · 6-week cycles- Mere Christianity
- The Reason for God
- Confessions
- Modern essays
Faith & Culture
Art, film, politics, justice — reading the culture through a Christian lens.
Saturdays · Roundtable- Film & story night
- Justice & the gospel
- Tech & humanity
- Art & beauty
Life Stage
Freshmen, grad students, athletes, internationals — conversations with shared context.
Various · By cohort- First-year welcome
- Grad & research
- Student athletes
- International students
Apologetics
Learn to give reasons for hope — history, philosophy, and evidence for faith.
Wednesdays · Equipping- The resurrection
- Manuscript evidence
- Faith & reason
- Answering objections
Seekers
A no-pressure space to explore Christianity from scratch — ask anything.
Fridays · Exploring faith- Who is Jesus?
- What is the gospel?
- No prior belief needed
- Bring your skepticism
Coffee & Convos
Casual, drop-in chats over coffee — no agenda, just real talk about life and faith.
Daily · Drop-in- No commitment
- Open to all
- Free coffee always
- Bring a friend
How an Hour Flows
A Typical Session
Every group is different, but most conversations turn like the pages of a book — here’s what a typical 75 minutes looks like.
0–10 min
Gather & Welcome
Coffee, name tags, and an easy icebreaker. New faces are greeted personally — nobody sits as a stranger.
10–20 min
Open the Topic
A facilitator frames the question with a short reading, clip, or story — just enough to spark, not to lecture.
20–55 min
Open Discussion
The heart of it — everyone shares, questions, and pushes back. Facilitators guide gently and make space for quiet voices.
55–65 min
Scripture Lens
We bring the conversation back to what the Bible says — not to end the discussion, but to ground it.
65–75 min
Linger & Connect
No hard stop — the best conversations continue afterward. Exchange numbers, grab dinner, keep thinking.
Pick a Setting
Formats & Settings
Conversation happens in many shapes. Choose the format that fits how you like to engage.
Open Forum
A larger room with a guest speaker, a topic, and lively Q&A. Great for the curious.
Monthly · Drop-inCoffee Chat
One-on-one or three of you at a café. Casual, personal, and totally come-as-you-are.
Anytime · On requestOnline Group
Video discussions for commuters, night-owls, and anyone who prefers to join from home.
Weekly · Virtual
Ground Rules
How We Keep It Safe & Honest
Good conversation needs trust. Every Discussion Group runs on six simple commitments that fall into place — one after another — to make hard topics safe to explore.
Facilitators are trained to protect these values — so you can speak freely and disagree well.
Listen first
Seek to understand before responding. Everyone deserves to be heard fully.
Keep it confidential
What’s shared in the circle stays in the circle. Trust is sacred here.
Disagree with grace
Critique ideas, never people. We can differ deeply and stay friends.
No dumb questions
Every honest question is worth asking. Doubt is welcome, not shamed.
Make space for all
Share the air — invite quiet voices, and resist dominating the room.
Stay anchored
We explore widely, but always return to Scripture as our compass.
What We Talk About
View full topic calendar
Topics & Curriculum
A rotating library of conversation starters that swing through the seasons. Tap into one, or suggest your own — the table is yours.
Fall Series
Reasons to Believe
An evidence-driven look at the case for Christianity.
Does God exist?The resurrectionReliable GospelsMiracles
Winter Series
Faith & the Lab
Where modern science and ancient faith meet.
Origins of lifeMind & soulAI & humanityBioethics
Spring Series
Hard & Honest
The questions skeptics ask — taken seriously.
Suffering & evilOther religionsSexualityHell & justice
Have a topic in mind?
Suggest a question and we’ll build a night around it.
BELONGING
More Than a Meeting
Conversation Becomes Community
The best ideas often surface after the formal discussion ends. Around our groups orbit a whole life of shared meals, late-night talks, retreats, and friendships that outlast the semester.
Shared meals
Many groups eat together — because the table has always been where real talk happens.
Retreats & trips
Weekend getaways to go deeper, unplug, and keep the conversation going.
Showing up for each other
Through exams, breakups, and hard seasons — these are friends who stay.
When & Where
Weekly Schedule & Locations
There’s a conversation almost every day. Hover a day to expand it and see the details.
MON
Book Club
5PM · Geisel Library, group rooms 2nd floor
TUE
Faith & Science
8PM · Geisel · For STEM majors & the curious
WED
Apologetics
7PM · Center Hall · Reasons for the hope we have
THU
Big Questions
7PM · Price Center · Seekers especially welcome
FRI
Seekers
6PM · The Hub · Explore Christianity from scratch
SAT
Culture Table
4PM · The Hub · Art, film, justice & tech
SUN
Coffee & Convos
All day · Campus cafés · Drop in anytime
Geisel Library
Group study rooms, 2nd floor east.
Price Center
Forum Hall & the East lounge.
The Hub
Watch Altars house, off Gilman Dr.
Campus Cafés
Coffee chats anywhere you like.
Two Ways In
Join a Group — or Start One
Whether you want to pull up a chair or set the table, here’s how — assembled piece by piece.
Join a Group
1
Browse the schedule and pick a topic that sparks your curiosity.
2
RSVP online — or just show up. First-timers are always welcome.
3
Come with a question, an open mind, and your honest self.
Start a Group
1
Tell us your idea — a dorm, a major, a question you keep coming back to.
2
Attend a short facilitator training — we’ll equip you to lead well.
3
Get a starter kit, a coach, and a launch night — then gather your people.
In Their Words
Stories From the Table
Real students, real questions, real change — revealed as the hand sweeps round.
“I came in a hardened atheist just to argue. Two years later I was baptized. Nobody pressured me — they just kept letting me ask hard questions honestly.”
D
Dev R.
Cognitive Science · Senior
“As a bio major, I thought I had to choose between my faith and my field. The Faith & Science group showed me I never did. It changed how I see my whole career.”
M
Maya L.
Biology · Junior
“I was lonely my first quarter. I joined a Coffee & Convos chat and walked out with friends who became family. The conversations matter — but so does belonging.”
A
Aisha K.
International · Freshman
“The first place I could doubt out loud.”
“I learned more here than in lecture.”
“My facilitator never made me feel dumb.”
“We disagreed for an hour and left as friends.”
“It’s the best part of my week.”
650+
Students engaged
40+
Weekly conversations
85
Trained facilitators
100%
Questions welcome
For Facilitators
Browse the full library
Resources for Leaders
Everything you need to host a great conversation, rolling by on the belt — hover to pause and grab one.
Discussion Guides
Ready-made question sets for 30+ topics.
OpenFacilitator Training
Self-paced modules on leading hard talks.
EnrollReading Lists
Curated books & articles by topic.
ViewApologetics Podcast
Experts tackle the toughest objections.
ListenStarter Kit
Everything to launch a brand-new group.
DownloadConflict Toolkit
Navigate heated moments with grace.
OpenTopic Videos
Short clips to open any discussion.
WatchCoach on Call
A mentor to debrief tough nights with.
ConnectDiscussion Guides
Ready-made question sets for 30+ topics.
OpenFacilitator Training
Self-paced modules on leading hard talks.
EnrollReading Lists
Curated books & articles by topic.
ViewApologetics Podcast
Experts tackle the toughest objections.
Listen
Good Questions
Questions, Answered
Curious about joining but not sure what to expect? Here’s what students ask us most — the answers twist open like a strand of DNA.
Still wondering? Our discussion team is happy to chat — no strings attached.
Do I have to be a Christian to join?
Absolutely not. Discussion Groups are built for skeptics, seekers, and the simply curious as much as for believers. Bring your doubts — they’re genuinely welcome here.
Will I be put on the spot or pressured?
Never. You can listen quietly your whole first visit if you like. Facilitators are trained to make space without pressure — you share only what you want to.
What if I disagree with everyone?
Even better — disagreement makes the conversation richer. We critique ideas, not people, and we genuinely want to hear the other side. You’ll be respected, not corrected.
How long is each session?
Most groups run about 75 minutes, with no hard stop — the best conversations spill over into dinner. Coffee chats are as short or long as you like.
Can I just try it once?
Of course. There’s zero commitment — come once, come every week, or drop in whenever a topic grabs you. Bring a friend too; the table always has room.
Bring your questions to the table
Doubt is welcome here. Whatever you’re wrestling with, there’s a conversation waiting and a seat saved for you. Come think out loud with us this week.
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord.” — Isaiah 1:18