The Richmond Center for Christian Study  is one of forty Christian Study Centers in the U.S. dedicated to bringing gospel transformation by fostering serious consideration and discussion of a biblical worldview and its bearing on all of life and culture.

BACK STORY

The Richmond Study Center was born in June 2009. For the first five years, the Study Center’s activity consisted of readings with a number of individual students at a nearby Starbuck’s and weekly discussion groups at Moe’s and the upper level of the neighboring Ukrop’s.

Although, even in those early days, the Study Center saw students come to Christ and grow in Him, it was especially thankful when God provided its first location at Libbie & Grove in 2014. While this space served the students and community well in so many ways, it was a little far from campus, parking was not ideal, and it soon became clear that the students really needed a space to call their own.

In 2017, the Study Center stumbled upon a new Student Space literally touching the UR campus (far more convenient) and that could be dedicated just to students (which made it much more appealing to and useful for them). It experienced a 50% jump in student participation right after the move (60 students total, with 30 involved on a weekly basis).

The following year, the Study Center opened Redemption Books in Bon Air as a way to take the work it is doing with students once again into the Greater Richmond community.

SERVING UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND STUDENTS

The Student Space right next to campus allows for a growing list of opportunities for the students, including:

  • A variety of readings and weekly discussion groups led either by Chris Daniel or one of several believing UR faculty members supportive of the Study Center’s work. This is a real treat, not only for the students who often do not know that there are believing professors on campus otherwise, but also for the professors who otherwise don’t have opportunity to get to know and interact with the students in this way.
  • Time and space for students to come together to study, fellowship, or have their own Bible studies throughout the week.
  • The Study Center hosts Cru’s weekly student meetings on Wednesday evening, providing a doorway for Cru, who otherwise is not allowed to operate on campus, to reach UR students.
  • The Study Center also hosts a monthly opportunity (called Unity) for students from across campus to come together to sing and pray and to share from God’s Word together.
  • Every semester, through the help of Buddy Childress of Needle’s Eye Ministries, the Study Center hosts a Christian Business Leaders Fair, providing an opportunity for the students to hear from Christian business leaders in Richmond about what it means to be a Christian in the workplace and to make connections for internships and future employment opportunities.
  • At the end of every year, the Study Center hosts Senior Speech Night, a time when graduating seniors from across campus share words of wisdom and how Jesus has worked in them with returning students.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY

Redemption Books, located in Bon Air at 3008 Stony Point Road, takes the kind of opportunities provided to the students and makes them available to the Greater Richmond community, including:

  • Thoughtful, well-selected titles on a host of topics related to a biblical worldview and its relevance to life and culture, along with a popular Children’s Section, Used Books Section, and a selection of classic literature.
  • A welcoming place to peruse a book, or grab coffee or tea with a friend.
  • Speaking events featuring a notable author of one of the titles we carry. In the past, speakers have included Eric Metaxas, Os Guinness, Stephen Meyer, and Mike Licona.Regular discussion groups provided by the Study Center.
  • Monthly video/movie discussion nights with dinner provided by our neighbors, Southbound Restaurant and Gelati Celesti.
  • Children’s Reading Hour every Saturday at 11:00 AM.
HOW YOU CAN SERVE
  • Redemption Books: helping with processing used book donations, helping to run the front sales floor, or cleaning and handyman-type needs.
  • Study Center Office:  help with mailings, record keeping, etc.
  • Support – Redemption Books is more of a mission than a money maker.  As such, we are in need of an additional 17 people who can pledge $100/mo to help our nonprofit work.

Email Chris Daniel to volunteer at The Study Center or Redemption Books.

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Board of Directors: Dr. Harold Babb, Mr. Don Coleman, Rev. Chris Daniel, Mr. Robert L. Fitch, Mr. Chris Meyer, The Honorable William C. Mims, Dr. Terrill Wade