From left seated: Elementary education and math junior Gina Kiefer, biochemistry junior Allyson Karaba and accounting junior Andy Sanders listen to Pastor Cliffe Knechtle, of New Canaan, Conn., preach outside of Wells Hall on Thursday.
For Cliffe Knechtle, religion wasn’t always easy.
Growing up with religious parents created a basic belief system for Knechtle, but after going through a prep school in New England, those beliefs were challenged and not supported. However, Knechtle said his education eventually strengthened his faith.
For the past 30 years, Knechtle, a pastor from Give Me An Answer Ministry in New Canaan, Conn., has been traveling to college campuses across the U.S. Knechtle said although his religious belief was strong, he never knew he’d be preaching on college campuses.
“It’s a door God opened to me,” Knechtle said.
Knechtle and his camera crew gathered crowds outside of Wells Hall this past week from Tuesday until Thursday. They were filming Knechtle’s discussions with students as part of the “Give Me An Answer” video, which airs on television in countries such as New Zealand, Australia and India, said Dan Rosema, one of Knechtle’s cameramen.
Rosema, who began working with “Give Me An Answer” in 1990, said travelling to college campuses is a unique and rewarding experience.
“It’s interesting when they engage in dialogue and don’t get angry and talk through issues,” Rosema said.
Knechtle begins his discussions with Biblical passages before opening a discussion session with students.
“I’m impressed with the MSU student body because of their thoughtfulness and willingness to discuss issues respectfully and intelligently,” Knechtle said.
Biochemistry senior Mary McCarthy said she wanted to hear how Knechtle’s message differs from other preachers’ outside Wells Hall.
“He’s not confrontational,” McCarthy said. “He listens to what people say and he doesn’t interrupt.”
Getting involved with the Give Me An Answer Ministry gave Jeff Reed the opportunity to further his interest in filming. After almost 13 years of working with the ministry, Reed has grown to enjoy the different aspects of religion.
“(Students) might disagree but they debate in a setting that’s more rational and I think that’s healthy,” said Reed, Knechtle’s other cameraman.
Even though Knechtle has traveled to universities across the U.S., he only speaks at campuses to which he has been invited. Some of those universities include the University of Maine, the University of Florida and the University of Michigan. Joe Testa, from Epic, an MSU student Christian organization, asked Knechtle to speak at MSU to give students an opportunity to hear something different.
“College is a place where people wrestle with questions nature of spiritual realm,” Testa said.
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