{"id":3397,"date":"2019-08-23T07:32:12","date_gmt":"2019-08-23T07:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/sitenews\/2019\/08\/23\/unzip-rediscovers-the-forgotten-god\/"},"modified":"2019-08-23T07:32:12","modified_gmt":"2019-08-23T07:32:12","slug":"unzip-rediscovers-the-forgotten-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/unzip-rediscovers-the-forgotten-god\/","title":{"rendered":"UNZIP rediscovers the \u2018forgotten\u2019 God"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>23 August 2018 | Novi Sad, Serbia [Victor Hulbert with Tihomir Lazi\u0107] <\/p>\n<p>Some 500 students at Novi Sad University, Serbia, are discovering positive values and different aspects of themselves through UNZIP, a Public Campus Ministry initiative by Adventist students.<\/p>\n<p>Local media have reported on UNZIP after students recognised that the project is a \u2018positive influencer\u2019 on the campus. That influence is now spreading to other university campuses across Serbia.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ChwaBgFcCH4<br \/><em>[Turn on closed captions to see subtitles in English]<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/sitenews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP3.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" alignright size-full wp-image-3389\" style=\"margin: 5px; float: right;\" src=\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/sitenews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP3.jpg\" alt=\"UNZIP3\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP3.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP3-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP3-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP3-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP3-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP3-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP3-700x700.jpg 700w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP3-900x900.jpg 900w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP3-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP3-560x560.jpg 560w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Using rented facilities, the Adventist student group started by running a survey to discover what their fellow students\u2019 interests. They then ran a series of weekly workshops on with topics ranging from psychology and philosophy to popular science. <\/p>\n<p>Experts were invited to present each topic in an interactive style with the ultimate goal being to help students grow intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. \u201cThis activity exceeded our objective and expectations and we are really thankful to God for that,\u201d student leaders exclaimed.<\/p>\n<p>Other activities include a fortnightly book club. This is held in a relaxed atmosphere, sitting on bean bags and with snacks and hot chocolate to hand. The books are carefully chosen that can again lead towards students making positive changes in their everyday lives.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/sitenews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP4.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" alignleft size-full wp-image-3391\" style=\"margin: 5px; float: left;\" src=\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/sitenews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP4.jpg\" alt=\"UNZIP4\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP4.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP4-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP4-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP4-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP4-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP4-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP4-700x700.jpg 700w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP4-900x900.jpg 900w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP4-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP4-560x560.jpg 560w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Games nights give students a chance to relax in a safe, friendly environment. Leaders did experiment with a movie night but that did not prove to be popular. However, analysing what works and what doesn\u2019t has helped UNZIP develop and provide a better and much needed service on the campus.<\/p>\n<p>The highlight of the week is a spiritual workshop where they only talk about God and how a relationship with God can impact life. Through these meetings they discovered that the passion for pursuing spiritual values and lifestyle was deepened. \u201cWe were really surprised by the level of knowledge of Biblical truths that most students have,\u201d leaders reported. \u201cThey ask really deep questions concerning the relationship of the Bible and psychology and the Bible and modern science.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Again, students call on outside assistance to answer such deep questions. Professor Marko Lukic from the Belgrade Theological Seminary is among those who help. \u201cStudents were thrilled with the answers he gave. Some of them even sent us and him messages thanking him for giving them answers to questions that had been bothering them for years.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>After attending spiritual workshops, fellow students have stated that \u201ctoday God is forgotten but really needed and it is amazing that someone is finally talking about God in a relevant way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/sitenews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" alignleft size-full wp-image-3393\" style=\"margin: 5px; float: left;\" src=\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/sitenews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP1.jpg\" alt=\"UNZIP1\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP1.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP1-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP1-700x700.jpg 700w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP1-900x900.jpg 900w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP1-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/images_news-2_UNZIP1-560x560.jpg 560w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Such efforts come at a cost. While UNZIP has been supported financially by the Trans-European Division Campus Ministries department, and more locally within Serbia, Adventist students are investing heavily with both their time and money to help the project succeed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are very pleased and thankful to God for bringing us a great group of students,\u201d they note, some of them seeing UNZIP as almost their primary role in being at university. \u201cAfter all the activities we stay, sometimes until 3 AM, talking and connecting to people with pancakes or pizza. Food is really important part of UNZIP,\u201d they conclude.<\/p>\n<p>UNZIP has attracted more than 1,000 attendees. Thirty have attended almost every workshop while a group of twenty are particularly interested in the spiritual topics. It is anticipated that numbers will grow as the university moves into a new academic year.<\/p>\n<p>Due to the rapidly increasing interest in this initiative, the UNZIP leaders dedicated their summer planning new ways how to reach even more students and inspire them to be the agents of change in their community by UNZIPPING their true self. <\/p>\n<p>To find out more about UNZIP <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/unzipns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">follow them on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>ted<\/em>NEWS Staff: Victor Hulbert, editor; Deana Stojkovi\u0107, associate editor<br \/>119 St Peter&#8217;s Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England<br \/>E-mail: <span id=\"cloake7bf9a793ed4a75340b2c5f520293127\"><a href=\"mailto:tednews@ted.adventist.org\">tednews@ted.adventist.org<\/a><\/span><br \/>Website: www.ted.adventist.org<br \/><em>ted<\/em>NEWS is an information bulletin issued by the communication department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-European Division. Readers are free to republish or share this article with appropriate credit including an active hyperlink to the original article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>23 August 2018 | Novi Sad, Serbia [Victor Hulbert with Tihomir Lazi\u0107] <\/p>\n<p>Some 500 students at Novi Sad University, Serbia, are discovering positive values and different aspects of themselves through UNZIP, a Public Campus Ministry initiative by Adventist students.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3388,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1592,7,1577],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bosnia-herzegovina-montenegro-north-macedonia-serbia","category-news","category-organisational-updates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3397"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3397\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3397"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}