After a year of planning, Righteous Movement, one of Grand Valley State University’s newest student organizations, held its kickoff mixer Nov. 30.

Paris France, president of the GVSU Righteous Movement chapter, said students had been working on the development of the group after Minister Matthew Jones came to GVSU for an event in 2011. Jones is the leader of Righteous Movement, which stems from the Righteous Youth Church in Detroit, Mich.

“From then on, planning was in full effect to make Righteous Movement fully accessible to college students,” France said, adding that the goal of the organization is to help students build a relationship with God.

“We don’t want people to get caught up in the spooky spiritual acts of religion, but for people to really have a personal relationship with God so they can really experience all that he can do for them,” France said.

With college being such a transitional time for many students, Righteous Movement is meant to help students find themselves.

“(When you) go off to college, two things usually happen,” France said. “You either find yourself and really get to know who you are as a person or you completely lose yourself and have to get back to who you are as a person.”

That’s where Righteous Movement comes in.

“Righteous Movement is that source for people to not lose (themselves), and if they do, we’re here with open arms to help you get back on track,” France said.

Righteous Movement’s first GVSU event was the Kickoff Mixer, which included food, games and music. “We also want people to understand that being a Christian is fun,” France said.

Jones took time out of the event to explain more about the organization.

“Growing up, people give you the rules (but we’ve) lost the understanding. We have to get back to the understanding,” Jones said. “It’s all about transforming lives.”

GVSU is the second college in Michigan to create a Righteous Movement organization, with Eastern Michigan University also having a group on campus. France said there are current plans to create chapters at other in-state universities.

“We came as visitors, and now we’re home at GVSU,” Jones said.
Nickiah Henry, a member of Righteous Movement, said the group has been busy starting up chapters at GVSU and EMU.

“It’s all about reaching out to (GVSU students),touching everyone, and letting them know about us,” Henry said.

With the group ending its first semester as an official GVSU organization, France said Righteous Movement has more events planned to help bring awareness of the group.

In January, the organization will host a Praise Party, which France said will help students kick the semester off right.

“No one is perfect,” France said. “We all need help staying on track, people to keep us accountable, people just to talk to who’re not judgmental, and Righteous Movement is that for GVSU.”

For more information about Righteous Movement or more upcoming events from the group, you can visit the website at www.therighteousmovement.com or follow therighteousmov on Twitter.
khaightlanthorn.com