Why College Students Need Churches That Show Up
Listen to the conversation
Episode 8 · 41 min
Grant and Cassi Rohlfer are full-time missionaries with H2O Cincinnati at the University of Cincinnati. Their story shows how God works through relationships and shared lives on campus, and they have given their lives to sharing the gospel with students during some of the most formative years those students will have.
In this episode of the Collegiate Church Network Podcast, host Jay Bennett talks with Grant and Cassi about how they got into ministry, the hard and good parts of church planting, and how they handle marriage, family and ministry together.
A Call to Campus Ministry
Grant and Cassi both found H2O Church in college: Grant at Bowling Green State University and Cassi at the University of Cincinnati. Seeing a church live out its mission with passion brought back Grant's desire to go into ministry. Cassi came to Christ through friendships with H2O members and soon wanted to help others find fulfillment in Jesus too.
By the time Cassie was a sophomore, she knew God was calling her into campus ministry. Grant, already on staff, helped her see the value of staying engaged with her peers in college before stepping fully into vocational ministry. Their combined journeys have now led them to over a decade of ministry in Cincinnati.
The Power of a Planted Church
They tell the story of a student who was arrested twice in his first weeks on campus. He found H2O, met with Grant and gave his life to Christ. He went on to share his faith, disciple others and join H2O's staff, and he was recently ordained as one of the church's pastors.
This story underscores why church planting is so vital. “College students are searching for meaning and purpose,” Cassie said. “The campus is one of the most strategic mission fields because it’s where people make life-altering decisions.”
Lessons from 15 Years of Ministry
Grant and Cassie offered several takeaways from their years of ministry and church planting:
Prayer as the Foundation: “Prayer is the most critical yet often overlooked part of church planting,” Grant emphasized. The early days of H2O Cincinnati were marked by prayer walks and evangelism, and God responded by bringing the right leaders at the right time.
Building Healthy Teams: The Rolfers prioritize fostering a culture of love, grace, and community among their staff. Practices like staff community time, monthly team lunches, and birthday affirmations help prevent isolation and strengthen bonds.
Mission, Vision, and Values: During the pandemic, H2O Cincinnati revisited its mission and values, aligning its culture and operations with core principles like being Holy Spirit-embracing and multiplication-minded. This clarity continues to shape their ministry and attract staff who share their vision.
Marriage and ministry
Grant and Cassie also reflected on the challenges of balancing marriage, family, and ministry:
Ministry and life overlap. Grant says, “My job is to be a Christian, and I’m privileged to spend my time explicitly on ministry. But we also have boundaries—our family comes first.”
Open Communication: Cassie emphasized the importance of honesty about hard days and sacrifices. “Sometimes I just need to say, ‘Today was tough,’ even if I don’t want to change anything.”
Praying through transitions, like becoming parents, helped them adjust and enjoy raising children while staying involved in ministry.
Key Scriptures That Shape Their Ministry
The Rolfers draw inspiration from 1 Thessalonians 2:8: "Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well."
That is how they do ministry: they invite students into their lives and show them what following Jesus looks like in marriage, family and community.
Recommended Resources
Grant and Cassie shared several tools and resources that have helped them in their ministry and marriage:
Books on Team Building: Explore resources that emphasize creating healthy cultures within teams. One notable recommendation from the podcast is The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni.
For parents in ministry, they recommend Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family by Paul David Tripp.
Collegiate Resources: H2O Cincinnati and the Collegiate Church Network offer tools for church planting and campus ministry. Visit collegiate.church for more information.
Final Encouragement
To those considering campus ministry or church planting, Cassie reminded listeners of the hope and openness found on college campuses: “These are places of exploration, where students are asking big questions. There’s so much opportunity to point them to the ultimate answer in Jesus.”
Grant added, “Lean into prayer. It’s not about what we can do but about what God can do when we surrender to Him.”
If you are considering church planting or campus ministry, Grant and Cassi's story shows what sharing both the gospel and your life can do for students, teams and whole campuses.
Guests & resources
Meet the guests
- Grant Rohlfer
H2O Cincinnati
- Cassi Rohlfer
H2O Cincinnati