FAQs

 

Who is welcome at Manna?
Anyone!

Who attends Manna?
Non-denominationals, Evangelicals, Presbyterians, Catholics, Episcopalians, Baptists, Charismatics and people who don't know what these terms mean.

Is Manna primarily for Asian Americans?
No. In 1994, a handful of Korean students wanted to reach out to some of their Asian American friends who had stopped going to church/fellowship. These students started Manna in order to contextualize the gospel to the Asian American community.

Since then, the focus and direction of Manna have significantly changed. As we wrestled with questions of faith and ethnicity, it was clear that gospel moved in the direction of breaking down barriers. Manna became increasingly focused on the gospel message as the unifying center of its identity and purpose. We recognized that the gospel is "slippery" - it is easily overlooked, oversimplified and underestimated. Now, Manna is no longer primarily for Asian Americans since the gospel clearly unites people not by race or gender or class, but by faith in Christ alone. Manna encourages the participation of all people, so that we can experience in community the fullness of the gospel worldview.

Do I need to know anything about Christianity to come?
No, but you'll learn something when you do come.

Where does Manna meet?
All over campus. Our large group meetings are held in McCormick 101. But if you really want to be in the loop, email us at manna@princeton.edu to let us know. 

What do you do?
The students in Manna love doing things together, whether it be ad-hoc gatherings, prayer meetings, spontaneous worship, game nights, movies, bowling, ice-skating and eating lots and lots of food.

What does Manna believe?
We believe in the authority of Scripture. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died and rose from the dead to save sinners. We believe in grace and that it is the only way we can be saved. We believe that Christ will come again and make all things the way they are supposed to be. We believe it is easy to forget that the gospel is relevant to our daily lives. We believe that doctrine is much more complicated than we appear to be making it - so come out to find out more.

What does "manna" mean?
Literally, "What is it?" For a fuller description, see Exodus 16:15-16. In brief, the significance of Manna ultimately finds its meaning in the Living Bread who is Christ.

Is Manna affiliated with a national organization?
No, Manna was started by Princeton students for Princeton students in 1994.

What's the difference between Manna and the other Christian fellowships?
Well, that's a hard one! The best way to sort out the differences is to check out each fellowship for yourself. As you do that, we can suggest paying attention to some of the following factors: mission statements and core beliefs, worship and sermon styles, small group formats, events and programming, opportunities for you to serve, and the various fun things that happen week to week. :)

How does Manna view the differences between Christian groups?
In accordance with Jesus' high priestly prayer in John 17:20-26, Manna desires to encourage unity within the body of Christ. Jesus's prayer clearly reflects the norm of a unity that finds its basis in the very being of God. The fellowship within the God head is the unity which all believers are called to enjoy and strive towards.

However, we are painfully aware of the differences that divide the various Christian "churches" and denominations. From the separation of the Ancient Oriental churches in ~500AD, the Orthodox Churches in ~1000AD, to the Catholic/Protestant split in ~1500AD, history is filled with the breaking of fellowship in keeping with the respective convictions of what purity in the body of Christ entails.

In our desire for unity, we cannot slip into an easy relativism which disregards the nature of truth and the deep theological concerns which have separated brothers and sisters. We acknowledge that truth claims cannot be overlooked for the sake of unity. However, we must respectfully approach and seek to understand those traditions which may seem foreign and even wrong to us. No single church, group or individual possesses a monopoly on truth, for the fullness of truth resides only in the person of Christ. For this reason, we must be aware of our own sinful tendencies towards the arrogant conviction, whether spoken or unspoken, that our group is the truer body of Christ. For Christ has designed His body to be inter-connected and inter-dependent in order for it to accomplish its task as salt and light in this world. When we are fragmented, we diminish the glory of Christ in our witness to His life, beauty, truth, justice, peace, and human dignity.

Therefore, as we trust in His sovereignty, Manna promotes reciprocal learning amongst groups as an "exchange of gifts" illuminating the gospel in its life encompassing fullness. Manna does not assume to be neutral in our presentation of our viewpoints; in fact, much of what we teach arises from Reformed teaching. However, we acknowledge the need and value to learn from other groups which have been gifted in understanding other aspects of the multi-faceted gospel. What this concretely means is that we welcome speakers from various traditions to help our participants develop a fuller Christian worldview, one that recognizes the global nature of the gospel and its development. The various speakers are chosen because we believe they offer a valuable perspective on the gospel truth. Needless to say, their invitation does not reflect a full endorsement of any organization or church in which they are affiliated. Our hope is that as the glory of the gospel is expounded in all its rich diversity, a unity will be forged as people are drawn nearer to the excellence of Christ.