What began on a single college campus a quarter-century ago has grown into a global spiritual force, Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders say.

“CQ,” first published as “Collegiate Quarterly,” is a quarterly Bible study guide written with a devotional emphasis and produced for young adults in the Adventist Church. Some 70,000 copies are published and sold quarterly in nine languages, and the lessons are also available online. CQ’s content is based on the same outline as the church’s “Adult Bible Study Guide.”

CQ was initially written and published by students and staff at Union College, a Seventh-day Adventist institution in Lincoln, Nebraska. After Collegiate Quarterly spread to other North American Adventist colleges and universities, the world headquarters of the church began producing the volumes in 1987. Initially produced solely for Adventist college students, the editors began aiming content at young adults in general in 1991. This has led to participating groups of writers from educational and medical institutions, the military, local churches and even a group of prison inmates.

Each week’s lesson comprises seven articles written by seven young adults, says Gary B. Swanson, CQ editor since 1990. That means more than 90 different people contribute each quarter.

“I’ve checked with other publishers and CQ really is unique. It’s the only religious education publication that is written by the readers,” Swanson tells ANN. “This kind of diversity of expression nurtures a rich breadth of content, and we have a great many readers who are no longer young adults but who appreciate CQ as a supplement to the Adult Bible Study Guide.”

Swanson says that “religious education is expected to come from the ‘experts,’” but notes CQ’s “interactive” approach has been successful with readers. Today, CQ has spawned a wide-ranging ministry that includes teacher’s materials, training events and videos, the weekly “Sabbath School University” satellite television broadcast, a monthly e-bulletin and an interactive Internet Web site, http://cq.adventist.org
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“CQ gives me a better understanding of the Scriptures,” writes 20-year-old Marcelina Corpuz of the Philippines. “Every lesson leaves me with a clearer and wider perspective and with strength to live on. It leads me closer to Him.”

According to 28-year-old Moses Kayongo of Uganda, “If there is one excellent Bible study guide for people who think young, it is CQ. I have witnessed the amazing things God does with this Bible study resource.”

James W. Zackrison, director of the world church’s Sabbath School and Personal Ministries department, said CQ “is one of the most valuable study guides we have. It has become more than what it was originally designed to be.”

So far, two events have marked the anniversary: a sheet of self-adhesive “stamps” has been released depicting 50 CQ issue covers in full color, and a chapel service is planned for Union College in September, bringing the CQ story full circle to its beginnings.