The dream that drives us

At the heart of one of the world’s most influential universities, tens of thousands of students and faculty are asking the deepest questions of life—often without knowing how to bring Christian faith meaningfully into that search. Many of our society’s most influential researchers, creators, activists, and entrepreneurs begin their journey at UCLA, yet most never encounter a thoughtful, credible witness to the Christian vision of life during their most formative years.

Simply put, UCLA is a place of enormous need and opportunity. What if we could raise up leaders at UCLA who are equipped with the Christian vision of human flourishing for the good of the university, the city, and the world?

Currently there is no initiative at UCLA working directly at the intersection of the Christian life and the intellectual and vocational life, wrestling along with students and scholars to see how their learning, research, and work contributes to God’s project of restoring his kingdom in the world. The Augustine Center exists to change that. Drawing inspiration from Saint Augustine, we aspire to form men and women whose life and work bears witness to the city of God within the city of man.

Why a Christian study center?

The Christian Study Center movement has successfully equipped generations of university students and faculty to make a difference for the kingdom of God through their study and work. We are founding one at UCLA.

The Augustine Center will be a Christian institution that equips generations of UCLA students and faculty to advance a Christian vision of wholeness within a disintegrating world. We long to raise up compelling witnesses and imaginative workers who act as signposts for God’s work of New Creation at UCLA and throughout every major field of vocation.

We are following in the footsteps of those who have seen firsthand the impact and efficacy of the Christian Study Center movement at campuses such as Yale, Cornell, UT-Austin, UNC, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Minnesota.

To learn more about the growing Christian Study Center movement, visit cscmovement.org or check out this video!

Why us?

Our team is uniquely equipped to see this work off the ground. Having founded a church over the last decade in Westwood (thecommonsla.com), we have the experience, rootedness, and relationships in the area that will be needed to create an ecumenical, networked ecosystem for Christian learning.

Bryan Elliff, interim Executive Director of the Augustine Center, has a PhD from UCLA in Hebrew Bible and ancient Near Eastern studies. He has been immersed in the UCLA graduate environment for the last 7+ years during one of the most tumultuous seasons in school history. He has the academic experience to be a credible catalyst for this work. As a pastor in his local church, he is also uniquely gifted to bridge the divide between the life of the mind and the maturation of the soul. He and his family—his wife Joey and their 5(!) kids—live 10 minutes from UCLA.

Devin Deuell, Strategic Catalyst of the Augustine Center, and his family moved to Westwood to plant The Commons LA in 2013, a church centered in the urban university region of UCLA. A love for the university and the mind of strategist have prepared him to help catalyze the Center. After nearly 20 years in ministry in urban university contexts (UW, UCLA), he’s clear-eyed about the challenges of forming institution and community in the skeptical ecosystem of UCLA. Having lived almost 14 years in Westwood, the Deuells envision staying rooted in the UCLA community for decades serving in ministry across the future generations in both the church and the Center.

Brennan Book, Launch Coordinator of the Augustine Center, grew up around UCLA students given his parents were Cru staff. A love for the community at and around UCLA has grown in him since he was a kid, and he went on to attend UCLA as a student. After graduating, he furthered his studies at Talbot and received a Masters of Arts in Philosophy. Brennan longs to see students at UCLA impacted by the gospel, but also trained to see their vocation as a way to seek the Kingdom of God in the world. He and his family—his wife Francesca and their four month old daughter Lydia—plan to minister in Westwood for decades to come.

Why now?

A unique opportunity has arisen to purchase a building directly across the street from UCLA. The 911 Broxton building has become available for the first time in 40 years and would be a perfect home for the Augustine Center.

The 911 Broxton building is in the nearest location to student housing at UCLA. It is a 3- 10 minute walk from nearly every student dormitory on campus. Students walk by the building on their way to the grocery store, restaurants, theaters, and farmers’ market or other events. We couldn’t pick a better location for accessibility and street-level marketing.

If we are able to purchase it, we are confident that, should Jesus not return prior, it will serve the next 100 years of Bruins. The property is in a strategic location adjacent UCLA, has floor layouts that suit the needs of the Center, and has 34 subterranean parking spots ($18 value/day in Westwood Village).

We believe this is a unique opportunity that we may not see again in our lifetime in Westwood Village. The World Cup is coming to LA in 2026. The Olympics are coming to LA in 2028 and UCLA will be Olympic Village. By 2028 the purple line subway station will be extended and completed in Westwood Village. Projected to be the second busiest stop in all of Los Angeles, the purple line will transport over 100,000 passengers a day to Westwood Village.

This is the moment to buy property for the Kingdom of God that will serve the coming generations.

Contributors and Advisors

Bryan Elliff

PhD, UCLA
Pastor/Elder at The Commons LA
Jeremy Treat

PhD, Wheaton College
Pastor/Elder at Reality LA
Quen Cheng

MD, UCSD and PhD, UCLA
Assistant Clinical Professor, Infectious Diseases at UCLA
Naomi Yoder

PhD, UCLA
Professor of Psychology at Chapman University
Martín González-Cabello

PhD candidate, UCLA
MBA, MIT Sloan School of Management
Greg Ganssle

PhD, Syracuse University
Board of Directors, Rivendell Institute at Yale
John Book

PhD, Southern Seminary
Over 20 years of ministry with Cru at UCLA
Sam Song

COO of City to City SoCal
Founder of The Beautiful Future
Frederick Barber

Director of Strategic Initiatives, Consortium of Christian Study Centers
Yiyi Yao

PhD, UCLA
Chemistry
Winston Gee

PhD, UCLA
Chemistry