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Collegeministry.com is now the Baptist Collegiate Network!

Posted on by baptistcollege

For years, Baptist Collegiate Network has equipped college ministry leaders through events and resource websites like CollegeMinistry.com, GospelAppointments.com, and CalledtoMinistry.com. These tools have helped leaders share the Gospel, make disciples, develop leaders, and send students on mission. But we have always been more than a collection of websites. We are network of 1000+ campus and church-based college ministries across the US and Canada working toward the vision of seeing the Gospel go to every college student on every campus. To better reflect who we are and what we do, we have made some changes.

This month, we brought our resources together under one name and one home: BaptistCollegiateNetwork.com.

Baptist Collegiate Network represents more than 800 Baptist campus ministries across the United States and Canada, along with a growing number of churches committed to reaching college students. We believe the college campus is one of the most strategic mission fields in the world and that we are stronger when we pursue that mission together.

Our mission is simple: champion college ministry leaders and give them the relationships, resources, training, and encouragement they need to flourish. Whether serving as a missionary on a university campus or leading college ministry through a local church, we want leaders to know they are part of something bigger.

We believe God has positioned Baptist campus ministries and churches for this moment. Our goal is not simply to build better college ministries. Our goal is to reach a generation with the Gospel, make disciples who make disciples, and send them from the campus to the nations.

The website has changed. The mission has not. So… let’s go forward together and watch what God does!

7 Ways to Build a Great Relationship with Your University

Posted on by baptistcollege

College ministry is unique because most of us are doing ministry on someone else’s campus. Whether you serve at a large public university, a small private college, or somewhere in between, our ability to reach students is often directly connected to the relationships we build with the people who lead and serve that campus.

The good news is that campus ministers can be some of the university’s greatest partners. We care about students. We want them to flourish. We want them to find community, develop as leaders, serve others, and make wise decisions. Obviously, our ultimate mission goes much further—we want every student to hear the Gospel and have an opportunity to follow Jesus. But there are a lot of places where our mission and the university’s goals overlap.

Here are seven ways we can build relationships that allow us to serve the university well while staying faithful to our mission.

1. Learn their Goals and Solve Problems for the University

One of the best ways to become a trusted partner on campus is to help solve real problems. Pay attention to what the university is trying to accomplish and where their staff could use some help. Maybe they need volunteers for move-in, help welcoming international students, meals for a student group, or support for students who might otherwise fall through the cracks. We have students, churches, volunteers, resources, and relationships that can often meet needs the university simply can’t meet on its own. Don’t always start by asking, “What can the university do for our ministry?” Start by asking, “What problem can we help the university solve?” When we consistently bring solutions instead of creating more work, we become the kind of partner they want on campus. At the University of Arkansas–Fort Smith, BCM learned that the university’s Student Retention Office wanted to celebrate first-generation and lower-income students who were graduating. BCM stepped in and helped provide professional cap-and-gown photos for about 40 seniors. It met a real university goal. It also served students well and gave BCM leaders opportunities to build relationships and share the Gospel with several students. What started with understanding the university’s priorities has now become a new partnership they hope will continue for years.

2. Look for Ways to Say Yes

Sometimes campus ministries can develop a reputation for only showing up when we need something. Let’s face it, we do need things from the university like rooms, permission, sometimes funding, a table, or access to students.

Turn that around.

When the university needs volunteers, we need to show up. When they need student organizations to participate in an event, participate. When there is a campus service project, bring people. When Student Life needs help welcoming new students, ask how you can serve. Can we do everything all the time? No. But we can often do more than we are doing. The benefits are tremendous to the college, and it gives us opportunities to meet and engage students and to model for our students what it means to be servant leaders.

We need to be the ministry that college staff and administrators are glad to see coming.

At the University of South Alabama, BCM has built a multi-year partnership with the university’s marching band simply by finding ways to serve. This past year, they recruited four local churches to provide meals during band camp. That relationship also opened the door for the BCM director to lead daily leadership sessions with the band and connect leadership principles with Gospel truth. Sometimes the opportunity to share starts by simply asking, “How can we help?”

3. Bless the People Who Serve the Campus

Student Life staff are people, not gatekeepers.

Learn their names. Ask about their lives. Encourage them. Bring their office breakfast or coffee occasionally. Celebrate their wins. Thank them when they help you.

And do it without always asking for something in return.

Small acts of genuine kindness over time communicate something powerful: We aren’t just here because of what you can do for us. We care about you.

At Tulsa Community College, every Christmas, BCM delivers popcorn baskets and giant student-signed cards to the Student Life staff, facilities team, and campus police. They do this to simply say thank you to the people who make their ministry possible and keep students safe. This year, a janitor was so moved by the appreciation that he later approached a BCM student to thank them. That conversation turned into an opportunity for the student to share the Gospel and pray with him. Sometimes blessing the campus opens doors we could never manufacture on our own.

4. Be Incredibly Easy to Work With

Answer emails. Meet deadlines. Fill out the forms. Follow policies. Clean up the room. Show up when you say you will. Communicate changes.

None of that sounds particularly spiritual, but it matters.

You can have a great ministry vision and lose credibility because you consistently create unnecessary headaches for university staff. Excellence and dependability build trust, and trust creates opportunities.

5. Never Surprise Them

If you are planning something big, unusual, or potentially sensitive, communicate early.

University administrators hate surprises. Their days are filled with challenges and problems to solve.

You don’t have to ask permission for things that don’t require permission, but good partners communicate. When university leaders know that you will keep them informed, handle situations wisely, and address problems quickly, they become much more comfortable working with you.

6. Help Students Become Better Members of the Campus Community

One of the greatest gifts we can give a university is students whose faith causes them to serve rather than withdraw.

Teach your students to love their campus. Encourage them to participate, lead, volunteer, welcome new students, serve classmates, and care about the needs around them.

Imagine the reputation of a ministry whose students are consistently some of the most dependable, generous, welcoming, and servant-hearted people on campus.

That kind of ministry earns a hearing.

7. Think Long Term

Great university relationships are rarely built through one meeting or one event. They are built through years of trust.

Administrators change. Policies change. Presidents change. Student Life staff change. Challenges will come.

Keep showing up. Keep serving. Keep communicating. Keep being trustworthy.

Our goal isn’t simply to maintain access to campus. Our goal is to be such a blessing to the university that they know their campus is better because we are there.

At Valdosta State University, after the university restricted BCM from holding events during the first three weeks of school, there was some understandable friction. But because BCM had already built good relationships with university staff, they kept talking and protected the relationship even when they disagreed. A year later, the university invited BCM to lead an official faith worship service as part of its welcome events—giving them access to university facilities and sound equipment and even allowing BCM’s worship team, branding, and information. They didn’t win every disagreement, but they protected the relationship. Eventually, that relationship opened a door they never could have demanded.

We never compromise the Gospel or our mission in order to gain favor with the university. But wherever their goals and our mission can work together, we should be the first people raising our hands to help.

Because relationships build trust. Trust creates opportunities. And opportunities give us more chances to accomplish what brought us to campus in the first place:

Helping every student have an opportunity to hear the Gospel and follow Jesus.

Chad Stillwell works with Baptist Collegiate Network’s Communication Team, and is also the Collegiate Ministries Director for South Carolina. Follow @sc_bcm on Instagram to see more of what God is doing in South Carolina!

The Nations Are Already Here: When the Mission Field Sits Across the Table 

Posted on by baptistcollege

I still remember her face at Washington Square Diner.

We were sharing a meal with a small group of international students from NYU. Around the table were students from Iran, India, China, and Bangladesh. Different countries. Different cultures. Different stories. Different religious backgrounds. All of us gathered in a diner near Washington Square Park, eating together while I was beginning to realize that the nations were not only somewhere across the ocean. They were sitting across the table.

One of the students, a young woman from Iran, began telling me about her faith in Jesus. She was joyful as she talked about how she had come to believe in Him.

She told me about a vivid dream she had. In the dream, she was underwater and unable to breathe. She was drowning. Then Jesus spoke to her. She followed His voice, and she was rescued.

That dream became one of the ways God drew her heart to faith in Christ.

As she told the story, she was not timid or ashamed. She was radiant. She was free. She could breathe. She had life. She had Jesus. There was joy in her face as she described the One who had rescued her.

Later in the conversation, she mentioned her family.

So I asked, “How have they taken the news?”

Immediately, tears welled up in her eyes.

She controlled herself and kept from crying fully, but her cheek began to shake and her voice trembled. With visible grief, she told me, “My father told me to never come home again.”

There are moments in ministry when something moves from your head to your heart. You may already believe something is true, but then a person’s story makes you feel the weight of it. That was one of those moments for me.

I have preached about the cost of following Jesus. I have read the words of Jesus about taking up our cross. I have encouraged people to be bold in their faith. But sitting in that diner across from this young woman, I saw the cost of discipleship through tear-filled eyes.

This was not someone being mocked for her faith. This was not someone being unfollowed on social media. This was not mild awkwardness at a family dinner. This was a young woman who had followed Jesus and experienced the severing of ties with the people who had given her life, raised her, and loved her.

In that moment, international student ministry stopped being a strategy for me.

It became holy ground.

My name is Daniel McGhee. I serve as the New England Collegiate Director for the Baptist Churches of New England and as the New York City Area Director for International Students, Inc. My wife, Kari, and I also serve at NYU as Spiritual Life Advisors, similar to a chaplain role. That means we are able to go on campus, meet with students, build relationships, and be available to students in an ongoing way.

We have been planting churches in New York City since 2011, but somewhere along the way God began moving our hearts toward the nations in a way we had not seriously considered before.

Not nations in the abstract. Not nations as a missions slogan. Nations with names, faces, stories, accents, fears, questions, grief, joy, and dinner invitations.

International students.

For years, I thought about missions mostly in terms of going. Go across the ocean. Go to another country. Go learn another culture. Go share the gospel somewhere far away. And, of course, that call remains beautiful and biblical. But international student ministry has reminded me that sometimes the nations arrive at the airport, move into a dorm, sit in a classroom, and wonder if anyone in this country will ever learn their name.

International students are some of the clearest examples of people Christians have an opportunity to bless. Many move here from countries where they were part of the majority culture, majority ethnicity, and majority language. Then they arrive in a city or on a college campus where suddenly they are the minority in language, culture, customs, food, humor, holidays, assumptions, and even basic systems of daily life.

They are far from family. Far from the food that tastes like home. Far from the people who know their story. Far from the rhythms that once made life feel familiar.

And many of them are young adults in that complicated space between adolescence and adulthood, asking the questions all college students ask: Who am I? What do I believe? What kind of life am I building? Who can I trust? Where do I belong?

But international students carry all of those questions in a foreign land.

They face the normal pressures of college, but with added layers of loneliness, language barriers, visa concerns, financial pressure, and family expectations from across the world. Many are brilliant and courageous. Many will become leaders in their fields. But they are also young adults far from home, trying to figure out who they can trust.

That is one reason Christian hospitality matters so much.

Hospitality is not just being nice. It can become a form of stability, safety, friendship, and gospel witness. It says, “You are not invisible here. You are not just a student ID number. You are not merely a visitor in our country. You are a person made in the image of God, and there is a place for you at our table.”

The opportunity is massive. According to Open Doors 2025, U.S. colleges and universities hosted 1,177,766 international students during the 2024–2025 academic year. NYU alone reported 27,532 international students in 2024–2025. I had heard that number before and honestly thought it sounded made up until the university confirmed it. There are more international students at NYU than there are people in many entire towns in my home state of Arkansas. In New England, the need and opportunity are also enormous. Massachusetts alone has more than 82,000 international students, giving it one of the largest international student populations in the country.

But the numbers are not the point.

The numbers simply tell us how many stories are walking around our campuses.

One of the ways we have seen this need up close is through Connect NYC, a dinner we host collaboratively with four other international student ministries in New York City. The purpose is simple: create a special meal and a fun, welcoming night designed only for international students.

At Connect NYC, students share dinner around round tables. They play icebreaker games and get to meet one another. The highlight of the night is a 10- to 15-minute TED Talk-style presentation designed to capture students’ attention and connect with where they are in this season of life. The topics are thoughtful, relevant, and always spiritual. They speak to things like adjusting to a new culture, navigating change, finding belonging, making wise choices, and considering how the decisions we make in this season can shape the rest of our lives.

After the talk, each table has a facilitator who helps guide the conversation. The goal is not to pressure students, but to create space where they can talk honestly, ask good questions, hear from one another, and consider deeper spiritual realities.

It is designed for community. It is designed so students do not have to remain lonely or isolated. It is designed to help them find a place where they are seen, welcomed, and invited into meaningful conversation.

At one of our first Connect NYC dinners of the semester, a young woman from China named Mei came for the first time. She enjoyed it so much that she came back the next week.

At an event with 60 to 80 students, it can be hard to remember every name. I was in work mode that night, trying to make sure everything was moving, people were welcomed, details were handled, and conversations were happening. Sometimes ministry can start to feel like work, even when the work is good.

Then Mei walked up to me with a huge smile and said, “Hi, Daniel! It’s so good to be back!”

In that moment, God slowed me down.

I had to glance at her name tag to remember her name, but she remembered mine. More than that, she was happy to be back. She was happy to see me and Kari. She was happy to return to a place where she had felt welcomed.

And suddenly, the event was not just an event anymore. It was not just logistics, tables, food, games, and discussion questions. It was Mei, far from home, finding a place where she could belong.

I shared that moment of joy with her, because I really was glad she was back too.

That is what international student ministry often looks like. Sometimes it is a life-changing conversation in a diner. Sometimes it is Mei returning to dinner with joy because someone welcomed her and gave her a place to come back to.

Those two moments have stayed with me.

One student from Iran, joyful in Jesus and grieving what it cost her.

One student from China, smiling because she had found a place where she wanted to return.

Both reminded me that international student ministry is not theoretical. It is deeply personal. It is not first about programs, platforms, or strategies. Those things matter, but they are not the heart of it. The heart of it is a student sitting across the table. A student remembering your name. A student wondering whether they belong. A student asking spiritual questions. A student far from home who may be more open to friendship, faith, and family than we realize.

Behind every statistic is someone learning how to navigate a grocery store, understand a classroom discussion, read a lease, find a doctor, make friends, and decide what they believe about God. Behind every statistic is someone who may spend Thanksgiving alone unless someone invites them in. Behind every statistic is someone who may be curious about Jesus but has never had a Christian friend they trusted enough to ask.

One of the simplest and most powerful ways we can love international students is through hospitality.

And hospitality does not have to be complicated.

Invite students to dinner. Pick them up from the airport. Help them understand public transportation. Explain how tipping works. Invite them to your church. Take them apple picking. Include them in a Thanksgiving meal. Give them somewhere to go during Christmas break when the dorm feels empty and flights home are too expensive. Ask them about their family, their country, their fears, their hopes, their studies, and their faith.

But hospitality is not a one-way street.

One of the most meaningful ways to welcome international students is not only to cook for them, but to invite them to cook for you. Ask them to make the comfort food they miss from home. Let them teach you about the spices, the smells, the stories, the holidays, and the family memories connected to that meal.

Sit in your own kitchen as the learner.

Ask questions. Listen. Laugh. Let them explain what their mother or grandmother used to make, what food they ate during celebrations, and what tastes like home when home feels far away.

In those moments, students are not simply receiving hospitality; they are offering it. They are sharing dignity, culture, memory, and love. The table becomes more than a place to feed someone. It becomes a place where friendship grows and the image of God in every culture is honored.

This matters because international student ministry is not about making people our projects. It is about becoming friends. It is about seeing people as God sees them. It is about recognizing that the Great Commission is not only fulfilled through platforms and programs, but also through ordinary Christians opening ordinary homes and making room at ordinary tables.

Many of us pray for the nations. That is good. We give so missionaries can go to the nations. That is good. We send teams across the world. That is good.

But what if, in addition to going to the nations, we also recognized that God has brought the nations near?

What if every Baptist collegiate ministry saw international students as part of its mission field?

What if every Baptist church near a campus asked, “Who is far from home, and how can we become family?”

What if Thanksgiving tables, airport pickups, coffee conversations, Bible studies, and home-cooked meals became small acts of gospel witness?

What if churches stopped waiting for a perfect program and simply started with a meal?

The first step does not have to be impressive. It may be as simple as learning the names of international students already connected to your campus. It may be partnering with an existing international student ministry. It may be asking your church members to host students during school breaks. It may be helping a student practice English. It may be inviting a student to share their story with your small group. It may be creating space for honest questions about Jesus.

International students do not need us to be experts in every culture. They need us to be humble, curious, generous, and faithful. They need people who will listen more than they lecture. They need people who will honor their family stories, even when those stories are complicated. They need people who will show the love of Christ before they try to explain everything about Christianity.

And some of them, like the young woman from Iran, are paying a price for following Jesus that should humble the rest of us.

I still think about her joy. I think about the way she described Jesus rescuing her. I think about the freedom on her face when she told me she could breathe. And I think about her tears when she told me what it cost.

I think about Mei, walking back into the room the next week, smiling because she had found a place where she was glad to return.

I think about how easy it would be for students like them to feel alone in this country, alone on campus, and alone in the deepest parts of their lives.

And I think about how powerful it is when the people of God become family.

That is what hospitality can do. That is what collegiate ministry can do. That is what local churches can do.

The nations are already here. They are studying on our campuses, walking through our cities, sitting in our classrooms, and wondering if anyone will welcome them.

May we be the kind of people who do.

May we see the students God has brought near.

May we open our homes, our tables, our calendars, and our hearts.

And may international students discover, through the love of Christ’s people, that even far from home, they are not forgotten by God.

Daniel McGhee is the NYC Area Director for International Students Inc. and the Protestant Spiritual Life Advisor for Global Spiritual Life, NYU. You can follow NYC International Students on Instagram @nycinternationalstudents and Daniel @danieltmcghee.

Operating Out of the Box: How a Decade-Old Gift Transformed My Campus Ministry

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Everyone loves getting those cardboard packages on the porch. Just this week, our household received and opened up boxes containing a gymnastics bar, a Door Buster big-screen TV, and a new skateboard (to replace the one that unfortunately got run over by my neighbor, Dave). On each of these occasions, we eagerly waited for delivery, immediately ripped open the box, and began to assemble and use the contents. My daughter loves the gymnastics bar, my son loves the skateboard, and we’re all enjoying the TV we figured we’d never buy—until the price got so low that we thought, why not?

Most of the time, we know these boxes are coming because we ordered them. But every now and then, we get one that comes as a total surprise. It’s a gift.

Maybe you, like me, have received surprise gifts at work from the seminaries, agencies, etc…. T-shirts, coffee mugs, pens, stickers, and books. They are all fun boxes to receive, even if they don’t really change your life long-term. But, about a decade ago, I received a gift at work that was—and is—intended to help me be the best I can be at my job.

The Gift with No Cardboard

It didn’t actually come in a physical box. But from my perspective, it was framed as a container of sorts.

It was a framework of essentials for Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCMs), along with a directive to design a strategy for my specific campus context. Metaphorically speaking, this box of essentials was addressed to me, and it came from our state BCM leader Cris Lowery.

Let me tell you about this “box”, what it contains, and how operating out of it has made me a better leader on my campus. It boils down to three things:

  • It contains my priorities.
  • It has opened up my possibilities.
  • It has helped me prepare to maximize our potential.

1. It Contains My Priorities

First of all, the framework tells me what to do. It might be hard to admit, but rules and guidelines are what make games and sports fun. Our ability to operate within these lines is exactly what allows us the opportunity to participate in the game. We are a missionary organization, and that makes me a missionary to the people on my campus.

Our Core Priorities
To represent Oklahoma Baptist churches by establishing and maintaining good relationships with the people at the University of Tulsa, in order that I may be allowed year after year to recruit students to join me, develop them as leaders, and together share the gospel and make disciples on our campus and beyond. This is a clear, thoughtful, and targeted set of priorities.

2. It Opens Up Possibilities

Along with this focused set of priorities, I was challenged to consider the possibility that we might engage more broadly than we currently were. At the time, we were engaging 1–2% of our student body. The new challenge? Engage 10% on our way to every campus, every life.

This would only be possible if we prayed, planned, and prepared for the potential. It challenged my assumptions and prompted me to begin asking radically different questions. I could no longer focus solely on building a tight-knit, insular community. We had to extend ourselves broadly and commit to meeting hundreds of people who weren’t currently on our radar—and on whose radar BCM didn’t exist. Plus, as you know, we’d have to do this with an entirely different rotation of people every 3 to 4 years.

What a compelling challenge! What would that look like on your campus?

3. Maximizing Our Potential

I’d love to tell you in detail how the process has gone from that day to this, but, let me offer a summary of how I have come to enjoy operating out of this box.

I am really helped by living simply. To do that, I regularly ask myself and our team these two questions:

Question 1: What do we NEED to do?  Thankfully, the box tells me the big-picture essentials. From there, I’m always evaluating who is with me, what we are currently doing, and what we need to do next.

Question 2: How can we enjoy accomplishing that with excellence? Once we know what we need to do, we can focus on doing things we actually enjoy. This connects us with the people who are our purpose, opening up the possibility to maximize our potential at TU.

For me and my team, leaning into what we enjoy looks like a lot of different things:

  • Food and Hospitality: I enjoy cooking and hosting community meals and treats, in-season and out of season. That means Summer dinners, Monday lunches, and Men’s and Ladies’ lunches. We even bought a shaved ice machine!
  • Sports: I love athletics and naturally enjoy being an encouragement to student-athletes.
  • International Ministry: I love welcoming internationals and sharing the good news with those who’ve never heard it before—lately, especially the graduate students.
  • Leadership Development: I want to lead leaders whenever possible. This allows me to partner with others who can use their unique passions to meet even more people.

The Bottom Line

As a result of opening this box and operating within it, the return on investment has been incredible. This semester alone, we have been blessed to have a one-time direct impact with over 30% of our student body, and an ongoing impact with around 10% of campus every single week.

The strategic plan will look different in your context, with your students, on your campus. But our fundamental priorities remain exactly the same. We all got the same box. Let’s keep operating out of it—or maybe today is the day to recommit to challenging our assumptions, asking different questions, and working together to truly engage every campus and every life.

Brandon Brister is the BCM Director at the University of Tulsa. You can reach him at bbrister@oklahomabaptists.org. You can also follow him on IG @brandonbrister and the ministry @tulsabcm.

As the World Cup Begins in America, College Students Are Showing How Soccer Can Open Doors for the Gospel

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The World Cup has officially arrived in the United States. For the next several weeks, the globe will be captivated by the beautiful game. Stadiums will roar with excitement, nations will hold their breath, and legends will be made on the pitch. But long before the first whistle ever echoed across an American stadium, God was already at work. A passionate group of college students from South Carolina had the privilege of witnessing a far greater victory than lifting a golden trophy—they saw God move powerfully, using the sport as a tool to save souls and help a church reach and connect with their community.

In late May, the Lord led ten students from South Carolina BCM to travel on mission to Manchester, United Kingdom. Partnering alongside IMB missionary Kris Kuriger, dedicated British believers, and Trinity Church Manchester, this team didn’t just cross an ocean; they stepped into divine appointments orchestrated by God. Their primary mission field? A neighborhood soccer pitch beating in the heart of one of Europe’s most legendary soccer capitals.

In Manchester, it’s not just soccer. It’s football. And football is the absolute lifeblood of the city. It dictates the rhythm of the week, shapes deep-rooted community identity, and dominates daily conversations. Knowing this, God masterfully took the very pulse of the city and used it as a brilliant bridge for His Gospel.

The Lord worked through the South Carolina BCM team as they joined forces with a local British church and an IMB missionary to host a dynamic football outreach camp for neighborhood children. As the student volunteers ran drills, cheered on every child, and forged authentic relationships, the Holy Spirit opened doors to share the ultimate story of love. By using the profound narrative of Abraham and Isaac, they illustrated a Heavenly Father who willingly sacrificed His only Son for our salvation.

God’s impact was nothing short of miraculous. Hearts were softened by His grace, and right there at the soccer camp, the Lord drew four individuals to make life-altering decisions to follow Christ!

Igniting a Generation

But God’s transformative work didn’t stop with the local community; He was actively igniting the hearts of the American college students, too. Tyra, one of the students serving on the trip, watched the Holy Spirit move in real-time.

“One way I’ve seen God move on this trip in Manchester is seeing kids who were not interested in Christ having questions and becoming curious about Christ,” she shared, her faith renewed by the raw spiritual hunger God was awakening.

This is the beating heart of collegiate missions: God using students who are available and willing to go. 

Across the Baptist Collegiate Network, the Lord is raising up a generation of students. Guided by His Spirit, they are dedicating their spring breaks, sacrificing their summers, and giving their absolute best through Baptist collegiate ministries, local churches, state conventions, Send Relief, NAMB, IMB, and other vital mission partners. From the bustling streets of North American cities to remote, unreached corners of the globe, God is sending these students into places of deep spiritual need.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, these young adults realize they do not need to wait until after graduation to fulfill the Great Commission. God is sending them now. Their leaders are helping them recognize that their campus years are not a mere “waiting room” for future obedience. When students are intentionally discipled, equipped, and surrendered to God’s will, He uses their open hands and willing hearts in extraordinary ways.

Collegiate leaders are helping students understand that they are not just preparing for life after college. They are following Jesus now. They are not merely future church leaders. They are present-day witnesses.

Deep Conversations and Breaking Barriers

Beyond the football pitch, the Lord guided the team as they partnered with Trinity Church Manchester to reach out to Muslim families in the northern part of the city. The students witnessed the Holy Spirit empowering local believers to love their neighbors. Students were blessed to partner with church members who themselves give time each week to genuine conversations and intentionality to share the Gospel. One member, an 80-year-old retired nurse, uses her time each week to share the Gospel with people who have little access to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Justin, another student profoundly impacted by the trip, watched God crumble walls through honest, spiritual dialogue.

“I have seen God move in amazing ways,” Justin testified, “and one of those ways is having people coming from a Muslim background who have never been to church asking deep theological questions about Jesus and wanting to really seek Him and learn more about Him.”

IMB missionary Kris Kuriger emphasized that God has made Manchester a profoundly strategic training ground for college students, offering immediate impact.

“One of the benefits of coming to the UK is there’s no language barrier, so you can jump right into ministry,” Kuriger noted. Yet, the spiritual hunger is immense. “Most of the UK is less than two percent Christian now,” he urged. “It is an opportunity for Christian students to come and actually reach the least of these, and so we want to invite you as a college student to join in with what God is doing.”

Ready for His Call

Through Baptist collegiate groups, God is actively helping students discover their divine calling in this global mission. For some, He uses a single, one-week trip to shatter their worldly perspective and open their eyes to His global heartbeat. For others, God uses a summer assignment to forge an unbreakable courage to witness as they learn to rely on Him in a new city.

As the World Cup dominates screens across America, millions will celebrate the world’s game. But in Manchester, God allowed a team of South Carolina college students to see the Creator of the universe use a simple sport to open eternal doors. They saw God love children through time spent around a football. They rejoiced as the Holy Spirit called four souls from darkness into light.

The Lord has made the college generation ready. He is equipping them to serve, giving them the hunger to go, and preparing them to carry the Gospel from their campus quads to the nations. The only question that remains is whether churches, ministries, and leaders will continue to partner with God by boldly calling them, training them, and sending them out into the world He so desperately loves.

Chad Stillwell is the Evangelism Share Team Leader and Collegiate Ministries Director for the South Carolina Baptist Convention.

Saying Goodbye to Graduating International Students

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Giving international students a good send off and finding ways to stay connected is so valuable in keeping an ongoing relationship with them. It is encouraging to see God at work in their lives, even beyond the time they spend on your campus.  As the semester is ending, here are things to consider as students are graduating or transferring to another college.

  1. Determine the best way to stay in touch – Signal, Whats App, Instagram, Telegram, etc. Some of these communication tools need to be set up before the student leaves the country.
  2. They may need help distributing items they are not planning on taking with them, such as household items, bedding, etc. If you have a place to store them, you can offer them to incoming students in the fall. If not, you can help them get the items to a donation spot.
  3. Plan a recognition service where you can thank them for their time with your ministry. Provide some type of gift. The BCM where I served had a picture of the city of Atlanta with the verse Numbers 6:24-26 imprinted on it.
  4. Set up time to meet where you can make sure they understand the message of the gospel.
  5. Connect them with any Christians you know in their home country if they are graduating or at another university if they are transferring. If you need help finding a connection, you can contact me at troyall.bcm@gabaptist.org.
  6. Pray that these students will connect with Christian community at their next destination. I had a student from Malaysia who heard the gospel message several times but was not ready to profess faith in Christ. However, after returning home, she connected with a Chinese Christian group who reached out to her. Through involvement with this community and her being aware of the gospel message while in the BCM, she became a follower of Christ.

Teresa Royall is the Campus Expansion Consultant for Georgia.

Recruiting and Leading Next-Level Leaders

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It’s been said that who leads your college ministry will largely determine who your college ministry will reach. I’ve seen this to be true over and over again. The selection of staff and lead team members matter, and it ripples (or doesn’t) throughout campus. 

When selecting lead teams, select leaders from the parts of campus that you want to reach. If you want to reach all sections of campus, ask God to open doors with leaders who represent all parts of campus. This includes gender, melanin, and campus activities such as sports, clubs and Greek life.  Seek students who spend time in a variety of campus locations as well, including an assortment of residence halls, apartment complexes, and academic buildings. 

Share a clear and honest vision and invite leaders into the vision.  King Solomon’s wisdom in Proverbs 29:18 speaks to this; “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”  Repeat the vision of your ministry often, keeping leaders on track and affirming the part they play in it. 

Enlist people who are NOT like you yet have chemistry with you and are unified with the vision of your ministry. Try to include people who are introverts and extroverts, morning people and night owls, planned and spontaneous, detailed and big picture, grace and truth, risk takers and safe players. Paul encourages believers in I Corinthians 9:20 to “be all things to all people so by all means possible some might be saved.”

Engage people who are already leading, not necessarily in your ministry but on campus. These are the students who people want to be around. If they throw a party, everyone will want to come.  In Henry Blackaby’s Spiritual Leadership, he states that “a spiritual leader leads all people not just church people.”

Some common characteristics of next-level leaders include:

1. Next-level leaders can lead themselves. 

Spiritually and emotionally, they aren’t perfect but they are committed to the journey of growth. John Maxwell has said that “the secret of your future is found in your daily routine.” Eugene Peterson writes, “The spiritual life is long obedience in the same direction.” Next-level leaders are committed to following Jesus, one good habit at a time.

2. Next-level leaders relate well to a wide variety of people. 

Romans 12:10 says, “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” This kind of leader can walk in the middle of campus and be at home with whoever they may find there, showing honor to the sinner and the saint alike.

3. Next-level leaders are humble.  

Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests but take an interest in others too.” They have the correct perspective about their own weakness, sin, and need for God. This allows them to easily enter into another’s life with grace and humility.

4. They are spiritually aware. 

We read in Galatians 5:25, “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”  It truly is a paradox – God has called us to do something that only He can do.  Spiritually aware leaders get this. 

5. Next-level leaders are eager for more. 

Jabez’s mom named him a Hebrew word similar to a word meaning distress or pain because his childbirth was so painful. He prayed the opposite of this for his life, and God granted his request. His prayer is found in I Chronicles 4:10.

“Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory? Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain?” Next-level leaders hope for more, pray for more, and plan for more!

6. They are high-capacity leaders. 

Galatians 6:10 teaches, “Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone…” Next-level leaders tend to respond to opportunity with, “YES!” They are committed to excellence, which is different than being a perfectionist, and they don’t get too bent out of shape with lots of moving parts. 

7. Next-level leaders have a bend for both visionary leadership and practical leadership.

They will likely have a natural gift of one or the other, but they see the value of both seeing the big picture of where we would like to go and how we can move from point A to point B. 

Next-level leaders need and appreciate several things from you, including clarity, freedom, and time. Lead with clarity. Let your leaders know what you want from them, what result is desired, and the why behind the tasks. Repeat the why or the vision often. Give your high-capacity leaders freedom to lead with a safety net if needed. Show them how something is done. Do it with them. Watch them do it and give feedback. Finally, let them do it alone. Let them know you are in it with them and have their back. Failing forward is still a win. Give them regular time with you to share life, speak truth, and develop them as leaders and disciples. This can be as little as 45 minutes every two weeks or as much as an hour per week, but the key is for it to be a consistent priority. 

Once these high-capacity leaders say yes to serving on your team, invest in them in a way that makes them want to continue!

Linda Weir is Director of Ministry at Pinelake Church in Starkville, Mississippi. You can follow Pinelake’s Starkville campus on Instagram @pinelakestarkville.

Kingdom Impact Through Vocational Discipleship

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“What is God’s will for my life? I think I’m going to change my major. What do you think I should do? I’m freaking out because I’m graduating and have no idea what to do next. Can you help me?” How often do you get questions like these from students? 

We all desire work that is fulfilling, meaningful, and aligned with who we are and who we strive to become. However, such opportunities are hard to find. The statistics consistently show this, but you don’t need to hear them; you see it around you—in people you know who feel unfulfilled, unhappy, burdened, and depressed by their jobs. It is frustrating to witness students struggle without effective tools or frameworks to address their challenges.

Students are at a stage where some key input from seasoned leaders could have a lifelong impact in this area. Because they don’t know their purpose, students often lack passion and confidence in their vocational direction. They struggle with anxiety, disengagement, and apathy because they lack clarity or a sense of God’s direction in their career choices. You have the potential to help every student you know avoid the trap of unfulfilling work.

Every student is unique, individually called by God, and gifted in special ways. Yet few are aware of how these factors should impact their lives or vocations. They need assistance in discovering a path that leads not just to a good job but to a fulfilling life centered in God’s design for them. To build the right foundation, they must ask the right questions, gain a clearer understanding of themselves, and gain real-world experiences and feedback.

Implementing a vocational discipleship plan for your students likely requires only minor additions to your current activities. However, the level of insight and deeper conversations with students could be revolutionary. Helping them find the intersection of their gifts, strengths, passions, and preferences with their calling will guide them toward career fulfillment, confidence, effectiveness, and the freedom to advance the Kingdom as they lead in ministry, mission, and marketplace.

The process requires two crucial building blocks: information and application.

These blocks enable students to ask the essential questions needed to discover their calling. To grow, you need a solid understanding of yourself, knowledge of your options, and an honest assessment of your current reality. With this understanding, you can develop a plan and take actionable steps to move forward. As students apply this information and gain experience, they will progress further and faster with a guide who regularly evaluates their progress toward their goals. When you create opportunities for students to engage in real work and receive constructive feedback, growth can occur rapidly.

Information is the first step, and you don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

Many great discovery tools are available to help students get to know themselves. The best tools reveal students’ motivations, preferences, interests, behavioral tendencies, strengths, weaknesses, and growth opportunities. Great books and online tools can help, as can assessments like Strengths Finder or the Harrison Assessment, which I use almost exclusively. Some are inexpensive or like the Harrison Assessment require some investment.

The key is creating a systematic way of ensuring students in your ministry have a dialogue about these topics. Simple tweaks and additions to how you develop students to create vocational discipleship opportunities can have a game-changing impact on student confidence in this area. 

When it comes to Application, it is about the process.

You likely already do this, at least with your student leaders, interns, and staff. This should include planning, implementation, testing, feedback, course correction, and redirection. You can do this through group interactions with your leadership team and in one-on-one sessions as well. 

For leadership development to be effective for our students, it must include at least three elements: a plan or task that provides them with something to accomplish; implementation, where they actively engage in the task—typically, the best learning tasks are repetitive and occur consistently over a semester; and finally, reflection, where they can think about the positives and negatives, consider potential improvements, and receive feedback on how they can improve. 

Reflection is where you provide the most support. Asking insightful questions prompts them to pause, reflect, and possibly change their behavior, attitude, or thoughts to improve and change. I’ve found that coaching is the most effective format for this process. In coaching, the student is the one doing the thinking and reflecting; you don’t do it for them. By asking good questions, you help them draw out what went well, what needs improvement, and how to create a plan for next time. Personal ownership is crucial.

One of the greatest strengths experienced Collegiate Ministers have is their capacity to effectively gauge students’ spiritual and emotional health. Often, through a few conversations, you can gain a solid understanding of a student’s maturity and developmental needs. Tools like the Harrison Assessment offer extremely accurate and quick insight into these same dynamics, removing guesswork. The knowledge acquired in a single session reviewing a student’s results dramatically shortens the time needed for discovery through one-on-one meetings. This speed in understanding students can greatly enhance their growth during their time in your ministry. 

Here is my encouragement:

  1. Find ways to talk about vocation and calling with your students, and develop a process for students to discern not only calling to ministry and mission but to the marketplace. 
  2. Develop your coaching ability; this has been a game changer for me personally. Going through some training to understand the fundamentals of using coaching as a tool with our students has totally changed how we have conversations, and produces much more student ownership of outcomes. 
  3. Build your vocational discipleship toolbox.  If you would like to request a free demo of the Harrison Assessment, email me at chad.wilkin@gmail.com. 

Your impact in this area has countless potential ripples. Students with a fulfilling vocation aligned with their calling, empowered to influence God’s kingdom, represent a beautiful vision. It’s disheartening to see students continue to grapple with confusion about majors, vocation, direction, and calling, particularly when they lack effective strategies for support. Surely, God’s plan is to deepen the pool of potential ministry and mission-focused students. The process isn’t complicated, but it’s not always easy. If you would like to continue this conversation, I would love to talk!

Chad Wilkin is the co-director of the BCM at Indiana State University in Terra Haute, Indiana.

Sharing Jesus with International Students

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Developing the Vision in Our Students and Congregation

In today’s fast-paced world, the need for clarity and engagement in our communities has never been more important. Whether we are speaking to our students or our congregation, establishing a strong vision is paramount for fostering genuine participation and growth. 

The Importance of Developing the Vision

To effectively engage our students and congregations, we must illustrate what they are joining in on. The first step in this process is to articulate a compelling vision. In our organization, Launch Campus Ministry, we have specific teams assigned to different aspects of our organization. Initially the team we had set aside to engage with international students was titled the “International Team.” The name of the team inadvertently conveyed a message that excluded many who might have participated. We learned this lesson through trial and error, transitioning to the more descriptive “Cross-Cultural Team.” This change not only clarified our purpose but also highlighted our mission to foster cross-cultural friendships rather than simply existing for only international students.

For a vision statement to resonate, it needs to be clear and simple. Overcomplicating our messaging can lead to confusion and disengagement. For example, one straightforward vision statement could be “Reaching students from all cultures.” This simple phrasing encompasses our goal without adding unnecessary complexity. 

Each group—whether it consists of students or members of a congregation—will possess a unique “DNA” that affects outreach efforts. This diversity should be embraced rather than avoided. For instance, our students on our campus identify with a certain culture; they are typically more “nerdy” than athletic. Thus, reaching out through sporting events may not be the most effective strategy. It is vital to assess the specific attributes of our international student body as well; for example, some Nigerian male students typically gravitate toward sports like soccer, while a lot of Bangladeshi female students often find joy in dressing up. Understanding these nuances not only allows us to tailor our outreach efforts but also equips us to engage meaningfully with those we serve.

Relationships Are Greater Than Events

While events can be a means of creating community, it is relationships that ultimately lead to impactful Gospel interactions and a fruitful community. Therefore, our vision should serve as a foundation for building these vital interactions. By prioritizing relationships over mere programming, we can create an environment where individuals feel valued and connected. The trust built within these relationships will allow the Gospel to be received with freedom. 

To facilitate this, we encourage idea-sharing conversations among our group members that can guide training and engagement efforts. These discussions can help us identify practical challenges and obstacles that may inhibit relationship-building with those we are inviting to join us. From there, we can work together on solutions while ensuring that our efforts remain grounded in shared purpose. To avoid these discussions, unity among the group will be impossible. 

Practical Challenges and Obstacles

Navigating the landscape of outreach and engagement can present specific hurdles. You may have different schedules than the students you are trying to reach? Strive to be flexible. Be willing to take advantage of small increments of time. Even making yourself available via texting or phone conversations can build open communications. 

You may struggle to find common ground? There is always common ground to be found. One way to begin conversations is with the two-handed approach (FFFFF & WWWWW)- family, friends, future, festivals, family & who, what, when, where, why. Any combination of an “F” and a “W” are simple ways to begin and sustain conversations. 

Simply being a learner will show a person that you want to be a true friend. 

Evangelism and Bible Study Ideas

As we engage our students and congregation, provide opportunities for evangelism training and spiritual growth. Some potential strategies might include:

  • Creating Events that Facilitate Gospel Conversations: Design gatherings that encourage open dialogue about faith in a relaxed setting. Some examples include: movie nights with discussion questions, taking international students to church as observers, even weddings.
  • Training and Engaging in “Raw” Street Evangelism: Approaches such as the “3 Circles” method can help prepare our community for real-world discussions about faith. Training on different religions and how to engage them with the Gospel. 

When it comes to Bible studies, there are several engaging formats we can explore:

  • Discovery Bible Studies (DBS): These studies allow participants to explore Scripture collectively and draw personal insights.
  • Investigating Christianity: Our version spans the fundamental aspects of faith in an accessible way.
  • Christianity 101: A foundational overview of the Christian faith.
  • “What Do Christians Believe?”: This format invites questions and provides solid answers.
  • “Story Friday”: A narrative-driven approach to sharing faith stories.
  • Works by Lee Strobel: Titles like “Case for Christ” and “Case for Easter” offer investigative insights into Christianity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, developing a clear vision amongst our students and congregations is essential for fostering engagement and facilitating genuine friendships. By emphasizing relationships, understanding the unique attributes of each group, and providing practical strategies for outreach and spiritual training, we can effectively guide our groups toward a shared purpose: making disciples of Jesus. 

Dennis Runner works at Purdue University as the International Team Minister for Launch Campus Ministry. You can learn more about the ministry at launchcampusministry.com.

COLLEGE MINISTER: WHAT IS YOUR MISSION & VISION?

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Why do you do college ministry? What is your ministry’s specific mission? How do you accomplish it? How do you know if you’re on target? Can you put these things into concise and compelling statements? 

Getting clarity on your mission and vision is essential for a leader who wants to impact the next generation for Christ. Moreover, putting your mission and vision into clear, concise statements allows you to recruit others to the movement. A good mission statement becomes an anchor that reminds you of “why” and “what” you’re doing. It also allows you to share the mission with others and invite them to join!

Lots of college ministries know WHAT they do. They engage in outreach and promotion, organize Bible studies and worship services, and plan mission trips and social events. Fewer still can clearly and concisely articulate WHY they are doing it and how it connects to Jesus’s Great Commission in Matthew 28. A good mission statement communicates both the “what” and “why” of your ministry. 

Will Mancini differentiates a mission statement from a vision statement. In Church Unique, he describes five facets involved in building out your “Vision Frame” for your ministry.

  1. MISSION (mandate) – What are we doing? A clear and concise statement explaining what your ministry is committed to be doing. The mission MUST be connected to Jesus’s Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 but applied to your specific context.
  2. VALUES (motives) – Why are we doing it? What is important to us? These shared convictions guide actions and reveal the ministry’s strength. 
  3. STRATEGY (map) – How are we going to do it? Strategy is the process or picture that demonstrates how your ministry will accomplish its mission on the broadest level. Strategy is a plan. It shouldn’t be overly elaborate. Focus on doing a few simple things like disciple-making, evangelism and leadership development really well.
  4. MEASURES (marker) – When are we successful? Measures are attributes that define or reflect the accomplishment of the mission. They are things you track! Measures are milestones that allow you to evaluate progress. Measures could include the number of small groups, the number of students engaged, the number of alumni joining staff or being sent, etc. There are both “lead” measures and “lag” measures. Lead measures are things you have control over, such as the number of new students you contacted and how many gospel shares you made. Lag measures are the results of your activities, like how many people attended an event or how many professed faith in Christ. Which should you track? Both! 
  5. VISION PROPER (mountaintop + milestones) – Where is God taking us? Vision Proper describes an anticipated future. These are God-sized but measurable and attainable goals. Ideally, Vision Proper describes success as 2-5 years in the future. This isn’t a pie-in-the-sky wishlist like, “We want to see ten thousand students saved!” It answers the question, “If God blessed all of our current plans, where would we be in 2-5 years?” It’s attainable with God’s help. 

Mission never ends because the work is never done until Jesus returns. Vision keeps us motivated because, by faith, we can see God accomplish it in the intermediate future. Andy Stanley says, “Vision is a clear mental picture of what could be, fueled by the conviction that it should be.” Mission is a not-until-Jesus-returns activity of the church. Vision CAN be accomplished. We can’t just stay motivated by mission because it’s too far off. We need a VISION of where our ministry could be, by God’s grace, in 3-5 years.

In the campus ministry that I led for 21 years, BSM at the University of Texas Arlington, here were ours:

  1. MISSION: To lead college students to become lifelong disciples of Jesus.
  2. VALUES: Christ as the Center of Everything, God’s Word, Prayer, Accountable Community, and Witness. (You might recognize these from the Navigators Discipleship Wheel, a resource we utilize in our discipleship. Don’t be afraid to borrow stuff that works!)
  3. STRATEGY: Evangelism, Discipleship, Missions. We strive to WIN college students to faith in Christ, BUILD them into mature disciples of Jesus, and SEND them as lifelong Gospel workers.
  4. MEASURES: We track lots of stuff!
  5. VISION PROPER: To increasingly saturate the campus with a gospel witness by pioneering two new niche ministries per year and to pioneer a new campus ministry at an additional local campus every 2 years. To have 10% more students meaningfully engaged in discipleship every year for the next 3 years. To send 25 graduates to campus ministry staff or the mission field in the next 5 years.

If your mission statement is clear and also emphasized repeatedly, then it helps keep your ministry from drifting away from the mission. 

One question that I’ve been asked is, “Should you share your mission statement word-for-word or paraphrase it?” The danger of reciting it word-for-word is students may feel like it’s canned or that you are trying to brainwash them. It can feel inauthentic. When you share it word-for-word, make sure you communicate naturally and from the heart. The danger of paraphrasing is that students might not catch the vision. It’s not clear and sticky enough, so they don’t remember it and can’t repeat it. 

In our campus ministry, we repeated the vision like a broken record. Sometimes paraphrased, sometimes word-for-word. “God put you on the campus to help reach others for Christ.” “God wants to grow our faith so we can reach people Jesus for the rest of our lives.” Repeating the mission and vision is one key to creating a strong culture in your ministry. So, repeat the mission. And repeat the mission.

So what are yours? Do you already have a thoughtful statement of your mission, values, and vision? Does it need improving? If not, take some time to pray, dream, and create a God-sized, Great Commission mission statement!

Gary Stidham is the Director of Training for Texas BSM and Adjunct Professor of Collegiate Ministry at Southwestern Seminary. For more helpful articles and information, check out garystidham.com.

This article was originally published on Via Students.