EVANGELISM SPOTLIGHT: COLLEGIATE EVANGELISM

Editor’s note: The North American Mission Board’s evangelism ministries are focused on six primary areas: Evangelism Networks/Resources, Chaplaincy, LoveLoud ministry evangelism, Disaster Relief, Church Revitalization and Collegiate evangelism. 

By Adam Miller

COLUMBUS, Ohio – For decades Southern Baptist collegiate ministries have helped transform North American campuses with the gospel.

As extensions of the local church and, in many recent instances, as church plants themselves, collegiate ministries have served to reach, disciple and deploy college students to push back lostness in whatever profession and community God leads them.

And now collegiate leaders want to see the multiplication DNA of evangelism, discipleship and missions infused even more intentionally into each student who comes through an SBC collegiate ministry.

Students Worship amidst Sandy Recovery
Jeff Mburu (far right), a student at Hampden-Sydney College in Farmville, Va., worships with other college students following a day of service during Sandy Rebuild efforts.
NAMB photo by Laura Sikes

“We want to see a movement mentality grow among our leaders and students. That’s at the core of this,” said Keith Wieser (@keithwieser), lead pastor of Resonate Church in Pullman, Wash. “Everything is accelerated on college campuses. Friendships are accelerated. Community is accelerated. Students are prepping for the big world in a short time, and we need to see ourselves as prepping them to change that world for Christ while on campus and wherever they end up.”

On March 28-30 Wieser and Resonate Church will host Southern Baptists for a first-hand look at their ministry in the Northwest. The three-day event will offer attendees opportunities to learn from Weiser and other Resonate leaders on everything from small group ministry to developing student leaders to designing high-impact fall launches. Attendees will also be able to attend weekend worship services (hgtresonate.com).

According to Brian Frye (@brifrye), the North American Mission Board’s (NAMB) National Collegiate Strategist, campus ministries have an opportunity to develop best practices based on the successes of ministries across a variety of contexts.

Frye brings to this leadership role years of experience serving as collegiate metro director at University of Toledo and at Bowling Green State University. Frye also holds a Ph.D. in Evangelism and Church Growth from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky, and continues to serve as a collegiate strategist for the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.

“We have an opportunity to impact the lives of nearly 21.7 million students on college and university campuses in North America, and we want to learn from those who are leading the way,” said Frye. “We want to multiply nationally what’s happening locally. Wherever we see God working we want to learn from what He is doing through collegiate ministry. Then we are working to take best practices, principles, and innovations thriving in one place and diffuse and contextualize them across many others.”

Mike McQuitty, collegiate ministry director for the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware, said he believes campus ministry is at its most effective when people focus and build on the basics of gospel ministry.

“There are some fantastic ministries out there,” said McQuitty. “I think what we need to do is keep building in our disciple making, evangelism, leadership development and to see students stretch their wings and do what God has called them to.

“We need to maintain focus on the fundamentals of making disciples who make disciples to see people bear spiritual fruit. It’s always been the basics. Reaching students for Christ. Helping them use their gifts. Learning to be those multiplying disciple makers.”

With campus ministry leaders throughout the United States and Canada, Frye said implementation of national strategy for collegiate ministry will seek to:

• Bring collegiate ministries together toward a shared vision for reaching the 21.7 million college students in North America
• Accelerate church planting efforts on or near college and university campuses
• Develop systems and processes to maximize resources

Frye believes communicating urgency, multiplying efforts and strengthening the essentials are all a matter of good stewardship of Southern Baptist resources and God-given opportunities.