News, Views & Reviews
Are You Ready for the Fall Semester?
The fall semester is approaching quickly! Next month we will welcome a new class of freshmen to our campuses, and hopefully, to our churches. You've likely put some things on the calendar in anticipation of that busy season. But are you ready? Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 3:7, "So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." We can plant and we can water. We can make "To Do" lists, and update our social media, but we will not be ready if we have not prayed and asked the Lord for his presence in our ministries. What could happen if we would ask Him? Immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine. If we are not praying for our ministry and our students, we are missing out. If we are not leading our students to pray for God to move, we are subtly communicating to them that our human efforts are sufficient. Do we want to see what we can do in our college ministries this year, or what God can do? If you're making plans for the fall semester, make plans to pray. Pray for your students. Pray that God would move in your church and in your college ministry. Pray that He would do more than you could ask or imagine. Then lead your students, and even your church, to do the same. |
Summer Reads for College Ministry: The Disciplines
Happy First Day of Summer! Are you doing some summer reading? Here are a few suggestions to add to your list that will help you maximize your discipling time with students. You might even want to ask a student or two to join you in reading one of these.
Got a resource to share? We would love to hear about it on our Facebook page here. |
International Students: Next Steps
This week Robbi Francovich, Cross Cultural Specialist at the BSM at UT Austin shares some suggestions for ministry to international students. Navigating the world of the university campus and meeting international students can be a “foreign” experience if you are just starting. Of course, the best source of knowledge and experience is your local Baptist Student Ministry staff. The BSM is a “home away from home” for students and a great partner that will walk alongside you in discovering how to use resources and volunteers. Another great way to get connected is through the University’s international student office. They will have a “friendship” or “host family” program that connects students to members of the local community. Host families are paired with international students in the Fall, but often there are summer needs for short-term programs such as a group of Korean teachers or a leadership camp for Iraqi youth. The University’s English as a Second Language program or off campus ESL centers need both adult and student volunteers to be conversation partners. At the University of Texas BSM, we have opened our building to the ESL socials program. Once a month they have a lunch or party for the ESL students. They also have a weekly “talk time” and need volunteers to have hour-long conversations to practice English with the students. As we get to know the students, we invite them for Sunday lunch at home, or to go get a coffee. These students not only need to learn English, but they want to be part of community.  Community and partnership are at the core of programs offered off-campus. “Friendship International” in Austin, a non-profit organization of Baptist churches has a weekly morning program offering English and creative classes, cultural programs and childcare for international women in the community. Another similar program called “Coffee Morning” focuses on wives of international students and scholars. One of our local churches, Hyde Park Baptist Church, has a thriving family-based InternationalSunday School. They offer both a Bible Study and an English conversation class during the Sunday School hour. Throughout the year, several families partner together to host Sunday lunches, trips, and weekly classes at the BSM. They have registered as a student organization and meet new students in the Fall, do a “Welcome to America” retreat, a Spring Break adventure, and holiday home events. Their success in this continued ministry is year-long involvement, deepening friendships, and a loving witness through the Word of God and their lives well lived. “So we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” 1 Thess 2:8 Contact Robbi Francovich, Cross Cultural Specialist, University of Texas at Austin for more ideas robbiutbsm@gmail.com |
International Students: A Place to Start
Are there international students on your local campus? Has your church thought about reaching out to them? It might seem like an overwhelming task, but it doesn't have to be. You just need to find a place to start. |
Reach the Campus :: Reach the World
 They come for the opportunity and the experience. Many students come to experience the American life, but most of them will never enter an American home. Even if their campus is in a larger city, it can be an insulated environment. It is easy for a student to come to campus and leave not knowing anyone outside of campus life. Even more compelling is the fact that a number of these students will come from countries with little or no access to the gospel. Their coming to the U.S. opens a door for them to hear the Good News for the first time. There are many stories of students who come and accept Christ, then take the message back home to their families and friends when they return. International ministry doesn't have to be complicated. An invitation to a meal. Conversation partnerships that help students with their English skills. Providing rides to the grocery for the many students who don't have access to a vehicle. All of these gestures can begin a relationship that leads to sharing Jesus. Do you know who the international students are in your community? What could your church do to impact the life of one of these students? We want to help you think strategically about reaching the international students in your community, so the next few newsletters will focus on this unique ministry opportunity. If you're interested in planning a strategy for your church, contact Ginger Bowman at ginger.bowman@texasbaptists.org. *Population statistics from the Institute of International Education Open Doors and the 2017 Texas Public Higher Education Almanac, THECB, Connect with us our Facebook page here. |
College Ministry for the City
 God cares about the city. He loves all of the college students that live there. So why do we over look them? It's easy to do. There are so many people in our cities: Houston, 2.2 million, Dallas 1.3 million, San Antonio, 1.4 million, Austin 931,000.* And so many people groups. It's easy to miss the thousands of college students as one of those people groups. At over 48,000 students, Texas A&M in College Station is a very large campus. But did you know that the Dallas County Community College System had an enrollment of 65,000+ in the fall of 2016? Or that the Alamo Community College District had an enrollment of 51,000?* Those are just some of the students in those great cities. There are a number of 4 year universities and other campuses in those cities as well,bringing the numbers of students in these cities into the hundreds of thousands. We must go to the campuses in our cities. Not all of those students are in the 18-25 age range, but many are. And all of the students there need Jesus. The freshman who is living at home with mom & dad, the airman just back from his tour of duty in the military that is beginning his degree and a new chapter of life, the international student excited about new opportunity and longing to experience life in the United States. College ministry in the city is different. Many students commute, have full time jobs and live at home with parents. Their traffic patterns are different. Yet, they are no less in need of community. They are hungry for real friendships. They need mentors, and they need a Savior. Luke 19:41 says "And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it," Jesus wept over the very city where he would soon lose his life. It's easy to be overwhelmed by the vastness of the cities in which we live, to stay in our neighborhoods and suburbs. The students on that campus in your city matter to God. Do they matter to your church? Interested in planning a strategy for reaching your local campus? Contact Ginger Bowman at ginger.bowman@texasbaptists.org. *Population statistics from US Census Bureau as recorded by the Texas State Archives Commssion. Campus enrollments from the 2017 Texas Public Higher Education Almanac, THECB. |
College Ministry for Life
Over the last few weeks, I’ve found myself engaging in many conversations on the current state of American evangelicalism. Questions like these arise: What is the future of the church as we know it? What will the Baptist denomination look like for our children? What does evangelism look like in a post-modern context? Why do people stop going to church – and what does it look like for them to come back? I trust that these are questions we all are struggling with in one sense or another. And it has brought me to this foundational question in my own ministry: So what now? How do I create a dynamic college ministry that equips and prepares students to successfully navigate life in the church – especially after they graduate? My team and I have focused on a few things that help move us forward in the pursuit of this goal. Here a few thoughts:
Overall, I want us to be encouraged! God is still at work, and the church has a vibrant future ahead. Let’s be a part of helping guide it onward. Books that are influencing my ministry right now:
 Katy Reed is Director of College Ministry at First Baptist Church Arlington. |
Spring Break as a Springboard in Salt Lake
Portico, the College Ministry of First Baptist Church Wichita Falls, spent their spring break investing with an eye on the future. We asked college minister Sterling Sellman to share their experience with us. Tell us some of the basics about your trip. Our college ministry in partnership with our missions department went on a 4 day trip to Salt Lake City , Utah. We worked with a church plant called Ekklesia. Some of the projects we did included set up and tear down for their Sunday gathering, neighborhood canvasing for upcoming Good Friday/Easter Services, prayer walking and serving a charter school who allows Ekklesia to use their facilities weekly. You shared with us that this trip had a greater goal. How is your trip a part of your strategy? Our long term strategy is to see college graduates take their profession and live it out on mission. In other words, someone who graduates is not just transitioning to be a soon to be teacher or a businessman - instead they are graduating as a future teacher on mission, a future businessman on mission. Even further, we believe that Salt Lake City is a perfect place for college graduates to consider moving to and being on the mission of saturating their community with the gospel. We have started asking students to dream about what it would look like to commit their first two years out of college in a place like Salt Lake City. What were some of the immediate results of your trip? Students were impacted to live out on mission as a college student. Also, we have a student who is committing his summer to Salt Lake City through the "NAMB Send” initiative. Does your mission trip planning have a long term goal? How might you incorporate that into your next mission opportunity? We would love to hear about it on our Facebook page here. |
What you should know about TexasFreshman.com
Believe it or not, graduation season is almost upon us again! It's an exciting time for those high school seniors as they celebrate finishing out their high school years and prepare for the next chapter of life. We've designed a website to help them continue their faith journey as they move on to new things. TexasFreshmen.com links students in Texas with a Baptist Student Ministry and/or a local church where they go to college. The sooner they make that connection, the more likely they will be to participate in a ministry during their freshmen year. We want your church to be a part of that connection. Here's what you need to know. |
Easter Sunday Opportunity
It's a busy week in the life of the church. Resurrection Week. No doubt you have plenty on your plate this week. In the midst of the hubub don't miss out on the great opportunity you will have to connect with students old and new. |
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