NASHVILLE — There is a tension in ministry: Get results now, but not at the expense of long-term effectiveness. The long game is important. Lessons from Matthew 13 are in play, because a seed doesn’t sprout immediately and yet is highly dependent on its current environment.

The effectiveness of collegiate ministry depends on how you play the long game. And that doesn’t happen without support.

“The Cooperative Program is vital for our work,” said Michael Ball, director of the Baptist Student Union at Mississippi State. “When BSU was formed, it was a cooperative effort of churches coming together to have a presence on the campus.”

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Many staff salaries at campus ministries, like MSU, are supported by Cooperative Program gifts. The same goes for buildings that are typically centered on campus in high traffic areas.

“We’re grateful for that,” Ball said. “It provides a way for us to be a lighthouse on campus, to help each other while helping students grow in the Gospel.”

The MSU BSU’s original building was built in 1961 and sits adjacent to the one they moved into eight years ago. Like others, it is an important part of the ministry and gives a sense of permanence for students.

Campus minister as missionary

In Murfreesboro, Tenn., churches serve as crucial partners in the ministry of Middle Tennessee State University’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry. And as food is such an effective conduit to reach college students, that often occurs one pastry at a time, toasted or not

“We hand out water, Pop Tarts and other snacks that are provided by our local churches,” said director Mark Whitt. “Recently a church brought us 500 or 600 Pop Tarts. I tell them every one of those represents a Gospel conversation on the MTSU campus.”

Such partnerships have allowed the BCM to have “an incredible presence,” he said. Their building is located across the street from the football stadium and is also used by local churches and in partnership with Concord Baptist Association.

“They see us as missionaries here,” said Whitt, referring to himself and associate Shelby Hall. “We know the culture and language of the students. We represent all of our churches in our work on the campus.”

Making Gospel appointments

Jacksonville State’s Baptist Campus Ministries building experienced tornado damage in 2018, the same week a team of students was on a mission trip in Houston. The Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions invested in rebuilding and upgrading the building.

In her first semester on campus, director Shannon Hughes has already established a culture of evangelism among students that has brought several salvations. Efforts to connect with local student pastors included inviting them to the BCM building for time with Josh Meadows, state student ministry strategist. Hughes also introduced herself to Tracy Griggs, campus minister at nearby Gadsden State Community College, which sees many students transfer to JSU.

Support comes from CP as well as other sources. More than a dozen local churches as well as Calhoun, Cherokee and Cleburne Baptist associations bolster the Jax State BCM. 

In addition to Hughes meeting with students, on-campus evangelism occurs through student-led teams. Texting would be an expected introduction for those encounters, but Hughes goes a little old school.

“They are inundated with texts, so we give them a phone call,” she said. “It’s one of the reasons Welcome Week was a success and carries over into building relationships.”

After students meet up, an invitation to receive the Gospel becomes central to the conversation. John Heston, a sophomore from Glencoe, Ala., has led in organizing Gospel appointments, the term used for follow-up discussions among students that includes introducing them to BCM as well as local churches.

“We use the 3 Circles method and Life on Mission app through the North American Mission Board,” said Heston, who led a student to Christ about a half-hour before his interview with Baptist Press. “We’re up front with them on what we want to talk about. It’s not a bait-and-switch.”

Making space for awkward conversations

Paul Worcester was a campus minister at Chico State University in California before becoming NAMB national director for collegiate ministry. In his role he helps train collegiate ministry leaders nationwide and speaks to up to 20,000 college students a year.

Like others interviewed for this story, he has observed a noticeable uptick in anxiety among college students that could be from lingering isolation during COVID shutdowns or too much time in front of a phone screen. But Worcester has also seen an openness to the Gospel. It all starts with an introduction.

“Awkward conversations change lives,” he told BP. “Students are kind of in a broken space, but really want to experience Jesus and be born again. They want to have an authentic encounter with God.

“We see a lot of students who are revived and excited to share their faith. They have a vibrant prayer life, are memorizing Scripture and discipling others.”

He and Shane Pruitt, NAMB Next Gen director, overlap in their respective ministry areas and see much of the same.

“Students are coming to Christ with a zeal and passion that has us calling it the Revival Generation,” Worcester said.

Training leaders

Campus ministry is centralized on, well, the campus. But it is also for training future missionaries and church leaders.

Mississippi State’s BSU draws between 300-400 at its weekly Tuesday meetings and utilizes 23 small groups – each with two leaders – for deeper fellowship. A team of 11 took a mission trip to the Mississippi Delta last Christmas. Another team of 34 went to New York during spring break. A partnership stretching back 13 years takes a group of 12 to England annually. Twenty-two served in summer missions. Another team provides weekly after-school tutoring and a Bible study to children.

Others conduct outreach efforts such as campus evangelism and international student ministry.

“Our mission statement is to know Christ and make him known,” said Ball. “Our students are also highly requested from churches for things like serving as teachers during DiscipleNow weekends.”

The same missions efforts take place in Murfreesboro and include training for those sensing a call to vocational ministry. Leadership development includes preparing students to serve in the local church.

Whitt knows it doesn’t happen without help.

“It’s a great day to be a college minister in Tennessee,” he said. “Our state exec loves us and believes in us. We’re very fortunate to have Dr. [Randy] Davis and I’m just thankful our state is investing in college ministry.”

Joe Graham spent more than 41 years in collegiate ministry – 38 with Georgia Baptists. In retirement he stays active as national coordinator for BCNet, a nationwide collection of Southern Baptist collegiate ministers.

He has seen a lot and knows one thing. Now is the time for Southern Baptists to invest.

“What started at Asbury last year is continuing in pockets all over the country,” Graham said. “There are a lot of good things happening on campuses all over the country and stories about serious student moments.

“For decades we’ve prayed for a revival generation of college students. This really may be them.”

This article has been republished with permission from Baptist Press.

Scott Barkley is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press.