Love characterizes Mizzou Baptist Student Union
By Allen Palmeri
Staff Writer
March 22, 2005
COLUMBIA – Spring is in the air at the University of Missouri, where love continues to fill the meetings at the Baptist Student Union (BSU) building on Hitt Street.
“As a community, I really feel that this is love right here,” said Adam Krueger, a recent graduate of Missouri who has spent the last 21/2 years attending the BSU. Krueger is a member of First Baptist Church, Festus-Crystal City and attends Memorial Baptist Church, Columbia.
“You have to love that person to make them feel welcome. You just can’t shun them. So I really feel like the people within the BSU really show God’s love that way.”
The teacher March 3 was senior Jake Molloy, who taught on love. Molloy leads one of nine BSU small group meeting during the week on campus, but when he stepped up to speak to the Thursday night BSU crowd, his fiancée, senior Tiffany Knoebel, said he was a bit jittery.
“Love is what distinctly marks Christians from the world, and that’s what people really need,” said Knoebel, who is a member of Memorial Baptist Church, Jefferson City. “He just felt so much pressure, because this is his heart. This is what he thinks is most important, and so he wanted to really honor God in that.
“I know it’s kind of hokey, but we (the BSU members) love each other. We try to reach out to one another, and we try to reach out to others on our campus.”
Knoebel has been attending the Mizzou BSU since the second semester of her freshman year.
“What I like most is the fellowship, being able to hang out with people that really love me and care about me,” she said. “Sometimes it feels like the world is against you, but this is the place where you can find people who will pray with you and encourage you.”
Missouri BSU Director Jerry Carmichael said that he and his staff do what they can to cultivate an atmosphere of caring.
“I think that kind of goes in line with what we see as our goal, and that is for all of our students to be more and more Christ-like,” he said.
Krueger looked around the room at friendly faces engaged in warm conversation. His student days are history but he still feels very connected.
“No matter who you are, if you step foot in these doors you’re going to feel welcome,” he said. “I think that’s one of the very big highlights of what BSU’s all about.
“I’m here in Columbia, so I may as well still attend this. I really want to support it.”