KIRKSVILLE – In the first six weeks of the semester, 16 college students connected to MBCollegiate ministries put their trust in Christ for the first time.
Greg Xander from the Truman State BSU reports two stories of two international students who joined the family of God in the last month. One student comes from an Eastern European country and grew up in a Muslim world. Xander says, “We have gotten to know him over the past two years since he went on our spring break trip. During these last two years, he’s bounced back and forth between disinterested and interested in Jesus. Many of our students have consistently poured into him. He and I have been meeting at least three times a week since the semester began.”
Something changed one Thursday night. Xander was eating cinnamon rolls and getting ready for bed late when he received the following text from this student, “Hi Greg, I think I am ready to accept Jesus into my life, and I want him to transform me, so that I live the way he lived. I just realized that even with all these questions, there is just no going back for me, because of how strong it all feels. Now I want to learn the way he lived and carry my cross and follow him”.
Xander met with the student the next morning to talk through it. “He crossed the line of faith and gave his life to Jesus and now is about what God is about, saving the world through His Son,” Xander celebrates.
The other new believer is a Japanese student that BSU students have been pouring into for the last year. She grew up with the Shinto religion all around her. At one Thursday night worship service, she gave her life to Christ.
At North Central Missouri College, a student told campus missionary Christina Boatright, “I want to go on mission but feel I’m the person who needs the mission.”
This student had never been to church and had only recently started coming to BSU small group and Bible study. Boatright asked her if she believes that Jesus died for her and rose again and if she’s asked forgiveness of her sins. She said yes to both. Christina told her, “God has redeemed you, and you are totally qualified to tell other people about Him, too, which is all missions is!” Peace washed over this student. She’s been learning, growing, seeking to understand, and bringing her boyfriend to Bible study ever since.
A student from Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) has been working through a Discover Bible Study with Reese Hammond at the SEMO Lighthouse. After completing the study and going through The Hard Sayings of Jesus, this Zimbabwean student professed faith in Christ.
Austin Pfrimmer, Campus Missionary at the Crowder BSU, shares this story of how a student came to faith recently:
“There is a group of students within our BSU that came to us eagerly seeking discipleship, longing for genuine Christian connection, and passionately desiring to share the gospel with those around them. This group of students within our BSU has displayed these qualities in various ways. They approached me and asked to start an additional weekly Bible study where they could lead worship, and each of them committed to inviting their peers to attend both our Bible studies. Our BSU has seen the best numbers it has ever had thanks to these students. Every good story that comes from our BSU this year is thanks to these amazing students whom the Lord has brought to us.
“It was during this additional Bible study started by this group that another student felt convicted to respond to the gospel. She went back to her dorm after Bible study and thought about the things that were discussed until she simply needed to talk to someone about it. She went out and found the same group of BSU students who started the Bible study. They were studying together. She told them everything that she was thinking about, that she wanted to be saved, but didn’t think she deserved it. Our students walked her through Scripture and prayer, and on that night, our students led their friend to Christ. My wife and I received a phone call immediately after, and we shared many tears of joy with our students.”
Missouri Baptist University (MBU) holds a speaker series event on the first Tuesday of the month. September’s event fell on the Tuesday of the Sent Conference, so they had J.D. Greear as the speaker. After his talk, two students came up to Women’s Discipleship leader, Emily Ramage, asking for prayer and stating that they wanted to give their lives to Christ. Another MBU student rededicated her life to Christ after attending a retreat through the church both she and Ramage attend.
Last month, an MBU baseball player gave his life to Christ and got baptized after talking with a staff member. An athlete on the lacrosse team also gave her life to Christ in August after months of investment from Ramage.
At Mizzou, a student who recently came to Christ and got baptized on September 15th was texting one of his friends. He shared the gospel with his friend, and his friend responded in faith!
Every fall, several MBCollegiate ministries team up for the annual 417 Fall Retreat. This year, Three Rivers BSU Campus Missionary James Mohler sensed God working on his students. While all of his students took away something from the retreat, one took home newfound faith in Christ.
Mohler says, “I met Kayli at the beginning of the semester. After our first Gathering meeting she asked if she could speak with me. After sharing with her about God’s love for her and how He can bring her peace and restoration, my wife was able to talk and pray with her, having gone through some of the same struggles. She continued to come to The Gathering as well as another Bible study on campus. She was one of the first to sign up for the fall retreat and was excited to go. As soon as we got there, it was evident that God was working on her heart. Saturday night around the fire one of the ladies from the worship team talked with her and shared the Gospel with her. This is where she made her profession of faith.”
In addition to the sixteen students who’ve put their trust in Christ, five nonstudents connected to MBCollegiate ministries have also responded in faith to the gospel in the last two months.
Isaac Whitman, the new Campus Missionary at Missouri Western’s Christian Challenge, has been sharing the gospel consistently for years with a friend from his own college days at Missouri Western. This friend had never shown interest—until a couple months ago, when he reached out and told Whitman that he’d started attending a church. He got baptized on Sept. 29. “I’ve shared this story with several student leaders to encourage them that we may not always see the fruits of our efforts while we’re in college, but God is always working,” says Whitman.
Bridge students from Mizzou partnered with Centennial Baptist Church in Mexico, Mo., for a community outreach event.
Campus Missionary Scott Westfall says, “Our students jumped in to help with setup, ran games, served food, and even did face painting to connect with families. They also shared their testimonies and, most importantly, many of them shared the gospel one-on-one throughout the event. The fruit of their labor was clear—eight new people attended Centennial Baptist the following Sunday, and three individuals came to faith in Christ! Praise God for His work through our students, and let’s continue to pray for those who heard the gospel and for Centennial Baptist as they continue to reach their community.”
In addition to these salvations, ten MBCollegiate students got baptized in August and September.
God is at work on our college campuses. In the words of Xander, “God is allowing us to be a voice of hope in their lives.”