JEFFERSON CITY – Usually, college students equate sunscreen and snorkeling with spring break, but many Missouri Baptist college students have a different focus.
MBCollegiate groups on college campuses around the state sent students on spring break mission trips in their communities, around the state, in neighboring states and even foreign countries.
Jerome Stockert, MBCollegiate director, said these spring break missions are learning opportunities.
Jerome Stockert
“These missions help students out of their bubble,” he said. “Students see how the work is done in a variety of ministries.”
“Also,” he continued, “they are extensions of the local church. They help disciple in the community and fulfill the Great Commission along with local believers.”
Scott Westfall, MBC campus missionary at the University of Missouri, agreed that learning is important for these mission trips, but he also believes that they are a great way to disciple the students.
“I’m with them as we travel to the location,” Westfall said, “and then we work side by side to advance the Kingdom.”
Westfall led students on two trips this year, one to Trento, Italy, and one to Lakeland, Florida. The one in Italy was to support the work of a former student, Trista Arnold, as an IMB Journeyman in Trento, Italy.
“These college students had a wonderful opportunity to share the gospel in this university city,” he said. “Ninety percent of the students could speak English, and they wanted the opportunity to practice with us.”
“Well over 100 students attended the Taco Night at the end of the week,” he continued. “We had students from Iran, Ethiopia, Ukraine, and others from all over the world. The students from Iran had just been there a couple weeks because they were getting away from the conflict.”
“The students were Muslim,” Westfall explained, “but they were not radical. Since they were not radical, their praying and meeting were limited, so they hoped that the conflict would bring greater freedom to the country.”
On the second trip, Westfall led sixteen Mizzou students to Lakeland, Florida. The students partnered with Bethel Baptist Church. “They took over the midweek classes for the children and the youth,” he said. “One student preached the message to the youth.”
“That is the wonderful aspect of these mission trips,” Westfall continued. “The students are challenged by what they do, who they reach for Christ. Then, they can do the same thing at home.”
TRENTO, Italy – During a recent mission trip here, students from the MBCollegiate group at the University of Missouri help to serve food at an Italian evangelical church. (Photo courtesy of Scott Westfall)
Paul Carby, campus missionary in St. Louis, saw the benefit of college ministry from the reverse side. Carby and his wife, Sammi, work on the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) campus. It is primarily a city commuter campus.
“It is a challenge,” Carby said, “because students come to campus focus on their classes and then head home.”
The benefit for the UMSL campus came when students from the Metropolitan Community College (MCC)-Longview from Lee’s Summit came to minister in St. Louis.
“Since they are a commuter campus in Kansas City,” Carby explained, “they understand the demographic of our campus.”
“The students helped us by doing a prayer walk around campus,” he continued, “and they set up a table in a high traffic area to share with students. We had prepared Exam Survival Bags with highlighters, snacks and other goodies. We just want to show them that we love them.”
Carby also described the spiritual surveys that the students took around campus. “It gave the students an opportunity to share the gospel as well as giving us a basis for future plans on campus.”
Carby also mentioned that the students helped them put on a game night. “This was our first time with the game night,” he said. “We had about 20 students come to find out what we were doing and to eat pizza with us. Even the vice president of the student council came to eat pizza and to talk about what we were doing. We are planning another game night the week before finals.”
Carby focused on an added benefit for the ministry leaders when the college students come to serve. “The offer validity to our ministry,” he said. “It is so great to have college students talking to other students. These mission trips are an emotional and spiritual lift to us.”