PARON, Ark. – God is at work in this generation of college students.
“I see a widespread hunger for God’s presence, desire to grow as disciples, and resolve to go wherever He leads,” said Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) Baptist Collegiate Ministry and Church Health Strategist Chris Larmoyeux following the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) Fall Retreat 2024.
Over 150 college students from across the state gathered at Camp Paron for the weekend retreat in October to worship, pray, and draw close to God.
Conway BCM Campus Minister Thomas Guinee said he remembers attending fall retreats as a student; however, there has not been one for a few years.
“It was a huge win for us as a state, having that come back this year. I cannot emphasize enough how instrumental Jeremy Woodall was in making this happen. We’re really grateful for all he did,” Guinee said. “It was a huge win for our students, for sure.”
In an Instagram post, Arkansas Tech BCM shared their students “were surrounded with other BCM’s from around the state and got to hear from incredible speakers about sharing their faith and living life on mission.” A couple of the speakers were ABSC Executive Director Dr. Rex Horne and Paul Worcester, national collegiate director with the North American Mission Board.
Guinee said they pitched the event to students as “this fall retreat can be whatever you need it to be.”
“I had a couple students, they were worn out, they needed a weekend they could get away from everything and spend some time with Jesus. That was really helpful for them,” he said.
Katie King, a student from University of Arkansas – Fort Smith (UAFS), said the fall retreat was “so good for my heart.”
“I was able to focus on the Lord in a way that seems so impossible in the craziness of college life,” she said. “Leading worship at the fall retreat was so good for my soul. The Lord made himself present in my life almost tangibly through our time spent worshiping him. I can’t speak for others, but it is a weekend that made a big impact on me. I’ve been so excited to be back on campus so that I can remind my friends how good our God is.”
Dalton Colwell, a fellow UAFS student, said he is now feeling a call to missions.
“Christ revealed that I needed to go abroad and serve him in missions. It is a moral imperative to spread his teachings and to serve others as he would. I simply decided to start listening,” he said.
The fall retreat also provided an opportunity to make and strengthen friendships. Guinee said he loves to see students form deep friendships that last a lifetime, adding he is sure there were dozens of people who met the individual who will be the best man or maid of honor in their wedding someday.
“Whatever a student needed from the Lord, He encountered that in them in that this weekend. It ended up being a great time for them,” Guinee said.
“I think there was eternal salvation impact. I think several of our leaders, too, really felt a challenge and burden to move forward in evangelism efforts on their campus.”