I firmly believe God uses BCM ministries to raise up and call out students to a variety of ministry callings. Below, I’ve asked Kayla to share just how that began to happen in her life. I hope you will pray for her and many other college students God will use to reach the nations!
“In the fall of 2018, I started college at Henderson State with the plan of graduating in four years and moving back to my hometown to teach high school. Fast forward four years, and I now work as the Assistant Campus Minister at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM), preparing to go overseas in the next few years. Without the influence of BCM and the mentors I found within this ministry, I am confident it would have taken me much longer to sense, let alone answer, this call to missions.
I got involved in the BCM my freshman year, and throughout my college career, God used this ministry to provide opportunities and people that would direct me toward his plan for my life. While serving on the BCM leadership team, spending summers at camps, working DNOWs, and discipling my peers, I realized I have a passion for leading college students. Within the next two years, my campus minister, Jared Farley, asked me to join the BCM staff after graduation, and I gladly accepted the offer.
At the end of my junior year, God revealed that he was calling me to overseas missions, and I wrestled with this calling for the next two years. I had many conversations with mentors within the BCM who helped me to process my fears and encouraged me to continue trusting God. One day, Jared challenged me by saying, “Kayla, the only way to know if God is calling you is to go.” Knowing he was right; I spent some time praying and decided to go on a mission trip to an unreached area with the BCM.
This trip was very impactful for me because I was challenged to think creatively when sharing the Gospel, trust God amid adversity, and release control of my comfort. As I built relationships, shared the Gospel with students, and sensed the spiritual darkness in the country, my desire to reach the lost and witness to Muslims grew. Walking away from this trip, I knew that I had to die to myself and obey God’s call for my life so that others could hear the truth of salvation through Jesus Christ.
After another two months of wrestling, I finally committed to saying yes to God. In August, when we attended Collegiate Week, I was able to speak to representatives from the International Mission Board. I learned about the Journeyman program and how I could continue to do college ministry overseas. I plan to start filling out my application for Journeyman in the next few months so that I can further explore my call to missions.
Although I still struggle with fear and have moments of doubt, God continually reminds me of how he has been faithful and that he will continue to be faithful as I put my trust in him. I am eternally grateful that God brought me to the BCM in 2018 and used this ministry to grow my faith and direct me in his plan for my life.”