This article was written by Jared Farley, BCM campus minister at Henderson State University, his alma mater. Mary (his wife) and Jared have been married for 5 years and love discipling college students to know and love God more fully.
“I’m praying that every player on the Baseball team will have the opportunity to hear the Gospel at least one time,” says BCM student leader Greyson Stevens. God is stirring on the Henderson State University baseball team and Stevens, along with several other guys, is right in the middle of it.
Stevens, a junior from Pottsville, has not always had this mindset. He grew up in a Christian household and had always attended church. He did this mostly out of obligation and not a desire to seek after Jesus. Stevens said, “when I got to Henderson, I found discipleship through the BCM which has taught me how to disciple others.” He knew he needed someone to equip him with the tools to grow in his faith and to share the Gospel with his teammates. Now, Stevens has opportunities to share the Gospel every week on the baseball team.
Andrew Howard and Nick Hagerty, two Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) leaders on the baseball team, have joined with Stevens to launch a “village” specifically to reach more teammates. A village is similar to a church Sunday school or small group. These three guys get together weekly to share a meal and study God’s Word with other guys they invite from the baseball team. Almost every week new guys are showing up to study the Bible and hearing the Gospel in a clear way.
Villages are so effective because we aim to plant them in every “people group” or “tribe” on campus. The best way for a baseball player or band member or biology student to hear the Gospel is if a student they know from that group brings it to them. BCM seeks to disciple students like Stevens to grow in Christ and know how to practically share the Good News with others. Our hope is that every distinct group on campus has an active village filled with students who love them enough to share the Good News of Jesus with them!
Greyson, Andrew, and Nick have seen God work through their obedience and prayers this year even in the midst of our cultural challenges. Each of them has found at least one other baseball teammate to meet with and start to disciple. Steadily, over the course of the semester, the group has continued to grow. We pray and have great confidence that in the fall semester there will be enough leaders to launch another group on the baseball team so even more Reddies will be able to hear the Gospel.