This article was written by Jared Farley, Baptist Collegiate Minister, at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia.
“This week I realized I have a calling to ministry and missions for the rest of my life,” explained Karson, an incoming sophomore from Henderson State University. “It caused me to set some pretty ambitious goals, but I know that since this calling is from God, I can trust this is the best path for my life.”
God can use one week to completely change the trajectory of a college student’s life. Collegiate Week 2021 did just that. This week is designed for college students and leaders who want to learn to passionately follow Jesus. Over one thousand students from many states joined together to hear from God, many of whom were called out for lifelong ministry.
Tyler, an incoming freshman from Kirby, Arkansas shared, “I wasn’t really in the brightest of places coming into this week. My church experience recently wasn’t connecting for me, but this week brought me back to a place of loving Jesus and my faith again.” Many students (especially freshmen), like Tyler, are in danger of drifting away from the church as they enter college. Collegiate Week is a very strategic event that can redirect a life to follow Christ closely in college.
“This camp helped me start to prepare to embrace the calling I have to work in missions. I want to bring the Gospel to people that have never heard of Jesus!” said Tyler. This theme of missions echoed across the entire week of camp. Students were saturated with the great need for the Gospel all around the world. Many, like Tyler and Karson, committed to doing their part to fulfill the great commission.
Josh, a sophomore from Missouri, had a great experience, “hearing some great and helpful messages from some really smart and godly people.” Another aspect of Collegiate Week is the power it has to propel students into the start of the semester with the right mindset. The first four weeks on the college campus are some of the most spiritually intense. Baptist Collegiate Ministry student leaders, like Josh, are in a battle to follow Christ in college and help others do the same. Josh shares more below.
“There was an emphasis that stuck with me on the importance of making disciples with the time we have. There is a danger in having a lot of success at something that is not eternally significant. Our time here on earth is so short compared to eternity. I want to make my life count by following Christ and making disciples.”