New School Year Brings New Changes to Baptist Campus Ministries

Baptist Campus Ministries is on a mission with new nights and a new name at the University of the Cumberlands. This mission is to “help Christians become change agents for the church campus community through leadership development, discipleship, evangelism and missions,” said Dean Whitaker, Campus Minister. BCM works to accomplish this mission each week through three primary ways: worship time on campus, small group ministry and service.

Worship is a time for students to join together through speaking, song and fellowship to praise and learn about God. It was once called Ignite, but now goes under the new name, Fuse, and meets on Thursdays at 8 p.m. in the Gatliff Chapel. Fuse is also a great place to start getting involved in BCM.

“I went by myself and many people introduced themselves to me,” said junior transfer student Katelyn Glass.

The goal of small group ministry is to meet on a personal level and grow through Bible study and prayer said Whitaker. These small groups, called Life Groups, meet on Mondays at 8 p.m. at two locations: the old sanctuary at Main Street Baptist Church and the youth room at First Baptist Church. Freshmen Fire is a small group exclusively for freshmen that meets on Mondays at 8 p.m. in the Angel-Dale House.

“I am forming relationships with people and feeling so much love on this campus in ways that I can’t find in a classroom or at the cafeteria,” said sophomore and Life Group leader Alli Burton, “There are so many deep conversations and so much realness in the people, and it’s just a huge part of my life.”

BCM provides a multitude of service opportunities. Appalachian Ministries is a weekly ministry for children and Mountain Outreach is a construction ministry that builds and repairs homes in the community. Other opportunities include mission projects during school breaks, revival teams, and discipleship teams who organize weekend youth retreats explained Magan Atwood, Director of Appalachian Ministries.

One student, junior Tommie Thompson, described her Spring Break 2009 mission trip, “John 13:35 says ‘Love one another.’ On the Baltimore trip I learned to serve others and love, and that is what BCM is all about, loving others so that it glorifies our Heavenly Father.”

“I don’t wanna join another organization – I just want Jesus,” the BCM homepage states. What makes BCM more than just another organization is the effort the members put forth to “grow as disciples by making more disciples through authentic relationships,” said Forrest Coleman, BCM President. According to Whitaker, the best thing that has happened through BCM so far is the real decisions that are being made to follow Christ.

BCM has many events planned for the 2009/2010 school year including:

• Engage for International Students – Oct. 30-Nov. 1
  
• Freshman Only Mission Trip – Winter Break
• Mexico Mission Trip – January

According to Coleman, the best way to get involved is to “come to Fuse and meet people.” For further information call Campus Ministries at extension 4343 or email dean.whitaker@ucumberlands.edu.