PHILADELPHIA (BRN) — “There’s over 20 million college students in North America, [and] only two percent are being reached with the Gospel,” said BRN/NAMB Collegiate Missionary Brady Rennix.
That two percent, from all the campuses from across our nation, when calculated, is equivalent to a mere 400,000 college students.
“The students that we reach today are the leaders of the church tomorrow. So, if it’s overlooked in the college world, then in the adult world they’re not going to be the strong Christians that they need to be,” continued Rennix.
Rennix currently serves as a collegiate missionary for several smaller college campuses in the greater Philadelphia area. This scope of colleges includes Delaware Valley University, Gwynedd Mercy University, and Montgomery County Community College.
It was at Montgomery County Community College in 2016 where he met Shekina Mack, an international student from Congo who was searching for a Christian community.
“So, when I first met Brady I was in a very hard spot in my life. Like, I would say I was very depressed. Just being in a different country [and] not knowing what I wanted to do with my life, as far as a major. Since I grew up as a Christian, I knew that being connected to Christians and people like me [was] going to help me stand on my feet,” said Mack.
“I remember talking to Brady, because like I said I was very desperate…I was just first trying to find my place [and] find people I can connect with. That’s the thing with college students, I feel like connection [and] community is such a big part of young people.”
After hearing about Mack’s situation, Rennix invited her to one of the campus ministry’s small groups.
“I know it was other students from the International Club that were involved in our Christian group that said to me I had to meet this girl. I could see from her demeaner…from the stories I heard from her friends that she was just in a tough place.”
Rennix continued: “So, the first thing we always do is we look to connect with Christians, and we look to help them grow in their faith. I remember inviting her to one of our small groups on campus, and immediately she was welcomed in and connected with the other Christians on campus.”
From those connections, Mack gained a community and, eventually, started attending the large group gatherings the ministry hosted.
“I remember Brady introducing me to one of the leaders, and it’s almost like God was writing that story, because those people all had a big heart for international people. They were just like praying over me and it was just very emotional. That’s where everything started,” shared Mack.
Mack’s involvement in the campus ministry then extended to the stage, where she stepped out of her comfort zone and into leading worship.
“That was actually my first time getting outside of my comfort zone. The people that I was surrounded with were very supportive. Even if I didn’t want – personally – to be involved in worship, they were like forcing me to get involved…just encouraging me,” she said.
It was there, on the stage, that God revealed to Mack a new passion, which would later become a calling.
“Through the support of everybody else, I was able to get involved in worship and lead worship. That was where my passion of actually leading worship came from and led me to Hillsong Worship.”
Now, years after her first small group gathering at Montgomery County Community College, the Lord has led Mack to Hillsong College in Arizona to study the art of leading worship.
“So this is like the dream come true. When I meet college students, and especially when I meet them in a place that they’re not doing well or they don’t want to be… it is an amazing thing to see students, like Shekina, that God just gets a hold of their lives. God begins the work there and then the transformation,” shared Rennix.
“To see her now worship on stage, to lead worship in a big way – impacting so many people – it’s just an amazing thing. But that’s the whole reason – that’s why we do what we do to be on campus. To engage them [students] where they are, encourage them in their faith, and then equip them to go out and serve Jesus wherever they go.”
At Hillsong College, Mack is continuing to walk with Christ and developing her character.
“The big thing about Hillsong College is they’re working hard on building the character of the people of God, it’s not always about your talents. On my first year, they started really reinforcing the idea of having the character to sustain you through every season.”
Although she is enjoying her time at Hillsong College and the many things God is teaching her there, Mack was originally in denial about her calling and about pursuing ministry.
“Through the ministry that I was involved with, with Pastor Brady, that actually planted a seed in me to actually want to do it, but I was still in denial. I was like, ‘God, I actually don’t want to serve in ministry.’ Coming from Africa, they expect you to have a degree…[and] become a doctor or lawyer. So, I was kind of rejecting the idea of being in ministry.”
She continued: “Through just like resisting, I just felt like God kept reinforcing things in my life. Like [saying], ‘This is what I want you to do.’ I was, again, in a tough spot in my life and I realized it was because I was actually resisting God’s calling in my life.”
Eventually, Mack got to the point where she could no longer run away from God’s call.
“I was at a point where I was like, ‘God, I heard you calling me so many times and I’m going to say yes. I don’t care what it’s going to look like, I’m just going to take the risk.”
It was a risk worth taking, and one that started at the university level.
“I feel like college is a stage of life where we’re all trying to figure out who we are, who we want to be, what the heck is life, [and] what am I supposed to do? We have so many questions. It’s so important to start reaching kids during that age, just because if we don’t the society is already doing the job,” said Mack.
She added, “If the church is going to actually invest in college students, it’s going to prevent this generation from getting lost when they grow up. I feel like it’s very important to prioritize college ministry.”
Rennix echoed Mack’s affirmation of there being a need for college ministry, by saying, “If we can reach the students, as Shekina said, in the time of life that they’re searching, in the time of life that they’re open to the Gospel… then God is so going to impact their lives [and] down the road they’re going to be the leaders of the church. So, it’s so important that we sow seeds of faithfulness into the college campus.”
Listen to podcast interview (with Bonus worship at the end!):
The “50 Stories of Transformation” series, told in honor of the Baptist Resource Network’s 50th anniversary, highlights the many ways God has moved throughout Pennsylvania, South Jersey and beyond. Your generous support of the Cooperative Program makes this ministry possible and fuels evangelism and outreach in our local churches and all over the world! Thank you!
