PHILADELPHIA (BRN) – Each week over 400 Drexel University students are invited to share a meal on campus provided through a Baptist Resource Network (BRN) evangelism grant. We gather every Sunday in the James E. Marks Intercultural Center in the Interfaith Chapel, right next to the Muslim prayer room.
At times, our meal is pleasantly interrupted by students coming over to greet us. They are always invited to join. Some do. Others are hurriedly on their way to pray in a different faith. But we are always present in their lives. They know Christians worship in this space. We are not behind closed doors. We are not just nearby. We are right there in the heart of the campus. We bring Christ to campus.
We meet in the heart of campus, but individually we significantly impact the campus. I often look at those in attendance impressed by the reach of those who have gathered. We are not many, but we connect with many. Allow me a few moments to describe who is gathered around the table.
First there is Joshua, a senior game design major, and his sister Rebekah, a culinary arts student. They serve as student leaders of CRU, a Christian group on campus. Joshua has coordinated the evangelism and prayer efforts of CRU over the last couple of years.
As Joshua graduates, Rebekah is just stepping into a leadership role. CRU has 105 student members and is constantly engaging the campus with the gospel. Our Sunday night fellowship feeds CRU leaders with food and content as they impact the campus.
Sitting next to them is Nicole, a marketing major. She is not only a leader in CRU but has founded a second Christian student organization called Delight, designed specifically to impact women on Drexel’s campus with the gospel. Delight has 21 members. Many are experiencing a Christian group for the very first time.
At another table is Youngdai. He is a 32-year-old international PhD student from South Korea doing research in marketing. He is a leader for the Graduate Christian Fellowship (GCF). The only Christian group on campus intentionally ministering to master’s and doctorate students in partnership with the faculty Bible study. Many of these students are international students. This group connects with 34 graduate students and more than 100 international students.
At the same table is Edison. Edison is only 19 and an international student from Nigeria studying Bio Medical engineering. He is the sophomore class representative of the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA). The USGA provides student leadership for the entire campus. It is great to have a Christian voice as part of this organization.
Immediately next to me is Jon Rice. Jon is a Drexel alum who came to Christ while a Drexel student. He leads a Bible Study with his family that has resulted in his brother coming to Christ.
Then there is Josh and Bekah. Josh is a recent graduate from Arcadia University who was heavily involved in a Christian group on that campus. He now mobilizes students for mission trips with Nehemiah Teams. His wife Bekah is the Associate Director of Baptist Campus Ministries at Drexel. She works closely with Youngdai and GCF reaching international students with the gospel.
The last two in attendance are my wife and I. Jennifer is our cook but for her day job she works for a Christian ministry sharing the gospel with pregnant women and single moms. I serve as the Baptist Campus Minister at Drexel. In this role I help facilitate several ministries on campus. Gathered around this one table eating together are 10 leaders learning from Scripture how to change the campus and the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Have an outreach event you would like to host, but could use a little help when it comes to the cost? Apply for a BRN Evangelism Grant today by visiting brnunited.org/grant!