A new discipleship program for Alabama college students — the Timothy Initiative — will focus on training the next generation of Alabama Baptist leaders through mentorship and missions.
Mike Nuss, director of the office of collegiate and student ministries for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, introduced the program to student ministers at the Pursue conference Feb. 25–26 at First Baptist Church Opelika.
“Helping college students think strategically about life after college and guiding them as they make decisions and prepare for future ministry and missions opportunities is an important part of Alabama Baptists’ ministry to college students,” Nuss said. “The Timothy Initiative is a new avenue for highly motivated college juniors and seniors to begin serious preparation for a missional life beyond college.”
The Timothy Initiative, or TI, is designed to help college juniors and seniors across Alabama spend their final years on campus developing gifts and skills to impact the world and the culture for the gospel.
Just as Paul begins a long and fruitful relationship with Timothy in the Book of Acts, TI will pair each student with a mentor. During the program, the student/mentor team will meet virtually or in person with other students and their mentors.
Local churches will be involved as well, according to Kaleb Wimberly, associate pastor at First Baptist Church Enterprise and a member of the TI leadership team.
‘Farm league’ approach
Wimberly likened TI to baseball’s farm league, with churches and mentors as coaches.
“We want to assist in developing a ‘farm system’ of ministers who have a rightly developed understanding of their calling, a right formation of their character, a right commitment to their church community and a competency to minister with excellence,” Wimberly said.
“It is our vision and desire to provide a curriculum and training program that comes alongside our churches who desire to train, but are unsure of where to start. We pray this will help Alabama Baptist churches catch a vision for leadership training in their churches.”
Each week, TI students can plan on two to four hours of time fully engaged in the work. The student/mentor team also will meet virtually or in person with other students and their mentors for overnight retreats or mission trips. Students will be encouraged to participate in missions between their junior and senior years. If a student’s missions experience requires them to raise funds, there will be grant opportunities through TI.
Students who complete the program may also be eligible to receive up to $5,000 for two years of missions engagement through the International Mission Board or North American Mission Board following graduation.
‘Urgency for the gospel’
Matt Daniels, BCM campus minister at the University of North Alabama, is another member of the TI leadership team. Daniels has been engaged with students on his campus who sense a call to ministry and said he is excited to see a broader effort to mentor the next generation of ministry leaders.
“I am seeing God at work on the college campus,” he said. “Students feel an urgency for the gospel and are eager to serve, but they just need to be taught how.
“I can’t wait to see the Lord take mentors from all walks of life to shape the next groups of leaders who will be about the radical work of the gospel. I know some special relationships will be formed, and we will see fruit from this for many years to come,” Daniels said.
Interested students must apply to be part of TI. Applicants must be rising college juniors, exhibit a deep faith and commitment to Jesus Christ, active in a local Alabama Baptist church and show a desire to live a life devoted to fulfilling the Great Commission. More information and the application requirements are available at timothyal.org. (Hamilton Richardson contributed)
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