Hundreds of college students from campuses across Alabama were challenged to remain faithful in times of uncertainty and to live life as the hands and feet of Jesus now rather than later at Pursue 2020, held Feb. 21–22 at First Baptist Church, Montgomery.
Mike Nuss, director of the office of collegiate and student ministries at the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM) which coordinates Pursue, said the event encourages students to seek a missional lifestyle.
“College students need to be continually reminded that to follow Christ is to be on mission with the Great Commission every day, and that means more than a missions trip or project — it means living your life daily for the gospel,” Nuss said.
Finding purpose
This year’s program included several missions speakers, including Paul Chitwood, president of the International Mission Board.
“What does God want from you?” Chitwood asked in the Feb. 21 mainstage session. “Would you dare to ask that question, to whisper a prayer, ‘God what do you want from me?’”
Throughout the conference, other speakers shared how they had answered that question.
Dr. Matt Phillips, a Montgomery obstetrician and president of Life on Wheels, spoke about finding his purpose by helping women in crisis pregnancies choose life.
Terrence Jones, pastor of Strong Tower at Washington Park, Montgomery, shared how God had used him to reach his friends in college.
Authors Jay and Katherine Wolf spoke about advocating for the disabled after a stroke left Katherine with partial blindness and mobility impairments.
From the mainstage and in breakout sessions, speaker after speaker told similar stories, sharing testimonies of how unexpected detours led to opportunities to serve.
In breakout sessions students heard about church planting, evangelism strategies, medical missions and outreach to refugees, along with sessions on dealing with depression, doubts and sexual sin.
Giving back
Students also gave more than $4,200 for the Rural Women’s Hospital in Pakistan.
To view photos from Pursue 2020, visit www.tabonline.org/Pursue20.
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