Student, University of Alabama at Birmingham
As an incoming freshman I knew without a doubt that I had been led to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). I was following a call to vocational ministry but felt that a business degree from a state school would best equip me. The direction from God was clear but His explanation for sending me was yet to be determined. I hoped to make an impact for Christ on the campus, but I completely underestimated how God was preparing the campus to impact me.
I got the first glimpse as I came across the Baptist Campus Ministries (BCM) table at freshman orientation and met campus minister Bill Morrison. We immediately hit it off as we talked baseball, Greek life and ministry. Little did I know that we’d spend countless hours over the next four years continuing that conversation in the student center, over lunch, on the missions field and in his home.
My involvement in BCM was solidified when I joined the freshman leadership team in Fall 2011. Bill and his wife, Sheri, hosted the first meeting over dinner at their house. I don’t remember much of what was said, but I recall Mrs. Sheri’s cooking was out of this world. Bill and I later agreed to exchanging free dinner for pitching lessons for his son’s baseball team in the backyard. As our friendship grew it was evident to me that God had placed me under Bill’s leadership to mold me into an effective witness to my peers as well as a dedicated future minister. Bill gave me opportunities over the next year to lead a large group freshman Bible study and fill in at his interim preaching gig at Cahaba Heights Baptist Church, Birmingham.
Around the end of my sophomore year, Bill approached me about starting a group of future vocational ministers within BCM who would meet in a roundtable format with local pastors around twice a semester. He pitched the idea to three others and myself over Sunday lunch at his house. At our first meeting we had four students and Pastor Gary Fenton of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Birmingham. Dr. Fenton shared many years of pastoral ministry wisdom with us. Several months later, Bill Johnston, also from Dawson Memorial Baptist, gave us the perspective of an associate pastor. I later interned in the student ministry at Dawson and benefitted greatly from their godly leadership.
Our group has doubled in size and we recently met with Rick Lance, executive director of the State Board of Missions. He gave us keen insights into engaging the culture around us as well as unconventional ministry wisdom that serves us now and will in the future. He challenged us to pursue and teach truth that resonates with the hearts of those God has entrusted to us.
I expressed my thanks to Dr. Lance for the Cooperative Program’s support of BCM and campus ministers like Bill. Without it, students like myself would lack a crucial mentor and ministry in their life to develop them into capable shepherds and future church leaders.
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