Like many recent college graduates, Hannah Smith has her sights set on the future. She will begin attending Duke Divinity School in the fall and admits that she is nervous to be starting this new chapter in her life. You see, this soft-spoken young woman grew up in the church as a “PK” (preacher’s kid), but it wasn’t until she began attending Wesley Campus Ministry at UNC Chapel Hill that she truly owned her faith and began her formative faith journey with a community of peers and mentors.
One evening during inspiring worship at Wesley, Hannah felt God’s call on her life loud and clear. In that experience, she gave her entire future to God and prayed for ways to serve. For the next four years, she was nurtured and encouraged in her calling by her campus ministry family. She was encouraged to take leadership roles, and she had access to mentors like her campus minister and Duke Divinity School interns who have helped her through the many spiritual, emotional, and administrative hurdles. Through this formative process, Hannah ultimately made the commitment to enter into training for full-time ministry.
It’s not an accident that Hannah has come to claim her calling during her time on campus. God’s spirit has been working in her life since before birth, and the prayerfully designed experiences in Hannah’s campus ministry have given her a place to claim, grow, and share her faith with others.
This is exactly the environment that The Foundation for Evangelism’s Grants Impacting Young People are intended to nurture. Begun in 2017, the Making Disciples on the College Campus Grant (which Wesley Campus Ministry at UNC Chapel Hill was a recipient of) has born fruit and we have seen positive returns from this partnership. According to campus minister, Rev. Ryan Spurrier:
- Students like Hannah are answering the call to ministry
- An outreach beach retreat intended to invite new students and build community has DOUBLED in attendance since last year!
- Students are asking for training on how they can invite their peers into Christian community, and how they can be a presence for good on campus
- Students are also requesting opportunities to GROW DEEPER IN THEIR FAITH.
These grants allow The Foundation to be a Catalyst to equip young disciples on college and university campuses to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Wouldn’t it be amazing if the more than 1,300 Methodist/Wesleyan collegiate ministries on campuses around the globe could create such a welcoming, nurturing, and challenging environment for students?
If you would like to support ministries impacting young people, consider giving a donation today to help support grants for campus ministries that transform students into disciples who can’t help but serve as Jesus served and share WHY JESUS in every aspect of their lives!
