Aggies Pray – June 2012

AGGIES PRAY
Baptist Student Ministry
203 College Main
College Station, TX 77840
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
College Station, TX
Permit No. 94
Volume 20 Issue 1
Prayer Requests
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
*Pray for Thomas who lost his father
in January and was diagnosed with
a brain tumor less than two weeks
later. He is currently undergoing
chemotherapy while continuing his
studies. A BSM student and staff
member introduced Thomas to Christ
in February. Pray for healing and
spiritual growth.
*Pray for our BSM’s outreach to new
students through our summer outreach
and Gig’em Week activities.
You are receiving this
newsletter as a gift from
our BSM Former Students.
We hope you enjoy reading
about what is going on here
at Aggie BSM.
OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE
Mike Graham Ministry Fund
Administered by the Former Student
Board, this fund is used to support the
full cost of interns, help underwrite
mission trips, help pay for Gig’em
Week activities, and anything else
that is requested by the Aggie
BSM staff that is directly related to
ministry.
Cliff Harris Memorial Fund
This fund pays for costs directly
associated with operating and
maintaining the Aggie Baptist
Student Center.
Estate Planning
Please consider providing for
the ministry of the Aggie BSM
through your will. We can provide
information and guidance through
the Baptist Foundation of Texas.
Online Donations
This feature is now available for
your convenience. Visit the website
and click on “Make a Contribution.”
Aggies Pray-10
*Pray for a growing number of Muslim
students who attend English classes
and Bible studies each week.
Praises
SAVE THE DATE - AGGIE BSM REUNION
Our biggest Alumni get together of the year is
set for Saturday, September 22 at 2:00 p.m.
(The South Carolina State game is scheduled for
6:00 p.m.) We are very excited to have Beverly
Parrish, Associate Director of the Aggie BSM from
2002-2008, with us that day. Beverly is a dynamic
speaker and it will be worth coming just to hear
Beverly as she shares about her life and work in
Mississippi. Lunch will be catered by J. Cody’s,
formerly Tom’s BBQ. Cost is $6.00 for adults and
$3.00 for children under 12.
Mark your calendar now and begin to talk
to your friends about meeting you here on
September 22. The Aggie BSM is the place to be!
*Praise God for 115 students who
have committed to serve in BSM
leadership roles for the coming
year!
*Praise God for forty students who
will serve as summer missionaries
and church staff members this
summer!
*Praise God for the excellent
response of students throughout the
past year to our small group Bible
studies and weekly lunches!
*Praise God for students who have
come to know Christ and have been
baptized this year!
Aggie BSM Contact
Information
ph 979-846-7722
fax 979-846-7723
www.aggiebsm.org
[email protected]
facebook: Aggie BSM
Former Students
June 2012
“Higher” Education
I’m Luke, and I come from a small city in China. I’m a professor at a major
Chinese university, and I’m here as a visiting scholar to study new technology.
My total time here is to be one year. Now, I only have one month left.
Last November, I heard about BSM. First, I came here to attend free English
class and Bible class for international students.
At that time, I had been in America more than
half a year. Since I have my own office here,
there were seldom opportunities to speak
English. Every day, I would just sit in front of a
computer and do my job. Sometimes I went to
the bank or post office, but I did not need to say
a whole sentence. With just a few words, they
can understand me. So the English class here is
very important for me to improve my English. More than that, from English
class, I know more about Aggie’s traditions, and famous activities in Texas,
like the rodeo.
Most of the English teachers and Bible study teachers are American students
here. I think it’s also a good experience for them to know people from
another country, and to be in touch with other country’s culture. Only through
communication can we know more about each other.
I am well educated, but before I came to America, I knew little about God,
Jesus, and the Bible. I only know that someone died on cross. Why he died?
I don’t know. Bible study time follows English classes at the BSM. Since I’m
here, why not stay one more hour? That’s the reason I first chose to study
Bible. Teachers of Bible study usually prepare special topics for each class
from both the Old and New Testament. Now I know the reason why Jesus
died. I know the meaning of Christian. I think the most important things I
gained from being here are the things I learned from Bible Study.
In the New Testament, there’s one part I like best. It’s the Parable of the Sower
and the Seeds in Mark 4:3-8. Here, we can see only few seeds can grow up,
and it’s also true to sow more seeds to get more return. I think BSM is doing
the best job of sowing seeds to let more and more people, especially outside
of the United States, know how to find Jesus and obtain the permanent life.
Last April, I came here. A few days later, I wrote on my blog about how I miss
my family, my hometown and how eagerly I want to come back. Now, there’s
only one month before I leave. My feeling is much more complicated. I still
miss my family, but I now have lots of friends here through BSM. My life in
America is getting more colorful. And it’s spring, the best season in Texas. All
these make it a difficult good-bye!
A Great Year of Journey
New Avenues to Reach Students
Students love their Journey groups! And you don’t have to just take our word for it.
Read what students have to say about their Journey experience.
“
Journey was a huge part of my freshman year! I was lucky enough to
start at week one and almost instantly gained about 10 best friends from
it! Journey helped me to make my faith my own, teaching me things I
had never learned before, encouraging me to really stay in the word, and
spend time with God. Journey not only gave me awesome fellowship with
other believers, but it drove me to want a deeper personal relationship
with the Lord. My group taught me the importance of evangelism and
really helped me to understand the gospel which had never really been
emphasized to me. I even learned HOW to share the gospel and how to
walk someone through the beginning of their walk as a Christian. God
has transformed my life this year. Freshman year is such an awesome time
to grow in a more intimate relationship with Christ, and I am so blessed
to be a part of the Aggie BSM and be showered with Christ’s love!
-Elise Hargrove, Class of 2015
In my Journey group I learned more about what a gospel-centered life
means, and what that looks like practically in my daily walk with God.
-Derrell Jennings, Class of 2012
”
“
”
Bible Outreach
Our BSM started doing weekly Bible tables on campus this spring. Working with an Egyptian missionary couple,
we set up near the Chemistry building each Wednesday morning. We filled a
table with Bibles in English, Arabic, Farsi, Chinese, Spanish, Korean, and a few
additional languages. We also distributed Jesus Film DVD’s and several other
similar resources.
The response was excellent! Our Egyptian friends had great opportunities to meet
many Middle Eastern students, many of the Islamic faith. We gave away well over
500 Arabic Bibles. Many of these were taken by interested International students,
or American students who have International friends who are not Christians. One
recent convert to Christianity from Islam came by the table. This led to the young man becoming involved in weekly
discipleship and Bible study. We also distributed over 200 English Bibles. God blessed many of the interactions in
a special way. Our students and staff also give away Bibles throughout the week in the BSM. We gave away an
additional 200 Bibles this year to interested students who attend our lunches and evening Bible studies.
“
Journey impacted my freshman year so much. I came to College Station being new to Christianity and had no friends.
I knew no one. The Journey retreat at the beginning of the year turned that around. I met new friends who are still my
friends to this day. Journey gave me a chance to fellowship with other believers, make new friends, and get to know
the staff. Having them all pour into me was such a blessing and gave me a chance to start my ‘journey’ in College
Station off right.
–Andre Franklin, Class of 2015
Having transferred in, Journey helped me transition into a new school
by meeting and getting to know other Christians at A&M!
-Bethany Williamson, Class of 2014
”
“
”
Journey was the best thing that ever happened to me! Coming
“
to Texas A&M, I had no idea what to expect since it was not my
first choice. However, I immediately made some amazing friends
at Journey. Each week, I got to know each person in my journey
group even more, from how their day was to where they
were in their walk. Being a part of Journey definitely
helped me see that this was the place that God intended
me to be. The BSM felt like a home away from home.
The friends I made helped me on my spiritual walk and
brought encouragement. I have learned so much about
myself. My freshman year was the best experience I have
ever had.
– Silvia Chavez, Class of 2015
Aggies Pray-2
”
Through Journey, I have learned more not only
“
about God, but also about others and even myself.
I always look forward to Thursday nights.”
–L B
,C
2013
isa
enson
lass of
Blinn College BSM
Our BSM began ministering on the Blinn College campus in Bryan in August. With so many students taking courses
concurrently at Texas A&M and Blinn, this was a great opportunity to reach more students. Because of the commuter
nature of Blinn, our interns led two weekly lunch Bible studies. The response was positive with over fifty different
students attending. We also had regular outreach tables and were involved in on-campus evangelism. A healthy
number of students became involved in our retreats, mission trips, and evening small groups.
God has been faithful to touch individual lives. Andre is a student from Houston who we met in September. He was
spiritually open and began learning what it means to follow Christ. Andre became involved in a BSM small group
Bible study and church. Friendships with other guys in our BSM became central in his life. The transformation in
Andre’s life has been exciting. He will actually help co-lead a Bible study next fall. Eric and Rasidat are other
Blinn students who have been impacted by the ministry. They will each serve as student missionaries this summer.
Aggies Pray-9
From Missions to Ministry
My first “mission” experience was a spring break road
trip to Eastern Illinois University with a BSU Fine Arts
Team. I was more or less along for the ride and clueless
about the journey’s purpose. Still, it had a tremendous
impact on me. That trip led to another one the next
spring, which led to a summer mission commitment,
which led to a part-time youth
ministry job that fall, which led to
a full-time job as a Youth Minister
when I graduated – just something
to do, I thought, until I could decide
if I really wanted to be a banker.
Thirty years later I pastor Brazos
Pointe Fellowship in Lake Jackson,
a church for the unchurched with a
passion for missions. We challenge
folks to not only give, but to go as well. (Where did
I first hear that?) My first international trip was to
Cambodia, a place known as the Killing Fields when
I was a student at A&M. It is a beautiful, but broken
country, with a desperate need to hear the good news
of Jesus Christ. I left a piece of my heart there and
return as often as possible to look for it. My wife Kathy
’83 could not understand that passion at first, until she
went with me for the first time. Now she is all about it,
too.
One of my goals is for everyone in our church to go on
an international mission trip at least once in their lives.
I love how a week or two in a developing country can
reshape a world view and heighten an awareness of
needs here at home. I love watching people’s hearts
come alive with purpose when they travel overseas.
Our son Michael ‘09 traveled to Guatemala when
he was 16. He left here a quiet kid who lacked selfconfidence and returned a man after enduring difficult
and sometimes dangerous conditions. Our son Jeff ’12
took his first step into missions when
he began sponsoring a Compassion
Child in Kenya during high school. He
got to meet Isaac on his second trip to
Kenya.
Missions is a family tradition that now
includes our daughter-in-law Noelle
‘06. She and Michael left their jobs last
summer and moved to Fort Worth for
Michael to study International Church
Planting at Southwestern Seminary. Jeff is interning
this summer at International Justice Mission. Kathy and
I hope to spend part of August back in Cambodia
visiting orphans and acid burn victims, training pastors
and helping garment workers use their skills to change
their country. And it all started with a BSU road trip.
We have accepted the reality that someday when we
have grandkids we may have to get on a plane and
travel 36 hours to see them, but it is worth it. Everyone
deserves an opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus
Christ.
MISSION TRIPS
Refugee Ministry
During spring break, 15 students trekked to Ft. Worth to impact the nations. Alongside
‘World Relief,’ a Christian Relief ministry, we ministered in an apartment complex that
is home to 1,200 refugees. We were deeply impacted as we met people from Sudan,
Burma, Bhutan, and various other countries.
Kelley Ligon shares a few thoughts about the trip, “One evening, we watched the Jesus
Film. Everywhere you could see, people were sitting on the edge of their seats, focused
intently. I had a Bhutanese girl in my lap and she told me that her family is Hindu but
she believes in God. I had the opportunity to talk one afternoon with a beautiful mother
about her journey. She told me about the death of many of her family members in
Sudan when the military suddenly attacked, causing her to flee on a three year journey
to Kenya while she was pregnant. I will never forget our conversation. I cannot even
imagine what her heart has felt and all that she has seen. Her family is Muslim but she
allowed me to read Scriptures to her. I pray that she and her family will open their
hearts to Christ very soon.”
Oregon
A team of fifteen Aggies enjoyed beautiful surroundings and serving others during
January break. Our students assisted Oregon BSM directors and church planters in
reaching out to university students at Western Oregon State University, Oregon State
University, and the University of Oregon. We engaged students on campus through
personal interaction, outreach tables, Solarium Cards, surveys, giveaways, and a large
event to kick off the semester at Western Oregon. Our students also helped existing
churches in Monmouth with painting, construction, and landscaping.
Champs Camp
Let’s go,
Greg Pickering ‘82
Lake Jackson, Texas
Over spring break a group of 18 students from A&M travelled to Brownwood to help with
First Baptist Church’s annual Champs Camp. We worked alongside other BSM students
from UTD, Lamar, and Howard Payne to staff this week-long Christian sports camp for
kids. Our students served as small group leaders and coaches. Most importantly, our
students were able to invest in the lives of children who often came from difficult family
situations. It was exciting to see positive changes in the kid’s attitudes and actions. We
will pray for FBC as they have on-going ministry with the children.
A Note from Joel
I recently heard an Aggie baseball player talk about what a huge difference the 12th Man makes whenever
the Aggies play home games at Olsen. I feel the same way when I consider the enormous role that former
students, parents, and friends of the Aggie BSM play in our work with students. We are incredibly blessed
to have people who care deeply about God’s work in student’s lives! Many of you pray for us often. Your
faithful prayer support has been obvious this year as we have seen God’s Spirit move in ways that have
amazed us. Others of you share notes and words of encouragement. This encouragement means more than
you can know. Some of you encourage new students to check out BSM when they get to campus. Others are
able to contribute financially which allows us to have interns, a campus missionary, and needed money for
direct ministry. The quality and breadth of our ministry would be greatly limited without these resources.
For each of you who care enough to support the Aggie BSM, “Thank You”!
God bless,
Joel Bratcher
Aggies Pray-8
Tour of Texas
Aggies Pray-3
In January a group of Aggies packed up and headed west to explore the Austin and
San Antonio area on our Tour of Texas. Seven international students from six different
countries joined a few Texan natives to experience the
tourist attractions and local favorites of these cities.
As close relationships between students formed, there
were many opportunities on the trip to talk about
values, religion, and the Christian faith. Since Spring
Break, many of these relationships have continued to
grow.
Student Stories
Get a glimpse of how God is at work in the lives of students through these three stories.
Rose
Anna Cox, a BSM intern, developed a strong friendship with Rose this year. Rose is a bubbly student from China
who has been a regular at the BSM attending countless English classes, lunches, Bible studies, and Fun Fridays. Anna
and Rose have spent many hours talking together about family, life, and faith.
Anna recounts, “Rose was very open to discussing her religion and beliefs. She mentioned
she had visited a church with her husband and one of his friends shortly after they arrived in
College Station. She also spoke of how some of the traditional beliefs in her country did not
seem to answer life’s big questions. She said she believed in science, but seemed to be eager
to hear new ideas. She didn’t seem completely convinced on any particular belief system.”
Rose eventually found answers to her questions and crossed the line of faith. She was baptized
on Easter Sunday at the College Station Chinese Church.
Caleb
On January 5th, one of our students, Caleb Jentsch suffered a traumatic brain injury while on a skiing trip with
friends. The night before the spring semester began, hundreds of students gathered
in the BSM to pray for Caleb who was still unconscious. At the end of the semester,
another crowd gathered to pray for Caleb’s continued progress. At both prayer
times, curious non-believers (from Saudi Arabia and China) attentively observed and
participated. In the midst of an incredibly difficult situation, God is making Himself
known. Caleb and his parents have been very intentional to share the reason for the
hope they have with other patients, nurses, and doctors. Please keep them in your
prayers. You may follow Caleb’s progress by going to www.caringbridge.org and
entering ‘calebjentsch’ into search field.
The following students will serve through other missions groups or on trips with churches:
Caroline Adams – sharing the Gospel and prayer walking in Amsterdam & Paris with iGoGlobal
Rasidat Adedeji – reaching out to university students in East Asia through Cross Campus International
Emberlen Binford – serving with a young church in the Dominican Republic
Silvia Chavez – doing medical missions and sharing the gospel in Swaziland.
Allyson Coe – doing occupational therapy at an orphanage for kids with special needs in Haiti
Peter Dionne – serving and meeting needs in Haiti
Angela Dreiss – serving as a missions intern for the Galveston Baptist Association
Tyler Faught – traveling through the South Sudan bush sharing the gospel with the Toposa people
Derrell Jennings - serving as a missions intern for the Galveston Baptist Association
Kalina Kornely – doing relational ministry and prayer walking in the Middle East
Emily Mason – medical and children’s ministry in Nicaragua
Caitlin Morris – ministering to girls involved in prostitution and sex slavery through Traffick 911
Mary Kate Repasky – working at a school and orphanage in Bangalore, India
Meredith Williams - sharing the Gospel and prayer walking in Amsterdam & Paris with iGoGlobal
Daniel Wise – doing construction, evangelism, and facilitating other missions teams in Alaska
The following students will serve on staff with churches & ministries:
Scott Turner -youth pastor, North Zulch Baptist Church
Heather Adams – research intern with Forgotten Song, whose ministry focuses on war torn areas
Kristen Coffman – youth intern at Paramount Baptist Church in Amarillo .
Trent Kelley – serving as a youth minister intern at his home church in Quitman
Samantha Stroder - Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, Communications Department Intern
Joe Terrell – writing and editing for Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs.
The following students will expend lots of energy sharing God’s love with children at Christian Camps:
Farzad Update
Many of you have prayed for Farzad, an Iranian student who came to Christ
last year and was disowned by his family. Farzad received political asylum
in September! He is now working, and has resumed his studies in engineering.
At the time of Farzad’s conversion to Christ, he was engaged to a Katya, a
student from Russia. Katya began studying the Bible at the BSM last February.
Katya committed her life to Christ during the fall semester and was baptized
in February. She and Farzad were recently married. Katya has returned
to Russia to complete the final semester of her degree at the University of
Moscow. Pending an involved immigration process, Katya will return to the
United States. Though apart, Farzad and Katya are doing well and thriving
in their new faith. Thanks to all of you who prayed for and gave financial
support to Farzad!
Aggies Pray-4
Aggies Serving Everywhere!
Alexa Johnson - Pine Cove Camp (Outback)
Kelsey Barton - Pine Cove Camp (Outback)
Courtney Kincaid - Pine Cove Camp (Outback)
Tyler Boyett - Carolina Creek Camp
Elizabeth Bruns - KidGladiator Camp Molly McGuire - Pine Cove (Crier Creek)
Amanda Mueller - T Bar M Camp
Shannon Coyle - Deer Creek Camp
Courtney Munson - Stoney Creek Ranch
Mehgan Frazier - Pine Cove Camp (Outback)
Jessica Williams - Sky Ranch Camp
Julie Jackson - Camp Barnabas
These students will be a part of the Impact Retreats, connecting the Class of 2016 to the Body of Christ at Texas A&M:
All 3 Sessions: Nicole Fambro Alpha Session: Lauren Fetick, Deanna Hoover, Molly McGuire, Sam Sweetin, Scott Turner Elizabeth Bruns Delta Session: Brady Blair, Trey Bowen, Allyson Coe, Jacob Dees, Elise Hargrove, Kate Lyons, Emily Mason
Omega Session: Kyle Baldock, Bryce Bender, Angela Dreiss, Kalina Kornely
Aggies Pray-7