God’s unlimited power explored at College Student Conference

By Chloe Newton
Staff Writer

Praises filled the sanctuary of First Baptist, Madison, as college students from across Mississippi gathered for the biannual College Student Conference on Sept. 27 and 28. Despite homecoming weekends and Hurricane Helene, over 800 people attended, eager to fellowship and learn about the Creator’s immeasurable power.

“‘Unlimited’ was chosen for the theme to help point students to the reality that we should not limit the power of our God,” said Sam Ivy, Mississippi Baptist Convention Board Collegiate Ministries director. “We wanted to help students understand that God’s call upon our lives to live as a Gospel light on our college campuses will be too much for one student, one BSU, one church…but God is unlimited in all that He can and will do.”

The theme was rooted in Ephesians 3:20-21, which says, “‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen’” (NKJV). 

Tom Richter, pastor of First Baptist Church, Cullman, Alabama, led the large group sessions through passages in Ephesians, culminating in the profound truth of verses 3:18-19.

“When Paul talks about the love of God, he goes beyond three dimensions. How?” Richter asked. “I have no idea. The four dimensional love of God — breadth, length, height, and depth… That the love of Christ is four dimensions is not possible. It surpasses knowledge. He says that. ‘To know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge…’”

Throughout the conference, attendees participated in large groups and small groups, heard from BSU student leaders, and learned about summer missions opportunities. The conference provided the college students a break in the normal rhythms of everyday life and reminded them of the broader purpose of campus ministry.

“[Fall conference is] important because it unites us under the common call of Christ,” said JT Stokes, a senior at Mississippi College. “The work of our BSU at Mississippi College isn’t completely independent from the things that happen at Mississippi State and Co-Lin Community College. We are doing this together. We are not working alone. Just to know and see that other people are about this and other people are invested in this. There’s a lot of ways that they are serving. We can learn from one another.”

Additionally, fall conference’s main push was to encourage students to apply for summer missions. Stokes has participated in several summer missions opportunities, including serving with Nehemiah Teams, a student missionary training program through the International Mission Board.

“It’s super important that the BSU provides these opportunities and trains and equips students to do these well,” said Stokes. “I think it’s important for us to be involved in missions in general to make the glory of God known and there are a lot of people around the world who don’t have access to it or are interested in it or haven’t heard it because no one has gone to tell them.

“For college students, we have our whole life ahead of us…we can develop the discipline and the appreciation of being on mission for God, talking about how good God is and being intentional and strategic with how we live our lives.”

“It is imperative that college students see the season that they are in as unique in its flexibility,” said Ivy. “The ability to use their summer to serve as a missionary provides on-the-field training for students who are exploring or discerning a call to any type of ministry: missions, church-planting, pastoral leadership, or college ministry. Summer missions also serve as a catalyst for all students to boldly share their faith in a new context, which further prepares them for living out the Great Commission after college.”

For more information on collegiate ministries, contact Sam Ivy at sivy@mbcb.org. 

Collegiate ministries are supported by the Mississippi Cooperative Program, the local churches and Baptist associations in college and university areas, the Margaret Lackey State Missions Offering, and individual donations.