By Sam Ivy
Director of Collegiate Ministries
“And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘“‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” — Rom. 10:15
During this time of the year, most college students are fleeing college campuses at a sprinter’s pace. Trading the academic rigor of final exam season for the solace of Christmas break and time spent at home resting, celebrating, and preparing for the spring semester to come.
There is a particular group of students that I am proud that we as Mississippi Baptists can call our own! Only a few hours after final exams ceased and the dormitories were vacated by most of their peers, 250 students from Baptist Student Unions (BSU) all across Mississippi piled into vans and descended upon the Mississippi Delta for the 3rd Annual Christmas in the Delta mission trip.
Much of the trip’s programming and strategy comes from the efforts of our local BSU staff in the Mississippi Delta: Josh Warren (MS Delta Community College BSU Director), Zach Hardy (Delta State University BSU Director), Moniy Spires (MDCC Campus Missionary), and Trinity Ellis (DSU Campus Missionary).
Sunday night Kick Off was hosted by First Church, Indianola, and served as a strong start to the week with Renovate Church (a 242 Network church plant in Cleveland) leading in worship, and a stateside IMB Missionary coming to encourage and train the students on how to effectively share their faith in all different contexts. The training was followed by a perfect cap to the night as First Church, Indianola, members provided a dessert fellowship with warm drinks in the sub-freezing temperature.
Monday morning, students were again met with icy temperatures, but that did not halt any progress in what I would consider a generation that is so “ready-fire-aim!” Our blessed opportunity is to provide open Gospel-centered avenues for them to use their talents and time best. Over 100 of the students found themselves in the Mississippi State Penitentiary (commonly referred to as MSP-Parchman) where they took part in the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) graduation ceremony for 27 men who completed their undergraduate degrees.
During this time, they were able to pray for the seminary students and hear their testimonies. Dr. Robert Hyde, NOBTS-MSP Extension Director has been a consistent ministry partner over the last three years of Christmas in the Delta. Students paid to serve on the trip which allowed BSU to host a meal for 175 people including the graduates, their families, professors, and the other enrolled seminary students. A moving quote from one of the graduates,
“This is the first good thing my family has ever seen me do!” said one of the seminary graduates.” This is one of my best days.”
The profoundness of that quote stuck with many of our students to understand how radical the redeeming work of Christ is in one of the spiritually darkest places in our state. It is so evident that God is at work through the NOBTS extension in MSP.
The rest of our students braved the freezing temperatures while partnering with churches and ministries as far north as Jonestown and as far south as Indianola. Every day of the trip, the students were greeted, commissioned, and received by a “salt of the earth” group of 32 Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief (MSBDR) volunteers led by Hubert Yates, MSBDR Director. These men and women served diligently through all the bends and turns that a mission trip with 250+ college students entails and served over 3,000 meals throughout the week!
Tuesday was slightly warmer with temperatures finally climbing above freezing. The other half of the students were able to go back to MSP-Parchman where they sponsored a prayer/toy drive for all staff and officers on duty. Every employee that came through the drive was greeted by college students, walked through the free toy store, given a meal voucher, and prayed over by 2-3 students upon exiting.
“I have worked here over 20 years, and I have never had anyone love me this way…even better that it is young people like you all!” said one of the staff members. “Y’all have blessed me.”
It was also during this time that several of the inmates that are in the seminary program were sharing testimonies in small groups with ten or less BSU students.
Tuesday night was full of church outreaches, block parties at elementary schools, and BSU Directors wearing Santa Outfits for different local school meetings.
Wednesday was the final day at ministry sites with beautiful weather and long hours. The day was full of church partnerships from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m! Our groups served more than 20 Mississippi Baptist churches that evening where students taught youth groups, led worship at prayer meetings, went on caroling routes to homebound members, and more.
We are thankful for our ministry partners this past week:
- Worship Locations: FBC Indianola and FBC Cleveland
- Lodging Sites: FBC Cleveland, Linn Baptist Church, Morrison Chapel Baptist Church, North Greenwood Baptist Church, and Delta Grace.
- Meals: Mississippi Baptist Disaster Relief
- Baptist Church Partners: North Greenwood, FBC Cleveland, Calvary-Cleveland, FBC Sumner, FBC Leland, Drew, Sunflower, Ruleville, FBC Indianola, Bible Fellowship, Emmanuel-Greenville, Morrison Chapel, FBC Greenville, Linn, Victory Temple-Greenville, Renovate-Cleveland, FBC Greenwood, Roundaway, New Hope and Life, FBC New Albany, Petal Harvey Baptist Church, Mid-Delta Baptist Assc.
- BSU Partners: Delta State, MDCC, East Central, Ole Miss, USM, William Carey, Petal Harvey-College Min., MC, Hinds, MUW, EMCC, Co-Lin, Gulf Coast CC, Northeast, MSU, Southwest, and ICC.
I think a quote from one of our MS Delta Community College BSU students, Jaiden McKinney, is a great way to conclude:
“Christmas in the Delta was necessary for me to see that God is at work in places that I wouldn’t expect at all. For a brief moment, it gave me an opportunity to enter into the lives of broken people and serve them, and it shifted my perspective on my life. The unity of believers my age from all over the state working together for the same mission was also incredibly powerful.“
Thank you to Mississippi Baptists for your prayers and unwavering support through the Cooperative Program! With the leading and power of the Lord working through your faithfulness, BSUs are able to mobilize the next generation so that the Gospel reaches every corner of Mississippi and the world!
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