This week I had lunch with a bright, energetic young couple. They were visiting Richmond to sign a lease on a new apartment in preparation to begin their M.Div. studies at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (BTSR). As we learned one another stories, I was reminded of being in a very similar place about fourteen years ago. I too made a similar visit to Richmond to find a place to live. I’ll never forget driving by BTSR during that visit, when BTSR consisted of only two small houses and a small road sign, and thinking out loud, “what have I gotten myself into?”
Well, much has changed since then. BTSR now occupies a beautiful campus, and several large academic and dormitory buildings. But there are other amazing changes that have taken place since that time that are less noticeable. CBF, too, has changed from what it was fourteen years ago – and lunch with this young couple reminded me that we, as Fellowship Baptists, we are moving in a very positive direction. We are growing up, and it was so very refreshing to hear these young leaders share the new work they are engaged in as Fellowship Baptists.
One new work young Baptists are investing in that didn’t exist some many years ago is Student.Go. Student.Go provides opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to serve among and advocate for the most neglected people in our world. You can learn more at http://studentdotgo.ning.com/
So as I went home that day, and began to wrestle with these “what, when, why, and how” questions:
• What can we do to offer more college and seminary students a Student.Go experience?
• When are we going to support Student.Go with greater funding?
• Why aren’t students knocking down our doors to engage in this experience?
• How do we ‘fund the future’ of the Fellowship by investing in these leaders today?
Maybe you are wondering the same things. If so, I would like to hear more from you. My prayer is that Student.Go would be one of many creative ways we grow our students as Fellowship Baptists. Please join me in prayer for Amy Derrick and the Student.Go team as they begin training activities for a new group of students who will serve this summer. May God bless you these students, and thanks for the inspiration you offer Fellowship Baptists and the hope you offer to the world.
Rob, thanks for taking your time to have lunch with this young couple. I, too, ask those questions and hope we can find ways to encourage and enlist even more students for the experience of a lifetime!
Thanks Karen, and what a “delightful, young couple!” 🙂
How training week went well for Student.Go.
How much promotion does student.go do? I know that IMB and NAMB are usually represented at our campus BCM on a yearly basis to offer summer and spring mission and internship opportunities for students. They will sometimes also come to the Virginia (AXIS) conference for college students at Eagle Eyrie, along with seminary reps. How can we have a rep at our BCM or fall statewide conference? Having a “promo booth” with info and opportunities pull a lot of weight with getting students involved because they’ll know what is out there…as it stands, handing them a flyer in sunday school isn’t working. If funding or travel monies are an issue, I would be willing to represent students.go to students in my own area or even at the statewide retreat if properly informed and equipped for promotion purposes.
Angie,
Thanks for your post, and sorry for the delay in my reply. Excellent questions! This year CBFVA is working with some grant money to hire a Student.Go intern. She will work in our office, and in partnership with the Student.Go office in Alabama. Her anticipated start date is August 2010. As soon as she is on the job, I will have her contact you. I would very much like for you to be our Student.Go leader in the Blacksburg area…so, let’s talk soon!
Rob