By Corey Fields
Intern, Emerging Leaders Team
Virginia Baptist Mission Board
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines axis in several ways. It could mean “a straight line about which a body or geometric figure rotates” or “a main line of direction, motion, growth or extension” or “a line actually drawn and used as the basis of measurements.”
On Oct. 21-23, about 270 college students from around the state gathered at Eagle Eyrie Baptist Conference Center for this year's Fall Collegiate Conference, where students learned to make God and his Word their axis.
For years, Virginia Baptists have known their campus ministry program as the Baptist Student Union, or BSU. Now the ministry is functioning under a new name-Baptist Collegiate Ministry, or BCM. Leaders of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board's emerging leaders team say the ministry employs a new strategy that includes a stronger focus on evangelism as well as a small group structure based on “cell groups.”
The weekend began with a large group worship session. Dogwood Hall was adorned with banners and a full-stage setup, including lighting. Music was led by a five-member worship band called Axiom.
The speaker for the weekend was Aubrey Spears of Houston, founder of “Third Floor Ministries.”
Spears spoke energetically and with a sense of urgency, employing plenty of well-received humor throughout. At times one could hear a pin drop as Spears spoke unapologetically, confrontationally, and explicitly to current issues of the day. During an invitation time, over half the students could be seen praying, talking or weeping; some with campus ministers and peers, others by themselves.
Susan McBride, leader of the emerging leaders team, and Greg Alexander, collegiate and young adult ministry strategist, have expressed excitement over what happened, and expect to see evidence of spiritual revival in BCMs around the state. According to campus ministers, new opportunities for dialogue were opened with non-Christian students who were in attendance.
AXIS Collegiate Conference 2005 was a retreat that reached students in a special way during the confusing and decisive time in their lives that we call “college.”
The emerging leaders team has a commitment to help students find their true selves in God's story – the story of all things being made new through Jesus Christ. We hope you will pray and partner with us as we help students make God and His Word their axis; their “main line of direction, motion, growth, or extension”…their story.