Inside the Baptist Student Union
We're spotlighting organizations around campus, starting with the center of Baptist student life.
Editor’s note: This semester, Blue & Gold is taking a look at the things that make Mississippi College special, from staff members that take care of our campus — see the first installment of the Familiar Faces series, featuring beloved staff member Derrick Martin — to the organizations that make MC livelier & more connected. Welcome to Inside the Organization, our newest biweekly series. Stay tuned, and let us know which organizations you want to see next!
The Baptist Student Union is a ministry that offers Christian community and discipleship to students at Mississippi College. The ministry’s mission is to make disciples using student leaders and campus population as its driving force.
“[Our mission is] making disciples who make disciples,” said Mandy Phillips, the BSU director. “We focus on pouring in and investing in Christian students and developing them in discipleship so that they then can share the gospel and raise up other Christians who will do likewise and share God’s good news around the world.”
Through the BSU, students are offered with opportunities to participate in local ministry as well as international ministry. BSU holds community missions every Wednesday at 2:30 p.m., giving students the opportunity to serve their community and share the love of Christ. Additionally, the BSU provides opportunities for summer missions, giving students the opportunity to travel nationally and internationally with the BSU students from other campuses to spread the gospel.
“It is a very clear reminder of God’s faithfulness,” Phillips said. “I’ve been in collegiate ministry for 24 and a half years, and I have never seen a student who has felt called to go on a mission trip … not raise enough funds to go.”
The BSU also provides a community for Christians on campus, allowing them to connect with each other and enjoy fellowship with one another. The BSU offers a multitude of discipleship groups for students to get involved in. These allow students to grow in their faith as Christians and foster friendships that will point them to Christ. Discipleship groups range from one-on-one discipleship to co-ed Bible studies called family groups.
“There’s a lot that I love,” said Nathan Heard, the 2024-2025 BSU president. “The people and friendships that I’ve found here, they’ve been really impactful.”
Through the BSU, students are able to meet like-minded people that nurture them in their faith and become close friends. The BSU also brings opportunities for students to be leaders within the BSU and on campus, whether it be through being a member of the lead team or simply by being an example to others.
”It has been such a blessing to me,” Heard said. “We’re training people to be able to go proclaim the gospel in their workplaces one day … The whole point of it is to point people to Christ. That’s the biggest life change you can ever have.”
Both Phillips and Heard stress that the BSU is not a replacement for the local church, but rather a supplement.
“The local church comes first as being God’s bride,” said Phillips. “There’s just something about joining with other like-minded believers that can help and does help the Christians on this campus be encouraged and grow in their faith. Iron sharpens iron.”
Each Monday night at 6:30, BSU hosts a worship service called Vision. The services allow believers to gather together in worship and fellowship following the service.
Additionally, the BSU offers international outreach on Tuesday nights by hosting Ethnos. This program allows international students to find connection and feel welcome on campus.
The BSU house is also open Monday through Friday from 10:00-4:30, welcoming students to come by and study or spend time together. The BSU also hosts various events on campus throughout the semester.
“There are so many different ways to get involved,” Heard said. “I’d encourage anyone to come and check it out, whether that be on a Monday night, or if you feel more like you want to come to the house, come on.”
In addition to Mandy Phillips and Nathan Heard, Cody Counts serves as the assistant director, and Gracie Guest serves as the 2024-2025 vice president. The BSU hopes welcome people in, create community, and point others to Jesus.
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