Reaching the Nations in Starkville
The Drill Field on Mississippi State’s campus
Students in our college ministry spent their Spring Break in Starkville, planning events throughout the week to reach international students on campus. We asked Kelsea and Shelby, who regularly minister to international students, to tell us a little bit about what they do.
Kelsea Archer, Junior Kinesiology student at MSU
In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all nations. Throughout high school and junior college, the Lord gave me many opportunities that grew my desire for missions. After spending time in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, I knew this was exactly what I was supposed to be doing. During COVID, I became very discouraged because of the absence of international mission opportunities. I knew I needed to be obedient to this calling, but I did not see how I could live that out in Mississippi.
Despite my frustrations and doubts, the Lord began to show me the endless opportunities to reach the nations on my own college campus. When I came to Starkville, I knew that reaching the international students on Mississippi State’s campus was my next step in obedience. I got involved in the MSU Baptist Student Union and joined First Baptist Starkville, and was thrilled to learn about their hearts for the nations. Last semester I had the opportunity to go to Houston, Texas with the First Baptist college ministry which opened my eyes to the vast mission field we have here in the United States.
I also became involved with International Hour at the BSU and now have the privilege of being one of the International Ministry coordinators. Every Thursday, students from all over the world come together to fellowship with us. Within our team, we have emphasized the importance of sharing the Gospel with these students simply by having conversations and building relationships. The Lord has already given several opportunities for our team to share with students from around the globe simply by befriending them.
Recently, I have become friends with a student from Iran. Through this relationship, God has opened doors for me and my friends to share our testimonies and ultimately the Gospel. Inviting international students into our homes and building these friendships are very effective ways to demonstrate the character of Jesus and share the good news that we have. Deuteronomy 10:18-19 says, “He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.” If we have the opportunity in our own communities to share the Gospel with individuals from countries all over the world, imagine the impact they could have among their own people groups.
Yes, we are called to go, but who is more equipped to go back across the world to their own home countries and share the Gospel more than these internationals themselves? Think of the impact the local church could make in Starkville and across the world if we reached out to these students and obeyed the Great Commission.
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” -Romans 10:14.
Shelby Hall, Senior in Agricultural Business at MSU
Recently, God gave me the opportunity to share the Gospel with a friend from Iran. Afterward, I came back to my apartment at 10:40 pm (which is kind of late to be out) and I couldn’t find a parking spot so I was making circles and finally found one on “the hill”. As I walked to my apartment, I ran into a guy coming out of the building next to mine. We politely greeted each other, but as my hand was on the door, I felt the Spirit tug at me and I couldn’t let the guy go without asking about the bible in his hand. He stopped and said, “Yes it is. I just got out of bible study with my friends. Are you a Christian?”
I told him I am and he got excited and told me how he and his friends had been sharing with people around my apartment complex. I told him how happy I was to meet someone else who had been sharing the gospel here and told him about the Muslims I had been sharing with. He replied, “This is amazing. We’ve been praying for a girl.” And I told him that I’d been praying for Christian guys to help share with the international guys I’ve met. So, he invited me up to meet his friends and show me what they’ve been doing? I met four guys who have been sharing the Gospel 3-4 times a week by knocking on doors at our apartments. They even have an organized chart where they have been sharing!
It was so amazing to see how God brought us together at the perfect moment and in the perfect timing. I had been prayer walking every morning and fasting at least once a week for several weeks for just this reason. Our meeting was the result of persistent prayer from all of us and our friends who pray for us. They just live in one building over from me, up the stairs, and on the left. Here’s the best part—that night we stayed up talking and sharing with each other about all the people we’ve met and came to learn that God had us share with some of the same people. GOD IS SO GOOD! I had to thank Him for the far-away parking spot, which led to our meeting, and most of all for the people He has put on our path to share with.
Since our meeting, I have joined these guys in knocking on doors three times a week. When we meet people we ask how we can pray for them, share the Gospel if we can, and then we invite them to bible studies that take place at our apartments on Sunday nights at 7:00 pm. The guys go to their place and the girls come to mine.
I want to end by sharing these four quotes from John Mott that were shared with me by a precious lady. And to ask you to pray for more laborers. Pray for those of us sharing on campus and in our apartment complexes. And pray that God will reveal Himself to the people we share with, in ways only He can.
“Every other consideration and plan and emphasis is secondary to that of wielding the forces of prayer.”
“Prayer alone will overcome the gigantic difficulties which confront the workers in every field.”
“If added power attends the united prayer of two or three, what mighty triumphs there will be when hundreds of thousands of consistent members of the Church are with one accord day by day making intercession for the extension of Christ’s Kingdom.”
“The missionary church is a praying church. The history of missions is a history of prayer. Everything vital to the success of the world’s evangelization hinges on prayer. Are thousands of missionaries and tens of thousands of native workers needed? Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth laborers into His harvest.”