Those of you who have been reading me for a while know my heart for the students at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Early in my ministry at Hyde Park it was Pastor Harrell who showed me the need for an on campus move of Jesus, as he said, "students come from all over to that campus 20 minutes from us... reach UNCP and you will touch the world!". Amen Pastor.
With that in mind, after many years of prayer we have been seeing some amazing things happen over the past 2 months through the Baptist Campus Ministry happening at the BSU House. They have witnessed many on campus salvations not to mention an influx of students on our campus.
Sara Anastasio is the Baptist Campus Ministry Assistant Campus minster (not to mention a hyde park member and part of the Crossover Middle School Ministry Team). I wanted to share with you the email that I woke up to last Wednesday morning:
Hey Mike,
I just wanted to continue to make you aware of the goodness that is going on at pembroke. Last nite, we had our BSU tuesday nite celebration at Berea Baptist and we held a Baptism service. We have been preparing and praying that not only those that have chosen to follow Christ be baptized but also that lives will be saved during it. We partnered with another church that majority is to reach college students that don't have a Baptismal pool to baptize in so between Resurrection Church and BSU we had 17 people signed up and ready to take that NEXT spirtual step in their walk with Christ. Praise the Lord for 17 people (which all consisted of salvations, rededications, or haven't been baptized since they have believed). We made an opportunity while the praise and worship songs for people to come and pray and if they wanted to accept Christ into their hearts, that they could come forward cause just cause we had finished baptizing 17 people didn't mean we couldn't hop back in the water and baptize another. People came to pray and one of our guys from BSU named Nick Brooks went to the front and accepted Christ and got baptized. His step of faith, became a ripple effect for 4 more students to step out on faith and decide to get baptized as well. All of it was Praises to God for the work he was doing in and through our lives. Lives were touched!
Lives were touched that while we were gathering in the kitchen (putting out some food), Aleasha Wilkinson came up to me and was like Sara, I just felt that tug on my heart to get baptized and i would have gone up there if i wasn't all dressed up and I was like girl...i can find you some clothes to change into. If you feel like you need to be baptized we can do it. She had told Mike Smith (who got baptized too during the service and even made a point to say he was supposed to get baptized in 2 weeks) and we prepared for another baptism. Of course she didn't want to do it in front of a lot of people cause she has anxiety attacks but Aleasha got baptized tonite with a few people there but she had me be right up there with her so when are she came out of the water she came straight to me. I was praising the Lord that I had invited her to come to BSU tonite since I hadn't really seen her much but have been praying for her a lot since this summer. But, when we were leaving the church and going back to the BSU house we had called Carole and told her the awesome news and just the blessings that we saw poured out tonite and how so many lives were touched.
I know you are now thinking wow...22 people got baptized last nite...but God just continued to keep moving.... Mike Smith's roommate David Trower told him that he wanted to get baptized so the boys went to the pool at the apartments and baptized him and all of us just REJOICED in GOD's GOODNESS tonite. God has been doing amazing things and I am so blessed to just be a part of it and be able to witness it. God has been so Good and it makes me to think back to your question this past weekend. You know we took that mite up to the alter this past weekend and you asked what's your next spiritual step? Well for 23 people their's was to get baptized and to truly SEEK His Face and and continue to be strengthened in the Lord.
I just wanted to rejoice with you in the awesome news and have be giving God all the Glory for all of the amazing things that are going on in the town of Pembroke for these college students. Tonite, I was able to see people on council this year be baptized, girls from my Bible Study, and Aleasha get baptized. God could not have blessed me more tonite. God is soo good. Just thought maybe this would encourage you today, that God is moving and lives are being changed and transformed this year!!
In Christ,
Sara
God is at work - I'm so thankful to be able to witness it and know that the prayers sent that way have once again shown themselves as being fulfilled. The amazing thing to me is that I KNOW THAT Greater things are coming! God is doing some amazing things, you just have to know where (and how) to look.
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