BJU will host an Evangelism Conference during chapel from Monday, April 24 through Thursday, April 27 to further encourage students to continue sharing their faith throughout the summer.
Since the introduction of the Center for Global Opportunities at the beginning of the school year, the BJU student body has embraced a new vigor for outreach and personal evangelism.
The BJU student body enjoys seeing many of its members involved in the various available outreach opportunities in the Greenville community, and evangelism continues to be a major focal point for community outreach.
With summer break just around the corner, many students will have opportunities to continue serving here in the Greenville community, back home and abroad.
The Gospel-centered conference is typically held before either the Christmas or summer break.
This year’s theme, “Bring Them In,” will continue to focus on bringing those who do not know Christ into fellowship with Him and to give the student body inspirational and practical ways to share their faith more effectively.
Many BJU students are passionate about sharing the Gospel. This conference is designed to increase that passion in more students.
Another way BJU further encourages personal evangelism is by offering the Sower Award as one of six President’s Club awards. The Sower Award is “given to a student who has exhibited exceptional faithfulness to the Lord in the area of soul winning or who has had an unusual soul winning opportunity,” accordingn to the BJU Public Relations blog.
Over the years, this award has been given to dozens of students.
Jacob Jones, a freshman Bible major, commented on the importance of sharing our faith.
“[The Great Commission] should be our main focus,” Jones said.
“Our occupations, first and foremost, are as missionaries whether we’re nurses or pastors—it’s a mindset.”
Jones’ desire is to plant or minister in a small church and hopes that everyone will be involved in some type of discipleship centered on Christ’s work on the cross.
CJ Billiu, a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication, weighed in on the gravity of sharing our faith.
“If I truly believe there is a Holy God who cannot let sinners into heaven and because of that they will be condemned to an eternity in hell, then why would I not try to warn people?” Billiu said. “That’s what inspires me [to share my faith].”
Billiu desires to use his degree to further proclaim the truth to the world in the form of blogs, podcasts and teaching in the high school setting.
Several men’s societies, including Chi Alpha Pi Cavaliers and Phi Kappa Pi Rams, sent out mission teams to locations around the United States over spring break.
The Epsilon Zeta Chi Tornados were able to minister through one-on-one evangelism in downtown San Francisco.
For the Evangelism Conference, Dr. Pettit has chosen four speakers to present Gospel-themed messages. Pastor Ben Ice, scheduled to begin the conference on Monday, is the family life pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Simpsonville. Ice will speak about giving the Gospel to the children.
Mr. Michael Blackstone, the lay youth pastor at Bible Baptist Church in West Chester, Pennsylvania, will speak on Tuesday, April 25, concerning evangelizing to teenagers.
He will be followed by Rev. Marshall Fant IV from Harvest Baptist Church in Rock Hill, South Carolina on Wednesday, April 26, about giving the Gospel to college students.
A Clemson faculty member will be finish out the conference with a message about reaching internationals.
Janis Holderby, executive assistant and coordinator of this year’s Evangelism Conference, said she looks forward to how the students will benefit. Holderby’s hope is that students will possess “a deeper desire to share the Gospel.”
