Adapting in Lynchburg
Reid, Bryce, Spencer, Alex, Brandon Miller (UL Alum/teacher), and Wes
Campus Outreach ministers on campuses around the world through life-on-life discipleship and augments this ministry approach with catalytic events such as mid-year conferences and Summer Projects. It used to be that no matter what year (or decade) a college student was involved with Campus Outreach, these two events could act as a conversation starter no matter where they had attended university.
In recent years, cultural changes, academic demands, and athletic expectations have impacted students’ availability during the academic year and over summer breaks. For example, if an athletic team succeeds, the players may have only ten days of free time during the year! This past year, such was the case for the University of Lynchburg’s baseball team. The Hornets went to the National Championship game, meaning players could not attend the summer training opportunity offered by Campus Outreach.
Reid Goss, a staff member in Lynchburg who has been ministering on the baseball team for five years, saw a need for creativity and an opportunity for development. If the players couldn’t attend what was already planned, why not plan something they could attend? And why not get one of the guys involved in the planning? He approached Wes, a graduating senior who came to Christ through the ministry and shared his idea.
Together, they planned “Summer Growth ‘24,” a four-day lake trip for Lynchburg baseball players. They purposed to cultivate gospel growth, vision, and brotherhood through high-quality Biblical content in a slow-paced, life-giving context — and ample free time to enjoy the lake! Four players were able to attend. There was delicious food, numerous games, a deep dive into 2 Timothy 2: 1–7, and a special prayer time for teammates who do not know Christ.
Reid says the time was a great success, “It was just what we were hoping: a time for training in Bible study, fun, and building vision in these guys to be the ones who will step up and lead on the team.” As the fall semester has begun, Reid has already seen them take ownership of the ministry. “There is a real hunger for growth; they identified with Christ early and proactively invited other players to a team Bible Study. Also, at the lake, we prayed that God would surprise us all by bringing one guy around Campus Outreach. We all viewed it as a long shot, but he has come to nearly everything we've offered and has expressed a desire to learn more about Jesus and what it means to "own his faith."
Who can say how this creative investment of time will impact the world for Christ? Join us in prayer, asking that God grow and multiply Wes, Alex, Spencer, and Bryce. Pray for all Campus Outreach staff as they seek to adapt the ministry to accommodate change.