Rodney Norvell has been at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) for 11 years, leading students on journeys of faith and service.
One of his favorite things as a BCM minister is taking students on missions trips. Norvell first heard about ministry opportunities in the Philippines from missionaries connected to UT and Carson-Newman alumni. They spoke of their work in Batangas City, where they established a Baptist Collegiate Ministry for Batangas State University.
“One of my favorite things about being Baptist is we are a family and we are a big network that cooperates together,” Norvell said.
This connection grew personal when Norvell’s son, Jacob, chose Batangas City for his own mission work. Inspired by his son’s experience, Norvell felt called to take a team from UTK to the Philippines.
One student’s journey
Benji Mendoza, a UTK student with Filipino heritage and a heart for ministry, helped lead this endeavor.
Mendoza’s journey, however, wasn’t straightforward. Called to ministry at 15, he initially ran from it, choosing to study kinesiology with plans for a career in physical therapy.
“I came into college running away from the Lord,” Mendoza admitted.
Personal losses led him to resent the Lord, and he drifted from his faith. But halfway through his first semester at UTK, the pull of the Holy Spirit and the encouragement of his youth pastor back home led him to BCM. There, he found community, accountability, and a renewed sense of purpose.
“Without BCM, I probably would have been so far down the hole of just worldly and fleshly desires,” Mendoza said.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written and originally published by the Baptist and Reflector.
