Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
The Baptist Paper
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds

Church plant focuses on Nebraska college campus

  • September 15, 2021
  • Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists
  • Kansas, Latest News, Missions, Nebraska

Church plant focuses on Nebraska college campus

Churches don’t look or feel the same so why should church planting? For Northridge Church, the newest of their five-church network looks like nothing they could have imagined on paper. It just “kind of happened” and in one of the most unlikely places: Peru, Nebraska.

The idea was to start a church — in an area with little gospel presence — using Peru State College students as its main congregation while at the same starting a new Christian Challenge ministry on the college campus. Starting two ministries at the same time sounds crazy but what makes this idea really outside-the-box is college students are transient and normally poor. How can they afford a pastor or any other things a church needs? What about stability? After graduating, students spread out and settle in other places as young professionals.

Northridge took the challenge and partnered with Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists and Kansas State University’s Christian Challenge to share resources, knowledge and support in the endeavor.

Ideal location

Interim pastor Zack Robson said Peru was an ideal place. The small community of 900 residents only has a Catholic church and another community church. While that sounds properly “churched,” when you add in the 2,500 students that come each year to the college, there are a lot of possibilities. Robson said as a small-town Kansas kid he was prepared for how this size of town operates but his mind was blown when he realized that this area was virtually unchurched.

“I’m amazed at how many Peru State students just don’t know very much about Christianity or any religion,” Robson said. “They are interested in spiritual things. Now is the time to reach out to them and teach how to walk with God.”

Robson joked that it took all of three minutes to get a Christian Challenge started on campus. The students and campus were receptive to the idea and the group is growing in number for the weekly fellowships and small groups. Establishing a church was a different story, though. The first gathering was Sept. 27, 2020, in the midst of COVID. The congregation is made up of a few community members and a dozen or so college students.

Support and mentoring from Northridge is something for which Robson and the new pastor, Daniel Hutchinson, are grateful. The Northridge network provides time for church leaders to gather and offer each other encouragement and wisdom.

“Charlie (Robinson) helped us remember that the key for building the foundation of a church is investing in individual people,” Robson said of the Northridge Network leader. “We really focused on that the first year and are seeing some spiritual maturity happening.”

Hutchinson is excited to dig in this fall semester in planting seeds of the gospel. He worked for Christian Challenge at Kansas State and is excited about how a church and college ministry can feed into each other from the very beginning.

“In such a small community, these two ministries will really work well together. It will be healthy for students to see how to walk with Christ long-term and not just as a college student,” he said. “They will learn how to be a Christ follower and leaders in a church.”

Hutchinson requested prayer for “every believer in our church to be passionate about the gospel and reaching people with it. Pray for the people in the church that the believers will deeply love the Lord and go out on mission in our community and beyond.”


EDITOR’S NOTE — This article was written by Sue Sprenkle for the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists, where it was originally published.

Share with others:

Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • First person: 10 reasons why unchurched people may find your small group uncomfortable
    First person: 10 reasons why unchurched people may find your small group uncomfortable
    July 12, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Free training available for churches to address sexual abuse
    Free training available for churches to address sexual abuse
    July 11, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • First person: Where is God in our pain?
    First person: Where is God in our pain?
    July 11, 2025/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

First person: 10 reasons why unchurched people may find your small group uncomfortable

The healthiest churches I know have small groups that are intentional about reaching non-believers. They set that goal, and they seek to reach lost people and then disciple new believers. At the same time, though, I’m reminded of reasons unchurched or newly-churched folks may be uncomfortable attending your small group.

Free training available for churches to address sexual abuse

Many churches have begun using background checks to help prevent abuse, but fewer are trained in reporting potential abuse. Lifeway Christian Resources and Clear Investigative

First person: Where is God in our pain?

The recent flooding in Texas has left so many of us reeling. The loss of lives, especially the lives of children at Camp Mystic, is beyond comprehension.

BGCT churches unite to aid Kerr County flood relief efforts

Baptist General Convention of Texas churches in Kerrville, Texas, and surrounding areas are mobilizing their members to aid in relief efforts after the flooding of the Guadalupe River on July 4. 

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2025 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

About

  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church
  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news

Subscribe

  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel