On the campus of Kentucky’s Morehead State University, gospel seeds are being planted with steady consistency.
Students involved in Baptist Campus Ministry conduct Good News Surveys with their peers once a month, according to BCM Minister Matthew Mofield. Since September, those efforts have resulted in 279 gospel conversations.
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On a sunny Thursday, about a dozen BCM members took part in the outreach, joining several other campus groups that had also set up tables. The BCM booth, set beneath a tent and stocked with giveaways, serves as a welcoming entry point for conversations.
Seeking deeper discussions
The surveys themselves are designed to be non-confrontational but often open the door to deeper discussions, said Brady Adkins, a sophomore from West Liberty and an outreach team leader.
“It’s a spiritual interest survey about what they believe,” Adkins said. “We try to get in conversations with them. Once you open up with them about spiritual things, it usually leads to a gospel conversation.”
The questionnaire includes 10 prompts, beginning with beliefs about God and ending with whether anything is preventing a personal decision about faith.
For Brayden Sayers, a sophomore from Pike County, the experience has required adaptability — especially when students say they don’t believe in God. Even so, he describes the overall response as overwhelmingly positive.
“As I’m growing and understanding Scripture and transformational power of it, too, I’m getting better at articulating the gospel,” he said. “My conversations are a lot deeper.”
Some discussions, Sayers noted, have stretched to an hour or more. “Those are with the very skeptical people that have a lot of questions.”
He noted, “I know some people here have had a survey where somebody wants to convert, but that’s somewhat rare. As long as we’re spreading the gospel and being faithful in that, that is what matters.”
Follow up
Adkins said most students are open to participating, even if some decline.
“Some don’t want to hear what we have to say but they’re not antagonistic about it,” he said. “Usually, a good number agree to do the survey. If the conversation goes well afterward, we try to follow up with them and always invite them to come to a BCM meeting.”
In addition to surveys, the group offers Bibles, gospel tracts and invitations to BCM events. Often, a friendly approach is enough to encourage participation, even if the interaction doesn’t go further.
Mofield said the surveys have been a regular part of BCM outreach for several years, producing meaningful results — not only in planting seeds but in helping students grow more comfortable sharing their faith.
“Ultimately, that fear is not what we’re called to live in. One, we’re told to do it (share the gospel). That’s the way it is. The thing that will help people most overcome that fear is being able to recognize you are not the one in charge.” – BCM student Brady Adkins on sharing the gospel.
“This is an environment if it doesn’t go well, you’ve at least exposed yourself to the reality of just talking to somebody about spiritual things,” Adkins said. “It really is a good growth opportunity.”
Central goal
Encouraging that kind of growth is a central goal.
“It was a challenge for me,” Adkins said. “Me individually, I’m an outgoing person. I had done some evangelism training somewhere else, and they threw me into the deep end. Before I got here, I was somebody who struggled in boldness. It is a good learning experience.”
Through the experience, Adkins said he has learned to overcome fear when sharing the gospel.
“Ultimately, that fear is not what we’re called to live in,” he said. “One, we’re told to do it (share the gospel). That’s the way it is. The thing that will help people most overcome that fear is being able to recognize you are not the one in charge. It’s not resting on your shoulders. If you are in prayer, trusting in the fact that this conversation is in the hands of the Lord as your words are, you need to allow yourself to be led by the Holy Spirit.”
As more students take part, BCM leaders say those lessons continue to take root.
“It’s a very good transition, get your toes in the water and warm up to it,” Adkins said. “It’s a group setting and people are very approachable. No reason to be afraid whatsoever.”
Giving to the Cooperative Program supports Baptist Campus Ministries throughout Kentucky.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Mark Maynard and originally published by Kentucky Today.
