West Texas A&M Baptist Student Ministry in Canyon celebrated 104 years of reaching, equipping and mobilizing students for the sake of the gospel on West Texas A&M University’s campus.
West Texas A&M President Walter Wendler expressed his gratitude for the BSM’s intentionality in modeling Christ on campus.
“The job of the BSM at West Texas A&M is to teach and to model and to project Christ in their day-to-day comings and goings on West Texas A&M’s campus, and we are thankful for that,” Wendler said.
“God’s word is at work on our campus because of the West Texas A&M University BSM and other ministerial organizations. The boldness and the confidence that students get through this ministry is very important.”
Testimonies of faith and lasting legacy
Tirzah Miranda, a current West Texas A&M student and BSM student leader, described how God has used the BSM to model Christ in her life and challenge her faith.
“I’ve been able to effectively learn how to share the gospel, tools of how to share the gospel and how to transition conversations to the gospel,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot of fruit from that.”
Malaki Deatherage, current campus missionary and future coordinator at West Texas A&M BSM, said he came to Christ during his freshman year at West Texas A&M because of the kindness of BSM students. He talked about how God used the ministry to cultivate his faith.
“People at the BSM loved on me whenever I was a wreck,” Deatherage said, noting BSM Director Eric Hunter “discipled me and taught me what it meant to be a believer, taught me what it meant to share the gospel.”
Hunter celebrates BSM’s reach
West Texas A&M BSM exists to love the campus, lead students into a relationship with Christ and launch students from the campus, students and alumni agreed. It serves as a ministry to nearby Amarillo College, Clarendon College and Frank Phillips College, in addition to West Texas A&M. Hunter has been the director of the school’s BSM since 2022 and is an alumnus of the university and organization himself.
The West Texas A&M BSM connected with more than 1,200 students in the last year, with 14 students placing their faith in Christ and being discipled.
Last spring, when students gathered for the last “806 Worship Night” of the semester in the current building, Hunter discussed Hebrews 12 and reminded them of the “great cloud of witnesses” that built the ministry’s legacy.
“They stand on your shoulders, the pathway that you paved,” he said.
“All the students here are benefactors of you and your legacy and your faithfulness in BSM over the decades. And as we see God move, a lot of it is because of your prayers and your support.”
New building builds on Kingdom legacy
The existing West Texas A&M BSM building, which has housed the ministry since 1952, soon will face demolition due to foundation problems and other structural issues.
Plans for a new facility have been drafted, and an adjacent property will serve as the BSM’s ministry headquarters until the new facility is ready.
West Texas A&M BSM leaders believe a new BSM building will help fulfill their love, lead and launch vision by providing a space for students to form community, hear and respond to the gospel, become equipped and be mobilized as disciple-makers.
“The needs of college students have never changed. Students need to hear the life-changing message of the gospel,” Hunter said.
Hunter is grateful for God’s provision that Texas Baptists “strategically purchased adjacent property to the BSM” to house the BSM as its historic facility is torn down and a new one built in its place.
“We’re so thankful that God in his sovereignty, in his providential wisdom, has provided us with a place, while we have to close this down, that we can still be here on campus,” he said.
Deatherage said the BSM’s legacy is not confined to the building but is based on the kingdom work being done through the ministry within it.
“Everyone is sad to see [this building] go, but we’re still building on that legacy even though this building is going away. So, I want to encourage you, don’t stop investing in the legacy. People like me, we needed this,” said Deatherage.
Campaign seeks to raise $5.5 million
West Texas A&M BSM launched its fundraising campaign for its new building in May. According to Hunter, the price tag for the new BSM building is $5.5 million.
Hunter explained the construction phase will begin once 80 percent of the funds are raised, which is expected to be within the next two years. The new building is expected to be constructed and ready for use for the freshman class of 2027.
Miranda noted the foundation of WTAMU BSM is not a building.
“The reason that the BSM is so special is because of the name of Jesus, and that’s our foundation,” Miranda said.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Jessica King and originally published by Baptist Standard.
