For the first time since 1998, Southern Baptists have a presence at the 5,000-student Grambling State University, located five miles west of Ruston in Lincoln Parish.
GRAMBLING – For the first time since 1998, Southern Baptists have a
presence at the 5,000-student Grambling State University, located five
miles west of Ruston in Lincoln Parish.
“We are really evangelizing the campus,” said Reginald J. Alford,
Baptist Collegiate Ministries director at Grambling. “We have grown up
to 150 students on a regular basis. There have been more than 100
rededications and born-again experiences. To sum it up, there’s a
revival on campus.”
Alford, who is in his first semester as BCM Director at Grambling,
said students meet every Tuesday night for Bible study in
sessions led primarily by student leaders and occasionally by local
pastors or Alford himself, who attended New Orleans Baptist Theological
Seminary and spent one year as the BCM Director at Alabama State before
coming to Grambling.
In addition, Alford meets with student leaders – about 10 – every Monday.
“God just worked everything out,” Alford said of his experience at
Grambling so far. “It was already set up. The leaders were waiting. I
came on campus at the right time.”
The student leaders, whom Alford met soon after his arrival and whom he
feels God had prepared well before then, are evidence of God’s hand at
Grambling, Alford said.
Alford spends much of his time on campus simply talking with students,
learning about who they are and what is important to them.
The first week in October, BCM at Grambling co-hosted a Bible study
with a campus fraternity; at least 230 students attended.
“Since then a lot of students from the fraternity have attended Bible study on a regular basis,” Alford said.
On Nov. 8 and 10, BCM at Grambling is planning a women’s event, the
primary focus of which is intended to be: Choosing a Mate.
“I’ve built some great relationships with student affairs; they trust me,” Alford said.
“As of now, we’re just taking it slowly, kind of waiting on the
budget,” he said of his upcoming plans for the BCM. “It’s relatively
new. We’re still working on resources, and we’re trying not to
over plan because of that.”
Recently BCM students elected Mr. and Ms. BSU (Baptist Student Union)
to represent BCM on the school’s homecoming court and in the homecoming
parade.
There are eight other student religious organizations on campus,
including the Muslim Student Association, the Catholic Student
Association, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.