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Engage 24 stirs college hearts for lost
Adam Miller, Baptist Press
September 20, 2013
3 MIN READ TIME

Engage 24 stirs college hearts for lost

Engage 24 stirs college hearts for lost
Adam Miller, Baptist Press
September 20, 2013

NEWARK, Del. – University of Delaware senior Allie Murray had never shared the gospel, but during an Engage 24 evangelism outreach, she discovered it can be a positive experience.

“I’m not very outgoing so my friend was leading the first few conversations,” Murray said. “I was surprised by how open everyone was. We didn’t just spring the gospel on them. We asked them questions about their background and guided the conversation toward Christ. From that I honestly developed a passion for sharing the gospel.”

During last year’s Engage 24, more than 800 college students from more than 100 colleges and universities shared their faith in one day on their respective campuses. From Simon Fraser University in Vancouver to the University of North Georgia, students shared the gospel hundreds of times, made thousands of contacts and led more than 100 students to Christ, organizers said.

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Photo courtesy of Caroline Hale

University of Delaware senior Allie Murray, left, shared the gospel for the first time during last year’s launch of Southern Baptists’ Engage 24 collegiate outreach. This year’s Oct. 10 event will include Baptist Campus Ministries across North America.

Since that experience last October, Murray, a civil engineering major, has become evangelism coordinator for the university’s Baptist Campus Ministry.

“I have a heart for lost people because my family are not believers,” Murray said. “When I share the gospel I can feel the Spirit move in me and it gives me boldness and confidence. I know that what I say isn’t always perfect or right, so I rely on the Lord to do the work. And that makes me more confident.”

Through the national Engage initiative, students “discovered that not only was sharing their faith not too difficult, but that they’re actually kind of good at it and had a passion for it,” said Blake Hardcastle (@IBHardcastle), University of Delaware Baptist Collegiate Ministry leader.

Engage 24 was developed by Southern Baptist collegiate ministry leaders to help the 75,000-plus Southern Baptist college students across the U.S. share the gospel, developing in students and leaders a lifestyle of evangelism.

This year’s Engage 24, set for Oct. 10, will provide a potentially life-changing evangelistic avenue for students, said Brian Frye (@BriFrye), North American Mission Board national collegiate strategist.

“Far too many Christian students go through college without really engaging lost peers with the gospel, and this is a huge missed opportunity in shaping students for future ministry,” Frye said. “Collegians who develop boldness and skill in sharing Christ during college are laying the groundwork for a lifetime of gospel impact and discipleship – in whatever profession or ministry context they end up in post-college.”

For more information and resources, including a four-part Engage study guide published by LifeWay Christian Resources, visit engage24.org.

(EDITOR’S NOTE – Adam Miller writes for the North American Mission Board.)