Jordan Butler
Writer
One of the major events at the Mississippi University for Women’s Baptist Student Union
is Community.
Community is a student-led worship service on Tuesday nights at 6 p.m. W students plan
most of the Community service. Students organize the entire service, and a guest speaker is
invited most nights.
Photo by Jordan Butler
The BSU often teams up with local churches to find speakers. These speakers often stick
to one book of the Bible and work through and teach from that book for a time. BSU assistant
director Connor Farrar says that Community speakers can vary.
“We bring in different speakers, most of the time pastors from all over the state. Right
now, we are looking through the book of Colossians and each person is preaching on a different
section of scripture, and sometimes we will allow students to give their testimony,” Farrar said.
Most of the time, these speakers are pastors who either grew up in Columbus or lead
local churches. Community speakers can also be people in other forms of ministry such as BSU
director Jonah Bankston.
The primary goal of the BSU is to know Christ and make him known, and Community is
one of the main ways for the BSU to introduce non-believers to the gospel. The Community
service features messages that can be discussed at the BSU Noonday on Thursdays.
“Our Noonday ministry essentially feeds off of Community,” Bankston said.
Community is also a very important part of BSU student’s lives and makes a great impact
on their social circles. BSU lead team member Randi Johnson says it is important to form lasting
relationships with people and that Community is a great place to do that.
“That’s our main goal is to make people feel welcome and make them more susceptible
to come in and want to stay,” Johnson said.
Community for Johnson was more than just a weekly event, it was a gateway through
which she met some of her greatest friends. She says that the friends she has made through
Community and the BSU have shown her what a Christ-like friendship is.
“Without Community, I don’t think I would be where I am now,” said Johnson.
The BSU also incorporates many fun ways to interest people in coming to Community
nights so that people can experience what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Connor Farrar speaks at a Community night
Photo by Jordan Butler
A new feature that has been implemented at Community this semester is weekly themes,
such as jersey day and Western day. The themes are carefully selected according to what the lead
team at the BSU thinks people would like and what would be accessible to people.
Included with the weekly themes this year was a thrift store prom. The thrift store prom is
a special Community service that is held every year. At the thrift store prom-themed Community
attendants are encouraged to wear their craziest prom attire to worship the Lord.
The Community service is a special weekly event that is open to anyone who wants to
come, and it benefits the local area of Columbus.