Bible study at Murray State 'one of the coolest things'

MURRAY, Ky. (KT) - More than 200 students were crammed around the Sigma Phi Epsilon house at Murray State University on a recent Tuesday night -- sitting on everything from the fence to the rooftop. But what was unfoldingwasn't your typical college party.

Rather, it was a Bible study encouraging students to direct their worship and affection to God.

Madisyn Braden, a junior at Murray State, described the evening as "one of the coolest things" she's been a part of during her time there.

Students peek over a fence to listen to a Bible study at Murray State.

A massive Bible study at Murray State had students practically sitting everywhere.

"I was able to go with a group of believers and unbelievers...it was a perfect opportunity to invite people in who would neverotherwise step foot into a church or the BCM (Baptist Campus Ministry)," she explained.

The event is put on twice a semester by Harvest Campus Ministry, a ministry of Hardin Baptist Church. The eveningfeatured a time of worship, student testimonies and preaching from the Bible by Zach Shipley, campus minister with Harvest.The night ended with an invitation to follow Jesus and join a small group.

"It was an amazing turnout, and it was really sweet as we reflected on the night of just all the different places on campus were really reflected by who was there," Shipley said. "Especially to see this reflect that God is after all people."

Braden said the message and testimonies were anything but watered down. "It was convicting, and the gospel was presented over and over again."

Shipley taught out of Acts 17 where the Apostle Paul pleads with those on Mars Hill to turn from their idols and worship the one true God. In the same way, Shipley said he pleaded with the students to reorient their worship to the one true God.

"These are college students. There are a lot of things they worship. The call to worship the true God is the same for all of us. That was the heart of the night," he said.

Students packed in at Murray State for a massive Bible study.

He had a lot of feedback from those wrestling with and confessing that they worship things that have been created instead of the Creator.

Braden even had one unbelieving friend who expressed after the event, "I just realized that I don't need to put off following God until after college, I can follow Him now."

Shipley and the other leaders at Hardin Baptist and Harvest Campus Ministry have strategic follow-up efforts already in place to disciple the students who responded.

"We're going to call people to follow Jesus tonight, but what we get really excited about is following up with them and helping them grow after they make that big decision...The number one thing we try to do is get an evangelistic Bible study in as many places on campus as we possibly can."

They have seen a lot of spiritual fruit from the strategy of hosting these evangelistic small groups in fraternities, sororities, sports teams and dorms where students can ask hard questions and be challenged to grow in their faith.

Last year alone, they saw 30 students make professions of faith and 24 students get baptized at Hardin Baptist. "We had a baptism almost every Sunday last spring semester!" Shipley said.

"What's really cool is that seems to really have just carried over where these new believers are excited to go share their faith with their friends."

Although he and the others on staff are very careful about using the word "revival," Shipley said the evidence as to what God is doing at Murray State will come 10 months, 10 years and 10 million years down the road. Their desire is for these students to be transformed by the gospel and for it to shape God's kingdom going forward.

Shipley asks that Kentucky Baptists join him in praying for these students, that they would "come to their Heavenly Father, some for the very first time.And that those who are walking with God would take steps of faith to go share the gospel with people around them so that ultimately, God would get much glory."