MADISONVILLE, Ky. (KT) — The Baptist Campus Ministry (BCM) at Madisonville Community College rarely calls off its Wednesday noon meeting. But when the college held its annual International Cultural Celebration recently, Craig Dixon said it presented an opportunity for the BCM to join that activity on a Wednesday with the purpose of connecting with students and staff and share the gospel.
Dixon, who leads BCM work on campus while serving as the college’s director of institutional effectiveness, said this was the first year for the BCM to participate in the cultural celebration.
Helping with the Baptist Campus Ministry booth at Madisonville Community College’s International Cultural Celebration recently were Lee Davis (left) and Harrell Riley.
“We asked: how can we connect and have a presence, rather than compete with it (celebration)?” Dixon said. Since the event featured displays and exhibits related to international culture, Dixon relied on the many folks he and others knew to compile a display of things that had been gathered on international mission trips as well as photos from those trips. Included in that display were items from an Ethiopia mission trip by Harrell Riley of HR Ministries as well as items from Lee Davis, pastor of Nortonville Baptist Church, a long-time BCM friend who had made mission trip to places such as Honduras and Thailand.
“We set out artifacts on a table and let students come by to see them. A lot of them were high school, private school and homeschool students. The event was open to the community, and about 500 people were there,” Dixon noted. “A lot of people came by to just check it (display) out and they asked about the display. Harrell was able to share the gospel directly to people… it’s one of the more effective outreach things we have done.” Dixon recalled hearing Riley speak to two students — one who said she was a believer and the other who wasn’t. “It was one of the most poignant conversations I heard all day.”
Dixon has been on staff at MCC since 2005, starting as its webmaster. He then moved into a grant writing role, and less than three months ago moved into his current role. He became involved in the BCM work about six or seven years ago. The coordinator at that time retired and asked him to lead the BCM work.
“I have a lot of great help — I don’t do it by myself at all,” Dixon said. “My function is to get speakers — we want sound doctrine. My administrative assistant makes sure we have lunch every week, and we have sponsoring churches that pay for the lunches. We put out a lunch every week in the hall.” Not only students, but faculty and staff are supportive and involved in the BCM activities.
Harrell Riley shares the gospel with two students at Madisonville Community College.
“Scheduling speakers is not usually a problem, and often we will have more faculty and staff than students (attending),” Dixon observed. While pastors often fill the speaking roles, Dixon said several laymen have me that need. “This academic year we have extended the invitation to pastors and laymen got come and tell what God has done for them. Everybody ought to be able to tell you something that God has done for them. We’ve had a few people at the college speak who don’t usually speak at these events.”
In addition to the Wednesday gatherings and doing outreach, Dixon said he has encouraged people to understand “we are here for everybody on campus. We will continue to be here and be present and let God take care of the rest.”