PHILADELPHIA (BRN) – Drexel University does things a little bit differently. We are on the quarter system so that our four yearly terms (instead of semesters) match almost perfectly with the four seasons. Each year before the start of the Fall term, we have a Welcome Week which introduces 3,000 new students (freshmen, transfers, and graduate students) into the Drexel community. This week provides many opportunities to meet and greet the new Drexel Dragons.

Drexel Graduate Student Resource Fair 

Both Baptist Campus Ministries and the Graduate Christian Fellowship had information tables at the Graduate Student Resource Fair. I gave away four Bible’s to curious International Graduate Students coming from other faith traditions. I also set out copies of the Bible Study written for #LovePASJ Initiative and the 2021 Accelerate Conference to highlight some of the resources available through Baptist Campus Ministries. Several of the students were interested in learning more about the gospel and, in total, we gave 10 of these resources away. A few of them were signed by the author at the recipient’s request (that was a new experience.) The Graduate Christian Fellowship is a newly recognized student organization on campus supported by Baptist Campus Ministries and the Christian Faculty Group. They were able to publicly promote their Mind Your Faith panel discussion (descibed below in more detail) to all the incoming graduate students. This was one of the first official public endeavors for the group. 

Find-A-Church 

I have been the Baptist Campus Minister at Drexel for 17 years and there are very few Christian traditions that pre-date my connection to the campus. However, one of those traditions is Find-A-Church. During the first four Sundays of the Fall term, Drexel upperclassmen who attend church come together from 9 – 10 a.m. to present their churches to interested new students. This gives students the chance to see the variety of church life available in the Philadelphia area and the opportunity to check out four different churches over the course of the four weeks. Hopefully, every student that attends will find their Philadelphia church home while they are at Drexel, or longer, if they choose to stay in the city after graduation. This year, 13 churches participated in the event. Four of those churches are our own Baptist Resource Network (BRN) churches represented by Drexel students. A total of 53 new students have attended or signed up via email for the first two Sundays. Please pray for Drexel students to connect with healthy churches. 

Mind Your Faith 

In my role at Drexel, I have the privilege to aid both the Graduate Christian Fellowship group and a Christian Faculty Group at Drexel. This year these groups continued their tradition of offering a panel discussion where the Christian faculty members discuss how their faith connects with their academic endeavors. The event is entitled Mind Your Faith and focuses on how we can love the Lord with all of our minds. 

Campus Wide Worship 

However, the highlight of the week is always Campus Wide Worship. This is another Drexel tradition, but one that has been established since I started at Drexel. Several of the Drexel Christian student organizations (including CRU, Drexel Students for Christ, Every Nation Campus, Open Door Christian Community, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Graduate Christian Fellowship) come together to worship Jesus outside in the middle of campus. The students lead worship, share their testimonies and proclaim the gospel. This year, over 70 students attended. This is a wonderful way to begin the new school united as the body of Christ. 

I want to thank the BRN for their support of Baptist Campus Ministries and all that it does at Drexel University. The BRN Evangelism Grant helped provide publicity (both print and digital) and food (snacks and drinks) for each of these events.