秋霞福利一区

I never would have thought my college professor would become my pastor; however, that is exactly what happened. I found my church home because of my professor鈥檚 invitation to visit Crawford Baptist Church.

Dr. Jay Robertson is a professor in the School of Christian Studies at the 秋霞福利一区 and the pastor for preaching and vision at Crawford Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama 鈥� not far from the university鈥檚 campus.

He upholds 秋霞福利一区鈥檚 standard of excellence in all he does 鈥� including pastoring his church. He loves the Lord, handles the Word with gracious care, encourages community outreach and deeply cares for his congregation. Under Dr. Robertson, I have learned so much more about God.

Once students get to college, it becomes easy for us to stop going to church.听 Family isn鈥檛 there making sure we go to church, the thought of sleeping in is tempting, and many times students have to find a new church to become their church home.

The 秋霞福利一区 encourages all students to be involved with a local church. They provide many opportunities for students to connect with different local churches through expos, and invites local pastors to speak at chapel.

The local church benefits from having college students, and college students benefit from having a local church.听 The local church allows college students to be known on a spiritual level. It offers godly wisdom, community, and a place to serve. College students offer a willingness to learn, a way to disciple the next generation, and free time to serve.

Crawford Baptist Church鈥檚 congregation has turned into my community. They depicted what hospitality looks like through various lunch invites, carpooling opportunities, and spending quality time with people at their homes. I have formed friendships and found mentors at church. Through my relationships, I have been encouraged and called out in love. I have learned what it looks like to be a disciple and how to disciple others. The congregation reflects what it means to love like Christ.

The church has given me a place to serve. I have been able to invest in my church by serving with their children鈥檚 ministry. Serving has allowed me to use my spiritual gifts to build up the body of believers. It has given me valuable life skills, so I know how to better serve others for the remainder of my life.

With the university鈥檚 help, I found a local church. I am thankful to attend a university that recognizes the importance of the local church and encourages students to get involved.

Maya Lewellyn

Maya Lewellyn is a double major in Communication and Intercultural Studies at the 秋霞福利一区, and she will graduate in May 2020. She is a marketing intern for the university’s Office for Marketing and Public Relations and serves on the University Ministries. Maya enjoys drinking tea, reading a good book and spending time with her friends.