The USM BSU needs you!

Dear Friends of BSU:

As I look back over this past year, I am thankful for the many ways God has blessed the BSU at Southern Miss. We have reached new heights in sending out missionaries. 40 USM BSU students are headed across the world this summer to share Jesus with many who have never heard. In the next few months, two new couples (former USM BSUers) will join the ranks as career missionaries with IMB. This summer another former BSU couple will move to New England to plant churches. God continues to bless the commitment we’ve made to take the gospel of Jesus to the nations.

However, I am concerned as we approach the summer. I’m sure you are aware of the tough economic times that are affecting individuals and churches. Our church base support has been reduced by more than $15,000 for the year 2011. We were not alerted to the reduction in budget support ahead of time, but now are aware that several of our major supporting churches have reduced their support to a level lower than when I arrived 20 years ago.

The Southern Miss BSU depends on support from the Cooperative Program of the Mississippi Baptist Convention for taking care of the staff salaries (Lloyd and Kris). However, local churches and friends like you fund the ministry here at Southern Miss. The reality is local church support is decreasing and we are more dependent than ever on individuals like you for reaching this campus and the world.

We are asking those of you that have been blessed by this ministry to consider giving back to help reach this generation of students. Please know that you cannot give too little. A sobering fact is that 150 people giving $100 will replace the funds we have lost in the past three months. If you would like to talk to Kris or me about this, please call us-601-264-5160. This summer we hope to contact many of you by phone to ask for your support.

If your church does not support BSU at Southern Miss directly, would you become an advocate to ask them to become one of our partners? We would recommend that a new church partner begin by giving $25 per month.

This is God’s ministry and I am not ashamed to ask you to support reaching students, discipling them, and sending them out with the gospel to the world.

Until All Have Heard!

Lloyd

2011 BSU Summer Missionaries

CIC 2010

96 Mississippi BSU students and BSU directors spent two weeks in China over the Christmas break. 38 of the 96 were from Southern Miss. We had the chance to talk to Chinese students about American culture and the Story of Christmas. Many of them had never heard the Reason we celebrate Christmas. CIC continues to be a phenominal chance to share with people!

USM team in front of the Forbidden City - Beijing.

The Great Wall

Mississippi students had plenty of opportunities to make friends with Chinese students.

Public transportation in China is always an experience. There's always room for one more!

Special friendships were formed

Good times hanging out

Flashback - 6:01 fall of 2010

6:01 (in case you didn't know) is the USM BSU's weekly large group gathering. We have a time of worship and praise through music & we invite a guest speaker to come in and share. This past semester our theme was: Who is Jesus? We looked back at several scripture references throughout the fall semester and explored what the Bible says about who Jesus is. It was a real treat and an honor to have such great speakers in our BSU. A big thanks goes out to: Don Stewart, Ivan Parke, Gary Permenter, Tony Merida, Luke Johnson, Walt Barnes, Ashley Austin, Don Gann, Chris James, Ken Hester, Raymond Johnson & Tommy Mitchell for coming down and sharing with our students.

During the semester we like to take a break and focus on missions. It is always really special to have Tom and Gloria Thurman come in for a visit. Tom and Gloria are our heroes and if you ever met them you would feel the same way. One 6:01 this semester they came and one of our students (Ariel Domico) interviewed them on stage.

We always want to put great folks like the Thurmans in front of our students to show them that God can use ordinary folks (like the Thurmans) to impact the world. Tom and Gloria served in Bangladesh for 35 years. Many came to Christ because of what God did through them. Praise God for using us to bring Him glory.

Next semester's 6:01 theme: believe, love and preach JESUS. May Jesus be glorified through the USM BSU.

And so this is Christmas....

2010 marks the tenth year of Christmas in China. 95 students from the great state of Mississippi are signed up to go to China from Dec. 15 to Jan. 2. 38 of this group is from USM. You can see each of these students on the image above. Would you pray for these going? There will be many opportunities to tell the Chinese of the Reason for the season. Pray for these who are hearing the Good News for the very first time.

Flashback: Lloyd's 20 years at USM

This fall we celebrated the 20 years Lloyd Lunceford has served at the USM BSU. He will admit early on that he planned to be at USM for two years and somehow that turned into 20! What a joy to have him here investing in the lives of students for the glory of God! We had plenty of friends stop by on the day of his celebration (Oct. 2).

Stephen & Amanda McDonald

Wes & Kristen Switzer

Mike Madaris

Presley Walters, Gloria & Tom Thurman

Brant Hanna

Robin Reid Ensign & family

Matt & Jacque Middlecamp / Brad & Jennifer Irvin

Jonathan & Kristen Palmer / Margie Heltzel & Kelly Marzoni

Flashback: 6:01 in 2010

Our study of Philippians this semester has been great. We are blessed to have many gifted speakers who live around the area to come up and share on their selected passage. The book of Philippians is challenging and encouraging. Tonight, we will finish up our study. Dr. Gary Permenter will wrap it up for us. We looked at every "nook" and "cranny" of Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. Speakers such as Argile Smith (FBC Biloxi), Don Stewart (retired pastor/seminary professor), Tony Merida (Temple Baptist-West) all fed us God's Word. Others like Ivan Parke (Mississippi College prof), Luke Johnson (former USM BSUer) and Chris James (Campus minister at UMASS Lowell) gave us a great view of what Paul meant when he wrote and how it applies to us today. Lloyd and I are grateful for gifted speakers because otherwise we would be up there and no one would really want that!

Flashback: Winter Retreat 2010

The BSU Winter Retreat happened at the beginning of February. Gary Permenter was our speaker. Chris Layton did our music. We had a little over 80 students participate. Gary spoke about David and several of the Psalms he wrote. We began Friday night and finished up by lunch on Saturday. The folks at the Pearl River Baptist Association were gracious enough to allow us to use their facility.

There were guided small group times throughout the weekend. Small groups=valuable.

On Friday night, students played Name that Tune.

Guys vs. Girls. Not sure who won but there was no lack for competition that night!

BSU and International ministry

This article was written by our friend Lori who worked with us for 10 months this year. She has since left Hattiesburg and is about to head overseas for assignment. She played a major role in helping our students minister to our international friends. We will miss her investments in the lives of our students.

God has given the student leaders of the International Team great opportunities to reach internationals on campus this semester! Last semester, (Spring of 2009) we averaged about nine international students with several Americans attending our weekly Coffee Talk (English practice) event, but this semester we’ve had about 21 internationals and 25-28 American students attending! The leaders have seized many opportunities to check internationals into their dorms the moment they arrived from the airport, taking them out for meals, inviting them into their homes, giving them rides to Wal-Mart, taking them to church every Sunday, and spending extra time doing various activities with them both inside and outside the BSU. The students have already invited many international students to go home with them over the holiday in order to experience what it’s like for an American family to celebrate Thanksgiving together, with the purpose of telling them what we are most thankful for: Salvation through Jesus Christ!

The International Team has made the following items their central goals:

1 - For every international student on our campus to have heard the gospel message in full AND to have been given a personal invitation by a Christian BSU student to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior & Lord.

2 – For every Christian BSU student to have shared the gospel message in full with an international student.

Based on these two goals, they are not only leading internationals to the Lord, but are also mobilizing other BSU students to become involved in reaching internationals. Together, they are leading internationals in Bible studies, sharing the gospel message with ones who are lost and are discipling the ones who have accepted Christ. The world is at our doorstep…the field of internationals is plentiful at USM, and these students are stepping up as workers in the harvest field to lead them to faith in Jesus Christ. They are using both fun activities and the activities of daily life to build purposeful relationships with them. The leaders are striving to share the love of Christ with internationals in both words and actions while leading other BSU students to do the same…all for the expansion of the kingdom and for the glory of God!

Telling the BSU story with pictures

The BSU Praise Band: Josh Richards (leader), Timothy McMillen (bass), Kelsey Mitchell (backup vocals), Jared Arrington (keyboard), Daniel Netterville (drum) and Josh Rodgers (electric guitar). This team leads our worship through music every Tuesday night at 6:01.

Missions Banquet 2009: The theme was TV Land and this group got their Star Trek on! Missions Banquet is a night of celebration where we ask our students to give $50 to BSU student missions. Every student who came gave sacrificially. What a night!

Stephen Williams from Meridian won the best male costume for the night. Here he's holding up his award.

The best female costume went to the Golden Girls. (L to R) Anna Colby Tanner, Sarah Mordica, Sarah Stafiej and Cassie Clayton.

Our hosts were TV repairmen. Robbie Merkosky and Danielle Hamilton. They had more fun than they should have!

Serving the dinner. Like a well-oiled machine.

Christmas CoffeeTalk party. Coffeetalk is a time for Internationals and Americans to get together over snacks and coffee. This provides a great platform to talk about Jesus every week with internationals.

Coffeetalk Christmas group shot

BSU Christmas Party. The last hangout time for our students before the semester ends.

Great food and fellowship!

Report from CSC

College Student Conference was a great experience for all 124 of our students this past weekend. It was a great time to get away and listen/learn from one of the best speakers in our day-Dr. David Platt. Dr. Platt challenged our students to let go of worldly things and turn our affections to Christ. The Lord used Dr. Platt to communicate what it means to follow Christ to about 1,000 Mississippi students. We had a Friday night session and then headed over to Cleary Baptist Church where we spent the night. Cleary Baptist has been so generous to allow us to stay there. By staying there it keeps the cost low for our students plus we have a chance to play games and hang out. CSC is always a bonding time for our BSU. Thank you for praying!

College Student Conference this weekend!

The statewide BSU retreat called CSC is happening this weekend at Morrison Heights Baptist Church in Clinton, MS. Approximately 1,000 college students are expected to be there. The USM BSU will bring around 120 or so...(the numbers keep coming in). Would you please pray for us?

• David Platt will speak during the weekend. Please pray for him as he shares what God has put on his heart.
• BSU Summer Missions will be introduced to many students this weekend. Please pray that God will call out MS students to go next summer and respond to the needs around the US and the world.
• Pray for our time together as a BSU. We will have some fellowship time and a chance to build new friendships. May Christ be glorified in our relationships at BSU.

Thank you!

Pictures of what's been happening lately

This semester has started very well. Thank you for praying! Here are a few pictures of what's happening with the ministry here at the USM BSU!

28 students are on this year's leadership team. Prior to everything starting up this semester, we took some time to train our leaders. We spent one day at Challenge Country. It was a tremendous experience as our team learned about team building. The ropes course was awesome!

A group of new students enjoying each other and pizza at the BSU welcome party.

Former USM BSUer Chris James spoke at the first 12:01 of the semester. We served spaghetti, bread sticks and salad. The first 12:01 of a semester is always free and yes, it was nuts that day. Free food and college students tend to mix very well.

Survival Weekend 2009 large group shot taken on Saturday morning August 22. A great group this year. Not sure how the numbers compare to the past. We did have 40 international students this year.

Dr. Ken Hester was back as the speaker. Ken is pastor of FBC Pontotoc. He's a great friend of BSU. Thank you Ken!

Please be praying for:

• An international Bible study led every Wednesday evening by Nick. The response has been good. International students are hearing the Gospel. Many of these were not familiar at all with Christianity.
• Fridays at lunch: a group of about 20 students are going out every Friday on campus to share with their fellow students. Please pray for our lost students on our campus.
• 6:01 & 12:01: that our weekly large group meetings would bring glory to Christ and that His word would be taught AND obeyed by our students.

Thank you for praying for the USM BSU!

Fall of 09 is under way!

We have been back in full swing here at the USM BSU now for about a week. We have hosted every new USM international student here in our building, trained and prepped leaders for the upcoming year and we've even done a ropes course a Challenge Country. 28 students leaders have taken on the task of serving their fellow USM students. It has been a privilege to be a part of this team. Laura Bullock is our BSU President. She's a senior from Florida and a Film major. She has such a heart to see Jesus worshipped on our campus and around the world. This is going to be a special year. Would you please pray for us? Here are some suggestions on how to pray for us:

• Our students leaders are still students. They will be juggling their time. Please pray that they will choose to use their time in a way that glorifies Christ.
• Survival Weekend is coming up this weekend. Please pray for our speaker (Ken Hester) and our family group leaders as they serve their "families" of new students.
• Please pray that God will continue to send out students. 30 USM students were out this past summer. We hope to hit 50 next summer.
• Pray for the BSU staff (Lloyd, Kris and Lori). Pray for us as we lead. Pray that our desire alone is that Christ be glorified. We have already had some things come up that are causing some problems. Pray that we not lose focus.
• Pray for lost USM students. Those who have never heard about Jesus, those who are religious and those who raise a defiant fist to God. Please pray for them.

These are a few requests. I may add more later. Thank you for keeping up with us!

USM Baseball and BSU

Ben J., Lloyd and Kris out in front of the famous "Road to Omaha" statue.

Ben J. with pitcher Todd McInnis

Ben and Bo Davis

Brian Dozier with Lloyd

This past June was an exciting time for our university as the Golden Eagle baseball team made it's first ever trip to the College World Series in Omaha, NE. For the past eight years now, BSU has had the chance to be involved with the baseball program so when the team made it to Omaha it was a big deal to us.

Throughout the year the BSU hosts a Baseball Bible study on Mondays at lunch where many members of the team come and eat lunch while we do a devotion. For the past couple of years, former BSUer Ben Jernigan and myself (Kris) have led a devotion time for the players. Each week we have consistently 20-25 guys show up to meet. It's been a real honor to work with these guys.

During the season, Lloyd travels with the team on weekends and speaks at Sunday morning chapel. Even though Lloyd is not too eager to speak (like most of us are) he has willingly done so at the request of now retired Head Coach Corky Palmer. God has used the ministry of BSU to touch the lives of these guys and wow has it been a fun ride!

Spring 09 picture highlights

Sadie's sock hop: Sock hopping for missions. BSU students raised about $1,400 for BSU Student Missions this spring.

Beach Reach Spring Break Team

 

Baltimore Spring Break Team

Cassie Clayton and a new friend in Baltimore

BSU students visiting with an international friend at Coffeetalk