Baylor BSM staff, students gather for prayer at new building site

WACO—“With the growth of [the BSM’s ministry], more and more students need places to meet and to study the Bible together. Our gatherings are getting larger, our small groups are multiplying, and a building like this will not only give us the space to worship and pray continuously, it will give us a place for students to gather and grow,” Will Bowden, director of the Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) at Baylor University, said at a prayer gathering for the new Baylor BSM building on Wednesday, Dec. 6, in Waco.

In anticipation of the new building, BSM staff and students, Baylor representatives and alumni and Texas Baptists staff gathered together to pray. Former Baylor BSM Directors Charlie Ramsey and George Loutherback were also in attendance. The event took place on a parcel of land at the intersection of 4th Street and Daughtrey Avenue, the future site of a new building for the BSM. The land, located directly adjacent to Baylor’s campus, will provide students with easy access to the BSM and allow the ministry to continue growing.

Bowden welcomed everyone to the event, expressing his excitement for the growth and future of the Baylor BSM and sharing an update about the new building. He explained that approximately $1.5 million has already been raised for the campaign and shared a rendering of the facilities.

Prayer stations set up around the lot designated specific rooms and ministries of the future building, including the prayer room, main gathering area and meeting spaces. Attendees gathered in small groups and moved around the stations, praying over the BSM’s ministries and the vision for the new building.

Per an agreement approved by Baylor University Board of Regents and Texas Baptists Executive Board, Baylor will gift the BSM the land once an initial $3 million has been raised. The total capital investment will be approximately $7 million. An additional $2 million will be raised to set up an endowment that will allow for future building maintenance and ministry.

The new building will be a 12,000-square-foot hub for students to attend discipleship training, worship nights and fellowship opportunities. It will have a designated space for prayer, large communal spaces, pickleball courts, a coffee shop and more. The exterior renderings show a red brick building that is bright and airy, matching the exterior of other campus buildings.

“Something like this doesn’t just happen, it’s a result of concerted prayer. Prayer for Baylor, prayer for the BSM and prayer for the continuation of this journey that’s been going on for generations but is now entering into a new phase,” Ramsey, who now serves as the Baylor University director for Campus Ministries & Church Connections, said about the event.

Jerry Carlisle, president of the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation (TBMF), spoke during the gathering, explaining that prayer is critical in the days ahead. TBMF is taking the lead in fundraising for the new ministry facility. The Missions Foundation connects individuals and their resources with the work of Texas Baptists to fulfill the Great Commission and obey the Great Commandment. Prior to the Baylor BSM, The Missions Foundation also oversaw fundraising for new BSM buildings at Texas Tech University and The University of North Texas.

“We’re grateful for Baylor and their generosity, we’re grateful for Texas Baptists, and we ask simply that you would pray to ask what God would like you to do to be a part of this incredible vision and mission that God has placed before us today,” Carlisle said.

Ramsey and Loutherback closed the gathering with a prayer, asking the Lord for blessings over Baylor’s campus and the BSM’s ministries.

“Our ministry has been multiplying. It’s tripled in the past three years… It’s been amazing seeing the students growing in the spirit and prioritizing prayer,” Bowden said. “We’re excited about this building to have the space to gather together and grow,” Bowden said.

Learn how to support the BSM at Baylor building campaign at baylorbsm.com or by contacting the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation at missionsfoundation[at]txb.org or 214.828.5343.