West Texas A&M Baptist Student Ministry celebrates 104 of ministry and looks ahead to the future with new building project

On May 4, West Texas A&M Baptist Student Ministry (WTAMU BSM) in Canyon, TX held a gathering celebrating 104 years of reaching, equipping and mobilizing students for the sake of the gospel on West Texas A&M University’s campus. 

WTAMU BSM alumni, including current BSM staff, local pastors and West Texas A&M President Dr. Walter Wendler, spoke of their experience with the BSM and their appreciation for how God continues to use the ministry to bring salvation to college students.

Wendler expressed his gratitude for WTAMU BSM’s intentionality in modeling Christ on campus. 

“The job of the BSM at WTA&M is to teach and to model and to project Christ in their day-to-day comings and goings on West Texas A&M’s campus, and we are thankful for that,” said Wendler. “God’s Word is at work on our campus because of the WTAMU BSM and other ministerial organizations. The boldness and the confidence that students get through this ministry is very important.”

Testimonies of cultivated faith and lasting legacy 

Tirzah Miranda, a current West Texas A&M student and WTAMU BSM student leader, shared how God has used the BSM to model Christ in her life and challenge her faith. 

“I was totally challenged this year because I realized that, in a lot of ways, I put my comfort above sharing the gospel. So, throughout this year, I’ve been able to effectively learn how to share the gospel, tools of how to share the gospel and how to transition conversations to the gospel,” said Miranda. “I’ve seen a lot of fruit from that.” 

Malaki Deatherage, current campus missionary and future coordinator at WTAMU BSM, also shared how he came to Christ during his freshman year at West Texas A&M because of the kindness of BSM students and how God used the ministry to cultivate his faith.

“People at the BSM loved on me whenever I was a wreck,” said Deatherage. “That summer, it was actually a BSM student, his name is Lance Myers, [who] led me to Christ. But [the last] three years in college, I started getting really close to the BSM and Eric discipled me and taught me what it meant to be a believer, taught me what it meant to share the gospel.”

Hunter celebrates BSM’s reach, alludes to ‘cloud of witnesses’

WT BSM exists to love the campus, lead students into a relationship with Christ and launch students from the campus. It serves as a ministry to nearby Amarillo College, Clarendon College and Frank Phillips College in addition to West Texas A&M. Eric Hunter has been the director of WTAMU BSM since 2022 and is an alumni of the university and organization himself. 

Hunter told attendees that WTAMU BSM had connected with over 1,200 students in the last year, with 14 students placing their faith in Christ and being discipled. As students gathered the previous Thursday for the last “806 Worship Night” of the semester and in the current building, he discussed Hebrews 12 and reminded them of the “great cloud of witnesses” that built the ministry’s legacy.

“They stand on your shoulders, the pathway that you paved,” said Hunter. “All the students here are benefactors of you and your legacy and your faithfulness in BSM over the decades. And as we see God move, a lot of it is because of your prayers and your support.”

New BSM building will build on Kingdom legacy 

The existing WTAMU BSM building, which has housed the ministry since 1952, will soon face demolition due to foundation and other structural issues. Plans for a new facility have been drafted and an adjacent property will serve as the BSM’s ministry headquarters until the new facility is ready. 

WTAMU BSM believes a new BSM building will help fulfill their love, lead and launch vision by providing a space for students to form community, hear and respond to the gospel, become equipped and be mobilized as disciple-makers.

“The needs of college students have never changed. Students need to hear the life-changing message of the gospel,” said Hunter.

Hunter said he believes and is grateful for God’s provision that Texas Baptists “strategically purchased adjacent property to the BSM” to house the BSM as its historic facility is torn down and a new one built in its place.

“We’re so thankful that God in his sovereignty, in his providential wisdom, has provided us with a place, while we have to close this down, that we can still be here on campus,” said Hunter. 

Deatherage encouraged attendees that the BSM’s legacy is not confined to the building but is based on the kingdom work being done through the ministry within it. 

“Everyone is sad to see [this building] go, but we’re still building on that legacy even though this building is going away. So, I want to encourage you, don’t stop investing in the legacy. People like me, we needed this,” said Deatherage. 

Campaign seeks to raise $5.5 million for continued ministry

WTAMU BSM launched its fundraising campaign for its new building at the May 4 legacy celebration. According to Hunter, the price tag for the new BSM building is $5.5 million.

Hunter explained that the construction phase will begin once 80% of the funds are raised, which is expected to be within the next two years. He told attendees the new building is expected to be constructed and ready for use for the freshman class of 2027.

Miranda encouraged attendees that the foundation of WTAMU BSM is not a building. 

“The reason that the BSM is so special is because of the name of Jesus, and that’s our foundation,” said Miranda. 

To learn more about WTAMU BSM’s legacy or to make a gift, visit the BSM’s website here.