More than 200 college students recently gathered to consider what it truly means to follow Jesus with their whole lives. Through teaching, discussions and breakout sessions, students discovered that answering God's call isn't always a yes-or-no decision, but a daily commitment to say yes to Him, wherever He leads.
On Sept. 25-27, more than 200 college students and young adults from across North Carolina gathered at Ridgecrest Conference Center for North Carolina Baptists’ Call Conference. The weekend provided a time to consider what it truly means to follow Jesus with their whole lives.
Chris Millar, pastor of The Well Church in San Marcos, Texas, served as the speaker and challenged students to expand their understanding of discipleship and mission.
“If you’ve never left your context, you might also have a shockingly small view of what it means to follow Jesus,” he said, inviting students to consider a faith that stretches beyond comfort and familiarity.
Millar emphasized the importance of holiness and a ministry rooted in God’s Word.
“How do you know if I care about holiness? You hate sin,” he said.
He encouraged students to invest in eternal work rather than pursuits centered on themselves, calling them to “give yourself fully to a ministry of the Word.”
Through breakout sessions and panel discussions, students wrestled with practical questions about discernment and calling.
A panel discussion focused on the Go Collective (GoCo), an initiative that disciples and trains students to serve on mission for a summer. Anu Onipede, a Go Collective participant who served in Los Angeles, Calif., this year, reflected on the impact of her GoCo experience.
“What is God calling me to? We’re called to make disciples, we’re called to share the gospel. Sometimes maybe it’s the school that you’re in, maybe it’s being more intentional, or maybe God is calling you to go out of the country,” Onipede said.
One student shared that the weekend reminded her of the importance of seeking God’s direction through Scripture and community.
“When I want to hear from the Lord, [to] make sure that I am in the Word and not just going to others, but instead having that biblical community, and also reading the word and praying over my decisions,” she said.
In a session on discernment, students found freedom in trusting God’s faithfulness.
“It was really good talking about how we don’t have to do it alone, fully trusting in Him and his faithfulness, and his goodness. Even if you get off path, He’ll redirect you,” one student said.
Another student reflected on what he learned about missions, saying, “When we think about the call to missions, we think about a yes or no answer. The answer is always ‘yes’ to missions unless God says no—and He hasn’t said no yet.”
Applications for this year’s GoCo cohort are now open. For more information or to apply, visit ncbaptist.org/goco.
Students can also learn more about Go2Years, which connects students to opportunities to commit two years after graduating to leverage their careers for God’s mission through serving with a church plant or a missions team. Visit go2years.org to learn more.
