Carson-Newman students use spring break to minister to others

Twenty-seven Carson-Newman University students returned to campus with a lifetime of memories following a spring break focused on mission trips.

From helping with Hurricane Helene relief efforts in Elizabethton to working with church plants and Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) in Hawaii, the Carson-Newman teams sought ways to share the gospel while ministering to others. This was also evident in Denver, Colorado, as a C-N team coordinated with Jefferson City’s Mossy Creek Fellowship to serve those in the Denver area.

Abbie Williams, a C-N sophomore who traveled with the Hawaii team, said her week opened opportunities that allowed her to step out of her comfort zone.

“One thing I will truly never forget is the feeling you get after sharing the gospel. Over the week I had many opportunities to share my love for Jesus,” she said. “This experience is unlike any other.”

Carson-Newman junior Maggie Bice had a similar experience in outreach projects in Denver. “God used the experiences, the people we served, and the challenges we faced to shape and refine my faith and calling.”

Such testimonials speak to what the University’s spring break mission trips are all about according to C-N’s Associate Director of Campus Ministries Robin Inman.

“Carson-Newman University offers students the opportunity to participate in short term mission trips so that students can serve, learn, and grow in their faith,” said Inman, who traveled with the Hawaii team. She said they partnered with BCM at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, noting that they also took part in projects at the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention that included painting, roof work and cleaning out areas for ministry.

“We want to give students the opportunity to love others through sharing the gospel with them, serving them, and showing them the love of Jesus.”