Pats Serving Around the World

Dallas Baptist University desires to equip Christian leaders so they may be sent out to witness all around the world. Over the past few months, countless individuals gave up weeks, months, and even their entire summers to the mission of furthering the gospel. The following Patriots show just a glimpse of the many current students and alumni that have lived out DBU's Vision Statement this summer.

Lauren

(For security reasons, Lauren has requested to withhold her last name and exact location as she wishes to return to Southeast Asia in the future.)

Lauren is a Dual Masters in Global Leadership and Management student from Waco, Texas. Lauren began her first semester at DBU this past summer. She has spent her entire summer serving the people of Southeast Asia, sharing the love of Christ with the lost.

"Jesus tells us to go!," Lauren says. "There is something so sweet and special about partnering with the heart of God to see all peoples, tribes, and tongues reached with the Good News. There is a Savior that loves and adores us so much that He died on a cross and conquered death so we can enter into a relationship with Him."

This summer, Lauren has lived in a small base with eight other individuals. The team is challenged to pray together for four hours a day, encourage one another, and share updates before going out on "fishing trips" ("that is what we call going to share the Good News, praying with people, or reading the Bible," Lauren says).

"I am getting to read to and walk with several youth-aged girls and it has been so exciting to see the Lord soften their hearts. We have also seen four healings over the last few weeks. The Holy Spirit is on the move in Southeast Asia!"

Emily Austin

Emily will be a 4th year Accelerated Program student graduating with her Bachelor of Science in Christian Studies and Master of Arts in Global Leadership in May of 2023. Emily spent a month this summer serving in Warsaw, Poland through a missions internship.

"I have a strong passion for people and serving in any capacity. This was by far one of the most challenging experiences I've ever gone through but also allowed for lots of growth and learning. I went by myself and was living alone which required me to solely lean on the Lord and pushed myself out of my comfort zone. I had to be bold in everything I did, especially because I didn't speak any Polish, but I knew Poland was where the Lord wanted me to be."

Emily worked alongside three church planters who had a strong focus on college and young adult ministry. Over the course of the month, Emily was able to travel to four different college campuses and talk to over 50 students. Each week, she attended "Bible Express," a program taught by one of the missionaries that walks through the Bible in its entirety in eight months with non-believers.

Through connections made with local college-aged students, Emily was able to begin sharing the Gospel while exploring the city of Warsaw. "Catholicism is deeply rooted in Poland but a lot of people have turned away from religion altogether because of recent scandals, especially the younger generation," Emily explains. "Due to the hardness of their hearts, the goal while spending time with students was not to immediately share the Gospel (since this would most likely turn the people away) but to instead make a connection and build relationships. Although I was only there for a month, I'm hoping to stay in contact with those I met!"

Loyd Miguel

Loyd is a Master of Arts in Global Leadership student with a concentration in Missions here at DBU. Loyd began pursuing his masters online while still living in Nicaragua in 2020 and plans to finish his last semester at DBU this fall. This summer, Loyd and his wife have served in volunteer positions at FBC Corsicana as on-site missionaries.

Under the conviction to put what he had been studying to action, Loyd and his family prayed to be placed in a congregation in need of support and were connected with FBC Corsicana. Knowing the church had just endured a rough patch, the Miguel family asked the Lord what their plan of action should be. "We prayed to the Lord and learned, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that we should do three things essentially: focus on the ministry of prayer, be faithful to the ministry of the Word and Bible teaching, and promote spaces of koinonia (Christian fellowship)."

Throughout the summer, Loyd and his family were obedient to the Holy Spirit, leading Bible studies, retreats, discipleship meetings, marriage conferences, family field days, and participating in Vacation Bible School. On Sunday mornings, Loyd has been preaching through a sermon series entitled "Living in Victory" where he has addressed how to have victory over a number of different topics through the power of Christ.

In addition to serving in the States, the Miguel family visited family in Mexico to strengthen family bonds as well as visited family and pastors in Nicaragua with the Miskitos group where they served for nine years prior to coming to DBU.

"I ask you to pray for wisdom, direction, discernment, restoration, and healing, for my children and my wife, for my studies, and for the evangelistic events we will have with the Hispanic congregation in Corsicana."

DBU is proud to see our current students and alumni faithfully serve all throughout the world not just during the summer but all-year round. From local missions to serving half-way around the world, Patriots know that while not every person is called to do everything, everyone is called to do something for the Kingdom. As we reflect back on a summer full of opportunities, God-given encounters, and devoted service, may each DBU Patriot launch into the new academic year with a renewed passion and sense of purpose to share the gospel in our own Jerusalems, Judeas, Samarias, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).