DBU Students Travel Globally for Spring Break Missions and Leadership Experiences

Traveling all around the world, Dallas Baptist University sent students out over Spring Break to learn about history, leadership, and what it means to serve the Lord and those around them. From visiting notable sights in history to serving pancakes on the beach, our students have come back to campus with an increase in real-world experiences that have changed the way they think and live.

Beach Reach

Traveling to South Padre Island, Texas, DBU's BSM took students on mission to share the gospel through late-night van rides, pancakes, prayer, and meaningful spiritual conversations. Partnering with other BSMs across Texas, the ministry saw over 206 people come to know Christ, 49 recommit their lives to Christ, and 35 baptisms take place. DBU's BSM Director, Ryan Hodges, shared how DBU's impact alone in South Padre Island led to two recommitments to Christ, 46 new decisions to follow Christ, and the privilege of baptizing 12 people. DBU Student Matthew Ball encouraged his fellow students to "pray bold prayers and just watch how God will answer and move." In his van alone, a total of 15 people came to know Christ.

Berlin & Amsterdam

Led by Dr. Jon Dooley, Dr. Jay Harley, Professor H. Rick Jordan, and Dr. Blake Killingsworth, undergraduate and graduate students traveled to Germany and the Netherlands to learn about Christian leadership in times of crisis. Students visited meaningful historic sites such as the homes of Corrie Ten Boom, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Martin Niemöller, where they learned how each leader responded to the Holocaust in extraordinary ways. As students witnessed the history surrounding sights such as the Nuremberg Courthouse, and the Sachsenhausen and Ravensbrück concentration camps, they got to connect what they were learning to real places. "The impact I have seen on students is profound," says Dr. Harley, DBU's Vice President for Student Affairs. "Students have seen and discussed the courageous leaders who decided to follow a path that was not convenient and often led to their imprisonment and/or death."

Civil Rights Trip

On a road trip through the South (Little Rock, AR; Memphis, TN; Birmingham, AL; Montgomery, AL; Jackson, MS), Dr. Jack Goodyear, Dr. Rodney Garrett, and Prof. Tish Hearne took undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. students to study the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the trip, students were able to experience what life was like during the Civil Rights Movement by visiting sites such as the National Civil Rights Museum, which Ph.D. student Exauce Madjibe Dijo said, "allowed him to walk, read, and experience the civil rights movement step by step." In addition, students got to see Martin Luther King, Jr.'s home in Montgomery, the Legacy Museum, the Freedom Movement Sculpture Park, and heard a sermon from Rev. Ronnie C. Jones at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church.

Chapel Worship Retreat – Colorado

This year, DBU's Chapel Worship team traveled to Westcliffe, Colorado, for their annual songwriting retreat. Surrounded by the quiet beauty of the mountains, students stepped away from the busyness of campus life to focus on Scripture, collaborate on new music, and refine their ideas. Drawing inspiration from 2 Corinthians 5:15-21, the team spent intentional time crafting worship songs they look forward to sharing with the DBU community.

Washington, D.C.

DBU President, Dr. Adam Wright, and DBU Trustee and Adjunct Professor, Dr. Brent Taylor, took a selected group of students to Washington, D.C. As they visited famous sites such as the Lincoln Memorial, the National Archives, and the Washington National Cathedral, the group explored the idea of leadership. They focused on revolutionary leaders such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams, along with Peter Northouse's definition of leadership, which states, "leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal." The group also had the opportunity to meet with Senator James Lankford, followed by a tour of the U.S. Capitol.

Though Spring Break has come to a close, the opportunity to study around the world or serve the Lord in a new place is always available. To learn more about DBU Global Studies or Global Missions, visit the Global Studies page.