Assessing the Christian Engagement and Service of Students in Baptist Collegiate Ministry: A Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

This study builds upon data by Alexander Astin and Vincent Tinto regarding the positive benefits of participating in college activities. It is essential that students connect with organizations that will make a positive difference in their lives. The assessment of the Christian engagement and services of students involved in Baptist Collegiate Ministry fills a gap in the current literature and research. Currently, no national study exists that measures the Christian engagement and services of students in BCM during their college years. This two-phase explanatory sequential mixed-methods study assessed the Christian engagement and service of 299 students involved in BCM. I asked students to complete an online survey regarding their involvement in BCM and their Christian engagement and service. I conducted follow-up interviews with selected volunteer students, gaining deeper insights into their BCM experience and Christian engagement and service. Chi-square tests indicated significance in BCM evangelism training, local missions, extended missions, and spiritual formation with level of involvement. Additional study revealed significance in demographic variables when paired in a three-way crosstabulation. Responses from the open-ended survey questions and interviews demonstrated strong connections between students’ participation in BCM and their Christian engagement and service. Keywords: Alexander Astin, Baptist Campus Ministry, Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Baptist Student Union, Baptist Student Ministry, BCM, BSU, Christian engagement and service, college involvement, community, discipleship, evangelism, Generation Z, higher education, leadership, missions, peer pressure, relativism, retention, Robert C. Pace, spiritual formation, student organizations, Vincent Tinto.