BCM Testimony--Ward Inabinet

Greetings!

My name is Ward Inabinet. I was at the University of South Carolina from 1995 through 2000, pursuing an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering. I look back on my college years as pivotal in the shaping of my world view. These precious years provided abundant opportunities to establish positive, nurturing relationships that pushed me toward life-long Christian discipleship. BCM was a major element in that process.

Students in college are at a crossroads in their life - having the time and space to ask fundamental questions. Questions such as "Why am I here?" , "What's the meaning behind this world and the universe?", and "Where can I meet people who will accept me just as I am?". The BCM at USC has always been a space on campus to welcome students asking these questions. Jane Poster was there, with her quiet presence, to lovingly engage the student body. For me, the BCM created a space for students across all disciplines to unwind, have fun, worship God, and learn how to be a body of Christ to a world in desperate need of Christ's healing and love.

God's Holy Spirit will always be at work, with or without a physical BCM on college campuses. But know this; a BCM ministry staff and a physical space to gather for fellowship, study, worship, (and food!) can not be underestimated in allowing the Holy Spirit to penetrate student's lives and hearts. The impact has longterm and eternal ramifications.

There is no time like the years of college to cement a person's lifestyle. Decisions about how to leverage one's money, how to invest one's valuable time, how to raise one's children, and ultimately how to engage one's culture are all chiseled within these few years. Praise God that the Baptist church had the vision to establish a deep connection on campus to these students. Even now, on a regular basis, I look back on notes I took at BCM conferences. I look back on pictures of crazy late nights during mission retreats. No trip back to campus is complete without a drive by the old BCM property at USC. Many good memories come rushing back on friends, late-night studies, and (of course) the good food I experienced there. Christ was made known to me within those walls and within that community. Then, we made Christ known to the world. That is a call that I continue to reach for today.

Please, consider the missed opportunities we all will face if the BCM relinquishes her spot in the lives of college students in South Carolina.

Best regards,
Ward Inabinet
University of South Carolina
BS Mechanical Engineering, class of 2000