In Colombia, Adventist students are challenged to be missionaries in their secular university campuses

Some 450 Adventist university students and professionals pose for a group picture with church leaders during a nation-wide public campus ministries in Chachipay, Cundinamarca in Colombia, Sept. 4-6, 2015.  Images by Shirley Rueda/IAD

September 9, 2015 | Cundinamarca, Colombia | Shirley Rueda/IAD Staff

Pastor Hiram Ruiz, public campus ministries for Inter-America motivates Adventist professionals to become mentors to university students enrolled in public universities during one of the event’s presentations.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Colombia asserted hundreds of its members studying across public campuses and working professionals of their value and role in becoming disciples of Christ during a three-day event held in Chachipay, Cundinamarca, Sep. 4-6, 2015.

Some 300 university students from 35 universities were challenged to become missionaries by developing leadership skills, committing to evangelism and serving the church, the community, and their campuses. In addition, 150 Adventist professionals also participated in the training.

It was the first time such a large scale event was celebrated in the South American country and one that served as an official launch of the church’s Public Campus Ministries throughout the Inter-American Division (IAD) territory, said Pastor Hiram Ruiz, public campus ministries director for the IAD.

Pastor Jiwan Moon, public campus ministries director for the Adventist world church, motivated students and professionals to accept the challenge of following Jesus and reaching the world.

Adventist World Church Public Campus Ministries Director Jiwan Moon challenges Adventist students studying in public universities in Colombia to follow Jesus and commit to reaching others around their campuses and communities.

“The Christian movement is the movement of following Jesus as our Lord, as our teacher, as our King,” said Moon. “I challenge you to follow Jesus because one day others will follow us and as they follow us, they will be following Jesus because we have followed Him first.”

The event allowed for young professionals and students to mingle, come up with ways to reach others and become a support system among the dozens and hundreds of Adventists studying in public campuses in cities and communities across Colombia.

For Carlos Ruiz, an industrial engineer in Guajira University, learning to serve and share God’s blessings with other people was just one of the many things he took from the event.

“It doesn’t matter what career we are pursuing, we should be missionaries, be bearers of hope,” said Dionel Ropero, an electronic engineer in the Francisco de Paula Santander University.

The event meant seeing a visible commitment from church leaders to provide a support environment for university students outside of the Adventist education system, shared Johanna Lopez, a childhood education major at Tolima University.

“As university students we have many plans, projects and ideas but we need to know that we have support and I’m happy because through this ministry, I know the Adventist Church will worry about us more.”

Lopez belongs to a small group that meets every week. The group participates in a radio program that highlights moral and spiritual subjects on campus. So far three students have been baptized as a result of the efforts of that group on campus.

University students participate in song service during the three-day event held in Colombia.

“It’s so good that the church is concerned about a lot of us who do not have the opportunity to study in an Adventist university here,” said Jesly Doria who is in her second year of medical school at Sinu University in Cartagena. She struggles with the issue of taking exams on Sabbath and for her it is important to have a special support group of young people who are going through the same challenges with their studies on public campuses.

Their concerns are taken very seriously, said Ruiz.

“They are an important part of our membership and this initial large event in Colombia was meant to send a clear message that all of our university students enrolled in public campuses and our young professionals are key-leaders-in-the-making for our church,” said Ruiz. Becoming ambassadors for Christ in each of the campuses they are enrolled in is the first step in making this ministry successful across the country and the Division territory, said Ruiz.

Students from Antioquia in North Colombia have already set an example growing their group of students to an organized church on the campus of the Antioquia University.

Adventist professionals who have studied in public campuses and who are now employed are also an important element as they take their roles as mentors to students, added Ruiz.

Some 450 Adventists studying in public universities and professionals across Colombia took part in the historic nationwide event organized by public campus ministries.

That presents a welcome challenge for Colombia, local church leaders said.

The 450 who attended the event represent hundreds of thousands university students and professionals across the country.

“We know that with these talented young people and professionals, we will reach significant evangelistic advances,” said Joel Hernandez, campus ministries director for the church in South Colombia. “We want each public campus to be a center of influence, that way we will reach far beyond what we have accomplished and on the other hand our young people will strengthen their spiritual life as they become missionaries on campus.”

Local leaders said that in the past, a few campus activities took place but it was done independently and by regions.

Public Campus Ministries Director for North Colombia Mauricio Buitrago said bringing together university students from across the country means working together with one same mission. “These young people will return to their universities and jobs with a new vision to reach others for Jesus Christ,” said Buitrago.

Seeking out hundreds and thousands of Adventist university students and professionals in Colombia will be the task now, local church leaders said. Leaders will double their efforts to strengthen public campus ministries, promote mentoring activities and provide training to university students and Adventist professionals throughout the country.

Public Campus Ministries was officially launched as ministry of the Adventist world church in 2014 and was established in the Inter-American Division, earlier this year.

To view photos of the Colombia’s public campus ministries event, click HERE