March 18, 2018
East Texas Baptist University sent 11 Baptist Student Ministry student leaders to South Padre Island, Texas on Friday, March 9 through Friday, March 16 as a part of Beach Reach. According to the South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce, more than 35,000 spring breakers visited the beach from all over the country. Texas Baptists (BGCT) reported over 750 college students traveled to provide free food and transportation to these beach visitors. The students participating in beach reach began the week on Sunday with a worship service at the Bridge Community Church (formerly named FBC-Port Isabel) then all the groups worshiped at the South Padre Island Convention Center before going out in the vans to begin ministering.
"Every Texas BSM group participating in Beach Reach travels on vans and is assigned a phone number to give out to spring breakers. We had a unique opportunity to show the love of the Lord to those who use our hotline," ETBU junior Ashley Simmons said. "It was rewarding to receive gratitude from the beach goers for our ministry and to obey Christ by sharing the Gospel."
Each evening of Spring Break, the ETBU Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) attended Port Isabel Baptist Church as an additional resource for fellowship, discipleship, and encouragement. For further support, all of the Beach Reach students contributed to an online prayer wall by using the branded hashtag, #brspi18, on Twitter. The prayer wall enabled students to request supplication for specific individuals they encountered.
"After talking with two college students that needed a ride for a while along the trip, ETBU senior Conner Guthrie began to specifically talk about how God works and how He speaks to people," ETBU BSM Intern Austin Damron shared. "One of the travelers commented that he wished God would speak to him. I jumped in and said that God was currently speaking to him through Conner. Conner then led the two college students through what it looks like to call on God in faith. Both of them said a prayer in their own words, asking Christ to save them. Following their commitment, we encouraged them to be baptized on Thursday at a planned baptism service for those reached during the course of the week."
On Thursday, March 15, 55 new believers were baptized on the beach. The Beach Reach effort celebrated 13,897 rides given, 8,934 Gospel conversations, 8,781 people prayed with, 167 decisions to follow Christ, and 47 recommitments to walk with Jesus. Twenty-six BSM groups from various universities, along with a college church group, partnered to reach the lost at South Padre Island.
"Beach Reach seeks to connect students who made decisions during Spring Break with the BSM ministries at a local college campus," Dean of Spiritual Development Scott Stevens commented. "Beach Reach also challenged our ministry students as they became the hands and feet of Jesus to their fellow students on the island. Our prayer is that we all take what we experienced at South Padre and bring the same passion for Christ to our own communities."
Beach Reach has operated each spring break since 1980 under the direction of West Texas A&M University BSM Director Buddy Young along with his co-directors, Tarleton University BSM Director Clayton Bullion and UT Tyler BSM Director Joe Osteen. To learn more about Beach Reach, visit follow the ministry on Twitter (@BeachReach) and Facebook (/BeachReachSPI).