Students First to Receive Evangelism CDs Being Distributed Across the State
CD Release Comes During the Celebration of Baptist@400 Years
Hardin-Simmons University students will be the first students at Texas Baptist-affiliated Universities and schools in Texas to receive a compact disc showing ways they can share the gospel message of Christ.
The multi-media CDs are only one part of Texas Hope 2010, an initiative designed to challenge Texas Baptists to share the gospel with every person in the state by Resurrection Sunday 2010.
The CDs are being produced as a resource for churches by the Baptist General Convention of Texas. In addition to testimonies of hope found in the life-changing message of Jesus Christ, the CDs also include a link to download the New Testament in hundreds of languages.
Students will receive the CDs during a special chapel service on October 13 as part of Hardin-Simmons University's celebration of 400 years of Baptist history.
Dr. George Mason, Senior Pastor at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas will offer a sermon entitled "The Baptist Witness: Making All Things New". The chapel service is part of the two-day "Baptists@400:Celebrating the Past...Imagining the Future" event.
"Tuesday's chapel service is the perfect time to distribute these resources to students," said James Stone, Hardin-Simmons University's Director of Church Relations. "What better way to celebrate our Baptist identity than to help share the gospel message."
Stone, who also serves as the institutional connector between HSU and the BGCT for the Texas Hope 2010 initiative, says CD distribution is planned for most Texas cities in the coming months. Hardin-Simmons will serve as a regional distribution center for churches who order the CDs in the Abilene area.
In addition to sharing the message of Christ, the Texas Hope 2010 initiative encourages churches to pray for the needs of their community, state, nation, and world while actively focusing on engaging those in need by demonstrating care for one's own community through tangible acts of service. The initiative uses the slogan "Prayer.Share.Care." to emphasize these goals.
Dean of HSU's Logsdon School of Theology, Dr. Tommy Brisco, points to hunger as one of several challenges to be addressed in the 2010 campaign. Each Thursday during a chapel service and meal for Logsdon Seminary students, Brisco encourages students to give back in response to this need in the Abilene community. During the past year, seminary students, faculty and staff have given nearly $1,000 to help in the goal of reducing hunger in Abilene.
Stone points out that while Texas Hope 2010 is a good reminder of what all followers of Christ should be about, "praying, caring and sharing have always been foundational elements in the identity and life of HSU and her students." 
As an example, HSU students, faculty and staff volunteered over 2,500 hours in service last year through their work in the Friendship House, which sits just north of the campus on Hickory.
The Friendship House was started several years ago by HSU dean of students, Linda Carleton, as an effort to minister directly to those living in the area immediately surrounding HSU.
Recently, HSU students, faculty, and staff contributed enough school supplies to fill 50 bags to the brim of pens, pencils, notebook paper, notebooks, backpacks, and other needed supplies for elementary, junior high, and high school students living in this neighborhood.
In addition, Stone points to other campus-wide activities such as contribution canisters in each dormitory used for giving to various community causes and projects.
He also mentions numerous canned foods drives throughout the year, and an emphasis on community service that occurs from the first day of HSU student orientation. "These are just a few of the many demonstrable ways HSU attempts to help make every year a year of hope for those in need within the Abilene community," says Stone.
The CDs will be distributed to HSU students by the Baptist Student Ministry in conjunction with a focus on the 400th Anniversary of Baptists.
The Baptists@400 event features an impressive lineup of notable Baptist leaders who will speak during the two-day conference. All events are free and open to the public.
For a complete look at speakers and times, go to: http://www.hsutx.edu/news%20details.aspx?Channel=%2fChannels%2fContent+Channel&WorkflowItemID=23ea999b-a678-4d79-bf2a-f15ba04c80cb.
More Texas Hope 2010 information can be found at www.TexasHope2010.org.
Photos: HSU student McKenzie Childs reading with Northpark neighbor, Maggie, at the Friendship House; HSU Student Congress President drumming with neighbor, Anna, at the Friendship House; Freshman Hayley Thaxton with CD; Lacy Atkins, Kara Turner, Courtney Contrerras with BGCT CDs
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