About Us
WHO WE ARE
The BSU is a community of faith born out of the heart of our churches, alumni, and friends to reach a campus we love with Jesus.
We are creating a culture in the BSU where anyone can belong before they believe and strives to create a home at this campus for anyone who does not have one.
The BSU is a collegiate ministry - a missionary outpost from the Missouri Baptist Convention of the Southern Baptist denomination and is located right across the street from the Truman State University campus.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
We are missionaries from our churches. We love our churches and believe the church exists to declare the name of Jesus and to build a place called home for the many who do not have one.
As a college ministry of the Missouri Baptist Convention, the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 is the Southern Baptist Convention's statement of faith. It serves as a guide to Southern Baptist perspectives on issues ranging from the Scriptures, God, and salvation to education, religious liberty, and the family. We carry out all we do as a ministry in accordance with the BF&M 2000.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to be missionaries to the campus we love by trying to live by faith, be known by love, and strive to be a voice of hope in the wilderness here at Truman - a campus we love.
CORE BELIEFS
The following are the core beliefs of the BSU based on the foundational truths taught in the Bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.
THE BIBLE
The Bible is without error, because it was given to us by God through the writings of men. It is relevant to us today because we believe it was written to be applicable throughout time. Each of us is responsible for reading and applying it to our daily lives
GOD
God is the one and only everlasting Supreme Being. He has always been and will always be. He is the creator of all things. God exists as three in one - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - yet He is only one God. This is known as the Trinity. God is all knowing, all powerful, perfect, and deserving of our praise and adoration.
JESUS
Jesus is God's one and only Son who was sent to earth from Heaven to live a perfect life and to die as a sacrifice for the sins of all people. He fulfilled the prophecies of His coming and fulfilled what He said He would do by raising on the third day after dying a brutal death on the cross. He returned to heaven and will return to earth for the second coming.
HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit enters our life at the point of Salvation. The Spirit guides and directs us in our everyday lives.
MANKIND
People are a creation of God in His image. Because of the sins of humanity we have been separated from God and all have sinned. Without Jesus Christ's death and resurrection we all would spend eternity in hell. Because of God's gift of salvation we have the hope of eternal life with Him.
THE FALL
When Adam and Eve chose not to obey God, they ceased to be what they were made to be and became distorted images of what God intended. This caused them to fall out of fellowship with God and fractured all creation ever since that time.
SALVATION
Jesus Christ is the one and only way to heaven. Jesus Christ came to reconcile us with God. He lived a life without sin and willingly died on the cross to pay the penalty for our transgressions. God raised him from the dead and now, by grave, offers as a free gift, eternal life to all who follow Christ, by faith, as their Lord and Savior. That is why salvation can be found in Christ alone.
THE CHURCH
The church is meant to be the visible body of Christ, sent into the world to glorify God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. The church is a body of believers including all generations - not just one. This is why we promote the local churches and believe that the Baptist Student Union is not a church but an arm of the local church. It is important for us to worship together and encourage one another while reaching out to the world.
RESURRECTION
Jesus Christ is returning one day to judge both the living and the dead and to usher in the fullness of God's kingdom on earth.
MISSIONS & EVANGELISM
Jesus called all to go and spread the good news. Some will spend their life in a foreign land telling others, some will have a full-time vocation in ministry, and others will share right where they are. We are all called and sent out to spread HIs good news wherever God has placed us. We are all part of the Great Commission.