Propel equips Christian Challenge student leaders for ministry

Christian Challenge endeavors to bring students into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and then mobilize them as servants for the church. People need to be told how to be saved. When Christians share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, they must share how others can receive this free gift. That is the goal of student leaders serving with Christian Challenge.

Propel, Christian Challenge’s annual leadership retreat, took place April 11-12 at Trinity Southern Baptist Church in Casa Grande. This year, 73 student leaders gathered to be strengthened in their calling and equipped for ministry on their local campuses.

“Propel serves to help our campus ministries across the state by equipping their leaders with different evangelism and discipleship techniques,” said Maya Abe.

Abe serves on Christian Challenge’s state team as an administrative assistant and campus missionary at Northern Arizona University. It is the responsibility of the state team to plan Propel and meet the needs of the students in attendance.

“Students are the ones that are going to be able to reach other students. We want to equip them the best that we can to be able to do that on their local campuses,” Abe said.

The theme of this year’s retreat centered around Lordship. When Jesus Christ is the Lord of one’s life, it will inspire not just a change of heart but a calling to live for Him.

Grand Canyon University student Lexi Richards knew God was calling her to a life of ministry. Richards has attended Propel three years now, first as a student with Glendale Community College and now with GCU.

“When I first came to Challenge, I really did not know what the gospel was and how to share it,” Richards said. “I always understood it as having to somehow try and summarize the whole Bible. But coming to Propel and being able to watch how campus missionaries and people in Challenge share the gospel has really helped me to be able to do that.”

For NAU student Madi Gallardo, understanding the meaning of the gospel — which is salvation for those who repent and believe in Jesus Christ — was paramount in her development as a leader.

“I had a baseline understanding, but I was never asked to respond to the gospel,” Gallardo said. “I think having that question asked and having the perspective that we should respond to the gospel is a complete game-changer.”

Leaders who can articulate the gospel and then invite others to respond to its invitation of salvation are the ones who lay firm foundations of ministry and see hearts won for Christ. Believing that the gospel has the power to transform lives inspires and motivates students to serve as leaders.

“I have experienced the loss of loved ones that I have no idea if they knew Christ,” Richards said. “I have no idea if I will ever see them again. I have family members who are living their lives in direct opposition to Christ, and they are miserable. I know people that have seemed to follow Christ and then walk away. So, for me, the reason why I serve as a leader with Christian Challenge is because this breaks my heart.”

As believers, we never move past the gospel. It holds the power to redeem, change and save lives. This is something the leaders of Christian Challenge understand and have made their mission.

Ellie Lambert is a campus missionary with Christian Challenge and a member of Mercy Hill Church in Phoenix.