Brevin Mendenhall

Moving to college usually means leaving behind familiar people and places while searching for new ones.

For some students, that change offers a refreshing beginning. For others, the transition can feel uncertain and difficult.

Finding a place to belong is one of the biggest challenges many college students face.

At Oklahoma Baptist University, students are encouraged to become involved in a local church, where they can worship, build relationships, grow in their faith and connect with the larger Shawnee community.

Scripture also emphasizes the importance of Christian community.

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another,” Hebrews 10:24-25 says.

Alek Borunda, a recent OBU graduate who studied marketing and minored in worship studies, experienced the value of investing in a local church during college. He said OBU and the local church provide distinct but complementary forms of community.

“OBU does a great job with community among people your age and building lifelong relationships,” Borunda said. “But church is ultimately where you get the best chance to look for that godly community long term.”

Churches also give college students opportunities to form relationships with people of different generations and levels of spiritual maturity.

“Getting plugged into a good church is really where you get to be discipled not only by people your age, but also by people who are older and more mature in their faith,” Borunda said.

Jared Landreth, creative arts and worship minister at Immanuel Baptist Church in Shawnee, said the church seeks to help people worship, build intentional relationships and serve others.

“We want people to worship passionately, connect intentionally and reach personally,” Landreth said.

Immanuel’s Sunday gathering is primarily designed to encourage and strengthen believers, Landreth said, but the church also equips its members to share the gospel in their daily lives.

“We try not to pitch church activities as something for others to come and just be a part of,” he said. “We want to come alongside people and mobilize them in their mission field.”

According to Landreth, the church building is not the primary mission field. It is a place where Christians are strengthened so they can serve others in their homes, workplaces and communities.

“Church is not the mission field,” Landreth said. “It is where you are poured into so you can pour into others.”

He pointed to Backpacks and Barbecue as an example of that mission. During the annual event, Immanuel Baptist Church distributes hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies to children preparing for the new school year.

“At Backpacks and Barbecue, we followed up with 13 people who heard the gospel through just one volunteer’s conversations,” Landreth said.

Some students may wonder whether finding and investing in a new church is worthwhile when they expect to live in their college town for only four years.

Borunda’s experience suggests that even a relatively short investment can have a lasting effect. After spending his final year of college serving at a local church, Borunda was hired for a full-time position there.

His willingness to become involved opened the door to a continuing opportunity to serve others.

A Quick Guide to Finding a Church Home

Madison Broeker
Faith and Features

Finding a church home can be difficult when you are new to Shawnee. These eight churches near OBU offer Sunday worship and opportunities for college students to build relationships. This list is a starting point, not a ranking; students may want to visit more than one before deciding where to get involved.

University Baptist Church, across Kickapoo Street from campus, offers traditional worship at 8:30 a.m., Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and contemporary worship at 11 a.m. The church has a college Sunday school class and regularly works with OBU on activities, including Canterbury and choir practices. Visit the church website.

Wallace Baptist Church, about five minutes from campus, holds its Sunday worship service at 9:30 a.m., followed by small groups. According to information gathered for this story, its college group meets in the fellowship hall from 11 to 11:45 a.m. The church also has community groups that meet at various times on Sundays and Wednesdays. Visit the college ministry page.

Temple Baptist Church, about 10 minutes from campus, offers Sunday Bible study at 9:45 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m. Through its Adoptive Temple Family program, students are paired with families who invite them to lunch on the first Sunday of each month. College ministry leaders also plan gatherings during the semester.

Heritage Church, about 10 minutes from campus, holds Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 10:45 a.m. Its college and career group meets Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. The church also offers life groups for those looking to connect in a smaller setting.

Immanuel Baptist Church, also about 10 minutes away, holds worship at 9:30 a.m. and college Sunday school at 11 a.m. College minister Michael Pelter leads the ministry, which also offers homegroups and Wednesday night discipleship at 8 p.m. Students must sign up for discipleship each semester.

Rock Creek Baptist Church, about 15 minutes from campus, begins Sundays with fellowship at 9 a.m. and small groups at 9:30 a.m., followed by worship at 10:45 a.m. Its Adopt-a-College-Student program pairs interested students with church members who stay in touch through cards, calls and meals. Visit the college ministry page.

Sharon Baptist Church, about 15 minutes away, offers worship services at 8:30 and 11 a.m., with Sunday school between them at 9:45 a.m. Information gathered for this story also lists a Wednesday college small group at 6:30 p.m., preceded by dinner at 6 p.m.

Aydelotte Baptist Church, about 15 minutes from campus, has a college and young adult small group at 9:45 a.m. Sundays, followed by worship at 10:45 a.m. Its contemporary Sunday evening service, The Table, begins at 6 p.m. A college fellowship follows The Table on the third Sunday of each month. Visit the college ministry page.

Service times and group schedules can change, so students should check a church’s website before their first visit.