A new student organization aims to impact others beyond its own circle of faith. 

Last semester, education sophomore Quinn Merrick felt that she wanted to spread her knowledge of Christianity to students outside of the Christian community, leading her to create a new organization called Sent. The ministry’s goal is to provide a space for Christians to learn how to share the gospel and go out on campus to talk to people and pray for them. They founded the organization on Matthew 9 37:38, which reads, “Then he said to his disciples, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers to his harvest field.” 

“The last thing Jesus left with us was the Great Commission, and it was to go and make disciples of all nations,” Merrick said. “I think that was missing from my personal faith and being in a lot of Christian bubble circles, I heard the same.”

Merrick believes that participating in this kind of outreach can break students out of their shells and allow them to form new relationships. 

“There are so many people who we can get the opportunity to be friends with, get to do life with and share our faith with who are not Christians,” Merrick said. “It’s about stepping outside our comfort zone and learning how to exercise that part of our faith.” 

Sent meets once a month in Aggie Park. The first half of their meetings are dedicated to having discussions that help members create deeper fellowship with Christians they already have a relationship with. Then students go out on campus and have conversations with people, sometimes asking them for prayer requests. 

“We make it our goal just to go up to people and have a normal conversation because we’re all peers,” Merrick said. “If they’re comfortable in one prayer, then that’s awesome.”

Agribusiness freshman Brynn Wilson said serving on the Sent team has been life-changing. 

“Getting to walk around campus with fellow Christians and have conversations with other Aggies about life and Jesus is so cool,” Wilson said. “Prayer is a very intimate time, so getting to pray over a total stranger is a humbling experience, and I love it.”

Wilson said she believes Sent truly seeks to find people and help plant the seed of Christianity into their lives, and that it has given her the opportunity to grow in her faith while pouring into other students’ lives. 

“I know for me personally, it has allowed me to take a huge step of boldness in my faith,” Wilson said. “Everytime we go out, I have felt so much comfort in the Holy Spirit.” 

Agricultural science freshman Mallorie Saffle said that Sent has given her the opportunity to evangelize in a casual way. She has been able to get to know new people in a wholesome approach.

“Even if it is just a five-minute conversation or a 30-minute conversation, it is so powerful that the seed is being planted,” Saffle said.

Merrick’s long-term vision for Sent is that it would continue semester after semester. She plans to continue praying with people she trusts about how the organization can continue to reflect God’s plan for it. 

“I don’t want it to be about Sent as an org’s success,” Merrick said. “Maybe someone came one time, and they felt more confident in their walk and personal faith to share the gospel with people.”