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University Missions History

For over twenty-five years, Southwest Baptist University has been involved in a strategic program for the purpose of equipping and training students in the area of missions. Long before SBU had formally developed the mission statement of being a “Christ-centered, caring academic community preparing students to be servant leaders in a global society”, the SBU mission program was promoting spiritual growth, ministry skills, and character development through the volunteer efforts of those who held a passion for University missions.

In 1980, a missions program was born on the SBU campus entitled CAMEO (Church-planting and Mission Evangelism Outreach), encouraging students to become volunteers on short-term mission projects. CAMEO’s objective was 3-fold:

1. Promote spiritual growth through quality leadership, team fellowship, and individual commitment.
2. Teach ministry skills, which enabled volunteers to effectively reach others with the gospel message. Ministry skills typically centered around recreation, Backyard Bible Clubs, and survey work with a strong emphasis placed on skills in direct evangelism. The ultimate goal was to teach skills, which were transferable from the mission field to everyday life.
3. Encourage character development in personal lives through team work, family life, and strong commitment required of CAMEO volunteers.

 

The CAMEO program began as an independent university work. All team members – students, faculty/staff, and volunteers raised their own money for mission support. Those funds were raised through supporters who believed in what SBU was doing in missions and evangelism.

Early in the CAMEO mission program, support was raised by the CAMEO volunteer director, who submitted letters of support to various individuals, organizations, and churches, who were direct contacts of mission team members. The support letters were accompanied with an attached letter written personally from the SBU president, Dr. Charles Chaney, emphasizing the impact of missions on the lives of SBU students and encouraging financial support to sponsor SBU mission endeavors.

As an increased interest in missions grew, an effort to centrally locate and unify the total SBU missions emphasis was created in the development of the Department of University Missions in August of 1985. The Mission ’s Office was created to serve the SBU family by:

• Informing the SBU family of mission news and opportunities.
• Enlisting members of the SBU family to serve in mission assignments.
• Equip mission volunteers with skills vital to their endeavors.
• Emphasize evangelism as the primary focus for mission service.

Since those early years of implementing CAMEO missions, the University Mission’s Office has literally sent thousands of students around the world. Serving as career missionaries, journeyman, church planters, pastors, educators, and in a variety of other ministries, the impact of SBU missions is felt around the globe.

In the Fall of 1989 William Taylor, former Director of the University Missions & Ministries Center , had a vision to move the Center from the Mabee Chapel Foyer into the Student Union. He simultaneously began raising funds for the cost of the project, and with a matching donation from the University was able to open the Center 3 years later. In 1992 the Center was dedicated by Pastor Phil Hunter and opened in the space it currently occupies.

The SBU mission’s program has expanded its mission and ministry opportunities since those early years. We continue to send teams who minister through VBS, survey work, service projects, etc. Yet the vision of SBU opportunities has broadened. Expanding on the early ministry of CAMEO missions, which primarily focused on sending teams to North America and Central America , the Missions Office is now sending three fourths of its number of teams to the most unreached populations of people groups around the world…the 10/40 window. Currently, in 2006, student teams are involved in church planting movements, prayerwalking for the purpose of breaking down spiritual strongholds, and taking the gospel to the unreached people groups of the 10/40 window.

The Missions Office has built upon the founding principles set forth through CAMEO missions, and yet has expanded its vision and purpose while strategically fulfilling the current SBU mission statement.

Author, Diana Gallamore
Director of University Missions