Every Nation’s goal is to bring the gospel to and make disciples in every country in the world. In the United States, we hope to also impact every state in the country. One initiative started in our central region to help our campus ministries to grow beyond their campuses to reach more students, more communities, more cities, and more of the nation for Christ.

Since starting what we call 24:HRS trips—day-long mission trips evangelizing and making connections on universities where there is not yet an Every Nation Campus chapter—our campus missionaries have been able to reach and raise up student leaders at the University of Missouri, University of Indianapolis, and most recently the University of Louisville.

This school year, our teams switched up the strategy and made continuous trips to the same campus throughout a semester in the hopes of better developing and establishing student leaders and small groups. The University of Louisville was that target school. Louisville is most widely known for the Kentucky Derby (and Kentucky Fried Chicken), but it is also an important touchpoint for students around the state and the United States central region.

It was actually a student in his senior year of college who reached out to Every Nation Cofounder, Dr. Rice Broocks, to host a God’s Not Dead event on the campus. Connor had a big heart for his campus and community, and he lamented the need for more ministry and more godly influences on his campus. The school had also recently been steeped in scandals involving their sports teams. Connor was eager to change the future of his campus. He helped set up and publicize the God’s Not Dead event which brought in 117 students, fifty of which wanted to connect again with the ENC group, and nine who wanted to learn more about following Jesus.

While Connor was graduating and would no longer be on campus to continue reaching students there, another key student happened to attend that God’s Not Dead event. Zariyah was involved in an Every Nation church and discipled by an ENC missionary before she came to Louisville. She knew she wanted to be at that school but she had never been sure why. When she came to the event, and then started getting involved with the 24:HRS teams that came almost every Thursday, she said, “I think this is why.”

Now she’s mentoring weekly on skype with one of the 24:HRS team members and leading discipleship groups across the campus. She’s started to see herself as a leader who can make a difference and see the gospel advance at the University of Louisville. She continues to be an open door for what God might have next at the school.

We’re excited to see students like Connor and Zariyah responding to the call and being empowered to transform their world.