February 15, 2012 (Jackson) - Belhaven’s Annual Student Missions Conference is four days put aside for students to focus on missions and their impact in the world. The mission conference will be from February 21-24 on the Belhaven campus.
Dr. Al Chestnut, Professor of Biology and Chair of Biology Department, said, “ The great commission in Matthew came after the disciples saw Christ and then worshipped Him, then He gave the command to go. We go into missions not because of need, but because it is worship.”
14 mission organizations will be represented in the conference this year. Break out sessions will allow students to hear from these missionary groups and give students the chance to talk with active missionaries.
Global Disciples in Croatia
Operation Mobilization
Mission to the World
Worldwide Evangelism for Christ
Global Disciples
African Bible College
We Will Go
Word Made Flesh
Wycliffe
Local Inner City Ministries:
Voice of Calvary
Perkins Center
Neighborhood Christian Center
Jackson Inner-City Gardeners
The featured speaker this year will be Reverend Billy Dempsey, Minister of Discipleship and Outreach at First Presbyterian Jackson and he will speak at Chapel on February 21 and 23.
Rev. Dempsey was born and reared in the north Mississippi town of Byhalia. He was educated at Lambuth College, Jackson, Tennessee, and Delta State University, Cleveland, Mississippi, where he graduated in 1977. After teaching English and Spanish at Clarksdale High School, Billy entered Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson in June, 1980.
In 1985, Mississippi Valley Presbytery called him to serve as RUF Campus Minister at Belhaven University. In 1992, Missouri Presbytery called him to bring RUF’s ministry to the University of Missouri. Billy left campus ministry for the pastorate in 1997, serving churches in Missouri and Alabama before returning to First Presbyterian Jackson on September 1 to serve as Minister of Discipleship and Outreach.
Belhaven stands among the select Christian colleges and universities that offer a unique general core curriculum encouraging the development of a personal worldview. The university believes a Christian worldview is a key to preparing men and women academically and spiritually to serve Christ Jesus in their careers, in human relationships, and in the world of ideas.
Founded in 1883, Belhaven University now serves over 3,000 students from campuses in Jackson, Memphis, Orlando, Houston, Chattanooga, Atlanta and online, offering traditional undergraduate degrees, graduate and adult degree programs, and online degree programs.