A New Home for BSM
New Baptist Student Ministries building offers Baylor students a place to gather, pray and grow
This fall, Baylor hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony in partnership with the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation (TBMF) and Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) for the grand opening of the new Baptist Student Ministries (BSM) building at Baylor University.
Previously located within the Bobo Spiritual Life Center, BSM’s new home is located on the corner of 4th Street and Daughtrey Avenue and includes a prayer room, meeting spaces, a congregational hall and a For Keeps Coffee shop. BSM staff is excited to witness how the building will serve as a safe space for the Baylor community.
“We’re all about the unity of this campus,” Baylor Baptist Student Ministry Director Will Bowden, M.Div. ’23, said in an interview with the Baylor Lariat. “I think that’s really been the growth of our ministry. What we hope from this building is that students would learn how to give everything to Jesus, to God, in prayer and to let him lead. That’s really the story of this ministry.”
The new location’s land was donated by the University and the funding for the building was raised by a donation from the Beyer family, a $1.3 million grant from the Mabee Foundation and gifts from the greater community. Additionally, BSM raised the $7 million required for the project with assistance from the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation.
University Chaplain & Dean of Spiritual Life Charley Ramsey, B.A. ’97, M.A. ’00, Ph.D., looks forward to the good work the BSM will continue to do.
“The Baptist Student Ministry team cares deeply for the Baylor students,” Ramsey said. “This new space is an incredible opportunity for their ministry to continue to grow and care for students’ spiritual lives.”
Scripture that Ramsey read at the ribbon-cutting included 2 Chronicles 7, Hebrews 13 and 1 Peter 2.
This fall, the building will primarily be reserved for the BSM, although the ministry hopes also to invite other ministries and college groups to share the space.
“The building of the BSM isn’t done,” Bowden said in his interview. “The building up of this ministry is not done. There’s so much more that God is going to do.”