Pictured above: Current BCM students and alumni gather for a group photo during the BCM Centennial Celebration at the UF BCM Center. The drop-in event was one of two events held as part of the celebration.

When the fall semester begins in August at the University of Florida, it will mark the beginning of the second century for the UF Baptist Collegiate Ministry, originally known as the Baptist Student Union. 

As it has done for the past 100 years, this year the BCM will continue its tradition of 

• Reaching a new generation for Christ on campus
• Developing gifted spiritual leaders
• Sending out Great Commission believers

While technology has certainly changed the way students interact with students—what with social media, cell phones and texting, apps, messaging and the like – the life changing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ is still the same, as Eddie Gilley, BCM director since 2002, will tell you.

“It is just a fascinating ride to hang on and see how God continues to work,” he said. “In spite of all the changes in technology, in the end it’s still students who are far away from Jesus who need to know him and those that do know him need to learn how to grow in him and that’s all it is. It’s just the same thing. It’s not different. It’s just a different world in which we live, but the need is the same.”

The BCM recently held its Centennial Celebration, drawing alumni from around the country and some from as far back as the 1960s who took part in the reminiscing and sharing of memories and ministry. Events included a drop in style reception at the BCM center and a more formal banquet style event at Westside Baptist Church in Gainesville. 

What started as a Bible Club on the UF Campus in the early 1920s developed into the Baptist Student Union under the leadership of its first director, Samuell Gressett, hired by the Florida Baptist Convention in 1926. 

And since 1944, Baptist students have been doing ministry at 1604 W University Ave., directly across the street from the campus, just down from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, where the Gators play football. The current building was constructed in 1948.   

“We like to think of ourselves as an outpost sending people into the mission field and our greatest mission field is right across the street,” Gilley said. “And God providentially gave us one of the prime pieces of real estate in Gainesville.”

The BCM Center drew a large crowd for the celebration as alumni were eager to revisit their old stomping grounds and reminisce about their student days there with old classmates.  

“It was supposed to be a drop-in event but it ended up being a sit-and-talk as we had about 150 people show up and stay the entire three hours talking and catching up,” Gilley said. “It was incredible! The coolest part for me was watching people see somebody walk in the building they haven’t seen in a long time and just running and hugging and crying and laughing and catching up and standing around talking.”

About 320 people attended the banquet later that night, with about 220 of those being alumni. Gilley presented a short history of the BCM and speakers included alumni from each of the decades from the 60s on. Gilley is the BCM’s 13th director, following Byron Kirkpatrick, who served from 2000 to 2002 and Otto Spangler, from 1972 to 1999.

“It is still just amazing to me that we have a chance to make a difference in a short window of time,” Gilley said. “You know these students are only here two, three, four or five years and God has a chance to do something incredible in their lives and we get to have a front row seat for that. Yeah, it’s an incredible thing.”

Amidst all the memories of good times and funny moments, were stories of the teaching and ministry that have taken place at the BCM over the years, of friends showing up for friends during tough times, calls to ministry, leadership and teaching in the church.

“It was great to hear people say ‘Man, this place made such a difference in my life. And this was where God called me to be a pastor. This is where God called me to be a missionary. This is where I found my love for the church and I’m still teaching.’ Those kinds of stories were echoed by many people,” Gilley said. 

Such stories reinforce the need for and importance of places like the BCM on today’s college campuses. 

“Only eternity knows the real impact that this place has had,” Gilley said. “But we know places are important in the Old Testament. They’re important in the New Testament and they’re still important today. Places where the church gathers and the church gets encouraged and where the church is sent out from. That’s what BCMs are.”

Gilley said he feels blessed to have been part of this ministry for the past 24 years. 

“It’s the greatest honor for me to have been a part of this and the Florida Baptist Convention. I’m so grateful for our Convention to really invest in the life of college students the way that we do and the way that we have over the last 100 years. Hopefully we will continue for years to come.”