220SU introduces itself to student body

As the new semester begins at Southern University, many out-of-state students find themselves hundreds of miles away from the family and friends that are familiar to them. Another aspect of everyday life the students are looking to replace while completing their education is religion and ministry.
Lauren Hill, junior Spanish major from Birmingham said that “being an out-of-state places me far from my place of worship, and I feel that other out-of-state students like myself need to have some type of ministry available being such a distance from home.”
To combat these feelings, brothers Joe and Wayne Brown are bringing the popular youth ministry 220, a program started at Bethany World Prayer Center, Southern. According to Bethany’s youth minister Joel Stockstill’s website, “220 embraces three principles that are essential for multiplication: radical prayer, radical evangelism and radical discipleship.”
“There are a lot of students that are not associated with a church and I want to make a ministry available so students can connect with other believers,” said Joe Brown, a 2006 graduate of Southern.
There is already a 220 program on LSU’s campus and at both the north and south locations of Bethany.
220SU is a new registered student organization this semester but has already begun to reach out to students by passing out bottled water on campus move-in day.
220 was able to reach out to and make about 500 students aware of the organization. The current 220 programs have raised up hundreds of leaders who currently disciple over 6,500 students in weekly cell meetings. 220 reaches students throughout the region through weekly services, cell meetings, college campus outreaches and clubs in junior highs and high schools.
While 220 will attract many out-of-state students, local students are also excited about the ministry coming to Southern.
 “It’s great to have a ministry coming to SU, it’ll present the students with a much needed opportunity to worship while remaining on campus; I like the convenience it provides,” said Brittany Davis, a sophomore engineering major from New Orleans. 220SU will hold meetings in almost every dorm, every night. The meetings, just like Bethany Prayer Center, are nondenominational and open to persons of any religious faith.
Brown believes students should be able to connect with God and other believers in a convenient atmosphere. He said that the word ministry means to serve and that is the goal of 220SU: to serve and minister to the students.
220SU is looking for students who are willing to take a stand for Jesus to come out and join. 220SU has a goal to reach over 20,000 young people across the city of Baton Rouge. Stockstill also mentors youth pastors worldwide as a result of his desire to see a generation transformed by the Cross. 
Brown encourages Southern students to join 220 and link with students with their heads and hearts set on Jesus. He said 220SU is “dedicated to seeing every student unite with Christ and other Christian advocates.”
220SU will be a weekly service on campus and is holding its first meeting on September 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Cotillion Ballroom in the Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union.