Field Notes: Sarah Grace Thompson
To the people of Mars Hill, what an honor it is to be able to share with you how the Lord has used this church to impact me and has helped export me out to be a minister of the gospel on the college campus. My name is Sarah Grace Thompson and I am currently on staff at the University of North Alabama with an organization called Campus Outreach. I was involved in Campus Outreach at South Alabama all four years of college, which was where I graduated in August 2020. Mars Hill has an incredibly special place in my heart. In college this church was a body of believers that truly encouraged me, taught me, equipped me, prayed for me, supported me and continues to do so now; and for that, I’m truly grateful.
I was lucky enough to be involved in the college ministry at Mars Hill for about 2-21/2 years. When I tell you the time that I was learning and growing with other college students, hearing the sermons each Sunday, and being poured into by Kate and Rusty, those were some of the most impactful moments throughout my college experience. The time in the college ministry, and the church in general, helped deepen my love for God’s Word and to see it as a delight and a treasure. The college group was an incredible way to fellowship with other believers as God intends for us to. Romans 12:9-13 comes to mind when I think of the college community at Mars Hill, it reads,
“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”
I can think of many examples of how the students and adult leaders implemented these verses, not because they wanted to receive a round of applause but simply because they wanted to glorify the Lord and share the love of Jesus with those around them. I am so thankful for the time, heart, energy and thought that Rusty and Kate put into us as college students. They went above and beyond to serve, teach, guide and love us so well. Shout out to Kate, Rusty, Mrs. Pam & Mrs. Linda, they all truly are incredible role models who clearly seek first the Kingdom of God and live to make His name known. They each have impacted me in different ways, much more than they probably realize. I really believe the Lord is working through this church and using it to glorify Him greatly.
Leaving Mars Hill Church once I graduated was difficult because it had impacted me so much, helped me in my walk with Christ, and challenged me. I still had so many people there who I was encouraged by and wanted to continue growing with in Christ. But I guess that’s one of the hard parts of growing up right? Leaving things in order to go onto the next season that Lord has in store is normal and good. I’m thankful for God’s faithfulness and provision as He has led me to Florence, Alabama to be on staff with an amazing ministry that seeks to glorify God while building laborers on the campus for the lost world. I am now getting into my second semester on staff and am absolutely loving it.
If you aren’t familiar with Campus Outreach, we are an on campus college ministry that seeks to evangelize to the lost, establish young believers, equip the maturing Christians, and export faithful students out to the world with the mindset of being a disciple of Christ and making other disciples of Christ. I truly do believe that I have the best job in the world because I get to build relationships with students, share the gospel, teach them how to faithfully walk with God and how to multiply their lives. There are currently five staff that work for Campus Outreach at UNA and all of them have been so fun to labor alongside on the campus. The joy of seeing students grow in their faith, realize their need for Jesus, and pursue holiness has been incredible. I work closely with girls on the soccer and volleyball team, which has been so fun for me to be around sports teams again. There are about seven girls on the soccer team from other countries which excites me to think that if they become believers they can go back to their country and make disciples of other nations! I did a team study with the soccer team and volleyball team last semester. This semester I’m helping establish the young believers in their walk with Christ and continuing to build relationships and share the good news with those who don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
As with everything, there are challenges that I’ve faced, such as being rejected, avoided and ignored by students. There’s great sadness with being in ministry because the truth is, not everyone will profess Jesus is Lord, but that’s when trusting in the Father’s sovereignty and goodness comes into play. Another challenge, that’s also a victory, that I’ve experienced, and is normal in the Christian walk, is seeing a lot of my brokenness and the indwelling sin within me. That part is hard. I hate seeing that I fall short of the glory of God; but oh how joyous it is when the gospel fills me and I’m reminded that if I confess my sins I can be forgiven and cleansed of all unrighteousness as 1 John 1:9 says. Jesus lived righteously and died unjustly so that I could be called righteous though I’m unjust to be called His beloved child. Seeing my brokenness has continued to make me even more grateful for the good news and has moved me to desire to share that hope with others even more. The satisfaction and joy I’ve experienced from Jesus during this season on staff thus far has been so refreshing & so sweet of the Lord to grant me. I’m excited to continue this journey on staff and see how the Lord works in mighty ways.
“I would love to thank this church and those who impacted my life and showed me what a godly body of believers looks like. I will forever be grateful for how this church has supported me and encouraged me. ”
If you would like to keep up with what the Lord is doing at the University of North Alabama through Campus Outreach and would like to receive updates on my personal ministry, please feel free to email me at sarahgrace.thompson@campusoutreach.org and I would be happy to add you to my monthly newsletters. As the church of Mars Hill says each week over its members, so too do I pray Numbers 6:24-26 over you:
“May the Lord bless you and keep you;maythe Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; maythe Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”