Jessica Vaughn

Sophomore, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

When Jessica Vaughn enrolled at Boyce College, she knew that professors would teach her truths that applied to ministry in the local church.

But she had no idea how immediately and how powerfully God would use her classroom experience to inspire a mentoring and discipleship ministry.

Within two semesters of Jessica’s arrival at Boyce in the fall of 2004, more than 30 teenagers committed their lives to Christ through her church. Inspired by a Boyce personal evangelism class, she set out to mentor several of the newly converted students in their faith.

“I was in personal evangelism class, and one week we covered discipleship, which was going right along with what I was learning in my church,” she said. “Basically, we learned about discipleship and the importance of a mentor relationship.”

One of the teenagers Jessica mentors is a 16-year-old girl who was converted recently. Through weekly times of prayer, Bible study and encouragement, the teen has overcome a previously limited knowledge of Scripture and taken significant steps forward in her walk with Christ.

One of the most significant of these steps occurred when the youth began to feel burdened for lost men and women across the globe. Jessica used that burden as an opportunity to speak with her about the need for world missions and evangelism.

“We both prayed that God would show us, ‘Where is it that You want us to go? Who is it You want us to talk to? Because we know that we are commanded to go. Lord, make us willing and show us what we need to do,’” Jessica said.

In addition to mentoring younger Christians, Jessica has also initiated a relationship in which she is mentored by a more mature believer. After observing a woman at her church for several months, Jessica approached the woman about mentoring her in the faith. The woman agreed, and now the two meet weekly for prayer and accountability.

Jessica credits her professors at Boyce with helping her to realize the importance of both giving and receiving mentorship in the Christian life. Professors played a particularly vital role in helping Jessica to recognize the inadequacies of her former understanding of discipleship, she said.

“If I led somebody to the Lord, then that was pretty much it,” she said. “I wanted them to start coming to church. I knew they needed to grow. But I didn’t realize just the responsibility I had to personally make disciples.”

Jessica remains uncertain of her plans following graduation from Boyce. Yet she says she feels confident that her college training will prepare her for a variety of ministry endeavors.

“At this point I am still praying and seeking the Lord on what ministry He would have me in,” she said. “But I know that in my studies and the different classes I’m taking, the Lord will prepare me.”