Zack Thurman

Freshman, Toccoa, Ga.

At some colleges, classroom exercises seem disconnected with the realities of everyday life. But such is not the case at Boyce College.

Just ask Zack Thurman.

Since coming to Boyce in the fall of 2004, the Toccoa, Ga. native has applied his theological training to such ministry endeavors as organizing an evangelistic outreach to 55,000 students at an FFA convention, leading a troubled youth to Christ and speaking to church groups across Kentucky and Georgia.

“Boyce has really prepared me to effectively minister to every world religion that you can think of,” he said. “It helped me when it comes to dealing with postmodern people and people of all different ethnic groups.”

Although he has long felt passionate about working with teenagers, Zack was unsure how to prepare for ministry after graduating from community college in Georgia. But as he prayed for guidance, God directed his thoughts toward Louisville. Then while conducting an Internet search, Zack learned about Boyce. A visit to campus confirmed that God was indeed calling him to Boyce.

During his first year of study, the youth ministry major learned the basics of theology and biblical exegesis.

“It’s just really prepared me to speak—to be able to do an exegetical sermon,” he said. “I had no clue how to do that before coming here.”

Zack quickly applied his classroom knowledge to practical ministry endeavors by participating in a ministry to international students in Louisville. At one event he met a student from Tajikistan. As the two developed a friendship, Zack demonstrated the love of Christ to him through practical gestures of friendship.

As Zack learned an increasing amount of theology, he became increasingly convicted that he needed to develop authentic relationships with non-believing men and women. So Zack and a group of friends moved to an apartment complex where they would come into contact daily with people from all walks of life.

Within a week of moving into his apartment, Zack met a teenager. Over several days Zack and his roommates explained the Gospel to him until he committed his life to Christ during a tearful conversation.

“He repented and he turned 180 degrees around and has been seeking God,” Zack said. “It’s really neat to see that.”

On another occasion Zack organized an evangelistic outreach to 55,000 students attending a national FFA convention in Louisville. He cited a Boyce personal evangelism class as motivation for organizing the outreach.

“I was in a personal evangelism class at the time,” he said. “And (the professor) really just kept us broken for the lost.”

In the future, Zack plans to use his Boyce training to conduct youth ministry in a local church. Eventually he hopes to open a home for troubled boys. In all aspects of his ministry, however, Zack says he will draw from the education he received at Boyce.