Institute Students Making an Impact in Nashville!
Photo of Nick Sherrod, Alumni & Ministry Project Coordinator of Institute for G.O.D. with representatives from local community service organizations the Institute partners with in meeting community needs.
One of my most impactful experiences as a student at the Institute for G.O.D. was serving through the various classes and programs offered to me. Whether it was tutoring kids after school with Salaam Urban Ministries for a Community Development course or leading SLAM groups to minister to the elderly at Trevecca Towers on Wednesday nights, serving was integral to my education and maturation.
Today, as an alumni, I have the privilege of continuing that effort of service by coordinating Spiritual Emphasis Wednesday’s Ministry Projects for the students of the Institute for G.O.D. Last semester, our students served at 7 different sites around Nashville through a variety of opportunities that ensure they are engaging the needs of the local community. One of the major areas of focus is serving low income elderly around Nashville. Students engage in cleaning and organizing apartments but also get the chance to sit and talk with people who often go long stints of time without visitors. It is in these visits they get the opportunity to care for the widow and demonstrate the biblical mandate that we are called to (Deut. 10:18, James 1:27).
What I love about the biblical education students receive at the Institute is how it perfectly flows into ministry opportunities they participate in on Wednesdays. There is no disconnect between education and practice. The biblical education students receive enhances their genuineness in service. Our students gather for worship and the word on Wednesday mornings in chapel and carry that same mindset into their service locations around Nashville in the afternoons. This has been heavily emphasized by coordinators in the areas we serve!
Just this year alone, Institute students were responsible for:
2,350 hours of collective community service
275 visits to elderly apartments
5,600 meals packed for low income elementary students so they can eat over the weekend
This is only a snapshot of the good that came from Wednesday’s ministry projects this past school year and a foreshadowing of the good that will come next school year!