At Bethel University, alumni Samuel and Shalyn Thomas have learned what it means to serve others and share the gospel in tangible ways. Through Bethel mission trips, relationships with people from different cultures and opportunities to serve on campus, they have discovered that following God’s calling often begins with a willingness to take a step of faith.
Shalyn had previous experience with missions and serving, but it was during her freshman year at Bethel on a trip to South Africa that she first felt called to full-time missions. As an ASL major, this trip opened the door for her to realize that missional work is not just for ministry majors, but for anyone willing to use their gifts to spread the Gospel. While in South Africa, she focused on building relationships with the people she met through children’s camps and community events.
“Anyone you encounter you can share Jesus with,” Shalyn says.
Throughout her time at Bethel, Shalyn continued pursuing opportunities to serve. She spent two months working with a deaf village in Jamaica during her sophomore year, traveled to Ecuador during her junior year and participated in an interpreting program in Singapore during her senior year. These experiences allowed her to combine her passion for serving others with her academic interests.
Samuel also grew up with a strong background in missions, as his father worked for Campus Crusade for Christ and he spent many summers growing up on mission trips with college-aged students. During his time at Bethel, Samule felt a growing call towards ministry. He traveled to Ecuador with St. Mark Missionary Church, where he saw the impact of the church’s long-term partnerships and the relationships built through them. He also participated in a soccer mission trip to Mexico, where he played games and served at a rehabilitation center. Through that experience, he saw how missions could impact teammates who did not know Christ.
After graduating a semester early, Samuel completed a three-month missional internship in Nigeria through Bethel’s Global Engagement Office. This extended ministry opportunity deepened Samuel’s love and calling for international missions. It gave him a glimpse of what his life could look like long-term if he continues to follow where God is calling him.
Now married, their experiences at Bethel have shaped them into people who care deeply about sharing the gospel and making disciples. They both currently serve in roles where they get to build relationships and mentor those around them.
“My goal is to pour into what the Lord has been showing me and doing life together with them so they can go and disciple others,” Shalyn says.
For both Samuel and Shalyn, the mission of sharing the gospel is all around them, and every Christian has a role in sharing about Christ and serving others, whether that be here at home or overseas in places where people haven’t heard of Jesus. They both want to encourage current Bethel students to serve, get involved in missions, and experience different cultures- exploring different opportunities to see what God has for them. As Shalyn says, the message of the Gospel is too important to keep to ourselves.
“Why wouldn’t we want to share the best news ever with the whole world?” Shalyn says.
They believe every Christian has a role in sharing the gospel and serving others.
Even for students who do not feel called to full-time ministry, they emphasize that everyone is involved in missions. Whether through prayer, financial support or serving alongside missionaries, everyone has a part to play.
Through the missional opportunities Bethel provided them with, Samuel and Shalyn have learned about the importance being willing to serve wherever God leads. Bethel provided them with firsthand experience in ministry by which they were able to lean into God’s calling on their lives. Their service required trust in the Lord’s provision, and they saw the beautiful results from hands-on ministry. Now having experienced a glimpse of what their lives could look like long-term, Samuel and Shalyn continue to serve wherever they are called and put their trust in the Lord as He continues to lead them into their next mission field.