Lisa Wood Hoke was first exposed to discipleship through Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) at the University of Alabama. A godly woman led their group and also met with Lisa one-on-one. She was disciplined, faithful, and intentional—just the influence Lisa needed. Before long, she was asked to lead a small group herself. Multiplication wasn’t just taught; it was practiced, and Lisa stepped into it.
When she graduated, Lisa moved to Birmingham, got a job, and joined Briarwood Presbyterian Church. There she found the church was having a ministry at nearby Samford University. Her commitment to discipleship led her to volunteer, and she found herself with a group of women to lead. Within the year, Briarwood hired her as their first female college ministry staff member.
This church ministry grew and became Campus Outreach! Lisa remembers those days as a very prayerful time. She shared, “We constantly asked God for wisdom because we didn’t know what we were doing! Prayer is the crux of any ministry, life, and person. We should be prayerful, taking everything before the Lord and watching him do the work.”
Early on, Lisa watched the Lord connect her with nursing students at UAB. They formed a small discipleship group and were faithful, hungry to grow, and willing to be challenged. Nearly all of the women joined the very first Beach Project. That summer opened their eyes to deeper fellowship and the joy of sharing their faith. From there, they carried their vision for Christ into every corner of life.
That group began 45 years ago and still gathers every couple of years. One went to Africa and has spent decades in ministry with the Jesus Film. The others have served faithfully as nurses, wives, and mothers. They have taken different paths but have steady faith. After all these years, conversations pick up right where they left off—sharing burdens, celebrating milestones, and praying for one another. The bond they share in Christ has only grown stronger with time.
Marriage and motherhood brought new seasons. Lisa’s children became her primary discipleship group. Yet, God continued to open doors: mentoring a new mom at Briarwood, discipling a 12-year-old neighbor, or meeting with women in the Sojourners Sunday School class.
And then, just a couple of weeks ago, the UAB group got together again. Lisa said that time was a reminder and encouragement: This is what it’s all about. “These women were all discipled well through Campus Outreach to love Jesus with all their hearts. And to this day, they still do. God has used them, and every time we get together, they are just so grateful for their time at UAB, where they grew deep in their walk with the Lord and gained a vision for how God could use them the rest of their lives for His glory.”
Lisa insists she is nothing special—just a weak vessel seeking to stay available, keep a fresh walk with the Lord, and share what He gives her. For over forty years, God has faithfully provided opportunities to disciple, encourage, and invest in women.
And even now, she prays to remain fresh and fruitful, bearing witness to His faithfulness in this season of life. She claims Psalm 92:14: “They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green.”
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