After three years serving on the campus staff at Southeastern University, Craig Nagle transitioned to a resource staff role. The shift required him to think strategically to maximize his limited time on campus. He decided to focus his efforts on the wrestling team, where four leaders were entering their final year and eleven new freshmen had just begun.
One of those freshmen, Jake, had spent the summer working construction with someone who was raising support to join the Campus Outreach staff. During that time, Jake shared his desire to grow spiritually and was eager to connect with Craig. As they spent time together at the house Jake shared with six other freshman wrestlers, their relationships began to deepen.
A natural strategist and motivator, Craig issued two challenges early in the fall semester. To the four leaders, he declared, “We do evangelism!” and challenged them to help him share the gospel with every freshman on the team. To Jake, he gave a two-fold challenge: be connected and be a recruiter.
Craig encouraged Jake to engage in Campus Outreach meetings, join a small group, attend the local church, and remain attentive. As a recruiter, Jake’s role was simple but powerful—bring others along. Whether it was a meeting or a hangout, the challenge was to invite his friends to join him. In response, the wrestlers rose to the challenge.
By the end of September, thirteen wrestlers, including five freshmen, attended Campus Outreach’s Fall Retreat. It was great to get away from campus and participate in the games, meetings, and meals. But it was as they read God’s Word together that questions surfaced, like, “What is the gospel? What is a covenant? What is the Trinity?” Craig patiently answered from Scripture, trusting God’s truth would not return void.
A few days after returning to campus, Craig followed up with one freshman on the wrestling team, Chris. As they talked, it became clear that the Spirit was stirring Chris’s heart. He was reading his Bible and was open to Christianity, but he still had many questions.
Craig’s next appointment had been with Jake, but when Jake arrived, he joined the conversation. Together, they walked through the Bridge Diagram, answering Chris’s questions and explaining the gospel clearly. When they finished, Chris said he wanted to follow Jesus—but that he would pray later, in private.
The next day, Chris found Craig and shared what had happened. “I told Jesus, ‘I want to follow you,’” he said. “Then I had the best sleep since I got to college.” He went on to describe how his day felt different—there was a sense of peace, strength, and purpose.
Would you pray with us that God would root Chris in good soil? Pray also that his teammates would experience new life in Christ. We are trusting God to “do it again”—continuing the seven-year, multi-generational ministry that has been happening among the wrestling team at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida.
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