Brady Rennix (’93)

Collegiate Missionary & Sport Chaplain

WHERE I’M FROM: Reinholds, Pa.

WHERE I LIVE: Blue Bell, Pa.

WHERE I WORK & WHAT I DO: I am Collegiate Missionary/Minister with North American Missions Board.

MY EDUCATION AT LBC: Youth Ministry degree

WHY I FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT I DO: Jesus was sent with a mission: to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). As I look across my region of Greater Philadelphia, I see that “the lost” have come to me. All I have to do is look to the college campus within miles from my home or church. “The lost” are right in our backyard. My ministry is to help students see the love of Jesus, then help them hear and respond to the gospel. There are 17 million college students in the U.S., and only 2% are reached by a Christian campus ministry. In the Northeast, only 4% of college students identify as born-again Christians. So we have our work cut out for us. Each semester, we gather Christian students to show their peers God’s heart for their campus. We host weekly connection events and outreach/evangelism tables that start gospel conversations. It’s a great way to disciple this generation, because after conversations with an agnostic or atheist, students naturally want to study their Bible and apologetics more so they can defend what they believe.

HOW I SEE KINGDOM IMPACT WHERE GOD HAS PLACED ME: My role is unique because pre-COVID I worked as a college pastor in a church. Now I am directly on the college campus, and I have developed a network of four colleges in Greater Philadelphia. Our goal is to have weekly Bible studies, discipleship, prayer, worship, evangelism and outreach run by student leaders on every campus in the area. We know that most revivals start with college students, and most long-term missionaries get their start in college. So we pray that as the secular philosophies and lifestyles, parties and busyness starts to spill over into hopeless, depression and emptiness, we are there to pick up the pieces. Remarkably, we have found that most college students are open to discussions of faith, and we build on that around relationships and Jesus.

THE BEST PART ABOUT MY JOB IS: My role as a sport chaplain. At two NCAA schools, I am a football, lacrosse and baseball chaplain and character coach. This allows me to do weekly character studies for the entire team then host optional Bible studies. I get to share the gospel on the field, in the coaches’ offices and in locker rooms. Many have come to know Christ or become serious about their faith because of our pre-game chapels, after which we distribute sports Bibles and devotional booklets.

MY LIFE’S BIBLE VERSE IS: Acts 20:24: “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus Christ, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

THE LAST BOOK I READ WAS: “The Fuel & The Flame: Ignite Your Life & Your Campus for Jesus Christ” by Steve Shadrach and Paul Worcester

WHEN I HAVE 30 MINUTES OF FREE TIME: I have been known to sneak off and go surfing in Ocean City, N.J., or in the off season find a pick-up soccer or pickleball game.

MEET MY FAMILY: My wife, Beth, is a French teacher, and we have four children: Madison and Savannah, both teachers; and Jackson and Dakota, both students.

MY CHALLENGE FOR REACHING THE MISSION FIELD IN YOUR BACKYARD: God would like to use LBC alumni and friends to reach the college students in your backyard. It is simple to start a campus ministry or partner with a campus minister. Start with a prayer walk at a local college campus, then research the school as you would any mission field opportunity.

Learn more about Brady’s collegiate ministry at bradyrennix.org.