Darrell Cook is the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) campus minister at Virginia Tech.  Darrell and Laura served on campuses in Arkansas for several years. I spoke with Darrell Monday morning and to Laura on Monday evening. They are fine, but one of their active students was killed. How sad. When I called the BCM on Monday afternoon , the person who answered the phone said there were a couple of hundred students in the building. Would you covet to pray for Darrell and Laura and their BCM family during these days?  Would you pray all for the BCM staff and student leaders that must lead out and yet need someone to lean on?

On Monday, when I visited with Greg Alexander, the Virginia Baptist Convention state collegiate minister, he was on his way to the campus. Would you pray for the Virginia Baptist conventions and their leaders that they would know how to pray and what to do?

I visited with national collegiate leaders Linda Osborne at LifeWay and Mark Lydecker at the North American Mission Board, who both expressed the desire to resource and help as needed.  The main concern was to rally all of us to prayer. Would you pray that we will always be ready to serve?

Dr. Emil Turner, ABSC executive director, and Darwin Bacon, Missions Ministry team leader, both expressed concern and committed resources to help where needed. What a joy to give this information to Laura at Virginia Tech and know that Arkansas Baptists really care. Would you thank the Lord for leaders who understand the need to have resources and the willingness to give?

I have put Arkansas Collegiate Ministry Team staff member Diane Parker on call to go and serve as a chaplain if needed. I am so thankful that she has already been trained as an emergency response person. We will not go and get in the way, but we are ready to go if needed. Would you pray for the BCM leaders and the Southern Baptist Convention churches in the area as they minister to the needs of 26,000 students and 7,000 university faculty and staff?

I can’t imagine how a president of a university feels when he faces the camera of the world with monumental news. Would you pray for the VT staff and faculty that are questioning and seeking?

I wonder how many of these students who died were not Christians. Would you pray for the salvation of students at Virginia Tech and for the salvation of students on campuses close to you as dialogue whirls around this tragedy?

Can you imagine a call from the authorities saying that your child or your friend was one of the causalities? Would you pray for the families of the students and staff who died? Would you pray for healing for students and staff who were wounded?

What will you say to the student who says, “How can a good and great God allow this to happen?” Would you praise the Lord that He is a good and great God? That His arm is not short and His love is not hidden?

Scripture teaches in Matthew 18:20 that where two or three are gathered, He will be there.  Would you covenant to pray for Virginia Tech and all college students and staff in your state during one of your main meetings this week?

May the Lord bless you this day and may we be mindful our world needs a Savior.

David James is the Team Leader for the Collegiate Ministry Team at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. David and his wife Peggy live in Bryant.