Mackenzie Norman

I can still remember what outfit I wore to my very first BCM meeting. I remember agonizing over what to wear and then fixing my hair and makeup to be absolutely perfect. 

It was my big debut. Mackenzie Ford was walking on the ministry scene. BCM was going to be rocked. Everything was about to change. Heads would turn, eyes would widen. This. was. it. 

At least, that’s what I told myself in my mirror pep-talk. 

Looking back, while I made some great connections that first night of BCM, it wasn’t what I thought it would be. I walked in late (per usual) to a crowd of more than 300 students, mostly freshman, who were packed like sardines into the building. I was easily overlooked, not because people didn’t care, but because it’s not possible to make 300 people feel individually connected to a ministry after one giant meeting. 

I could have walked back up the giant hill to my cramped dorm that evening sorely disappointed that I wasn’t the best thing since sliced bread, but I didn’t. I walked back more convinced than ever that I wanted to be there, with those people, because I saw that their mission and vision was the same as mine: reach campus with the Gospel. 

And you know what? The next week, I went back to the BCM, I stood in a hot, crowded room with more than 300 people, and walked out at the end of the night knowing approximately one more person than I did before. And I did that for an entire semester.

Getting involved takes effort. You can’t expect to walk into an organization and immediately be swarmed by five chirping hospitality team members who hand you a steaming cup of coffee while massaging your shoulders as they direct you to a chair with your name embroidered on the back. It just doesn’t happen. Sometimes, you’ll show up and you won’t have a single person talk to you or ask your name. That’s tough, I know. I’ve been there. But let me encourage you not to write off a club, or ministry, or church just because they forgot to greet you that one time you went. If your goals line up with theirs, if that group can encourage you to succeed in an area or become more Christ-like as a whole, then give it more than one shot. 

You may have to be the one to introduce yourself to someone, instead of waiting on someone else to introduce themselves to you. Step out of your comfort zone and make it a priority to talk to one new person. And try not to be the person who gets there late and leaves early. It’s best to arrive early and stay longer if possible, especially if your goal is to meet more people. 

And remember, you want to find a community that actively invests in you. A place that wants you to be there as much as you want to be there. If after making an effort you still don’t feel welcome or you don’t see a clear opportunity to be involved and poured into, move to another place. But do so wisely and prayerfully. 

This week, I challenge you to meet one new person at whatever meeting you decide to attend. Because one familiar face can make a huge difference in your perception of an organization. Also, if you haven’t already, start looking for Christian student ministries on your campus. Find out when they’re meeting and make a point to at least try them out. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that my BCM community became a BCM family. The friends and connections I made there were the people who walked with me through some of the darkest valleys I experienced in college. 

Getting involved takes time, effort, energy- and sometimes, a little sprinkling of rejection..but don’t give up. The payoff is worth it.