Walton Encourages OBU Students to Engage Missions

Josh Walton spent two years serving on the mission field in Monterey, Mexico, as an International Mission Board Journeyman. A heart for missions led Josh Walton to continue his international missions work for an additional year -- in Oklahoma.

Walton spent summer 2008 helping at Falls Creek where he met several OBU students. He decided he wanted to engage OBU students during the fall semester as part of OBU's Avery T. Willis Center for Global Outreach. After completing his third year with the International Mission Board, Walton hopes to attend seminary then return to the mission field.

While at OBU, Walton is working along side the Global Outreach center director (name has been omitted for security purposes). Walton led a group of 35 students to Falls Creek for a Global Outreach trip orientation to prepare for the several mission trips planned for J-Term, spring break and summer 2009.

Walton hopes, in this role, to encourage students about missions, and he also is talking to students on Bison Hill interested in the Journeymen program.

"A lot of students are hesitant to get involved because they don't know of mission opportunities," Walton said. "There are a ton of opportunities for them. That's what we are here for. I want to encourage students to get involved in missions."

OBU's global outreach coordinator said he is appreciative of the connection Walton provides between students and the International Mission Board.

"OBU has been, and is, a strong missions-sending academic institution," OBU's global outreach coordinator said. "Josh's presence on campus allows us to continue building on our strong partnership with the International Mission Board. We appreciate the IMB's recognition of OBU's unique missions status, and their investment in us through Josh."

Though Walton's time on Bison Hill will be relatively brief, he hopes to help facilitate a perception change about missions.

"Missions isn't something you do on a trip, it's a lifestyle you live," Walton said. "We want people to get excited about telling other people about Christ."