Meet Charles Green; Set to Revitalize Campus Ministry at Southern University

Southern University and A&M College is the third-largest university in Louisiana and has been educating students for the past 222 years. It's no wonder extensive work has been done in an attempt to re-establish student ministry on the 512-acre campus in Baton Rouge. 

"Use all the 're' words you can. We are looking to re-establish, re-instate, restore, rejuvenate student ministry at Southern," says Charles Green. "The Wesley has been inactive for some time, but there's a great history and a great foundation on the campus of Southern. We are not reinventing the wheel but rather serving as a baton passer. The race was still going, and we might have had a delay, but we've started running again, and I'm just there to help move it forward."

Green is the new director of the Wesley Foundation at Southern University. Green comes to Louisiana through the Center for Youth Ministry Training (cymt.org), an organization that develops graduate residents for innovative, effective, and theologically informed ministries to reach the next generation. Green also served as the Coordinator of Student Programs and Activities for the Student Union under the division of Student Affairs at Southern.

Green says he is excited for the opportunities ahead and is ready to take student ministry to a higher level at Southern. 

"Student Ministry is the epicenter for discipleship and personal relationship building with God," Green said. "Already placed in a Higher Learning for academic education, students can truly receive higher learning in their spiritual development of faith and application."  

For the past two years, the Louisiana Conference Office of Congregational Development and Transformation has been working to bring back student ministry on the campus of Southern. They have done extensive searches to fill the position before and even during COVID. 

"We are so excited for the future at Southern and to see how the Holy Spirit will move in and through Charles Green and his leadership," says Rev. Gloria Fowler, Director of Congregational Development and Transformation. "Green already has a connection with Southern, which is going to help tremendously. But more than that, he has an infectious passion for reaching students for Christ.

Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey praised both Green and the work of the Office of Congregational Development and Transformation, acknowledging that sometimes things just take time.  "Over the past two years, the Congregational Transformation team has been working to till the soil so that a new Wesley Foundation could be birthed on the campus of Southern University.  I am thrilled to have Charles Green on board to help continue to give rise to a vibrant ministry from students," she said. "I am thankful for the partnership with the Center for Youth Ministry training and the possibilities for all the “re” words Charles shares - re-establish, re-instate, restore, rejuvenate and I would add re-imagine."

If you would like to know more about the Wesley Foundation on the campus of Southern University, please reach out to the Office of Congregational Development and Transformation or visit the campus office, located inside Thomas Hall on the campus of Southern University.  

Recently, Green was a guest on the Louisiana NOW podcast, with special guest host Rev. Sam Hubbard. You can listen to the podcast below or click here to find it wherever you listen to podcasts.