Getting Personal with God in University City
"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." -- 1 Timothy 4:12 (New International Version)
Charlotte, NC: September 1, 2010 - As families throughout Charlotte settle their children into school, we're readying for them as well. University Hills Baptist Church welcomes a new Pastor to Students this month, which means new options for worship and fellowship for some of the more than 50,000 area families and 25,000+ students at UNC Charlotte.
"Today's families are bombarded with an inordinate amount of information and temptations," observes Dr. Coye Still, Senior Pastor at University Hills Baptist Church. "To cut through the clutter, our teens and college students need a place where they can worship God, connect through fellowship, serve their fellow man, and most importantly, grow into the leaders of the future."
Readying for that challenge at UHBC is Bo Riley, a young man with a heart for ministering to youth. "People can become entrapped by the 'busy-ness' of their daily lives that they ignore the very essence of what makes us human - the spiritual part of our being," observes Bo. "God, through His church, fills the void that nothing else can. The church isn't a building - it's the people - who support each other through life's joys and challenges."
Bo's plans for the UHBC youth include an assortment of activities that include dynamic Bible study, praise band, local/national/international missions trips, fun relationship-building events (such as Messy Games!), a weekly International Night for college students, meaningful service projects and more.
"We each have one life on this planet, and we've got to make each life count," stresses Bo. "We want to provide each student with the opportunity to do just that - by developing a personal relationship with God and then making His love known to people in University City and elsewhere."
A native of Concord, NC, Bo grew up in the Hickory Grove Baptist Church family in northeast Charlotte. Having graduated from Columbia International University in 2006, he is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Bo is no stranger to the UHBC family - he served as a pastoral intern with the church before being ordained to the ministry in 2007. Following his ordination, Bo led Union Grove Baptist Church in Huntersville, NC.
University Hills Baptist Church is a diverse congregation focused on sharing the love of Jesus Christ with the University City community and beyond. Located at 1500 Suther Road approximately 1/2 mile from the main entrance to UNC Charlotte, the church is ideally placed to serve the growing University City area. All are invited to worship and fellowship opportunities which include a mix of traditional and contemporary Sunday and Wednesday services and other activities for all ages.
