PURPOSE:
The Palmetto Collective is a group of college juniors and seniors from campuses across South Carolina who are passionate about being missional leaders for the gospel. It’s a unique experience where devoted followers of Jesus are equipped for a lifetime of fruitful mission and ministry as a leader for Jesus in any realm of society. Palmetto Collective students discover God’s mission in the world and in their lives through studying God’s word together, guided by ministry mentors, participating in leadership retreats, and serving in mission opportunities around the US and the world.
GOAL:
The Goal of PC is to help students discover where and how Jesus will place them after graduation for the greatest Kingdom Impact. We want to expose them to as many strategic opportunities as possible and stretch their perspective to see the great needs outside of South Carolina and around the world.
VISION:
We envision hundreds of students launched out as Missionaries and Church Planters through the IMB, NAMB and the SCBC Start Network.
ELEMENTS:
- Mentorship: Each Student is paired with a mentor from their local Baptist Churchto walk through the Palmetto Collective material that challenges them with Scripture study and hands-on applications.
- Intensive Retreats: During the school year, we bring the Students together for Leadership training, intensive scripture study, prayer and peer-to-peer sharpening.
- Monthly Training Calls: Each month we gather the students on a collective video call and interview a Missionary, Church Planter, Pastor, or Missional Leader.
- Mission Projects: We send the students on multiple mission opportunities to expose them to the Missionary Task and Church Planting. Students will attend at least one international experience with the IMB and multiple domestic experiences in the SEND Network.
- Preferred Summer Options: Although PC does not dictate what students do during the summer, we do encourage them to take advantage of one of our preferred partnerships in Boston, Salt Lake, Los Angelos, North Africa, France, Greece or Asia Pacific Rim. (Grants are available to subsidize the students’ cost for the summer. )
INVESTMENT and POST-GRAD GRANT:
The Palmetto Collective is funded by the SCBC Cooperative Program, the Janie Chapman Missions Offering of the WMU and a grant provided by NAMB. All expenses for any PC related trip or experience are covered in-full by these funds.
Additionally, upon completion of the PC program, if a student becomes a Journeyman with the IMB, moves to a NAMB Send City to join a NAMN church plant, or is employed by an SCBC Church Plant, the student will receive a $5000 grant.
WRITTEN MATERIAL:
We have produced a two-year discipleship curriculum written by Dr. Matt Rogers. The material is broken into twelve units, (six units per year). Topics range from Christ-like character growth, to Evangelism, to Church Planting and the Missionary Task.
There are two separate books, one for the student and one for their mentor. The Mentor addition tracks with the material and adds strategic coaching questions for their debrief meetings.
Copyright is in motion now and we are in the process of making it deliverable to other organizations.
RESULTS (so far…)
Forty-Eight Students have been members of Palmetto Collective thus far and we will welcome another 25 Juniors this Fall. The word about PC has grown tremendously in just two years. We have received 60 applications from 7 different campuses.
Thus far we have 4 Journeyman on the field with another 5 that are in the IMB on-boarding process. Over a dozen of them have gone with GenSend. We have several going to seminary with the prospective of becoming Church Planters. Several students have joined SC Church Plant teams while others are pursuing a variety of ministry opportunities across the US.
