For roughly 11 weeks in the summer (and a few in January), Proclaim Ministry Teams from Pensacola Christian College travel through North American regions sharing their musical talents and hearts with churches, camps, and communities. “This year has made us feel gladly spent (2 Corinthians 12:15),” shared team leader Andrew Faulkner (Management ’23). His group ministered in GA, NC, SC, and VA, and experienced excitement and challenges from day to day. “Proclaim is hard work, but the Lord uses it to bring a fulfillment that makes us want to keep on going.”
“And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” 2 Corinthians 12:15
The Makings of the Team
Each Proclaim team is made up of five members, four singers, and a pianist. Members are not limited to those pursuing a music degree, since combining backgrounds and skillsets broadens the reach to people of all ages and walks of life. Each ensemble is led by a pair of college representatives responsible for planning out the days on the road, mentoring the team, and communicating with the pastors they are coming to serve.
A senior studying music, Allie Mergen (PA) felt God nudging her to audition for Proclaim. “I’m grateful that God gave me this opportunity,” Allie said. “This summer has been the most mentally, spiritually, and emotionally growing time of my life. We visited some truly incredible ministries and met some of the coolest people.”
“The main responsibility of a Proclaim team member is just getting involved wherever you are.”
Being a part of Proclaim has allowed Jeremiah Small (FL), a sophomore pursuing pre-physical therapy, to invest in others and to be invested in. “The main responsibility of a Proclaim team member is just getting involved wherever you are,” he shared. “I have definitely grown strong bonds with my team on the road this summer whether it was through a funny experience that we all could laugh at or a deeply rooted spiritual conversation.”
Lasting Benefits
Touring various regions allows team members to see parts of the country—some for the first time—and more significantly, witness how other Christians serve the Lord in their ministries. “It opens your mind to how much God is doing in our country,” shared Kristan Fears (Music ’95), the Proclaim instructor/coordinator. “When you get to see God’s country, it’s just beautiful.”
Performance studies senior, Davita Reynolds (FL) got to traverse through AL, AR, LA, MS, and TX, and shared, “I love traveling, singing, and meeting new people. So, the fact I get paid to do all three was an easy choice for me.” One of the highlights of Davita’s summer was a stop her team made at her home church. “The fact that I got to be on the very stage that I would pretend on and introduce our team was a dream come true,” she commented.
Time spent as a Proclaim team member is beneficial in several long-lasting ways: it is a job that covers a year’s tuition and prepares students for whatever ministry or career the Lord has for them. Stephen Salazar (Jr., TX), who is studying Bible with a music ministries concentration, values how he has been prepared for so many things besides singing. “Everything that I’ve been taught can be translated to my future,” said Stephen, “such as public speaking, being presentable, being social, disciplined, selfless, teachable, and flexible.”
Growth and Connections
While members of each Proclaim Ministry Team are prepared to sing special music, accompany on the piano, or share a devotion, the talents they bring are the segue to being the hands and feet of Christ. And the ways Proclaim teams get involved and serve are endless. Some groups supported the staff at camps; others came alongside a pastor and completed items on his to-do list such as painting, pressure-washing, or even mowing at another church; still others served in Vacation Bible School and wherever else there was a need.
“The closer we all get, the better we minister as well, which has been awesome to see!”
The nature of travel and being within close proximity of a small group of individuals invited a variety of challenges for each team to face and overcome together. As the weeks went by, the team became its own little community—but not always right from the start. Bradley Stephens (Youth Ministries ’24), leader through IL, KS, MO, and WI, acknowledges that at the beginning of traveling, the team is still learning each other. “Then you are all in a van together for 11 straight weeks—this definitely makes you grow closer together,” Bradley commented. “The closer we all get, the better we minister as well, which has been awesome to see!”
As the students develop meaningful relationships within their teams, they’re also building connections at the churches and venues they serve. “Showing up to a ministry has an excitement,” said team leader Ben Ross (Music Education ’22, M.A. Music ’24), “New people, a new building, a new chance to invest in someone—and then you pack up the van and know that you’re most likely not going to see them again until glory.” The teams love meeting new people but with time limits at each scheduled stop, they’re challenged to trust that God used their brief interactions for eternity.
Sharing and Experiencing Hope
Countless exchanges with so many different people remind the Proclaim Ministry Teams what a privilege it is to serve God through Proclaim. Oftentimes, the mature crowd is encouraged to see that the younger generations still desire to serve the Lord. Another aspect of these visits allows the teams to interact with young people, sharing the gospel with them and what it’s like to study at PCC. “It’s awesome to influence a teenager at a church service or at a camp,” said Stuart Willingham (Youth Ministries ’21), the director of promotions, “and then they show up at PCC a couple years later and they join your collegian or something like that.”
This year was Alex Williams’ (Pastoral Ministries ’19) third time leading a team, and what continues to impress his heart is witnessing the audience respond to their music and to the gospel. “Standing on the stage, you can see the immediate influence Proclaim has on the people we minister to,” he shared. “Attending PCC made a profound difference in my life and seeing it come full circle is an incredible experience.”
“We really are representatives and all that we do can have an impact in anyone’s lives,” Stephen Salazar added. He related a memorable interaction with a camper who expressed interest in attending PCC: “She said that she wanted to go to a college where they strived for excellence and she could tell we did. She figured that if we did that with our music, we must do it in all other areas. It made all the practices and time spent memorizing and figuring out parts worth it.”
“Standing on the stage, you can see the immediate influence Proclaim has on the people we minister to.”
As the four teams have sung and served in multiple locations over the course of 11 weeks, each member experienced a spent-ness, but in a way that is eternally meaningful. “When we get up on stage and start singing, sometimes you can just tell that the Lord is working in the church’s heart,” shared Cathryn Milner (FL), a sophomore pursuing elementary education. “You look out and see tears streaming down their face, and you realize that the Lord knew they needed to hear these songs, and He placed us in their life to share this message through our music and testimonies. That moment . . . that’s what makes every single service completely worth it.”