1. Anyone who is 18-25 years old with a desire to grow spiritually. Our hope is for all students to become more Biblically literate and doctrine sound. While the majority of Lightbearers students are full-time college students, we also have part-time students, community college students, and non-students.
2.  Academic scholarships, athletic scholarships, no scholarships. Christian background, atheist background, no background. Local students, go home at Thanksgiving students and international students (from nearly a dozen countries!)

1. Students primarily come to Lightbearers in three ways: 1) A current student recruits them to join the program, 2) An announcement from a local church, and 3) “Walk-in traffic” (everything from a recommendation from a friend or relative to Googling “where to live” and finding the Lightbearers website!)
2. Students can apply for the program after meeting with a Lightbearers staff member. After applying, the student can request specific roommates if they so desire, however we cannot guarantee the students will get to room with who they request. Our staff will do their best to pair houses prayerfully and intentionally while doing their best to meet the student’s requests.

1. We use a mixture of structured and spontaneous curriculum. Our Lightbearers Institute provides teaching in an academic setting that covers the Old and New Testament in one year and Theology and Practice the second year following a set syllabus. Our volunteer mentors have access to a variety of Lightbearers discipleship material but also tailor their mentorship based on the needs of the students. Likewise, students living together meet weekly with material provided by campus discipleship staff but much of their spiritual growth comes in the unstructured moments as well.

1. Above all, we try to match students with mentors from their local church. Sometimes the students themselves identify individuals in their churches that they approach for discipleship purposes. In this way, Lightbearers is simply a vehicle for the church’s discipleship of its own members. Beyond this factor, we look to other criteria such as age, vocation, family status and personality, and beg the Lord to “direct our steps” in this area (Proverbs 19:21).

1. Lightbearers students commit to participating in missions. There are many different ways that students do this (including travelling with their own churches), so most students do not travel overseas with Lightbearers, but a few do each year. We see these trips as valuable discipleship opportunities, and we have three goals for these trips: 1) advance the long-term work of our mission partners, 2) Encourage the long-term workers, and 3) Enhance the students’ understanding of God’s plan for the ends of the earth. Those students who travel regularly return with a greater understand of both the “why” and “how” of missions.

1. Our primary partners are local churches. As a parachurch ministry, Lightbearers desires to be a servant to the local church. To that end, we connect students with mentors from their churches, invite local pastors to speak at the Lightbearers Institute, encourage students to travel overseas with their local church, and recruit students to Lightbearers at the invitation of these churches. In addition, we work to maintain good relationships with evangelical parachurch ministries at our different campuses.

1. Our discipleship staff keeps the discipleship community moving. To that end, staff time is roughly split in three categories: 1) Time with college students (i.e. discipleship and mentoring, recruiting new students, conflict resolution, etc.), 2) Time with adults (usually mentors and pastors from local churches), and 3) Administrative work (i.e. event preparation, staff meetings, study time and support raising).
2. Staff come from a variety of backgrounds but are passionate to see Jesus bring about holistic change in the lives of college students and at the ends of the earth.
3.  Email info@lightbearers.com to find out more or to apply!

1. Lightbearers has discipleship ministries around three major college campuses – University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, AR), Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK), and Mississippi State University (Starkville, MS). Our desire is to expand, as the Lord allows, and would provide us with additional resources by way of prospective staff, property, and people who have a vested interest in the model and mission of Lightbearers, especially in college towns.

1. It is a 9 month program with a 12 month lease. The program follows a typical academic year beginning in August and ending in May. All students will live in a four bedroom apartment and

1. First, the interested student will fill out an Interested Student form from our website. Then a Lightbearers staff member will reach out to the student to set up an initial meeting. If our staff believe the student would be a good fit for the program then staff will send the application link to the interested student. After we have received the application and references, staff will review the application and prayerfully consider if the program would be a good fit for the student. The interested student will hear back from staff in a week or so to know if they have been accepted into the program.

1. 18-25 years old 
2. Has a desire to grow spiritually
3. Is teachable and humble 
4. Has margin to do the program and is willing to commit to the program – the program requires 5 to 6 hours a week for each student
5. Someone who is open to the local church and/or attending a local church regularly
6. Someone who is looking for biblical community and desirous of discipleship through God’s Word

1. You can make a request and staff will do their best to pair you with the requested roommates. However, we cannot guarantee that will be the case as we prayerfully consider all house pairings.

1. Our apartments are located off of Weddington Dr about eight minutes from the University of Arkansas campus.

1. Tuesday night from 6-8pm is our weekly Institute class 
2. House time with your roommates is at least an hour each week to intentionally encourage one another and spend quality time together. 
3. Meetings with your mentor will be at least twice a month to walk through a book study together and pray for one another. 
4. Community events take place every other month usually in the evening and can be anything from a movie night to a pickleball tournament. 
5. Mission opportunities are offered each semester to allow you to meet some of our mission partners, be exposed to different cultures, and learn more about God’s heart for the nations. These opportunities vary but are usually on Thursday evenings at 7pm.

1. A benefit of our discipleship program is affordable rent/utilities. Rent and utilities per month per student is $450. Water, gas, and electric bills are included in this total. Wifi would be the only additional cost if that is something your apartment chooses to do.

1. Many of our alumni students have shared that the Lightbearers Discipleship Program has helped them grow in many areas of their lives. For example, conflict resolution, accountability, biblical literacy, a greater understanding of their need for the local church, a deeper love for God and His Word, and how to be a faithful member of their local church.

1. We are a protestant ministry that is not associated with a specific denomination. Here’s our core beliefs: https://www.lightbearers.com/beliefs/

1. No. A requirement of our Program is to live on campus at Lightbearers alongside other students in the program. We are a residential discipleship community and this is one of the four components of our program. We believe the gospel plays itself out best in community rather than isolation and that is our hope for students that commit to the program.

Meet with Lightbearers staff so we can personally explain the vision of Lightbearers and hear your story.

Once you have met with our staff, we will send you the application personally.

Wait to hear back from a staff member as we look over your application and contact your character references. Thank you for taking the time to apply to Lightbearers – we will contact you soon!