This year, Bisons for Christ is going “beyond” with the goal of encouraging other college campuses around the country to join the day of service on Wednesday, April 15.

The theme for this year’s Bisons for Christ is “Beyond” which is centered on going beyond Harding, comfort zones and one day.

Junior Madison Massey, member of the leadership committee for assemblies, said she hopes this day of service will have lasting effects, bring many opportunities and encourage others.

“Hopefully people who have been involved in serving will form some new relationships with their service group or the people they encounter,” Massey said. “Hopefully we will learn from the Searcy community, and the Harding and Searcy community will form a closer bond.”

Junior Debbie Flores said that this is the first time she has been directly involved with Bisons for Christ and said she thought it would be an honor and a valuable experience.

“I am thankful for the seeds that this day plants in the hearts of those serving,” Flores said. “I hope that these seeds spring forth a new initiative and outlook on service so that this day may one day seem like another ordinary day.”

Flores said that the event is different than previous days of service solely because of the amount of people involved and said her goal for the day is for people to be reached in love.

“April 15 will be a beautiful day and I hope that those we reach are blessed in ways we cannot imagine and that God’s love ultimately changes them and helps them grow,” Flores said.

Senior Botham Jean, ministry intern at The Rock House, is in charge of managing the database and assigning teams to projects. He said the goal is to get more students involved and to make sure there is growth from previous years.

This year, Bisons for Christ is working alongside the Bible department to go around to Bible classes to encourage students to participate in this day of service.

“Bisons for Christ really aims not just to have a day of service, but to try and give people an opportunity to see what service is like,” Jean said. “I believe that is the example that Christ gave to us. He came and he didn’t restrict his life to himself, but took the initiative to go and find people.”

Jean said he first developed his passion for service when he participated in Bisons for Christ his freshman year.

There are a wide variety of projects that students can be involved in.

“We always help out widows and when we go to their houses we have requests to change light bulbs, break down cupboards, cleaning windows,” Jean said. “You never know the impact right away, but the reward isn’t for us right now. It’s a much more eternally-minded activity.”

This day of service will begin at chapel but most of the activities will take place after 2 p.m. Afterwards there will be a celebratory dinner provided at College Church of Christ. Students can sign up on Pipeline under the “Home” tab.