From 4 to 250: What God Is Doing at the University of West Georgia

From 4 to 250: What God Is Doing at the University of West Georgia

A Door Opened at UWG

About a year and a half ago, Mike Wall wasn’t looking to start a college ministry. “I loved where God had me, in middle schools and high schools, building relationships with coaches and athletes,” he shared.

But God had other plans.

That small Bible study of about 4 athletes slowly grew to 20-25 students by the end of the school year. Then came an unexpected conversation… and an invitation to lead FCA at the University of West Georgia. “It didn’t take me long to know the Lord was calling me to it,” Mike said. “I was nervous. I’d never done college ministry before. But God made it clear.”

Not My Speed… God’s Speed

The plan was simple:
Start small. Meet a few students. Maybe connect with a coach or two. Then build from there. But God had a different timeline. At their official kickoff in August, they were hoping for a handful of students.

125 showed up.

Since then, the growth hasn’t slowed; it’s accelerated.

• 7 team-specific Bible studies
• 150–250 students at weekly huddles
• Around 250 total students are involved in the ministry
• 25 baptisms since launch

“It’s not my speed,” Mike said. “It’s God’s speed.”

Lives Being Changed

Behind every number is a story. One of the most powerful stories has come from the cheerleading program on campus. At first, none of the cheerleaders were involved. Wednesday nights were practice nights, so they weren’t able to attend FCA gatherings. But in January, a few showed up. Then more. Now? Around 40 cheerleaders are involved in FCA, and growing.

Even more incredible, many of them had never opened a Bible before.

“Two weeks ago, we celebrated four baptisms of cheerleaders who had never even cracked open Scripture,” Mike shared. “And now there’s this hunger for the Word… It’s unbelievable.”

From Challenge to Blessing

Like any growing ministry, there have been challenges, especially financially. But even that has become a testimony.

Recently, God provided funding that:

• Fully funded a staff position
• Transitioned Mike from part-time to full-time ministry support
• Opened doors for new donors and church partnerships

“What was one of our biggest challenges has now become one of our biggest blessings,” Mike said.

What’s Next

This is just the beginning.

Looking ahead, the vision is clear:

• Build out a full ministry team
• Add both male and female staff
• Continue expanding discipleship across teams
• Deepen partnerships with churches and donors

“My prayer is that God brings the right people,” Mike said.
“The right team… the right partners… the right opportunities.”

How You Can Pray

As FCA continues to grow at West Georgia, here are a few ways to be praying:

• For the right staff to join the ministry
• For continued provision through donors and partners
• For open doors with coaches, teams, and campus leadership
• For students to continue saying yes to Jesus