At first glance, things at Mustangs 4 Christ didn’t seem very organized. It wasn’t that the space located just off campus was disorganized, it was more like the staff just wanted students and others to feel at home – in a relaxed atmosphere.

And they certainly didn’t want to start throwing the Bible around as soon as you walk in even though director Jeremy Aaron freely admitted that one of the group’s goals was to help students build a relationship with Christ.

Aaron said, “We have two goals, and both of them I believe serve the university well, but one specifically. Our first goal is to get students to know more about Jesus and to become more like him. We want to help college students be the best they can be when it comes to responsibility, morals, relationships and all of the different aspects you can think of. Our second goal is to be a place for college students to belong. A lot of times our students would say that this is their home away from home.”

Whether an international student, a student new to the city, or even a student that isn’t a Christian, Aaron made it clear that he wants the students to feel comfortable without any pressure when they walk through the doors.

“Whether it’s hectic in the dorm room or whether it’s hectic other places, this is a place where students can come study, eat, relax and have fellowship in a safe environment,” Aaron said.

Aaron has been involved with Mustangs 4 Christ since since January of 2017, but before that he had experience living overseas, so he knows what it’s like to be in an unfamiliar environment.

“My background is in missions and I’ve lived overseas for a while, so when I see an international student come in I know what it’s like to be in a different country. Everything is weird. It’s a complete culture change,” Aaron said.

Comfortability is key inside the Mustangs 4 Christ building where there are four study rooms, a library, foosball tables, ping pong tables and a fully functioning kitchen.

“The perspective I heard from several freshman was that they thought this was a church, but they kind of said it like they were afraid to come in because they thought they would be walking right into a bunch of pews and an altar, and they didn’t really know what to expect. If you’re intimidated by walking into a church building, that’s not what you’ll find here. There are lots of things to do here, even if you’re not coming for the Bible study,” Aaron said.

Sara Keeling, art senior and Mustangs 4 Christ leader, said she came as a transfer student.

“I was looking for a place to connect, build my faith and make sure my relationship with Christ stayed strong through the college experience. This place was very open arms, everybody was really welcoming and there’s no pressure when you walk through the doors,” Keeling said.

Landon Parks, exercise physiology freshman, said he has a different background.

“I actually grew up here in Wichita Falls and the church I’ve gone to since I was a baby sponsors M4C, so I knew Jeremy when he was a missionary for our church in Scotland,” Parks said. “I’m used to being around Mustangs 4 Christ people and as I’ve gotten older, especially in high school, I’ve come to know some of the members over the last couple of years so I felt really comfortable making that transition and coming to get involved once I was a freshman.”

The Mustangs 4 Christ meet twice a week and provide attendees snacks, have a Bible discussion and have fellowship.

“Both of these things happen every week, and we would like to open up to anyone on campus if they want to come out and join us,” Aaron said.

The Mustangs 4 Christ mission statement is “Bringing young college men and women together to learn about Christ in a loving community,” and that is exactly what Aaron, Keeling and Parks aim to do.