COLLEGE MINISTRY

Engaging in Christian fellowship and impacting local campuses and the world for Christ.

ABOUT OUR MINISTRY

We are a community that is made up of two different groups. First, is our students that grew up at Briarwood but now are away attending college. We seek to encourage these students from afar in their walks with the Lord and connect with them when they return over the summer and holidays. The second group is made up of college students from the local campuses who gather for worship at Briarwood on Sunday mornings during the school year. We seek to create with these students a community that engages in Christian fellowship and impacts the campus and the world for Christ.

Mark Purser, College Director

With a degree in Business Management from the University of Alabama, Mark is continuing his education at Birmingham Theological Seminary. He began working at Briarwood in 2023, where he loves guiding college students through the massive transition from childhood to adulthood and tackling some of life’s biggest decisions. He also enjoys challenging students to use their flexibility and freedom to pursue obedience to the Great Commission in a way that other seasons of life don’t always afford. College ministry is very close to Mark’s heart because of how God radically transformed his life through the ministry and mentorship of several older men who cared about me and invested in him in college. Now he praises the Lord that he gets to do the same for others. Mark has been married to Heather since 2013, and they have three children: Emma Kate, Ellie, and Crawford.

Phone: 205.776.5302 • mpurser@briarwood.org