Faith Made Real

Campus Ministries

Faith • Fellowship • Growth • Outreach • Leadership

From Sabbath afternoon walks in the creek to fall Week of Prayer, Campus Ministries is integral in setting the spiritual atmosphere on Ozark's campus. One of the goals of the Campus Ministries department is to encourage students to get involved in the spiritual programs on campus and in area churches. On almost any given weekend visitors will find students taking a leadership role either on our campus or in a local church. Students help plan and organize meetings, speak for various worship services, vespers, and chapels, and are responsible for leading out in music and prayer.

Ozark's Campus Ministries team is led by Brad Simmons , OAA's Bible teacher, and Storie Giddings , OAA's history teacher. They are joined by Kyle Baldwin, senior pastor of the Gentry Seventh-day Adventist Church, as well as student leaders.

Programming &Activities

Some of the activities the Campus Ministries Team is planning for the 2025-2026 school year include: The ARKLA Teen Prayer Conference at CYB, horseback riding, Fall and Spring Week of Prayer, Prayer Glow, Vespers, Chapels, a Mission Trip to Belize, Sabbath afternoon creek walks, Power Pac weekends, kayaking, praise teams, and Sabbath afternoon outreach.

Led by Christian staff members and dedicated students
Organize events like Week of Prayer, vespers, and mission trips that nurture spiritual growth.
Plan activities like kayaking and horseback riding that offer students dynamic ways to connect with God and each other.

"I extremely love the spirituality of Ozark, and how I see Jesus is so many people around me."

Annah, Class of 2026

Prayer Glow

For many of our students, Prayer Glow is their favorite time of the week. On Friday evening, after the the sun has set and vespers is over, Prayer Glow takes place somewhere on campus. Sometimes it's the music hall, the boys' dorm chapel, the auditorium, on center campus beneath the flag poles, or the science classroom. With only the soft glow of Christmas lights, students and staff members sit together, lifting their voices in worship and their hearts in prayer. It’s a time of peace, connection, and reflection so meaningful that students often recreate Prayer Glow when they're away from campus.

Frequently Asked Questions?

Can students not attending OAA come to spiritual programming?

There are Campus Ministries programs open to young people in the area who do not attend OAA. For more information, please contact Storie Giddings or Brad Simmons.

Is there a mission trip?

OAA's next mission trip is being planned for the spring of 2026 to Belize. This exciting opportunity will allow students to serve communities, grow in their faith, and experience a new culture through hands-on ministry and outreach.

Where do students attend Sabbath School and Church?

Students living in the dormitories attend the Gentry Seventh-day Adventist Church located across the street from the Academy.

What is the creek walk?

For the last five or six years, one of the Sabbath afternoon activities is a walk not next to Flint Creek but IN Flint Creek. Students participating in the walk need to be prepared to get wet! Often 30 or 40 students choose to participate.

Do boys need to wear a tie for Friday evening and Sabbath services?

The dress code for boys is dress shoes, dress pants with a belt or suspenders, and a dress shirt with a tie or dress shirt with a sport coat/sweater.

How do I get involved with Campus Ministries?

There are so many ways students can get involved with campus ministries. Just reach out to Brad Simmons, OAA's Bible teacher, or Storie Giddings, OAA's history teacher.

I Samuel 17:42NKJV

And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth...

Jeremiah 1:7NKJV

But the Lord said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you..."

I Timothy 4:12

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example ... in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

I Samuel 3:10NKJV

The Lord came... and called... "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears."