Our graduates are called, transformed, and sent to lead a life of eternal impact, and we love celebrating the life change they get to be a part of through the local church!

INTRODUCING

Rece Jackson

2023 Highlands College Graduate

Keep reading to learn more about Rece, how his time in Highlands College prepared him for where he is today, advice for those who feel called to ministry, and how God is moving in Baltimore.

What do you love about your role?

I absolutely love being able to cultivate spaces for all students to be discipled. I love being able to interact with middle school and high school students through small groups, Sunday mornings in the lobby, and during our monthly Student Nights. There is something so refreshing and humbling about interacting with the next generation. From the laughs to the serious conversations to the questions you were not expecting a middle schooler to ask, I am able to see God so clearly at work through students.

What do you love about Baltimore?

I love how living in Baltimore is the exact opposite of what I am used to. Spending the majority of my life in the South, I grew accustomed to living away from big cities. Being in Baltimore has exposed me to foods that I did not know I loved and activities that I did not know I enjoyed, such as going on runs by the Inner Harbor. Living in Baltimore broadened my perspective on life in general and has allowed me to make Maryland a home.

How did you get connected to Union Church?

I had the opportunity to meet and connect with Pastor Stephen Chandler, the senior pastor of Union Church, at Highlands College during a roundtable event. The following semester, I had the opportunity to honor him on stage before a weekly chapel. From that day, we stayed in contact, and when I began thinking about placement, I knew I wanted to work under a leader like Pastor Stephen.

What do you see God doing through Union Church?

I believe God is reviving the love for His Church and community through Union. We’ve been growing in such an amazing way, not only in numbers, but also in quality of life. People are seeking freedom and are desperate for God. God is using Union Church as a lighthouse to attract many people back to Himself.

As you reflect on your time at Highlands College, what are some of your favorite memories?

My favorite memories are always from the community I had during HC! From lunch with friends to setting up the portable (Church of the Highlands) Woodlawn Campus with my peers and leaders, I loved truly “doing life” with friends and leaders. Specifically, some of my favorite memories from Highlands College are serving on the Students Team at Woodlawn, weekly intramural sports, and small groups with the same group of friends I served and became good friends with.

What is your favorite hobby or way to spend a day off?

My favorite way to spend a day off is going on a run around the Inner Harbor, reading a good book, talking with family and friends on the phone or visiting in person with them, taking naps, and watching football on TV.

What are you most excited about for the future?

Several students and leaders have come up to me at different moments, sharing how their interactions with me have changed their lives in some way. From students wanting to commit suicide before coming to a Student Night to leaders expressing they haven’t felt this safe and welcomed in years, God has been on the move. I pray this story fans the flame in my peers’ lives across the world that God is on the move through them. Continue to grow closer to Him, and He’ll continue to do what He does best: Be God.

Looking Ahead

Rece’s journey is such a powerful testimony of how God is working through Highlands College alumni to make an eternal impact in the local church.

We hope you enjoyed getting to know one of our amazing Highlands College alumni. Learn more about Highlands College and how you can connect to our incredible network of graduates around the world.