Building a Cross Culture: The College Announces the Launch of the Brainerd House

Southeastern’s House System serves as the college life program for The College, providing students with community, ministry opportunities, fun events, discipleship, and accountability.  

“The House System is designed to cultivate a culture of vibrant community and intentional discipleship on our campus,” shared Scott Pace, Dean of The College. “We believe that the House System offers students an invaluable opportunity to be trained in community, to practice their training for future ministry, to build life-long friendships and ministry partnerships, and to enjoy this season of life as they prepare to fulfill the Great Commission wherever God calls them.”  

As new students move to Southeastern’s campus this fall, they will be challenged to fulfill the Great Commission through the legacy of David Brainerd, a missionary to Native Americans in Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey in the eighteenth century. The College honors Brainerd’s example of enduring ministry by naming its fifth and newest house after him. 

“Brainerd represents a ministry of endurance and faithfulness to God’s call on his life,” commented Pace. “I am excited that our House System will be carrying on his legacy of Great Commission ministry.”  

In a letter to his younger brother in 1743-1744, Brainerd wrote, “We should always look upon ourselves as God’s servants, placed in God’s world, to do his work; and accordingly labor faithfully for him; not with a design to grow rich and great, but to glorify God, and do all the good we possibly can.”  

The Brainerd House preserves Brainerd’s legacy and spirit of faithful service in its values of endurance, teachability, and selflessness and in its motto: building a cross culture. “Brainerd ‘crossed the street,’ living among Native Americans in the Northeast, sharing the gospel with them, and planting churches in the region,” noted Jake Hatfield, Director of College Life. 

With the launch of the fifth house this fall, Brainerd joins Andrew Fuller, Adoniram Judson, George Liele, and Francis Schaeffer as house founders — each representing generations of faithful Christian leaders and missionaries who devoted their lives to fulfilling the Great Commission around the world. 

Inspired by the examples of earlier generations, students in The College’s House System are being trained to lead the next generation to obey the Great Commission. “God has richly blessed The College through the discipleship and community our students experience in the House System,” shared Pace. “Each semester I am encouraged by the students he sends us to be trained and even more so by those he sends out from our institution to give their lives for the cause of Christ in the Church, among the nations, and in every aspect of society.”  

“My time in the House System has been one of the biggest blessings of my life, and it has been an absolute joy to now be a part of leading it,” shared Chloe Farley, a House System graduate who now leads the program as the House System and Discipleship Supervisor. “Through the House System, I have been challenged to share the gospel, seek accountability, and disciple others so that they might see how a life surrendered to Christ is where true freedom can be found.” 

Since the launch of the House System in fall 2016, nearly 150 residential leaders have been trained to disciple and oversee students at The College and have been discipled themselves for future ministry in the local church. The expansion of the House System represents The College’s continued efforts to disciple students and student leaders to be disciple-makers in local churches all around the world. 

To learn more about the House System, its founders, and the opportunities students have to be trained in community, visit the House System page on The College website.