Joel Johnson

Came on Staff: August 1999

Hometown: Murray, KY

University Attended: Murray State University

Hobbies/Interests: Hanging out with Jennifer and Ellie, KSU Sports, Playing Sports, Reading

Favorite Books: The Lost Art Of Disciplemaking by Leroy Eims, The Pursuit Of God by A.W. Tozer, Holiness by J.C. Ryle, The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter

Favorite Movies: Gladiator, National Treasure

Favorite Quote: "He is no fool who gives up what he can't keep, to gain that which he cannot lose." Jim Elliot

About Me
I grew up in Kentucky and while I believed in God, I didn't realize what it meant to really have a relationship with God until my freshman year in college. I was fortunate to have friends who mentored me and helped me to grow in my faith throughout my college years. I also grew in my desire to help other men understand more of who God is and what his purpose for our lives is. This desire encouraged me to serve my friends in my residence hall as well as my fraternity. I graduated with a degree in Biology & Chemistry and then came to KSU to begin to develop students in their leadership, character, and spiritual development. God has given me a great wife, Jennifer, and little girl, Ellie, who are the joys of my life!

Jen Johnson

Came on Staff: August 2001

Hometown: New Sharon, IA

University Attended: University of Northern Iowa

Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with Joel & our daughter Ellie.

Favorite Books: The God you can Know, Calm My Anzious Heart

Favorite Movies: Anne of Green Gables

Favorite Quote: Courage is not the freedom from fear, but being afraid and still moving forward. Why give yourself to something others can or will do, when you can give yourself to something others can't or won't do. - Dawson Trotman

About Me
While attending the University of Northern Iowa, Christ completely transformed my life. I grew up in a wonderful Christian family, but still chose to give my life to other things and try to find my satisfaction there. At the end of my sophomore year of college, I really began searching for what would truly satisfy me and I found that answer in a relationship with Jesus Christ. I was privileged enough to have someone take me under their wing and invest in my life to help me grow in my character, as a leader and in my walk with God. Now I in turn have the privilege of helping college women to do the same and I love my job!

Bob Harrison

Came on Staff: August 2005

Hometown: Gardner, KS

University Attended: K-State

Hobbies/Interests: Hunting, being outdoors, spending time with Alissa

Favorite Books:The Chronicles of Narnia, Anything by Os Guiness, Mere Christianity

Favorite Movies: Bourne Trilogy, Lord of the Rings Triology, Karate Kid

Favorite Quote: "Go big or go home." - me

About Me
I grew up with little exposure to God. I didn't attend church, didn't go to Sunday school, and wasn't involved in any youth program. I came to college with the plans of "living it up." I joined one of the most popular fraternities, ATO, and poured my life into parties and grades. After what should have been one of the most fun years of my life, I went home after my freshman year feeling empty. I knew I wanted something different but couldn't put my finger on what it was. During my sophomore year, a guy came into ATO and began to talk about the Bible. This conversation started a three year search for truth and understanding that resulted in making a decision to follow Christ with all my life. Since then I've been able to stick around on campus to help other bros discover Christ. p.s. I really love my wife. Ask about our story.

Alissa Harrison

Came on Staff: Fall 2009

Hometown: Shawnee, KS

University Attended: K-State

Hobbies/Interests: Baking sweet things, house shopping, date night with Bob

Favorite Books:Teaching to Change Lives, Mark of the Lion series, Passion and Purity

Favorite Movies: Ocean's 11, Madagascar, Chick Flicks

Favorite Quote: "If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him." - C.T. Studd

About Me
I lived most of my younger days with one goal in mind, "Be the most popular, most loved All-American girl." Throughout my high school days, this goal manifested itself in many ways. I got involved in the coolest activities, dated the right people, and went to the best parties. I had my whole life planned out, but upon coming to college, all of the plans I had made for my "perfect" life were shattered. I was no longer dating anyone, my friends had deserted me, and I wasn't involved in much on campus. My life felt empty. Early in September of my freshman year, I told the LORD that I no longer wanted to plan my life, I wanted Him to save me from my sins and be the director of my life. Never could I have imagined how fulfilling my life could be in Christ - nothing compares!

Kyle Baack

Came on Staff: August 2006

Hometown: Shawnee, KS

University Attended: K-State

Hobbies/Interests: Running, playing sports, fishing, camping, riding my moped, meeting new people, reading a good book

Favorite Books: Good to Great, 21 Irresistible Qualities of a Leader, Mere Christianity

Favorite Movies: Borne Trilogy, Rudy, Elf

Favorite Quote: My fear for you is not of failure but of success in the things that do not matter. - Howie Hendricks

About Me
Kyle grew up in Shawnee, KS, going to church every week but never understood how his faith should impact his life. He knew all about the Gospel but was living for himself especially in the areas of relationships, popularity and success. His Senior year in high school he met a guy who talked with him about having a relationship with God and taught Kyle how to read the Bible. And through this Kyle decided he personally believed Jesus came and died for his sins, and He died so Kyle could live. Coming into college Kyle had a desire to put God first in every area of his life, desiring to live to please God in every area of his life.

Tracy Baack

Came on Staff: Fall 2006

Hometown: Wichita, KS

University Attended: K-State

Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with Kyle; reading; libraries & old books; cooking...

Favorite Books:Calm My Anxious Heart, The Fuel & The Flame, Pride & Prejudice

Favorite Movies: Pride & Prejudice, Becoming Jane

Favorite Quote: "Father, make of me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me." - Jim Elliot

About Me
I grew up with my mom's example of what it meant to have a relationship with Jesus, so at a young age I understood I was separated from God because of my sin and that I needed Jesus to have a relationship with God. I also learned that a relationship with Jesus had to impact the way I lived. Growing up I tried to follow Jesus as best I knew how, and when I came to college and got involved with StuMo, everything clicked. I began to have Jesus at the center of everything in my life and also invest my life to impact others. I decided to come on staff because I wanted to help other students find that same relationship!

Jena Parker

Came on Staff: August 2008

Hometown: Topeka, KS

University Attended: K-State

Hobbies/Interests: Coffee and being in large groups of people. I like a good prank, being pranked and instigating prank wars.

Favorite Books: Calm My Anxious Heart, Master Plan of Evangelism, The Shepherd's Look at Psalm 23

Favorite Movies: The Rock, Step Up 1&2, Hannah Montana the Movie

Favorite Quote: If not me, then who? If not now, then when?

About Me
Comparing my life to a cup, I was filling it with my reputation and relationships. As I began college, I realized my cup was cracked & leaking, so I was constantly trying to refil it in order to keep it full and my life happy! Then, I met a junior in my sorority who was consistently joyful because she was filled with something I didnŐt have. The more I was around her the more I began to see that she was filling her life with the one thing that would never leave her empty- Jesus. So my freshmen year I decided to fill my cup & found true life in Jesus as my Lord!

Macie Ayers

Came on Staff August 2008

Home Town: Olathe, KS

University Attended: K-State

Hobbies/Interests: I love reading books with a cup of coffee! I love riding horses and playing sports like basketball, volleyball, softball etc. I love wedding dress shopping with a bride to be, and driving around neighborhoods looking at big houses!

Favorite Books: Cross centered life, Passion and Purity, Master Plan of Evangelism

Favorite Movies: Bourne Trilogy, Lord of the Rings, How to Lose a Guy in 10 days

Favorite Quote: "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." -C.S. Lewis

About Me
Had a friend in High School who shared Christ with me through the way they acted and by the books we read together. Going through More than a Carpenter and the Purpose Driven Life helped me get to a point of truly understanding the Gospel. I gave my life to Christ middle of my Freshman year of College and have been taking active steps to grow in my walk with him ever since. It is a joy to labor for Him, and take personal responsibility for what He has commissioned us to do, share Him with others around us!

Ellie Shoup

Came on Staff August 2009

Home Town Wichita, KS

University Attended: K-State

Hobbies/Interests: snow skiing, playing mafia, cookin

Favorite Books: Real Simple Magazine, Pursuit of Holiness, The God You Can Know

Favorite Movies: Father of the Bride, Legally Blonde, Coach Carter, It Takes Two

Favorite Quote:

About Me
I grew up knowing that God existed and that He was something good to have in my life. However, being more concerned with achieving great success and having an admirable reputation, God started to fit into my life less and less. After a while though, living life without God got tiring. I realized could not meet my own standards of perfection but I could not meet God's either. I realized the Christ was the one with the perfect reputation, the one with the sinless life and that I needed Him to make me perfect in God's eyes. My own way was failing and I made the decision to give my whole life to Christ and follow Him wherever he would lead me!

Jordan Ayers

Came on Staff August 2009

Home Town Olathe, KS

University Attended: K-State

Hobbies/Interests: Exploring new places I have never been to, reading, and the lake

Favorite Books: The Pursuit of Holiness, The Fuel and the Flame, Respectable Sins

Favorite Movies: The Pursuit of Happyness, Hook

Favorite Quote: "The World has yet to see what God can do with one man who is fully committed to Him." - D.L. Moody

About Me
I came to college to have fun and meet a ton of people. So what did I do with that end goal in mind? I joined a fraternity! My freshman year I started attending a spiritual discussion because it met at a sorority. I began to see that being a Christian was not about "being a decent person", or just believing in God. When I found out that I was not living for Christ I looked into what it would mean for me to surrender control of my life to God. At the end of my first semester, I committed the rest of my life to following Jesus, despite the opposition I would receive for my new life change.

Betsy Brownlee

Came on Staff August 2009

Home Town Olathe, KS

University Attended: K-State

Hobbies/Interests: Good company, laughing, being outside, and being exercised

Favorite Books: Hudson Taylor's Spritual Secret, Pursuit of Holiness, The Cross Centered Life

Favorite Movies: Mean Girls

Favorite Quote: "Why do what others can and will do when you can do what others can't and won't do?" - Dawson Trotman

About Me
I grew up well aware of God and what it meant to have a relationship with Him. However, college proved to be a pivotal time as I slowly realized that God only occupied a tiny and ever-decreasing compartment in my life that did not influence or infiltrate in any other aspect of my life. My knowledge and belief in God did not mean that I was following Jesus, and in the words of A.W. Tozer, I began to understand my junior year that "If He's not Lord of all, He's not Lord at all." Upon this I was determined to not waste another moment of my time in college and devoted to give myself to what will last forever: God, His Word, and the souls of people.