“That guy didn’t wake up on Thursday morning and go, ‘I’m going on the front lines of Iraq,’” said Julie Bradfield, director of mobilization and senior director of university ministries. “He got to the front lines of Iraq because of a lot of moments of obedience and learning to trust God, so then, when God moved him towards that, he had learned to trust and follow and take the steps. So it wasn’t this massive leap.”
Bradfield was referring to Free Burma Rangers, a movie that she had gone to see on Tuesday night with the Global Leadership Team, one of the student mobilization teams that she works with on campus.
As Bradfield described this aspect of the movie, I could not help but notice how much it aligns with all the things she has taught me and so many others throughout her years in her role at Union. At the end of my freshman year, I got an email from Bradfield, whom I had only met in passing. She asked if I would like to chat about the possibility of participating in mobilization teams on campus.
I had no idea how much saying “yes” would impact me.
As the director of mobilization, Bradfield oversees GO Trips, mobilization teams and connecting students with opportunities to serve. She also contributes to the day-to-day operations of university ministries and staff and student development as the senior director of university ministries.
If you had asked her 19 years ago, she might not have expected to be doing this in 2020. Bradfield graduated from Union in 2001 with a degree in business.
“I think my time at Union was when I first began really hearing and seeing God’s redemptive purposes in Scripture,” said Bradfield. “A lot of that came through chapel and GO Trips.”
Bradfield went on a GO Trip to Israel during her junior year at Union.
“I was beginning to realize that what I saw in Scripture had implications for us as believers,” she said. “But I was also seeing people respond in very specific ways at that particular stage in life.”
That combination led to her feeling compelled to serve as a Journeyman in Germany. She worked with university students, which gave her a heart for what she does now.
Business major. Chapel. GO Trip. Journeyman. These were all small steps of obedience that led to what she does today—helping college students take their next small step of obedience. This is a hearty task and one that comes with a lot of time and investment.
“Julie helps people find their next step because she really gets to know and pour into you, and then guides you, rather than giving advice without knowing you first,” said Bekah Lisle, junior history and philosophy major.
Bradfield knows that the years between 18 and 22 years old are some of the most transformative in life. The way that students view relationships in this time affect who they marry. The way they view the church affects how they find their place in it and foster community with other believers. The intentional and unintentional decisions that students make during their time in college shape the rest of their life.
Knowing this compels Bradfield to serve and invest in students with a patience and grace that is rare. As a result, she is able to disciple and impact countless students year after year.
“Julie understands the importance of investment,” said Jeff Walker, recent Union graduate. “By taking her own steps in obedience, there is no telling how far her impact will reach. She encourages so many to take part in God’s global mission.”
Above all else, Bradfield wants students to learn how to be faithful stewards of what they are given now and to place trust over the rest in the hands of the Lord.
“I see time and time again how God gives us what we need. He has given us His Word. If we are believers, He has given us His Spirit, but He has also given us His people,” Bradfield said. “When those things are all at work together, we can take those steps in faith and in confidence. That doesn’t mean we are going to get it right every single time, but also, we are not going to mess up His plan.”
Photo by Kristi McMurry Woody (Union Photo Project)
