John Jewell, who has served for many years in ministries in Texas, Florida, Tennessee,
Brazil and Africa, will begin serving as York College’s new vice president of student
life starting June 13, according to an announcement from Dr. Sam Smith, president
of York College.
Jewell has most recently served as the pulpit minister of the Westworth Church of
Christ in Westworth Village, Texas. He and his wife, Samantha, are the parents of
three children, Jonah, 20, Andy, 17, and Ben, 13.
“I’m excited about what God has in store for the York College students and how He
might use my family’s ministry and mission experiences to enhance this vital, formative
part of their lives,” Jewell said. “College students are fun and are so full of promise
and hope, which is why I feel privileged to have this chance to pour into them.”
The Jewells launched and continue to direct WellSpring Ministries in Malawi, Africa,
an institution that provides education, food, clothing, and medical care for impoverished
children.
Jewell’s missionary experience began in 2003 when he served as pulpit minister for
Igreja de Cristo do Sul in Porto Alegre, Brazil. He later worked with the Comunidade
de Cristo in Natal, Brazil. He and Samantha are both bilingual and have consistently
demonstrated a heart for healing people in ministry wherever they have served. They
both look forward to this new adventure and are quickly impressed with the opportunities
in York.
“My first impression of Nebraska was that I had never seen so many cornfields in my
life,” Jewell said. “Once the shock of farm overload wore off, I noticed how friendly
everyone was. The campus was impressive for its size. I love the quaint setting which
seems perfect for raising a family and an ideal backdrop for college life.
“It is encouraging to observe the buzz of bright-eyed hopeful youth from all over
the world coming and going. I was especially impressed with the international representation
of the student body. One highlight was getting the chance to speak some Portuguese
with a few of the Brazilian students and a staff member.”
According to President Smith, “John brings a deep knowledge of building community,
leading teams, and pointing people to the Lord. His gifts will help him to seamlessly
step into this role to provide our students with an incredible experience outside
of the classroom, and a safe experience which supports their academic endeavors while
attending York University.
“John will focus on developing a Student Life team that is attentive to the needs
of college students in 2022 and beyond. He and his incredible family have literally
moved all over the world to serve the Lord through various mission fields including
Brazil and Malawi. With the Jewells’ continued mission efforts in Malawi, we hope
to build a bridge of academic opportunities through York University for those students
in the mission field. Their work will also create unique mission-trip opportunities
for our students in the future.”
Jewell completed his bachelor’s degree in theology at Lipscomb University in Nashville,
Tenn. He has since completed additional studies in Nashville as well as the Continent
of Great Cities ministry in Abilene, Texas.