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Ross Dixon

[Ross Dixon is Campus Minister for the University of Missouri's Reformed University Fellowship. Profile by Scott Matz.]

The American shad embodies a stamina and energy far beyond its three to four pound average weight. Fish with determination, after frolicking for years at sea, they work their way up the Delaware River, pursue its tributaries northward to upstate New York, pass through Junction Pool, dart up the Willowemoc, press into the Catskills nearly four hundred miles upstream from the ocean, and stop only when they meet a ten-foot waterfall at Little Beaver Kill. This endurance inspires song and sport, echoing the passion of the European sturgeon. Hooked on a number two fly, shad are known to tug with might and ferocity that rival that of salmon five times their weight, and equally indomitable is the resolve of the fishermen who finally land this cultural icon.

As fishers of men, Ross and Jenny Dixon have a passion to serve the students at Mizzou and resolve to glorify God's name in the RUF ministry with which they have been entrusted. Beginning their second semester this January, they have reveled in the extremely warm welcome they received from the students in the past few months. Knowing that the Lord has brought them to Columbia to further His kingdom, they acknowledge that the strength to pursue the ministry and maintain the energy comes solely from the grace of God.

Ross and Jenny met in Birmingham as Ross tried his hand at his initial "passion", human resources, at the University of Alabama (UAB). The relationship was off and on rather frequently, and they agree it was all Ross' fault. Still, they knew what they wanted, and a few wedding rings, a daughter Avery, and a skittish dog Paige later, they continue to be blessed by their ardent zeal for one another.

The Dixons thrive in the time they harbor for one another. Friday mornings are set aside for each other, a morning date meant to nourish and fulfill their lives together. There they find "joy in talking 'business'" and opportunities to reflect on God's blessings and desires for them and the ministry. Jenny remarks rather thankfully about the wonderful time she and Avery spend with the girls at their West Boulevard home, and Ross knows that the intramural sports and Wednesday night freshman bible study have drawn him closer to the students he already loves to serve.

Goal-oriented people, the Dixons have personal and ministry goals that they believe are founded on the Lord's plans for their lives. They are determined to learn how to serve those who may not fit the common mold and to welcome new students with more than just a "hi". They want to encourage students to reach out and take ownership of the ministry, build up one another as a body of believers, and see the group mature in their relationships with the Lord. This, they believe, is how to develop "a ministry to students through students".

Excited about new students and strong leadership brewing in the group, the Dixons lead prayerful, humble lives. These contagious people have the stamina and endurance to faithfully bring the truth of the Gospel to the students at the University of Missouri.