GREENEVILLE – One of the blessings of Tusculum University’s campus ministries program is access to a minister who can help students take their spiritual journey and connection with the Lord to the next level.
The Rev. E.J. Swatsell, left, speaks with Dare Crusade before the baptism.
The Rev. E.J. Swatsell, left, baptizes Dare Crusade in the Nolichucky River.
A case in point is student Dare Crusade, who recently met with the Rev. E.J. Swatsell, director of spiritual life and special projects at the university, and asked the minister to baptize him after giving his life to Christ. Swatsell, an ordained minister in the Church of God, was happy to oblige and recently baptized him in the Nolichucky River near David Crockett Birthplace State Park.
“Being baptized solidifies the path that I was already on and reaffirms it to me and to God,” said Crusade, a senior environmental science major, after the ceremony. “I won’t say that I feel a whole lot different because I’ve already felt good about my situation beforehand. But I feel like my commitment has been witnessed, and it helps to hold myself and have others hold me accountable to live the way that we should – to be kind, to love everyone and, above all else, love thy neighbor as myself.”
The baptism aligns nicely with Tusculum’s theme for this year – “Excelling in faith, in knowledge and love” – from 2 Corinthians 8:7. It also reflects how Tusculum provides abundant opportunities for students to grow in their faith.
Left to right, Dr. Scott Hummel, Dr. David Cook, Dare Crusade, Jessica Crusade and the Rev. E.J. Swatsell pose after the baptism.
Crusade is not your ordinary traditional student. He is 33 and has been married to his wife, Jessica, for eight years, and they live in Bulls Gap. He is an Army veteran, having served in the Reserves and on active duty for 10 years. He commutes to campus every day to take his classes.
Just before his baptism, Crusade shared his story with Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president; Dr. David Cook, provost and vice president of academic affairs; and the Rev. Jon Reed, pastor of Tusculum Baptist Church, who came to share in this moment in the student’s life.
“I got out of the Army in 2021 for the second time, and I kind of felt a little lost and aimless,” Crusade said. “I didn’t come from a Christian upbringing, and I never knew God as I do now. I had a lot of really dark times trying to reassimilate back into society after the Army. There was a lot of questioning my morality, my moral flexibility, with all the things I experienced in the military and questioning whether I was a good person.”
Unfortunately, a friend of Crusade committed suicide, which produced sadness for him but also recognition that it could have been him. He said that was the catalyst for him to realize he needed to make changes in his life.
He started talking to people he normally would not and became curious about Christianity. He would read from his Bible to see what wisdom he would gain and had a couple of moments where God spoke to him, including while he was on the shore of the Nolichucky.
“But I still didn’t quite understand the whole relationship to Jesus yet, and it took me some time to get there,” Crusade said. “Once I actually read the Gospels, it made sense to me.”
He knelt and asked for a sign that he was on the right path, and the sun pierced through the clouds and shined on him. He felt goose bumps and God’s love. That was an incredible experience for him, and he said he felt the best he had in years.
As he spoke before his baptism, he was nearing his one-year anniversary of being sober. He said he is healthier, happier and more in love with his wife than ever before. He said he owes it all to God.
Dare Crusade, left, and his wife, Jessica, celebrate after the baptism.
Jessica Crusade remembers the dark times and became emotional when her husband shared his story with the others.
“This change was unexpected for both of us, but it was a happy accident,” she said. “I’ve stuck with him through a lot, so I am just very happy today. He just feels like he is radiating light nowadays instead of darkness, and it’s just such a relief and happiness to see that. I’m happy with the journey he has been on and is going to continue.”
Before the baptism occurred, Swatsell and Crusade discussed what the actual act means. Swatsell said it conveys an outward expression of an inward confession of a relationship with God and participation in the salvation process. The minister also shared he was performing the ceremony in the name of the trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The actual moment consisted of full immersion, which is a symbol of being dead to self and born again in Christ.
Swatsell said participating in the baptism was extremely meaningful to him.
“It’s almost a confirmation that I’m where I’m supposed to be with this position at Tusculum,” he said. “It’s confirmation that this position has eternal value. My goal in ministry is to make more than just a job.”
Dr. David Cook, left, prays for Dare Crusade after the baptism.
Dr. Hummel and Dr. Cook were happy for him.
“It’s always so encouraging to see God as work,” Dr. Hummel told Crusade. “It is an honor to be here and share this moment with you, and it brings me back to the time I accepted Christ. It reminds me that the story of salvation does not end with baptism but rather discipleship and the walk with Christ begin with it.”
“We all come as sinners, and God washes that clean,” Dr. Cook said. “It’s exciting to see the fruits of how God is already working in you. It’s really, really awesome to hear.”
The ceremony ended with Dr. Cook saying a prayer for Crusade.
Additional information about Tusculum’s ministries is available at https://site.tusculum.edu/campus-ministries/. To learn more about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu.