DBU's Baptist Student Ministry Director: Eric Bean

“It is my hope that God uses me to reach, equip, and mobilize college students with the Gospel.”

Eric Bean has been DBU’s Director of the Baptist Student Ministry since 2019. Since his arrival, Eric has been hard at work providing resources and outlets for students on campus to first know and then spread the Gospel. The Lord has radically used Eric’s life as a picture of His redeeming love. It’s this same love that Eric strives to make known each day on campus.

Eric is California born but Texas raised. He spent the first 3 years of his life in Whittier, California, lived in Libertyville, Illinois until he was 5, and finally landed in Colleyville, Texas, where he spent his life until he left for college. He grew up alongside his younger sister. Eric explains that his involvement in the church began at a young age: “My parents were instrumental in introducing me to the Christian faith. I grew up at First Baptist Church of Colleyville, participating in Royal Ambassadors, VBS, AWANAS, youth group, and youth choir.” Eric came to know Jesus as his personal Savior when he was 15 after attending his church’s Disciple Now where he heard the gospel, was convicted of his sins and trusted in the Lord to redeem him.

Eric’s father suddenly passed away when Eric was 8 years old. This left Eric’s mother to care for him and his sister- but she was far from alone. Though this time was not easy by any means, the presence of dedicated church members in Eric’s life made all the difference until his mother remarried when he was 13. Eric says that “I remember telling myself that I would fill this same surrogate role for children without fathers when I became an adult.” Eric goes on to say that he “always imagined this being a volunteer role,” but the Lord had other plans later on in Eric’s life.

Eric attended Texas A&M University from 2000-2004, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He later attended Baylor University where he received a Master of Social Work from the Diana Garland School of Social Work and a Master of Divinity from George W. Truett Theological Seminary. He married his wife Kate on December 20, 2008. Together, Eric and Kate have 3 sons, Grayson (8), Ryder (4), and Evan (3). The Lord has used the Bean family in big ways and has fulfilled the tug on Eric’s heart to stand in the gap for fatherless children. After receiving news that Kate may not be able to have children again in 2015, the Beans have served as a foster family to three different children, one of which they were able to adopt, highlighting once again the redeeming power of Christ within Eric’s life. The Beans plan on continuing to foster in the future.

Upon coming to DBU, Eric has experienced a unique time serving as Director of the BSM due to the pandemic that began in early 2020. This, however, has not stopped Eric from carrying on with his mission: to see God “radically transform lives through the gospel and discipleship.” Eric has seen firsthand that the gospel message is not restricted by the troubles of the world, even a worldwide pandemic. Since COVID-19 began, the DBU BSM has seen 14 new small groups and disciple-making groups form, and even without the luxury of being able to gather in large groups, growth, and transformation within the lives of students is evident. Eric’s dedication to the student body can be seen on a daily basis; it is not uncommon to spot Eric humbly serving at prayer events, outreach opportunities, and service projects.

Going forth, Eric is seeing that ministry in today’s world encompasses more than it ever has before, that it must “address the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual in order to meet our needs.” Eric goes on to explain that “the conversation on our campus should be how our faith will grow during this time. We will either grow in our resentment or grow in our dependence on God.” Eric is actively engaging students to become catalysts for change within the world, teaching them to lean into a dependence on the Lord and trusting in His plan instead of doubting His goodness.

Throughout his life, Eric has seen the Lord take broken situations and restore them into testimonies of God’s redemptive power. Even while operating as the Director of the BSM during a pandemic, Eric holds fast to one truth: “while the method of ministry has changed, the mission has not.” The Lord is making all things new.