Waxahachie , TX – October 28, 2011 – Southwestern Assemblies of God University ( SAGU ) alumna Mandy (Bass) Pathak serves alongside husband Shomik in the Chi Alpha ministry at Southern Methodist University (SMU). Mandy, an Assemblies of God ( AG ) U.S. missionary, is the chapter’s International Student Ministry Director.
Sponsored by the Assemblies of God , Chi Alpha Campus Ministry is an international Christian campus ministry located on campuses throughout the United States and around the world. Members are self-described ministers of reconciliation and center their ministry on a five-fold philosophy that states Chi Alpha as a community of worship, fellowship, discipleship, witness, and prayer.
Pathak joined the SMU Chi Alpha staff in 2005. She evangelizes primarily through relationships and endeavors to meet students’ physical, emotional and spiritual needs. International students are her particular focus. The majority of international students she works with have never heard of the Gospel of Jesus Christ or have significant misconceptions about Christianity. Mandy says, “We have found that international students’ time in the U.S. is a very open season for them. We are ministering to the brightest and best of other nations. Many of them will be the ones in the seats of power someday – the future leaders of the world.”
Mandy is from Burleson, TX. She was exposed to Chi Alpha and SAGU from the time she was born. Her father was an AG pastor, and both parents served in Chi Alpha and worked at SAGU . Pathak originally resisted attending SAGU and ministry involvement. She shares, “Going to SAGU and being in ministry were the last things I wanted to do. But through a series of missions trips and God working in my heart, my world was turned upside down. Following God’s call led me to SAGU and eventually, the ministry.”
Former SAGU missions instructors Paul York and Christopher Garnold Smith influenced Pathak. She says, “Professor York took missions outside of the box and showed me the creativity of God in bringing all nations to Himself. Professor Smith provided me with a wonderful example of how to balance Pentecostalism with reason, education and critical thinking.”
Pathak values the knowledge and life experience she gained at SAGU . “From classes to friendships to spiritual growth, SAGU shaped me as a person. Mostly, I appreciate the practical knowledge I gained. I constantly use Bible study tools in my ministry. I never imagined the case studies we examined in class would be so similar to the situations I encounter every day.”
In 2003, Pathak graduated from SAGU with a Bachelor of Science in Cross-Cultural Ministry and an Associate of Arts in Bible. She continued her education at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS) in Springfield, MO, where she earned a master’s degree in Theological Studies.
Pathak met her husband Shomik while volunteering at an international student ministry in Dallas during her senior year at SAGU . Shomik was a new international student from Mumbai, India, and the two maintained contact while Mandy Pathak attended AGTS. When she returned to Dallas, they began dating. The couple have been married for four years and appreciate the opportunities their cross-cultural marriage creates among international students. Pathak says, “India is one of the largest senders of international students, so we encounter the Indian culture a lot. It’s amazing how our marriage is such a perfect compliment to the ministry God has us in.”
Southwestern Assemblies of God University i s a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The University was established in 1927, and now offers more than 60 associate, bachelor’s or master’s degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-SAGU.
