Author: Jason Hoyt Topic: BYX, Awards
God Causes Growth
“What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:5-9
In 2004, I began this journey of leading the fraternity of Beta Upsilon Chi with a vision for strengthening our existing chapters and growing BYX to new campuses. We have largely succeeded in that vision because of the favor the Lord has graciously shown us. Texas Tech BYX came into existence as our seventh BYX chapter in the spring of 1998. By 2004, the chapter had just begun elementary school. They were a little known chapter of about 30 guys who were just beginning to understand the vision of BYX and struggling to execute much of that vision. Leadership was struggling to keep their commitments at times, recruiting and pledgeship was a struggle, and campus and social presence was very limited.
They were learning the routine of having to get themselves out of bed, make their own lunch, brush their own teeth, put their own shoes on, and get to first grade on time. The chapter continued in this routine for about the next 5 years of existence as their numbers fluctuated between 30 and 45 brothers in any given semester. From the outside looking in, I struggled to understand how a major university in a giant conference with conservative roots in one of the most conservative states in the country was struggling to make an impact for the Kingdom through BYX. I considered Texas Tech BYX to be one of the largest kept secrets on campus and in the world of BYX.
But God caused it to grow! After a trip to campus in 2009, I began to sense the Lord moving in the chapter greatly. The leadership began to talk about how BYX can make a bigger impact on campus. They began to build better relationships with sororities and campus organizations. The men made a conscious effort to get involved in other campus leadership opportunities. One of the catalysts for that is the student orientation camp called “Foundations.” Several of our brothers began to invest in Foundations and it became an incredible opportunity to network with other young men who share a common bond under Christ. BYX began to grow and grow and grow from that point forward in all areas.
The 133 Award
The 133 Award is a special award. It’s given to the chapter that exemplifies success in all five of our Key Success Factors. As a result of the success, the chapter’s impact on the individual brothers lives and the campus at large are clicking on all cylinders. The success factors are leadership, chapter meetings, cell groups, pledgeship, and campus and social presence.
Leadership in the Texas Tech chapter has been stable year after year. Each officer unit is operating at a high level while keeping the vision of brotherhood and unity in Christ at the forefront of their minds. Chapter meetings are well-run with chapter members looking forward to them each week. There’s not another place any of the brothers would rather be on a Monday night than investing into one another through chapter meetings. Cell groups are focused on Christ-centered community where brothers are breaking down the walls of small talk and pressing into each other’s daily challenges. Recruiting and pledgeship have improved dramatically over the last five years, with the chapter growing in vision and growing in numbers. The chapter currently has 158 members this spring semester which is the largest in their history. The chapter’s campus and social presence continues to grow with many brothers serving as leaders in other campus ministries and organizations. Their annual Barn Dance open party is one of the largest events thrown by a fraternity on campus.
Overall, the chapter is hitting on all cylinders right now and that’s the primary reason why the chapter is set to receive the 133 Award in an official ceremony on Monday, April 25. It’s been a privilege to see the Texas Tech BYX Chapter grow to maturity where they are executing the vision of BYX at a high level and making a Kingdom impact on their campus.
“But God who causes the growth,” says 1 Corinthians 3. The Lord has graciously grown our BYX chapter at Texas Tech University through the young men who have committed their college experience to the fraternity. It truly has been an honor to play a small role in what God is doing in the life of BYX at Texas Tech, taking it from one of the chapters with the most potential to now being rewarded for best accomplishing the purpose of BYX in establishing brotherhood and unity among college men based on the common bond of Jesus Christ. Well done, brothers!
Jason Hoyt is the National President and COO of BYX. He graduated from Texas A&M in 2000 and because the National President in 2004. He and his wife Ashley live in Keller, TX with their four children.
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