Stories

NPU Campus Pastor Builds Culture of Belonging

August 10, 2026

A pastor baptizes a student in an inflatable pool in the campus chapel. Another minister holds a microphone near the student's mouth.

When it comes to the Gospel, many think it’s simply sharing Jesus’s message—but it’s also living it out. At North Park University (NPU), Campus Pastor and Athletic Chaplain Rev. Dr. Terence Gadsden DMin ’23 is doing just that. 

For a decade, Gadsden has united North Park through impactful ministry. He and the University Ministries staff champion key fellowship initiatives like Chapel Chat, Barbershop Talks, and Sankofa, an immersive student journey exploring civil rights and Black church history. 

Gadsden’s dedicated outreach is bearing fruit. By showing up to the football team’s practices at 5:00 a.m. just to offer support, he inspired players to make an effort to attend chapel on Wednesdays. This momentum culminated this past April with NPU’s first student baptisms in more than 15 years. While his effect is clear, Gadsden remains humble, believing his role is to encourage, while God does the real work. 

Read more about Gadsden and his work at NPU at The Covenant Companion.