Dedicated
For Grayson, being a Business major isn’t just about studying strategy or spreadsheets, it’s about stewarding resources in ways that can bring life. A skillset that, when placed in the hands of compassionate leaders, can mean the difference between flourishing and fading for communities and the ministries that serve them. For Grayson, business is a form of ministry.
Growing up in Holly Springs, Grayson attended the same United Methodist Church his entire life. So when he came to UNC Wilmington, he was ready to spread his wings. His freshman year, he found a neighboring church that felt like home. Then, in a perfect storm, several pastors reached out to him at the same time telling him to check out Wingspan. Which is exactly what he had been praying for. “I always wanted to be active in Campus Ministry. I was active in church but wanted a little more, more intentionality” Grayson reflected, “I wanted community, and Wingspan offered that.”
Fittingly, Grayson’s first Wingspan event was the semesterly business meeting. Immediately jumping into the side of ministry he holds with deep respect. But it was more than a meeting. He was immediately part of the group and knew he had found his Christian community he had been seeking.
Since then, Grayson has jumped head first into the life of Wingspan and taken faith more seriously. He served as Wingspan’s voting delegate at Annual Conference, where the business side of the UMC, further affirming his role in the larger church body.
From there he served his summer working at City Well, a church in Durham, where he assisted in visitations, meal prep for members, children's ministry, and a new unexpected love of preaching.
“When I started preaching, I kept asking myself if I sounded like all the pastors who had raised me.” Grayson recalls, “but by the end of the Summer I was asking if I sounded authentic to myself. I found my own preaching style and voice.” He now looks forward to preaching in Wingspan’s student worship services.
“Am I called to the ministry?” Grayson questions, “The answer definitely isn't ‘No’ but I’m still discerning what that will look like. Maybe I’ll be a pastor. Maybe I’m called to be the greatest Church Counsel Chair. But I know that discernment is a lifelong process that God will keep calling me into.”
Grayson’s dream for Wingspan mirrors what first drew him in: a community where students can listen for God’s voice and grow in faith. And as a Business major, he knows that mission without structure is like faith without works. Whether he’s called to preach, lead, or budget, he’s already showing how spiritual leadership and strategic thinking go hand in hand.
