The McReynolds Story

Epicenter Experience 2012

2012-02-09T11:53:00.000-05:00

Here's a great shot of students at Epicenter. The Epicenter Experience is about putting Jesus in the center to impact our lives and our world.

Happiness

2012-01-10T23:53:00.003-05:00

From the Citylife bulletin:

"If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable; think of it as a place of training and correction and it's not so bad." - C. S. Lewis, "Answers to Questions on Christianity" in God in the Dock.

Slavery of Sin

2011-12-04T21:03:00.001-05:00

Another classic quote from the Citylife Boston bulletin:

Here is the paradox of our slavery to sin. In one sense, we've been captured. In another sense, we want to give ourselves to our captors. It's voluntary slavery. It doesn't begin as slavery, of course. In the beginning, we may make a clear-headed choice to indulge some sinful desire or to numb some pain... We feel like we control the power of the idol precisely because we choose it. The lie begins to take root. Later, some pain or temptation meets us again, and we run to the idol once again. The lie is strengthened each time, and a process of spiritual blindness sets in... Once we are blind, we are enslaved, because we no longer see our way to freedom, and because we are blind to our blindness, we may think that our continued devotion to the lie is our exercise of freedom. [So,] idolaters are not only the victims of deceit but also its perpetrators... Self-deception is when you are both the deceived and the deceiver. - Mike Wilkerson

Thanksgiving Ritual

2011-11-26T10:45:00.001-05:00

Last week I had the privilege of speaking at Brown University to their Athletes in Action weekly gathering. This week I’ll give the same talk at Harvard. It’s about a thanksgiving holiday.

I chose this topic for these Ivy League schools because real rest is often in short supply. The Ivy students that I have known are extremely hard working, sometimes to excessive lengths. I also know that suicide and depression are an issue on Ivy campuses. I believe this is due to a lack of real rest.

My central illustration is the Olympic medal ceremony (or perhaps the Oscars when I speak at Emerson College in few weeks). When an event is over at the Olympics, they don’t just post the results. A ritual follows that is public, elevates the winners and separates the losers, involves a tangible symbol of what was accomplished, honors the home culture of the winner, etc. This ritual captures the deep longings of the human heart for rest from our efforts.

I think the medal ceremony is very similar to a Christian thanksgiving ritual. I’m not talking about the U.S. holiday, rather the Christian ritual of gratitude. God knows what we need and has given us a ritual of gratitude that is known as “communion” or “eucharist”: it is the central ritual of the Christianity, inaugurated by Jesus himself. Each time communion is celebrated, Christians can experience a thanksgiving holiday: a ritual of gratitude and rest in the justice and mercy of Jesus.

Communion is public, involves a tangible symbol of what was accomplished, honors the home culture of the winner and elevates the home culture of the winner. You may have already guessed who the losers are in this ceremony. We are. We are the sinners who humbly bow the knee together to admit that we are all dying of hunger and thirst apart from what Jesus provides. Jesus is the winner, who accomplished through his perfect life (bread), atoning death (wine) and powerful resurrection the greatest victory of all time, over death itself.

There are many important results of this ritual but gratitude is the most important. Gratitude is the fuel of virtue, righteousness and rest. I’m grateful that God refuses to have slaves who work all the time. God commands us from the very beginning in Genesis, to be like him and rest; not in ourselves, but in his justice and mercy. Communion is the medal ceremony, the thanksgiving holiday meal that can give us rest any time of year.

Pray that God would give Ivy students rest, in Jesus.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. - Jesus

What is Cru?

2011-10-26T21:43:00.001-04:00

If have ever wondered what Campus Crusade for Christ (soon to be called Cru) is all about, watch this video:

Bill Bright used to say: "Reach the Campus today, reach the Nations tomorrow."

Mom Has Cancer

2011-10-06T09:48:00.000-04:00

My Mom hugging my son.

I found out last night that my Mom has a significant return of cancer. It was first detected several years ago and it's back with aggression.

A good friend sent me this at almost the same hour yet knowing nothing about my Mom's disease:

HABAKKUK 3: 17 - 19

Though the fig tree does not bud

and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

he enables me to go on the heights.

I'm grateful for God (and my friend) reminding me that peace and joy are not found in circumstances, but in trusting a loving and faithful God who knows what it means to suffer.

Please pray that we would "rejoice in the Lord" always.

Boston alumnus tries to "change the world" through terrorism.

2011-09-29T09:45:00.000-04:00

Ashland man charged in terrorist plot - The Boston Globe:

An Ashland man who holds a physics degree from Northeastern University was charged yesterday with an Al Qaeda-inspired plot to send a remote-controlled aircraft carrying explosives into the Pentagon and the US Capitol “to kill as many people as possible,’’ according to a complaint filed in federal court.Rezwan Ferdaus, 26, a US citizen whose only known previous crime was vandalism, told FBI agents working undercover as Al Qaeda members that he wanted to “change the world,’’ according to the complaint.

'via Blog this'

Students will impact the world one way or another.

Is Campus Evangelism a Sin?

2011-09-26T13:36:00.000-04:00

Here's a link to an article I wrote on how companies are using students to do evangelism on college campuses.

Tim Keller on Cru

2011-09-26T11:35:00.001-04:00

"Campus Crusade* has been and is an enormously big part of what God is doing in the world today. And, if you went out of business this week, I know that the wisest, most circumspect leaders of the Christian Church would have to reinvent you. If you went out of business this week we'd have to immediately recreate you. That's how important you are."
- Tim Keller's second talk at the 2009 CCC US Campus Ministry Staff Training

*Cru as of January 2012

Students Follow Christ in Boston

2011-09-22T08:37:00.001-04:00

I heard reports from our staff yesterday that over the past few weeks, 7 students have decided to follow Jesus for the first time; on campuses in our city of Boston. Please pray that these students would grow and that more would see the surpassing glory of Christ.

These 7 students are no doubt surrounded by others who will observe what God is doing in their lives. Pray that the grace and truth of Christ would be visible as these students take their first steps as disciples.

The dust settles on Cru with Ed Stetzer

2011-09-21T21:33:00.001-04:00

Ed Stetzer - Cru Who? Lessons to Learn from the Name Change at Campus Crusade:

'via Blog this'

Real Life Citywide

2011-09-21T06:30:00.000-04:00

Students from many campuses gather in Boston to connect with Jesus and each other:

Reaching out at Simmons College

2011-09-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

Sharing Christ at Bunker Hill Community College

2011-09-17T13:50:00.000-04:00

Bunker Hill Community College Activities Fair: Campus Crusade for Christ is there putting the gospel within arms reach of students

Connecting at MIT

2011-09-17T06:30:00.000-04:00

Reaching out at Northeastern

2011-09-16T11:14:00.000-04:00

Christmas is coming...

2011-09-16T11:10:00.001-04:00

Topography of religion in US

2011-09-13T21:13:00.000-04:00

USATODAY.com - Topography of religion

(Hat Tip: CoJourner)

'via Blog this'

Who put this on TV?

2011-09-12T12:15:00.000-04:00

If you have ever asked that question, the answer is probably someone who graduated from Emerson College.

This article explains the "Emerson Mafia": Emerson connection pays big time - The Boston Globe

Emerson alumni influence MTV, NBC, Comedy Central, Disney and most other networks.

I'll be meeting with students there this semester to talk about Jesus and how he is the source of all beauty, truth and goodness. I pray that these students would connect with Jesus, now and for a lifetime.

Breaking News: Student Lost on Campus

2011-09-06T10:18:00.001-04:00

What happens when you uproot an 18 year old from their family, friends and familiar surroundings? Often (as was the case with me) they get lost.

Harvard Quad

I use the term "lost" advisedly. When you are lost, things are recognizable but still unfamiliar. I've been lost in the city and the woods. In both cases I could identify trees and buildings but could not identify the right way to go. I move forward and realize I'm not going where I thought. So I turn around the other way and wind up just as confused and unsure.

This is what happens to students when they leave home and go away to college: everything seems recognizable but all of a sudden you have no idea where you are or where you should go.

Fact: Lost people walk in circles. Without clear landmarks or a guidance system, people walk in circles.

I can think of no better metaphor for the culture of college campuses. Here are the repeated circles that students walk in: addiction, broken relationships, exhaustion, alienation, self destruction.

Why does this happen? Universities have no landmarks or guidance system. To state things in the terms of academia: "There is no totalizing narrative". Even science can only tell a student where they are; not where they "should" go. There is no "should" from science.

This week campuses all over the US are full of freshman college students asking these questions: "What is a true friend?", "What is love and where can I find it?", "What is the purpose of life?", "What is good and evil?"

As a matter of policy, most colleges have no clear answers to these questions. So, students get lost, even if they weren't lost before they arrived.

This is why Campus Crusade for Christ has been on campus every Autumn for 60 years: Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life.

We hope to give every student a chance to know Jesus: an immutable landmark to steer by; a global positioning system that not only shows where you are but what you were made to do; the way, the truth, the life.

Students sharing Jesus at Freshman Orientation.

Rolling out a new tool for Ministry

2011-08-24T19:06:00.000-04:00

This Summer I had the chance to introduce a new digital tool for ministry to 3000 of our fellow staff at our National Staff Conference.

Here's the uncut video without (sadly) the accompanying visuals:

How old is Campus Crusade?...

2011-08-16T15:49:00.000-04:00

Here is proof that Campus Crusade for Christ is older than "dialing the telephone".

CCC began in 1951. This film came shortly thereafter showing us how to "dial" the phone for the first time:

No doubt some agonized about how all these new phone numbers would distract us and prevent us from personal interaction.

Leaving A Legacy: 60 years later.

2011-08-05T09:03:00.000-04:00

If you wonder sometimes about whether sharing your faith can make a difference, check this out:

Cubicle Conclusions: Leaving A Legacy.

What does Cru mean?

2011-08-04T07:34:00.002-04:00

Here's an example from more than a year ago of what Cru means:

In other words: a caring community passionate about connecting others to Jesus Christ.

The "Business" of Cru

2011-07-31T14:25:00.003-04:00

In a recent post I was criticized by Jared for being, like Cru, a shameful example of "business".

My reply to Jared waxed very long and could not be posted in the comments so I decided I should put it here.

Jared,

I'm confused by your response. Are you an advocate of being ineffective?

Why do you imply that "business" is negative? Jesus talked about "business" all the time as a good thing; sometimes as a requirement for righteousness.

Some quick examples:

Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus describes the very Kingdom of Heaven as a business development opportunity. In his story, several employees are given venture capital that they are to invest effectively. Jesus calls the effective investors "good" and "faithful" and rewards their effectiveness with the promise of greater responsibility. But Jesus calls the ineffective investor "wicked" and "slothful" and rebukes by saying he should have "invested my money with the bankers". The ineffective investor responds by talking about how he was afraid of failing so he did nothing with the venture capital.

Are you going to shame Jesus for encouraging his followers to enter his Kingdom through "effective" strategies from "business, business business"?

Many other examples could be offered from the Bible. Jesus compares ministry to fishing and farming, both prominent "business" activities of that day.

Jesus compares following him to the same kind of "effective" strategy formulation that a real estate developer employs every day: Luke 14:28

The famous Proverbs 31 woman is praised for her real estate deals, manufacturing, skilled labor, trade and profitable "business" dealings.

Jared, why do you use "business" as if it were a bad word? Maybe you are talking about corrupt and wicked business. The Bible certainly condemns dishonest and cruel business practices. But it also praises wise use of resources and honest, effective business practices.

That's why I and Cru don't mind seeking to be effective: the Bible commands it.

This is nothing new. Bill Bright was an effective business man before he gave it all up to start sharing the Gospel with college students. He was among the first use a "booklet" to share the gospel and to do evangelism outside of church denominations. He did these things to be "effective" in reaching students where most churches were "ineffective" and was criticized for both at the time, even though these practices are now widely accepted.

But effective in what? Let me tell you a story that illustrates how effectiveness is measured in Cru. Steve Sellers, the same Steve Sellers who oversaw this name change process, was the director of US Campus Ministry in CRU back in 1991 At our new staff training, hundreds of new staff with Campus Crusade were coming on board. Steve addressed them and as he began he asked for a show of hands of how many in the room had first put their faith in Jesus through the ministry of Campus Crusade.

Not one hand went up.

He asked again: "Who here among our new staff first put their faith in Christ through the ministry of Campus Crusade?

Still no one raised their hand.

Steve was shaken to the core. He demanded an all day meeting with Bill Bright the founder of CCC who finally relented and granted him the time. Steve presented concrete evidence and as well as the anecdote of not a single new hire in the Campus Ministry had come to faith as a result of that same ministry.

Steve was not troubled that other churches and ministries were leading people to Christ. Steve was troubled that CCC was not living out it's mission and vision of reaching the lost. How can we be effectively reaching those who don't know Jesus if there is no evidence for it in our midst?

Effectiveness in Cru is not about gathering Christians. It is about seeking and saving those who don't currently love Jesus.

Steve proposed a radical strategic shift to refocus on sharing the Gospel with those who don't know Jesus. Steve proposed other reforms of how we measure effectiveness and build healthy teams. Bill Bright agreed with these changes and the great restructuring of CCC Campus Ministry happened.

And as a result, more people put their faith in Jesus Christ who did not know him before.

This is what we long to do effectively. Steve pursued changing the name because it became clear that it was a hindrance to helping people put their faith in Jesus.

Jared, you closed your last comment implying that our ministry is wide but not deep. That we just want quick inauthentic responses or in your words "get 'em to sign on the dotted line", "get the numbers" "but never really fulfill the Great Commission".

However, you failed to give an example of a church or mission organization who IS fulfilling the organization. It's easy to criticize in the abstract but hard to offer workable alternative models, though perhaps you have many.

Regarding this issue in CCC or Cru as it will be called, we have certainly been guilty of pushing people into shallow decisions to trust Christ. We have much to repent of in this and many other areas.

However it is amazing to me how many pastors, some now in their 60's, some in their 20's who became Christians because someone from Cru shared the gospel with them (I can list at least 4 off the top of my head including my own Pastor at Citylife Boston). And that's only in the US. I know that around the world their are many churches led by those who heard the Gospel through CCC, trusted Christ as college students and are now making disciples. I think this is at least part of fulfilling the Great Commission.

5 Things For Putting Jesus at the Center

2011-07-29T11:24:00.002-04:00

I challenged the students on the Boston Operations Summer Project to "illustrate" this talk on the "5 Things" which are part of our organizational DNA for ministry. Here's what they created:

Responding to Fox News Spin of Cru

2011-07-25T12:58:00.002-04:00

Here is our Vice President of US ministries on Fox News responding to the idea that we are ashamed of Christ.

Here is Fox News' own correspondent refuting their slant from earlier in the week:

Is Campus Crusade dropping Christ?

2011-07-22T22:01:00.007-04:00

Proverbs 22:1 ESV

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches

You may have heard that this week the announcement was made that the US ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ would change it's name in 2012 to Cru. Click here to read the official announcement.

Or, you may have heard that Campus Crusade for Christ is "dropping" the name of Christ from it's name to be politically correct or because we are ashamed of his name.

The former is true, the latter is false.

Much has been written already this week on why this name change has happened but I wanted to share my own understanding of the decision. I was not privy to the decision making process (there were 30 people on the decision team and much research from many sources) though I think it was a good one given the circumstances. Here are the reasons why:

Reason #1 We are beyond the "Campus"

Two years ago we (CCC Staff) were informed that CCC would be changing it's name. The primary reason was the inadequacy of the word "Campus" to describe all of the various ministries; to families (Family Life), pro athletes (Athletes In Action), Business Leaders (Priority Associates), and political leaders (Christian Embassy). All of these are Campus Crusade for Christ ministries but none are working "on campus". So the decision was made to remove the word "campus".

This is very similar to the decision Apple Inc. made to drop the word "Computer" from it's name.

Here is a quote from the Apple wikipedia page: "Established on April 1, 1976 in Cupertino, California, and incorporated January 3, 1977, the company was previously named Apple Computer, Inc., for its first 30 years, but removed the word "Computer" on January 9, 2007, to reflect the company's ongoing expansion into the consumer electronics market in addition to its traditional focus on personal computers."

Campus has not described our organization since the 60's when our ministry expanded to much more than students. So, the word "campus" had become a barrier in our name. In surveys with Christianswho agreed with our goals of sharing the Gospel, building others in their faith and sending them to the world - 1 in 10 said they would be less interested in doing so because of our name. These are Christians so the name of Christ is not the barrier. It was the word "Campus" that made Christians believe that we are a student ministry only, and therefore weren't as interested.

Reason #2: We are not just a Crusade
The word crusade is often used to refer to a rally or stadium event rather than an ongoing ministry. For example, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Crusades or the Harvest Crusade. Campus Crusade for Crusade for Christ began with many such events but has expanded to all manner of groups, meetings, movements and events. "Crusade" no longer fully describes our mode of ministry which includes one on one discipleship, Internet ministry and home Bible studies.

Also, in cities like Boston and Boulder (where we have spent years of ministry) the word Crusade creates fear and loathing in some. It is a word that some see as a synonym for genocide or jihad and this can end a conversation about Christ before it begins. This is one reason why for years local campus movements have used the name Cru: a name that borrows from our heritage but is not confused with "the crusades" or with stadium events.

Reason #3 We can't use someone else's name
This is the least obvious but perhaps the most significant reason why "Christ" does not remain in our name. If we remove "Campus" and "Crusade" from the name, what is left - "for Christ". If we named ourselves "Disney for Christ" we would immediately be sued for copyright infringement. In the same way, if you Google "youth for Christ" or "people for Christ" or "leaders for Christ" you will see that these names are already "owned" by other ministries. It is very difficult to come up with a name that includes "for Christ" that is not already being used by another ministry. This is why so many churches and ministries don't use Christ or Jesus in their name. It's not that they are ashamed of the name. It's because they can't use someone else's name.

Cru on the other hand is already used and "owned" by Campus Crusade for Christ so it will not infringe upon or be confused with another organization's name. The official "legal" name will be Cru Global. If you Google "cru global" you will see that no other organization has this name.

Moreover, at the local level, ministries will still use Christ in their name. For example:

The name change of the overall organization will not have "Christ" because of the copyright infringement issues but local minsitries will still proudly use the name.

Here's an example of the ministry at Ball State using the name Cru over two years ago:

In summary, I want to assure you that we are more passionate than ever about sharing the good news of Jesus. We are not ashamed of Christ. Rather this name was chosen to expand our Gospel witness in the US.

Many have wondered what Bill Bright the founder of the organization would say about this change. This week we heard directly from his widow Vonette. She told us that from the very beginning in 1951, Bill knew that someday the name would need to change. She is in full support of this change and is certain that Bill would be to. Click here to watch Vonette talk about the name change.

If you have been upset by media reports regarding our name change, I hope these facts will help assure you that we are not retreating at all from talking about him. In fact, last week not many were talking about us. This week, people all over the US are talking about Christ. That's good.

If you have more questions, doubts or fears regarding this name change I urge you to contact me. Alex and I care very deeply about your opinion regarding our ministry. You may or may not like the name. We want to hear from you in either case.

What will you decide...

2011-07-15T11:01:00.000-04:00

CCC Commercial - Decisions from Rick James on Vimeo.

Influence

2011-07-14T14:40:00.001-04:00

CCC Commercial - I Am from Rick James on Vimeo.

A look at the CCC past...

2011-07-11T16:30:00.000-04:00

The History of Campus Crusade for Christ on Vimeo

The History of Campus Crusade for Christ from DCC on Vimeo.

Breaking the Silence

2011-07-10T23:36:00.003-04:00

One of the students on our 2011 Boston Operations Summer Project became a Christian just last year, during the 2010 Boston Operations Summer Project. In the last year she has decided that she would like to help Deaf students to be able to find Jesus.

This summer she made (with the help of the other Boston Ops students) this movie to help Deaf students to begin a relationship with God.

In the Pits

2011-06-30T11:17:00.000-04:00

An update on my summer is here.

Boston Students from Africa

2011-06-17T13:01:00.004-04:00

Last week during our Friday outreach I had a chance to talk at length with Ibrahim and Aloy. Ibrahim is from Congo and Aloy from Nigeria. We talked for almost two hours about life, family and God. We talked about justice and whether it is just for God to forgive others through the sacrifice of another. I pray that they would come to believe that God has indeed forgiven others through the work of Jesus only. I'm always amazed by the quality and diversity of students in Boston.

We have another outreach today.

The 4 Skills of a Sower

2011-05-17T17:03:00.000-04:00

Matthew 13:3 "A sower went out to sow"

We can sow the Gospel with friends, family and strangers. Sowing, like preaching or singing, is a skill that can be practiced and learned. These four skills can help you become a sower.

Skill 1: Listening to a Stranger (about anything)

What have all American children been told about strangers? "Don't talk to them?" Why? Is this rational? No, you are much more likely to be harmed by someone you know than a stranger. Is it Biblical? No, God's word tells us to welcome strangers. Yet this culturally isolated value makes most Americans fearful of talking to strangers. In other cultures talking to strangers is customary and encouraged. Ask a stranger what time it is. Ask a stranger for directions. Ask a stranger what their favorite part of Boston is. This is how you learn the skill of talking to a stranger.

But what if people don't want to talk? That's fine. Some people are busy. Some people are shy. Some people don't speak your language. However, learning the skill of asking and listening is crucial to becoming a sower.

Skill 2: Listening to a Stranger about spiritual things.

It's more personal and risky to ask a stranger the following questions:

Do you go to church here in Boston?

I go to a church near here. Do you ever think about how churches could help bless the City of Boston?

Do you believe in God?

What do you think happens to us when we die?

Even though these questions are more personal, they are also fascinating. Most people would love to talk with someone about these kinds of questions but they want to be listened to. So ask and listen.

Skill 3: Asking a Stranger to hear the Gospel

This is a big step but a very important one. Ask, "Have you ever heard the story of Jesus of Nazareth or what it means to be a follower of Jesus?" "Could I tell you about why I am a follower of Jesus?"

Many people are ignorant but curious about who Jesus is and why people follow him. By asking permission to talk about the Jesus and why you follow them, you give them permission to decline or to hear what they are curious about.

At this point, it is very helpful to have a short, memorable outline to explain the Gospel. Since the Gospel connects with all creation, it's often very difficult to talk about the Gospel in a way that doesn't overwhelm the listener. Using a brief outline can help you introduce the Gospel in a way that isn't rambling or endless.

Skill 4: Asking a Stranger to make a decision about Jesus?

"Who do you think Jesus is?"

"What would prevent you from beginning to follow Jesus right now?"

If a person indicates they would like to follow Jesus, you could invite them to Church or ask them if a prayer like this expresses the desire of their heart: Jesus, I admit that I am a broken and failed person. But I want you to forgive me and restore me. I believe that you can restore me and forgive me through your life, death and resurrection from the dead. I put my trust in you as my savior and king. Help me to follow you and love others in community. Amen.

Jesus asks us to follow him. Asking others to follow Jesus helps clarify that there is a decision to be made, and it is a decision of ultimate significance. There is no need to pressure someone for a decision. On the contrary, I often say that this is a far bigger decision than even marriage. But it is very helpful to communicate a simple Gospel outline that leads to a decision. Inviting people into a community of those who believe is an inevitable part of following Jesus so invite people to Church.

My favorite Atheist

2011-05-16T16:57:00.000-04:00

I've always admired the atheism of Friedrich Nietzsche because he has the courage (or insanity) of facing the implications of atheism. Here is a choice quote where he shows his willingness to be consistent:

When one gives up Christian belief one thereby deprives oneself of the right to Christian morality... Christianity is a system, a consistently thought out and complete view of things. If one breaks out of it a fundamental idea, the belief in God, one thereby breaks the whole thing to pieces: one has nothing of any consequence left in one's hands.... Christian morality is a command: it's origin is transcendental... it possesses truth only if God is truth - it stands or falls with the belief in God.

When Jesus says "love thy neighbor as thyself", he says it because God is love. If there is no God, love is a chemical reaction, a drug, in the brain.

4 Points to God

2011-05-15T16:51:00.003-04:00

I want to summarize the entire Bible in a brief 4 point outline. This is meant as a summary of 4 important things to understand about the Bible and the God of the Bible. Please forgive the many important omissions. Hopefully I've hit the highlights.

First, we have been Made by God:

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God made the heavens and the earth.

God has made everything and has authority over it. This makes all things purposeful and significant.

For example, what is the purpose of an Ipod? That depends on the intention of the one who made the Ipod? You can use an Ipod as a paperweight but that would be a waste, given its purpose.

It is very important for human beings to understand that they have been “made”, not just “occurred”. Only things that have been made can have purpose. If we have not been made, then we have no purpose. In order for our lives to have purpose, we must understand that we have been made and what we have been made for.

But there’s a problem,

We are Broken: that’s the second point.

The easiest thing for most people to believe in these four points is that there is something wrong with the world.

The Bible puts it this way: Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.

That means that it’s not just that something is wrong with the world, there is something wrong with me. Humans are broken by their self-centeredness and rebellion against God and others. I am self-centered and rebellious against God and others. This has led to broken relationships for me.

But the good news about being broken, is that broken things have the possibility of being fixed. Let’s return to the Ipod. You may find a broken Ipod but you know from its design that it was not made that way. You know someone somewhere must know how to fix it. Usually the best person to show you how to fix something is the one who made it.

When we fix something that is broken we call it restoration. There’s even a store called Restoration hardware that is dedicated to restoring broken things.

That is the third point: We can be Restored: This is very good news for me since I am broken.

Here is how the Bible describes this good news:

1 Cor 15:3-4 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures;

This passage reads like a news account, detailing the facts about Jesus of Nazareth.

How is this good news? This is what it means: Just as Jesus broken and dead body was restored to health and life, so our lives are restored through Jesus life, death and resurrection. Jesus lived a perfect, unbroken life of justice and mercy. He died as a victim of the sins of others. Then he rose from the dead, conquering death and beginning the restoration of the broken.

Jesus resurrection was like the first sprig of Spring after a long cold winter. It was the first sign of fruitfulness to come

Fruitful: John 10:10 I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly

Jesus came to make us fully human, fully alive. The primary fruit of life from Jesus is love.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

True love, God's love, involves grace and truth. The truth is that we are guilty of doing wrong and deserve our brokenness and punishment, but God shows us grace in restoring and forgiving us through Jesus. The fruit of this is learning how to love one another in a community of grace and truth. Also God has made us for a life of fruitful work, where we can be like him: creative, bringing order from chaos and fruitfulness from barren places.

What do you think about what I’ve said?

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Someday would you consider observing a community of grace and truth that I'm a part of?

Blessing in the City [Spurgeon]

2011-04-03T17:30:00.001-04:00

Musings of a Katydid [Spurgeon]: "The city is full of care, and he who has to go there from day to day finds it to be a place of great wear and tear. It is full of noise, and stir, and bustle, and sore travail; many are its temptations, losses, and worries. But to go there with the divine blessing takes off the edge of its difficulty; to remain there with that blessing is to find pleasure in its duties and strength equal to its demands.

A blessing in the city may not make us great, but it will keep us good; it may not make us rich, but it will preserve us honest. Whether we are porters, or clerks, or managers, or merchants, or magistrates, the city will afford us opportunities for usefulness. It is good fishing where there are shoals of fish, and it is hopeful to work for our Lord amid the thronging crowds. We might prefer the quiet of a country life; but if called to town, we may certainly prefer it because there is room for our energies."

This weekend at our Citylife Boston Church retreat, Dr. Philip Ryken reminded us that Jeremiah 29:11 is a promise given in a City to an Urban People of God:

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Big (Spring) Break Decisions

2011-03-17T14:28:00.004-04:00

Spring Break is a notorious time of bad decision-making. Often students make decisions on Spring Break that ruin their lives for the immediate or foreseeable future (Drunk Notre Dame Recruit Falls To Death On Spring Break). But what if Spring Break could result in the best decision possible, leading to a lifetime of good decisions?

Through our Big Break outreaches, every year thousands of students learn how to worship God by sharing their faith story with others and hundreds more decide to become followers of Jesus for the first time. That makes the month of March a key time for students in the Northeast and around the country.

Pray that students would receive the good news about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection with joy. Pray that our staff and students would share the good news with joy. Pray that God would protect students on Spring Break from making bad decisions. Pray that students would decide to love God and love others through the person and work of Jesus.

God provides laborers...

2011-03-17T13:05:00.000-04:00

I'm deeply encouraged by this picture. These sharp students attended our Boston Operations Summer Project in 2010. They spent the Summer learning to share their faith and fulfill Jesus' Great Commission. Then, they came to the Boston Winter Conference in January, 2011 (from whence came the photo). Now, 3 of the students in the photo are joining our team in Boston as interns this fall. This is an incredible answer to prayer. All of these students are beginning a lifetime of Christ-centered leadership. I'm very grateful to have a part in that.

"Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matt. 9:38

Pentecost on Campus

2011-03-08T22:58:00.003-05:00

Today it occurred to me that the reason the Holy Spirit showed up on Pentecost is the same reason that Alex and I work with College Students.

Pentecost is originally an ancient Jewish holiday. It is historically and symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot, which commemorates God giving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai fifty days after the Exodus. At Pentecost, Jews from all over would come to Jerusalem to worship.

That's why God chose this as the place to reveal the ministry of the Holy Spirit in Acts Chapter 3: it was a social network hub. Future leaders from nations all over the known World (Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome [both Jews and converts to Judaism]; Cretans and Arabs) would experience the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem and then take their testimony back to their people.

This is a picture of ministry to College Students. We work to help create communities where students from all over the World can experience Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, and then testify to the grace and truth they have found with their "nation" for the rest of their lives.

Coming to a College Campus or Facebook near you...

2011-02-19T09:33:00.002-05:00

Spiritual Fuel for Social Justice

2011-02-13T23:09:00.003-05:00

From the Citylife bulletin:

"The method of nonviolence is based on the conviction that the universe is on the side of justice. It is this deep faith that causes the nonviolent resister to accept suffering without retaliation. For he knows that in his struggle for justice, he has cosmic companionship. Now I am aware of the fact that there are devout proponents of nonviolence who find it difficult to believe in a personal God. But even these persons believe in the existence of some creative force that works for togetherness, that fumes at brokenness and that works to bring low gigantic mountains of evil and pull down prodigious hilltops of injustice." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from An Experiment in Love

UVM Lifelines Staff Meeting

2011-02-08T12:40:00.003-05:00

Today I'm meeting with the leaders of UVM Lifelines who are using process learning and outdoor activities to give UVM students grace and truth experiences. You have to experience what they do to understand the amazing growth that happens through this process. Burlington is full of snow.

BWC 2011 Day of Outreach

2011-02-05T09:23:00.001-05:00

The State of the Campus 2011

2011-02-04T11:18:00.003-05:00

I found this interesting summary of what's happening on college campuses these days. This should be required reading for anyone in campus ministry and anyone who plans on sending one of their children to college: John Tierney: Contemporary Student Life

BWC Break

2011-02-04T10:43:00.003-05:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been this long since I posted anything. The Boston Winter Conference was so overwhelming that I concentrated all of my powers on pulling it off. But now I'm back.

Pray for me at Emerson Tonight

2010-12-08T10:03:00.003-05:00

Tonight I'll be speaking at Emerson College which is just a short walk from our office. That's where Jay Leno and many other talented folks in the entertainment industry went to School. God is doing some great things there and I'm honored to be a part of it.

I'll be talking tonight about how this statement is like a GPS for life and death: Romans 11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Pray that God would use the time to help us to grow in our love for God and others. Thanks.

Busy with BWC

2010-12-08T09:43:00.004-05:00

It's been so long since I've posted anything. How embarrassing.

I've been working on preparations for our Boston Winter Conference which will gather hundreds of students engage, equip and ignite their faith and their campus with the grace and truth of Jesus. I've been doing a bunch of things with our BWC Fan Page on Facebook.

Please pray that students would seize this opportunity to grow in their walk with God. Thanks.

Oh, and I deep fried a turkey with my buddy CJ on Thanksgiving. So good.

TIME/Pew Poll: What Is Marriage Good For?

2010-11-20T11:26:00.000-05:00

TIME/Pew Poll: What Is Marriage Good For? - TIME: "And of all the transformations our family structures have undergone in the past 50 years, perhaps the most profound is the marriage differential that has opened between the rich and the poor. In 1960 the median household income of married adults was 12% higher than that of single adults, after adjusting for household size. By 2008 this gap had grown to 41%. In other words, the richer and more educated you are, the more likely you are to marry, or to be married — or, conversely, if you're married, you're more likely to be well off."

At the Ivy Conference

2010-11-03T14:40:00.007-04:00

The New York Times gave them their own section of the paper: Ivy League

We invite them to their own conference to challenge them to consider spending their lives investing their considerable talents and influence as an offering to the King of Kings.

The Ivy Conference was last weekend; an exciting gathering of sharp juniors and seniors who love Jesus and are considering how to serve him. I had the opportunity to describe how they could join with Campus Crusade for Christ in the Northeast to put the Gospel within arms reach of every person, so that everyone would know someone who truly follows Christ.

I always feel a little strange addressing Ivy League students since my college accolades were more for football than academics. But since Jesus first called his disciples, God is looking to include fisherman (me) and the learned in making fishers of men.

Pray for these men and women of the Ivy League to follow Jesus wherever leads. Pray also that some would join us in reaching the students and faculty of the Northeast, so that through their global influence, everyone would know someone who truly follows Christ.

Maine Fall Retreat: Thanks

2010-10-25T11:43:00.000-04:00

This is an example of how beautiful the setting was near Brooks, ME for the Maine Fall Retreat where I spoke this weekend.

I spoke on these passages:

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

and

Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Our theme was "Putting Christ First". I hope to post my talks online soon.

I was encouraged by the students I met and their desire to walk with God and impact their campus.

Thanks for praying for this great group of students.

Alex caring for her family.

2010-10-25T10:10:00.003-04:00

Alex has been in CA this week caring for her parents. She's helping her Mom recover from a procedure and just helping out her Dad around the house. Pray that her Mom makes a full recovery. Thanks.

Speaking at the Maine Fall Retreat

2010-10-22T10:20:00.002-04:00

This weekend I'll be speaking at the Maine Fall Retreat on the subject of "Putting Christ First". Pray that Jesus would be first in my life and in the lives of all who attend.

UMass Fall Retreat this weekend.

2010-10-16T15:01:00.002-04:00

Students at UMass Amherst are gathering this weekend to grow in their relationship with Jesus. Pray that they would put Christ first in their life and become agents of grace and truth on their campus.

Visualize the Commandments

2010-10-06T19:55:00.001-04:00

This is an interesting take on a very ancient guidebook for human rights:

The Ten Commandments - motion (kinetic) typography from Vit Ryznar on Vimeo.

2010 Day of Prayer

2010-10-05T19:52:00.002-04:00

It's been a long time since my last post. Today I spent the day praying with my dear friends and coworkers at Campus Crusade for Christ. We've got lots to do but we spend the first Tuesday in October in a day of prayer. It's good for me to remember that my work depends on the Lord and not the other way around.

We went to Salem State University this afternoon to pray there as well. It was great to pray for that campus. I pray that your days go well and are many, and that you may enjoy Jesus for the rest of them.

NYC and Upstate NY Fall Retreats this Weekend

2010-09-20T22:03:00.001-04:00

Please pray for our New York City and upstate New York Fall Retreats this weekend. These include students from Syracuse, Columbia, Cornell, and NYU. Pray that these students would decide to follow Jesus throughout college, and make him known on campus and throughout their lives.

I love my job: Reaching out to Freshman

2010-09-06T15:08:00.001-04:00

A great reminder to pray for freshman...

2010-09-06T09:29:00.000-04:00

CruPress Green: "Here’s the apologetic: Freshmen are more open to new relationships and ideas than their hardened upperclassmen friends, freshmen will be there for four years to be built into, freshmen are typically easy to access, especially if most of them are living on campus, and you’ve reached the whole campus if you’ve reached four freshman classes in a row."

Stephen Hawking: God was not needed to create the Universe

2010-09-03T09:25:00.000-04:00

Telegraph: "In his latest book, The Grand Design, an extract of which is published in Eureka magazine in The Times, Hawking said: “Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the Universe exists, why we exist.”"

No word yet from Hawking on what spontaneously created the law of gravity or other immaterial things mathematics and ethical laws of evil and good.

I've discussed these issues often with students in the Northeast.

What committed Christian Teens look like.

2010-08-30T08:32:00.000-04:00

CNN.com: "In 'Almost Christian,' Dean talks to the teens who are articulate about their faith. Most come from Mormon and evangelical churches, which tend to do a better job of instilling religious passion in teens, she says.

No matter their background, Dean says committed Christian teens share four traits: They have a personal story about God they can share, a deep connection to a faith community, a sense of purpose and a sense of hope about their future.

'There are countless studies that show that religious teenagers do better in school, have better relationships with their parents and engage in less high-risk behavior,' she says. 'They do a lot of things that parents pray for.'"

Modern Forgiveness

2010-08-19T06:52:00.000-04:00

Telegraph: "Eric Schmidt suggested that young people should be entitled to change their identity to escape their misspent youth, which is now recorded in excruciating detail on social networking sites such as Facebook.

'I don't believe society understands what happens when everything is available, knowable and recorded by everyone all the time,' Mr Schmidt told the Wall Street Journal.

In an interview Mr Schmidt said he believed that every young person will one day be allowed to change their name to distance themselves from embarrasssing photographs and material stored on their friends' social media sites.

The 55-year-old also predicted that in the future, Google will know so much about its users that the search engine will be able to help them plan their lives."

Ops Team 2011-12

2010-08-17T18:34:00.002-04:00

We kicked off the semester with a short retreat with the Operations Team at Hampton Beach, NH. It's going to be a great year.

Morality, Monkeys and Harvard Academics

2010-08-13T10:22:00.001-04:00

NYTimes.com: "“First there was arbitrary interpretation of the videotapes to suit the hypothesis,” he said. “The other was whether the data was real. There have been a number of papers using videotape, and all of them have to be reviewed to see if the data holds up.”

Dr. Terrace noted that it was easy for a researcher to see what he wanted in a videotaped animal’s reactions, and that independent observers must check every finding.
In one case, according to an article in The Boston Globe on Tuesday, Gordon G. Gallup Jr. of the State University of New York at Albany asked Dr. Hauser for videotapes of an experiment in which cotton-topped tamarins were said to recognize themselves in a mirror. When he received the videotapes, Dr. Gallup could see no evidence that this was the case...

“The people who really know what’s happened are students, current and former,” said a scientist who asked to remain anonymous because of Dr. Hauser’s continuing power in the field. “They are very unhappy about how Harvard has handled this, and they feel things are being swept under the rug.”"

Why New England Is the New American Missional Frontier

2010-08-12T16:35:00.000-04:00

TheResurgence: "As a native Texan who spent more than a decade in Tennessee, I have the blue blood of the Bible Belt coursing through my veins. But in 2008, as the pastor of a young church plant in Nashville, God began to shift my attention from the older brothers of my homeland to the prodigals of (what I would consider) the wilderness."

CruPress Green

2010-08-12T13:28:00.000-04:00

CruPress Green: home to all of the quality resources and content of the Campus Ministry—everything intuitively organized, pretty to look at, and free to download. Enjoy and be blessed.

Atheist Financier Gives Millions to N.Y. Catholic Schools

2010-08-11T08:15:00.003-04:00

The Chronicle of Philanthropy-: Mr. Wilson, who said he began questioning the existence of God during his college years"... said "“Most of what the Catholic schools teach are the three R's,” “And they do it better than the union-controlled inner-city schools.”

Higher Education Is Overrated; Skills Aren't - Michael Schrage - Harvard Business Review

2010-08-11T08:04:00.000-04:00

Higher Education Is Overrated; Skills Aren't - Michael Schrage - Harvard Business Review: "When I look at who is getting hired, purported knowledge almost always matters less than demonstrable skills. The distinctions aren't subtle; they're immense. How do they manifest themselves? These hires don't have resumes highlighting educational pedigrees and accomplishments; their resumes emphasize their skill sets. Instead of listing aspirations and achievements, these resumes present portfolios around performance. They link to blogs, published articles, PowerPoint presentations, podcasts and webinars the candidates produced. The traditional two-page resume has been turned into a 'personal productivity portal' that empowers prospective employers to quite literally interact with their candidate's work."

CHART OF THE DAY: Is College Education The Next Bubble Set To Burst?

2010-08-10T07:29:00.000-04:00

CHART OF THE DAY: Is College Education The Next Bubble Set To Burst?

Slashdot Technology Story | The 'Net Generation' Isn't

2010-08-09T11:07:00.000-04:00

The 'Net Generation' Isn't: "Kanel introduces this lengthy review in Spiegel Online this way: 'Kids that grew up with the Internet are not 'digital natives' as consultants have led us to believe. They're OK with the Net but they don't care much about Web 2.0 and find plenty of other things more important than the Internet. Consultants and authors, mostly old guys, have called for the education system to be reworked to suit this new generation, but they never conducted surveys to see if the members of 'generation @' were anything like what they had envisioned. Turns out, children who have known the Net their whole lives are not particularly skilled at it, nor do they live their lives online.'"

Where are the young Internet evangelists?

2010-08-09T08:13:00.005-04:00

This story seems to confirm a strange reality that I have observed for some time:

Logging Off: The Internet Generation Prefers the Real World - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International: "More surprising yet, these supposedly gifted netizens are not even particularly adept at getting the most out of the Internet. 'They can play around,' says Rolf Schulmeister, an educational researcher from Hamburg who specializes in the use of digital media in the classroom. 'They know how to start up programs, and they know where to get music and films. But only a minority is really good at using it.'"

Many of us who work with college students in ministry have wondered why innovation in ministry with technological tools seems to come from staff who are older and less digitally "native". It is reasonable that students should more easily use digital technology in innovative ways to share the gospel or help others grow since they have always known digital technology. Us "old folks" who went through high school and college without the Internet should be handicapped in using these tools since we spent our formative years without them, and therefore lack intuitive digital creativity.

What this article affirms something that has long lurked in my mind when looking for digital innovation in ministry: digital tools by themselves don't ensure innovation.

Ministry innovation with digital tools requires skill in ministry. Today's students might be digital "natives" but most are not ministry "natives". The skills of how to lead a group, share the gospel, active listening, etc. are indeed skills that must be learned and mastered. Digital tools might provide innovative new ways to apply these skills but without prior ministry experience, innovation is difficult, if not impossible.

However, great ideas can come from anyone. Innovation will probably happen as "old" staff like me train "digital natives" in how to do ministry. Somewhere in the collaboration, hopefully we'll discover something new that can help others.

The 20 Schools That Offer The Best Value For Your Money

2010-08-09T07:27:00.001-04:00

The 20 Schools That Offer The Best Value For Your Money

It's not shocking that the Northeast has the most school in this list, including lesser known schools like RPI, WPI and Amherst College. Of course the big boys are there too: Harvard, Yale, Columbia and MIT at #1.

Search and Rescue: ASU 1986

2010-08-06T14:51:00.011-04:00

Here I am, getting ready for a High School basketball game circa 1986. I remember listening to Journey and Boston on cassette over the old speakers that hung over the locker room before games. It was late winter in Southern California and chilly.

Way back then, I was trying to decide where to go to college, or more exactly, where to play football in college. I had flown on an airplane for the first time to visit several campuses and it was almost time to sign a letter of intent; to choose which college to attend. I felt fear and excitement. Would I be okay away from home? Will I succeed playing college football? What will happen to my walk with Jesus?

During that year I was involved in a great church youth group with a mature youth leader named Tony Allmoslecher. Tony taught us the Bible and taught us how to live daily a life of love for God and others.

I decided to go to Arizona State. When it was time to leave for college Tony organized a party to send me off. All of my friends wrote notes of encouragement to work hard and continue to trust daily in Jesus and walk with him. I felt certain that I would be OK.

I remember my first few days at ASU. I felt completely alone. I arrived early for Freshman workouts before the upperclassmen arrived. As far as I could tell, no one around me wanted anything to do with Jesus. It seemed that everyone I knew wanted to get drunk and experiment sexually. After four days I was discouraged. What was I going to do every night? Stay home and stare at the wall?

At about 9pm I went to Sun Angel Track Stadium and sat alone in the stands. I prayed to God that he would send someone into my life who was a Christian, someone who could be a teammate in loving God and others. I felt as if there wasn't another Christian within 100 mile radius.

I didn't know how quickly God can answer prayers. The next day the whole football team got on a bus and drove up to Camp Tontozona in Payson, AZ for football camp. That night, after a grueling conditioning test and a hearty meal, I strolled back down the path from the mess hall to the freshman trailer where my bunk was.

Suddenly out of the darkness, someone appeared saying, "Hi, I'm Craig." Craig Cunningham was on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ. He asked me if I had a few minutes to talk about spiritual life. I said sure. He pointed to some chairs under a nearby tent. We sat down and after learning a bit more about me, he began to explain how I could begin a relationship with Jesus. I almost hugged him. I assured him that I was already a Christian and tried to move on to other things. He asked me politely if he could finish explaining the gospel to me. I listened as he modeled for me how easy it was to give someone an opportunity to respond to the good news of Jesus. He invited me to Bible Study and told me we could connect with other Christians when we got back on campus.

God had answered my prayer.

That was the beginning of my Christian life in college. Even though I wanted to grow in grace and truth, even though my church back home sent me off well, and even though I was looking for Christ-centered community, I didn't find it on my own. It was because someone reached out to me that I was found. It was because someone was there, ready and waiting to ask me if I wanted to grow.

The other day I got a message from an old friend from Phoenix. She told me her son was beginning class as a Freshman at ASU in two weeks. She asked me if I could help her son connect with a Christ-centered community right from the start of the school year.

That got my attention. It reminded me again of why I love my job of over 16 years. It took me back to Sun Angel Stadium and Camp Tontozona and an answered prayer. I responded immediately, connecting her with the ASU hub of our network of over 55,000 staff and students nationwide who are working to give every freshman and chance to connect with Jesus.

Students will be returning to campus in the next few weeks. I pray that every one of them has an opportunity to trust and follow the most significant person who ever lived: Jesus of Nazareth. We've been working all summer on things that will help students in the Northeast find Jesus. Alex and I have spent the last 16 years working toward that goal.

The Other Big College Town in the Northeast

2010-07-27T17:17:00.003-04:00

The New York Times: THE term “college town” appears ill-fitting for a metropolis like New York, but in fact higher education exerts a huge force on the city. According to the Center for an Urban Future, which studies New York’s economic development, the city gained 17,000 jobs in higher education over the last decade, and its colleges and universities employ more people than in the entire Boston-Cambridge-Quincy area, typically thought of as the country’s center of higher education. Half a million students attend a postsecondary program in New York City. A recent study by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership found that there are more students in downtown Brooklyn than in all of Cambridge, Mass. And according to the latest Princeton Review student survey, New York City is home to three of the top five colleges ranked for being in “great college towns.” (The other two “towns” were San Francisco and Washington.)

Malaga, Spain 2001 Summer Project

2010-07-27T10:10:00.001-04:00

I found this picture in an album today and couldn't resist posting it. I triggers a flood of great memories of a pioneering summer of ministry in Spain.

The waiting.

2010-07-03T15:46:00.001-04:00

I'm waiting in line to watch the rehearsal concert of the Boston Pops 4th of July Extravaganza in Boston so I thought I would do a little blogging. Very little.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.9

Love One Another

2010-06-27T08:35:00.000-04:00

Last week Alex and I did a talk on "Conflict Resolution" for the students here in Boston where we shared how the Gospel has helped keep our marriage together. It was a joy to tell how stupid we are and how awesome God is for leading us in the grace and truth of Jesus. Our Summer Projects are often the first time students can learn how to work through conflict in Christ-centered community. Sadly, I never went on a Summer Project so I had to wait for several years of marriage counseling to learn how to deal with conflict through grace and truth.

Oh, well. Better late than never I guess.

Is Love God?

2010-06-26T11:04:00.005-04:00

From the Citylife Boston Bulletin:

We need to feel heroic, to know that our life mattered in the scheme of things. We still wanted to merge ourself with some higher, self-absorbing meaning, in trust and in gratitude. But if we no longer had God, how to do this? One of the first ways that occurred to the modern person, as Otto Rank saw, as the 'romantic solution'. The self-glorification that he needed in his innermost being he now looked for in the love partner...
No human relationship can bear the burden of godhood... However much we may idealize and idolize him, he inevitably reflects earthly decay and imperfection. And if your partner is your "All" then any shortcoming in him becomes a major threat to you... After all, what is it that we want when we elevate the love partner to this position? We want to be rid of our faults, of our feeling of nothing-ness. We want to be justified, to know our existence has not been in vain. We want redemption-nothing less. Needless to say, human partners cannot give this. - Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death

blogabout

2010-06-23T19:32:00.001-04:00

I just figured out how to post to the blog easily from my phone. Hopefully this will increase the frequency and immediacy of my posts.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.3.6

What people want.

2010-06-22T09:08:00.003-04:00

From the Citylife Boston Bulletin:

Most people if they really learned how to look into their own hearts-would know that they do want, and want acutely, something that cannot be had in the this world. There are all sorts of things in this world that offer to give it to you, but they never keep their promise. The longings which arise in us when we first fall in love, or first think of some foreign country, or first take up some subject that excites us-are longings which no marriage, no travel, no learning can really satisfy. I am not speaking of what would ordinarily be called unsuccessful marriages or trips and so on-but I am speaking of even the best possible ones. There is always something we grasped at, in that first moment of longing that just fades away in the reality-the spouse may be a good spouse, the scenery has been excellent, it has turned out to be a good job-but IT has evaded us. - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Oasis Recap

2010-05-20T19:31:00.001-04:00

In order for full-time vocational campus ministers to stay in the ministry for the long haul, they need to have good friendships and times of connection with their peers, not just students. For this reason we regularly create opportunities for our staff to connect.

The Oasis Conference is designed to help the women in our Northeast Region to have time to connect with each other and the Lord. This is particularly important for Mom's.

I posted a picture of Alex earlier this semester but I thought it would be fun to post more images of these ladies having a great time of connection and development.

The Hansen Report: Myth 1

2010-05-20T18:51:00.000-04:00

The Hansen Report: 5 Myths about Emerging Adult Religion | Out of Ur | Conversations for Ministry Leaders:

Myth #1: Emerging adults serve out of concern for the common good.

College campuses are wallpapered with fliers promoting service opportunities. Churches send their youth on local and foreign mission projects. Political analysts credit youth volunteers and voters with helping to elect President Obama in 2008.

It’s mostly a mirage.

According to Smith and Snell, emerging adults are far less likely than their parents or grandparents to volunteer or contribute to charitable causes. They share no qualms about materialism and long to someday live the American dream with a large salary and large home.

“Few emerging adults are involved in community organizations or other social change-oriented groups or movements,” Smith and Snell observe. “Not many care to know much of substance about political issues and world events. Few are intellectually engaged in any of the major cultural and ethical debates and challenges facing U.S. society. Almost none have any vision of a common good.”

This is discouraging but it rings true. Many talk about macro-goodness or "social issues" publicly but little time is invested.

BWC 2011 is coming...

2010-05-19T19:08:00.004-04:00

This week we've been doing long range planning of BWC 2011 coming up in January. It's fun dreaming about how to help students grow in grace and truth by investing 5 days of their life in an event like this. I need to get to work updating the Boston Winter Conference web site as well.

Every year students share their faith for the first time at BWC. Some have their first time alone in prayer and Bible study. Some make life long friends. Some meet their future spouse (that happened to me at a Winter Conference actually). It's a powerful time.

To whet your appetite, here's some great shots from last year including Darryl Smith*

*Darryl Smith will speak at BWC 2011

Leadership Summit 2010

2010-04-30T14:01:00.003-04:00

I spent last weekend with 27 bold student leaders who are "activators" of the gospel on their campus. These are the pioneers who as students are leading without CCC "staff" on their campus. They are coached at a distance at schools like Providence College, SUNY New Paltz, UMASS Dartmouth, and Husson University. Even Syracuse University, which has a long history with CCC currently has no CCC staff on campus. A group of students has stepped up to lead their campus movement.

We had a day of outreach on the Boston Common on Saturday and had a great time using Soularium to engage in spiritual conversations and share the gospel. It was awesome. The weather was perfect. About half of the students at the conference had little experience sharing their faith. Everyone had great conversations.

I was grouped with two girls who were pretty nervous about the possibility of talking to a stranger about Jesus. They jumped right in an asked a guy to talk about the Soularium, right in the shadow of the Capitol Building on Beacon Hill.

He was more than willing to talk. He was from England, trapped since running in the Boston Marathon by the ash from the Icelandic volcano that is canceling flights in the North Atlantic.

The two girls mouths went agape when this fellow, Paul, said, "I don't know much about God really, but I wish I did. I'd like to know more." So after a great conversation about his life and experiences I shared the gospel with him. He followed along intently and said he might want "to stick a toe in and try this out". But he clearly wasn't ready to put his faith in Jesus as his savior and the Lord of his life. So after explaining how he might put his faith in Jesus when he was ready, I gave him my email address and a copy of the KGP.

After parting with him, the girls and I prayed that Paul would put his trust in Jesus and find a community of Christ-followers to connect with. They remarked on how easy and fun it was to talk with him and how they couldn't wait to try this back on their campus. This was the general sentiment of the group. The outreach was successful in providing skill and experience for these students to share their faith effectively.

On Sunday we spent time praying and planning for the Fall semester and how to put the gospel within arms reach of every student on the campuses represented. Please pray for these student leaders, that they would have a great Summer growing in the Lord and that they would bear fruit that remains on their campus.

Alex and I at Brown

2010-04-09T08:56:00.003-04:00

Last night was a rare treat for me. I spoke to Athletes in Action at Brown University but this time it was with my wonderful wife Alex. We talked about our very flawed dating and marriage relationship and how God's grace has carried us for more than 20 years.

Alex was great, even though she was nervous. I think it was significant for students to hear us talk about our marriage together. We were honest and tried to model open communication.

I pray that students took from our example one main thing: That our covenant with Jesus is the foundation for our marriage covenant. I thank God for our marriage and for the opportunity to express that gratitude to God and students who are considering marriage.

From The Divine Hours

2010-04-03T11:18:00.000-04:00

explorefaith.org -: "O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so I may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

Religion and the Gospel

2010-03-30T16:08:00.000-04:00

This is a blog post I wrote for my Pastor's new web site:

Blog | The Center for Gospel Culture: "The Invention of Lying (2009) is a flawed but very interesting film that surprisingly illustrates the uniqueness of the gospel of Jesus..."

Encouraging News at Cornell

2010-03-26T15:39:00.002-04:00

Not only did they hold their own against Kentucky last night but I just heard from Nic Brenner that a student at Cornell put his faith in Christ last month. Hopeful at a school that has had so much death this year.

My Pastor:The Center for Gospel Culture

2010-03-25T09:47:00.001-04:00

Rev. Dr. Stephen Um is the pastor of www.citylifeboston.org, my church in Boston. He became a Christian while attending Boston University, at a Korean Campus Crusade for Christ retreat. He's also a great guy. This article is from his new Center for Gospel Culture.

Blog | The Center for Gospel Culture: "What we often times find is that prayer is not just a means of grace which Christians or religious people use, but it is a vehicle which everyone uses, whether you have a personal or impersonal relationship with some sort of immaterial or material source or force. Therefore, all people have a relationship with this mode of communication, even though they might not think of it in this way. And so everyone prays, to either a personal being or impersonal things. The question is, is that relationship or the object of one’s own affections reliable? Is he alive? Is it real? Is it personal? And that is what the Bible is trying to teach. If a person wants to know God or if he wants to know the Gospel, then he’ll find it in prayer. Often times we are surprised, when we listen to a sermon series on prayer, to learn more about the doctrine of God than the various modes of praying. Because if an individual understands who God is and how he has revealed himself through the Scriptures and through history then he will be compelled to pray, joyfully and not begrudgingly. His affections will be stirred in such a way that he will not merely say “this is my duty,” but that “this is my joy and my delight.” His heart will be moved to the presence of God."

An impersonal force can't love you. I am amazed, but believe that God loves me because of Jesus. So I can pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Pray for Cornell: College on edge after recent wave of student suicides

2010-03-18T14:07:00.000-04:00

CNN.com: "A wave of suicides at Cornell University in the past two semesters is a 'public health crisis,' the school's mental health initiatives director said.

'We are not out of the woods yet,' Timothy Marchell said of the school in Ithaca, in upstate New York.

The Ithaca Police Department reported four student suicides during the fall 2009 semester, and at least two over the last two months.

In February, a freshman jumped off a bridge over one of the area's well-known gorges. Last Thursday, the body of a sophomore engineering major was found under similar circumstances.

Police are also searching for a body in another suspected suicide witnessed last Friday."

Alex Sharing Her Heart at Oasis

2010-03-16T14:27:00.001-04:00

My wife is awesome. She acted against her introverted nature recently in agreeing to share publicly about her life and walk with God. I heard it was well received and I just found this picture of her. It reminds me what a privilege it is for us to pour our lives into others. It is also a privilege to be married to my sweet wife.

A Big Break for Haiti

2010-03-15T13:40:00.003-04:00

Pray for the Christian students at Big Break in Panama City Beach this week as they ask non-Christian students on Spring break to help them pack 1 million meals for Haiti and share the gospel in the process. Pray that God would save lives and souls through all that happens this week. Last week 1100 CCC students were there. They had 421 people indicate decisions to follow Jesus. So far during the weeks of Big Break students have packed 456,000 meals for Haiti. Pray for another week of students sharing and hearing the gospel. Pray that many more would follow Jesus.

Software Update- USCM

2010-03-12T13:16:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I spent the week in Orlando at our National Leadership Conference of the US Campus Ministry. This is a gathering of leaders from around the US for vision and connection as a leadership community.

This year was very unique. For the first time since 1991 the USCM is being restructured. It's difficult to summarize the changes but think about this.

In 1991, there was no:

IPhone
ITunes
IAnything
mp3
YouTube
Facebook
Online Banking
Email
Internet Browsers
Internet (for non-scholars)

These are just some of the factors that have radically transformed the college student and the college campus. The National Leadership of the Campus Ministry has recognized that the structure planned in 1991 is not working as effectively as necessary to reach today's complex campus environment.

Campus Crusade is committed to putting the gospel within arms reach of every student in a relevant and effective way. The proposed changes seek to do just that. Please pray that God would draw students to himself and raise them up for a lifetime of service.

Why I love marriage, and a covenant making God...

2010-02-10T20:24:00.001-05:00

Quotes from Sundays at www.citylifeboston.org:

"Why make promises at all? And if you do make them, why keep them? Why not tune in to growth and change and the maximizing of your feelings? The answer to the nettlesome whys of promise-making is this, to paraphrase HannahArendt (The Human Condition)-the only way to overcome the unpredictability of your future is the power of promising. If forgiving is the only remedy for your painful past, promising is the only remedy for your uncertain future… When I make a promise I bear witness that my future with you is not locked into… the fatal combinations of X’s and Y’s in the hand I was dealt out of my parents’ genetic deck. When I make a promise, I testify that I was not routed along some unalterable itinerary by the psychic conditioning visited on me by my slightly wacky parents. I am not fated. I am not determined. When I make a promise to anyone I rise above all the conditioning that limits me… No German shepherd ever promised to be there with me. No home computer ever promised to be my loyal help. Only a person can make a promise, and when he does, he is most free." – Lewis Smedes

One man with Courage: Jared at App State

2010-02-02T14:49:00.000-05:00

One man with courage makes a majority. - Andrew Jackson

www.ericandmason.com: "Just over a week ago, a single student left Panera Bread Company in Boone, NC armed with a lofty mission: To bring the entire Appalachian State campus together in sacrificial giving to Haiti. Jared, a senior biology major, had just 7 days to pull off the Herculean feat of bringing over 15,000 college students together."

He did it.

Simmons Student

2010-02-01T08:02:00.002-05:00

A report from Sarah, a CCC intern in Boston, that another student in Boston has begun following Jesus:

Hi all!

...a sophomore at Simmons College, prayed to receive Jesus today into her life! ...We learned she is from China and her mom is a Christian. We spent some time going through Soularium and getting to know her more. Within a few minutes I could tell her heart was very open and she was really seeking truth and wanted to know more about God. She said about 3 times that she was interested in what Christianity is all about. She didn't know too much about her mom's faith when I asked her. We then went through the KGP, probably the slowest I've ever taken someone through it, which was great! She had lots of questions and LaShondra and I were both able to share about our own experiences of God and our relationship with him.

We read through the end prayer and discussed what it meant and she said that was the desire of her heart! She prayed and then I prayed for her :o) So... PRAISE GOD!! It was such an amazing experience and so great to share it with LaShondra (and then shortly after tell two other freshmen girls involved in Real Life, Sonya and Tori, about what happened).

God is doing some sweet stuff at Simmons and I'm sure He will continue to!

Love,
Sarah

Why BWC went well.

2010-01-29T10:55:00.000-05:00

Today, my colleague Jonathan and I are sorting through the student evaluations from the Boston Winter Conference. Here's is a brief summary of what students love:

MediaPost Publications Ad Infinitum 11/13/2009: "If you endeavor to be practical, humorous and melodic in an environment where you can attach yourself to a valued experience, chances are that your advertising efforts will be better appreciated by the largest generation in American history."

The evaluations tell us that we hit the mark by combining music, humor with the significance of experiencing God and the practical wisdom of a skillful living. We're working on how to improve on all of these aspects of the conference.

BWC 2010 was Awesome

2010-01-26T11:52:00.003-05:00

Here's another photo of BWC fun:

Helping Friends Blog

2010-01-26T11:52:00.000-05:00

This morning I'm helping some of my co-ministers of the gospel to begin to blog. This means more stories of lives changed by the power of Jesus' person and work, available for anyone to see. Let's check them out:

The Kimball Gazette

The Wagners