He Knows Not How

Hi everyone! Welcome to my campus ministry update for the month of February. This has been an amazing month and I'm so excited to share with you what God is doing!

Over 500 students from all over the metroplex came to our Winter Camp!

In Mark 4:26, Jesus gives a parable:

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

This month, a lot of seeds have sprouted, and I have no idea how. Winter camp was hugely meaningful to the guys in my core (small group) and we as a ministry have really been seeking to grow in living in the light. All of this is amazing to celebrate, because harvest time, when it is easy to see the Spirit moving is awesome. It is also hard, but satisfying work.

The Central Park Campus students at Winter Camp

I just want to brag on what the Lord is doing through my guys right now, so I'm going to share some cool things that have happened.

• One student joined Core at the end of last semester then decided to come to winter camp. We had a lament service where he really broke down, so I comforted him and prayed for him. The next night, he broke down again and two of the other students in Core, one who normally struggles with loving people both comforted and prayed for him. It's been so cool to see the guys in Core who aren't even leaders step up and minister in powerful ways.
• When one student was considering leaving core because of his depression, 3 of the guys came together and pray for him, then talked on the phone with him for an hour and a half to persuade him that we love him with the love of Christ and that he needs community.
• Several of the guys who have been in Core for a while are starting one on one bible studies with students who are new.
• We have been sharing testimonies in Core, and several of our guys have been super vulnerable in sharing some really hard sins and struggles with each other. They have been really open, caring, forgiving, and loving of one another as we have done this.
• Several of my guys have opened up and confessed sin in their life that they've never brought to the light before. Healing has begun to occur as students ask forgiveness for past sins, confess to their parents, and friends, and choose to leave the past behind.
• Several of the guys in core have told me that they are so excited about God and what he is doing on campus right now. It feels like God has shaken us awake and we are ready to live, work, and love for him. We are celebrating the real experience of the Spirit in our midst.

There is so much more I could share, but needless to say God is working in really cool ways!

Some more of our students at Winter Camp

I mentioned earlier that our ministry has been seeking to grow in living in the light. Earlier this month, some pretty major sin starting popping up as we started meeting with people over the break. We were having issues with people lying about and covering up their sin as well, living in darkness. The best way to confront darkness as the people of God is to blast it with light, so we studied 1 John 1:5-10 with every student in our ministry. 

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

As we invited every student in our ministry, I invite you as well that if there is anything you need to bring into the light you would find someone to share it with. Share with a close friend, a pastor, or with me, as I am always willing to talk with you. I've made some strides in confession lately, and I can honestly say that the healing and forgiveness I've received has been well worth it. Many of the students in our ministry are experiencing God's forgiveness through this as well. Don't wait!

Also, a couple of pictures of my fellow apprentices and I. These people are such an encouragement to me as we learn to love and serve God and others together.

We all went and ate breakfast together

I guess we like each other

Finally, I'd like to invite all of you who can make it to our Spring Showcase! It's a benefit concert and art show to raise money to send students to SICM. What's SICM you ask? It stands for the Student Institute of Campus Ministry, and its a week-long conference in Washington that trains students to be campus ministers and leaders. They learn practical skills on how to evangelize, have intentional friendships, and to lead small groups and one on one studies. I attended 4 years ago and it really gave me a vision and heart for students on campus and convinced me that I actually could love and serve others in meaningful ways. Details below!

Thank you to all of you who partner with me in ministry and prayer! All of you are such a blessing and encouragement to me and I love hearing from you.

Prayer Requests

• Pray that our students would continue to walk in the light and live confessional lives.
• Pray for the students at the Central Park Campus in McKinney. Pray that our core would be a place of healing, growth, and love.
• Pray that I would be filled with boldness, empathy, and love. Pray that the Spirit would move powerfully in me so that I can proclaim the gospel as I should.