Question: What has been going on at OSU for the last two months?
Answer: A lot of really encouraging things! Hopefully I will remember them all for you.
The first thing that I would like to talk about is Fall Conference. This conference happens every year and has never disappointed. I have been to eight of these and have enjoyed every single one. This year the theme was “Change the World.” A lofty claim to be sure, but one of them main things we hope our students will do. An IV staff worker and author named Don Everts came and spoke out of John 15. If you are unfamiliar with this passage, it is the one where Jesus tells his followers that he is the vine and they are the branches. Using illustrations from scripture and people who have changed the world, Don showed us that it is actually a simple task. People who changed the world began by simply obeying Jesus. Don is a wonderful speaker and our students were very blessed to have him there. Two of the students who came with us were not Christians. Please pray that the things they heard will take root and bring them into a relationship with Jesus.
I had the opportunity to lead worship for the conference and had a blast. I have never been totally in charge of worship for a conference and was a little nervous going into it. I quickly found it to be a joy helping lead the students into God’s presence. It is making me really look forward to our winter conference in February.
The next very encouraging thing that has been happening is the growth and development of the community in the fellowship. New students are building great friendships with other students and encouraging them to come to events like Bible Studies and large groups. It is extremely fun for me to watch as students in my Bible Study become friends and begin to trust each other. It makes the Bible Study a much safer and more fun place to be. We can have great discussions because people feel freer to speak what is on their minds.
I would also like to share a piece that is very much related to the community being built here. The weekend before Thanksgiving break, our two student leaders organized a trip to Portland to spend the day with the homeless. They rallied a few other students, all of whom were new or non-Christian, to make packets of things like socks and toothpaste to give away. I let them borrow my car for the day and the reports I heard sounded great. They had a lot of fun. I can’t tell you how great it is to have student leaders who initiate things like that. They have a heart for loving the poor, and the maturity to understand how important it is to bring other people along with them. God is totally at work in our fellowship. Please pray that the community continues to develop in ways that serve the campus and city, and are welcoming to those on the outside.
It has truly been a great fall term. I have been so encouraged by what I have seen god do here. I believe we are seeing the birth of a new generation of amazing Missional Student Leaders at OSU. Would you join me in praying for them? Pray that they continue to grow in the depth of their relationship with God and with each other, that they would become bold in the ways that they tell their friends about Jesus, and that their heart for the poor would continue to move them into action.
Stay tuned for all the crazy things bound to happen in winter term!
Merry Christmas!
