I believe that in my last post I began with a little "ode" to the "extraordiarily beautiful November day." Today, though I am sitting in the same chair and listening to similar music, the weather has shifted dramatically.
Rain. Ugh.
But that just comes with the territory. The reason we have such beautiful summers here is because of all the rain the rest of the year.
Today is the first day of the last week of fall term at OSU. Basically this week involves a lot of celebrating what God has done in the few months since school started. Bible Studies usually have some kind of party. Awake will be Christmas themed. And our leaders gathered last night for a delicious meal together. No work, just spending time with each other and enjoying each others' company and fellowship.
One way that I have seen God at work, aside from all the ways I have mentioned previously on this blog, is how he has moved our fellowship back to prayer. About a year and a half ago, we started a daily prayer meeting every morning. This lasted for a while but eventually fizzled out.
We decided that we wanted to pray again and started a weekly prayer meeting on sunday nights. It has been encouraging to see students step up and lead it each week. One freshman in my Bible Study is super excited about prayer and regularly invites his friends from his dorm to come. I think it is a highlight for him each week.
I have also seen prayer grow in our Bible Study. One of the best things to come out of "The God Experiment" was that students learned to pray with and for each other. The first week we did prayer, it was really awkward. By the fourth week, it was normal and something we looked forward to at the end of our study. It is really fun praying with students about how they want to learn to be obedient to God in the normal, day in and day out-ness of their lives. I think that is a prayer God really loves to answer.
Looking Ahead
I think that next term is going to be very challenging for us but also very rewarding. I am planning on doing a lot of training on evangelism and discipleship. The leaders will be encouraged to pick one or two students from their Bible Study and disciple them through evangelism. Imagine an older leader taking a freshman along with him or her and hanging out with non-believers so that they can share Jesus with them. I think that is a recipe for good times and good growth. Pray for us as we try this out.
Also, please pray for Urbana 09, which is less than a month away! We have 11 students going to the conference and I long for God to speak loud and clear to each of them. Four students are enrolled in a special student leadership track focused on how to bring Urbana back to the campus. Two of those students are in my Bible Study and I can't wait to see what they come up with.
I will most certainly be writing a post-Urbana blog with some interviews from students who attended and I might just do some updates from the actual conference. You can watch much of the conference from the website above.
Reflection
We often think that we have to have our lives together before we can be used by God in any sort of meaningful way. How many times have we disqualified ourselves from being involved in building and advancing the Kingdom because we didn't know enough or we weren't good enough?
I have long held the belief that we enter in to ministry first and then God uses that to reveal to us the places we need to grow and begins to heal us in the midst of loving others.
I am seeing this play out in my life and the lives of my student leaders. Many are wrestling through the struggles that come with being a leader. They are questioning whether or not they are any good at it.
I happen to think that they are doing a great job and are growing a lot. They are not perfect leaders by any stretch of the imagination, but they are trying and learning and growing. That is all I ask.
I can see that my next step as their leader is to help them process through the things that God is bringing up for them and help them continue to press on in the midst of their own shortcomings. They need to be made aware of God's grace and love for them and his continual invitation to them.
A disciple is simply a learner. The fundamental thing a disciple does is learn. Are they learning? Yep.
How about you? Are you taking yourself out of the game because you don't know enough? Well, ask yourself how much Peter knew about Jesus when he began following him? How much did the woman at the well know when she invited her whole town to come check out Jesus? Not much in either case. But they were willing to try and learn and grow.
Maybe that is what Jesus wants from us.
Try and Learn and Grow.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Fall Conference 09: Vital Faith, and "The God Experiment."
Hello there!
I am sitting in one of my favorite chairs in one of my favorite rooms listening to one of my favorite bands on an extraordinarily beautiful November afternoon. Life is good and God is good. Though I am a bit thirsty, I'll be right back. Ok, now that I have my water, I can share with you about last weekend's Fall Conference.
This year, we took almost 40 students down to Eugene, OR to join up with all the other Oregon InterVarsity fellowships for a weekend of worship, great teaching, and making new friends. As always, God moved powerfully among the students there and we had a great time.
Our speaker was Doug Schaupp. He is InterVarsity's west coast growth coach and has been working with the staff in Oregon for a few months. he is one of my new favorite people. He spoke out of John 1-4, the same scripture that will be used for this year's Urbana conference. He taught about how Jesus begins "chain reactions of Grace" in our lives. He invites us to come and see what he is doing and then we invite others to come and see what he is doing as well.
He shared great stories of his time in college of how he saw Jesus radically change people's lives. Students seemed to really connect with the stories. I was actually moved to tears by one of them.
I was really excited to see our students invite their friends (and family) who did not know Jesus to the conference. One student, Drew, actually responded to a call to put his trust in Jesus. It was so exciting to see someone respond to Jesus for the first time like that. Here is Drew's story in his own words:
"So I guess I should start with a little background about myself. My dad had a bad experience with religion, so he didn't like to discuss it. His dad was an atheist. My mom believed in God, but wasn't religious, most of the women on her side of the family were Christian, and then both my uncles were Wiccan. So I grew up in a very mixed spiritual environment. For almost my entire life I'd been completely unsure as to whether there was a higher power of any kind, and then in high school I started to lean toward it a little more, but never gave it much thought.
And then on I believe the third day of Connect Week, Andrea and Kelly come and knocked on my door and asked if I wanted to hang out. So we started hanging out and about a week or so later they were telling me about this "Awake" thing. I was unsure at first, but then I thought "you know, it'll be fun. Yeah, I'll go." So I went and beforehand I don't know whether it was that I just focused on it more, or if it's what people around me emphasized or what, but I had always associated Christianity with the whole, sin and hellfire side of things. And that night I experienced the complete opposite, and I loved it. I mean I was on the verge of tears I was so happy. And so then I started going to all the bible studies and Awakes, really wanting to look into it.
And through the course of doing so, and going to Fall Conference last weekend, I realized something. Whenever I describe my family to someone, the first word that comes to mind is "blessed." And throughout my life, there have been situations where I can?t imagine that anyone could really be just that lucky. Like one of my best friends I met in third grade and he turned out to be like a brother to me, and even though he moved to Louisiana just a couple of years later, whenever he would come back for the summer, it would be as if we had never parted. And I've met several people like that, that I know will be in my life for the rest of my days, and I can?t imagine it being anything other than the work of God to bring those people into my life. I'm just so glad that Kelly and Andrea knocked on my door that day, and started me on the ?come and see path, or wouldn't have made the realization I did."
Drew is still trying to figure out what he wants to do with Jesus, but God is so clearly speaking to him and moving him closer. Praise God that Andrea and Kelly invited him! Pray for Drew.
Pray also for Duy. Duy is An's brother. An is a girl who gave her life to Jesus over the summer. Her brother started asking questions about God and she invited him to come to the conference. He decided to come and had a lot of fun. He said he didn't really experience the presence of God, but he really enjoyed the worship. An said he was singing and listening to the songs long after the conference was over. Worship was a big was that An began to become interested in God so there is hope for her brother!
The God Experiment
We recently began a new four-week series in our Bible Studies. It is called "The God Experiment" and was created by people (including myself) in the northwest as an experimental evangelistic tool. Each week we study a way that we think God might be able to help us grow. These four things are Curiosity, Authenticity, Compassion, and Trust.
It felt like the right thing to do after Fall conference. Students would be excited to reach out to their friends and invite them into the experiment. When we evaluated the first week last night, we found that we had a total of 71 students participating, with about 12 people who are either not Christians or unsure Christians participating. The Bible Study in Sackett hall had a record breaking (in my time at OSU) 28 people show up! WHAT!?!?!? I remember having large groups that weren't that big! Praise God for people who are excited about growing in their faith!
A Reflection: Where Curiosity Can Lead Us
Week One of the God Experiment is "Curiosity." Jesus intentionally piques people's curiosity and wants them to learn to ask good questions. Take a look at Mark 4:1-20 for a good example of this.
I have realized that this year I have experienced a form of curiosity. I call it "defenseless correction." This year, more than any other year, I have found myself in conversations where people are calling me out on mistakes I am making or ways I am falling short of commitments I have made or when I am rubbing people the wrong way or when I am just straight-up wrong.
I have been learning how to just listen to the people as they tell me what they think and not put up any defenses. My gut reaction is to justify myself or rationalize their complaint away. I tried this in one of the early conversations I had this year and the person absolutely refused to buy it. During the course of that conversation, I realized that they actually had a valid point and that I was, in fact, in the wrong. The ball was now in my court to do something about it.
Since then, I have learned to be open to people when they call me on stuff. And you know what? I have grown a lot because of it. I am learning to accept correction from my friends and my life is richer because of it. I am becoming curious about the ways I need to grow and I am seeing that my friends often have great ideas about how I can do it.
Like this weekend when I was playing a game with 20 other people. I explained the game to everyone and we started playing. A few people began to question my version of how to play the game. I was convinced that my way was right. The conversation got a little heated and I suggested that we look at the instructions to settle the matter once and for all. I read them and felt my face get very red. They were totally right and I was totally wrong . . . in front of 20 people. I, as gracefully as I could, said that they were right and we began playing with the new, real rules.
It is not easy to do, but so worth it. Let people speak into your life. Be curious an open to what they have to say. Your life and faith will be richer because of it.
I am sitting in one of my favorite chairs in one of my favorite rooms listening to one of my favorite bands on an extraordinarily beautiful November afternoon. Life is good and God is good. Though I am a bit thirsty, I'll be right back. Ok, now that I have my water, I can share with you about last weekend's Fall Conference.
This year, we took almost 40 students down to Eugene, OR to join up with all the other Oregon InterVarsity fellowships for a weekend of worship, great teaching, and making new friends. As always, God moved powerfully among the students there and we had a great time.
Our speaker was Doug Schaupp. He is InterVarsity's west coast growth coach and has been working with the staff in Oregon for a few months. he is one of my new favorite people. He spoke out of John 1-4, the same scripture that will be used for this year's Urbana conference. He taught about how Jesus begins "chain reactions of Grace" in our lives. He invites us to come and see what he is doing and then we invite others to come and see what he is doing as well.
He shared great stories of his time in college of how he saw Jesus radically change people's lives. Students seemed to really connect with the stories. I was actually moved to tears by one of them.
I was really excited to see our students invite their friends (and family) who did not know Jesus to the conference. One student, Drew, actually responded to a call to put his trust in Jesus. It was so exciting to see someone respond to Jesus for the first time like that. Here is Drew's story in his own words:
"So I guess I should start with a little background about myself. My dad had a bad experience with religion, so he didn't like to discuss it. His dad was an atheist. My mom believed in God, but wasn't religious, most of the women on her side of the family were Christian, and then both my uncles were Wiccan. So I grew up in a very mixed spiritual environment. For almost my entire life I'd been completely unsure as to whether there was a higher power of any kind, and then in high school I started to lean toward it a little more, but never gave it much thought.
And then on I believe the third day of Connect Week, Andrea and Kelly come and knocked on my door and asked if I wanted to hang out. So we started hanging out and about a week or so later they were telling me about this "Awake" thing. I was unsure at first, but then I thought "you know, it'll be fun. Yeah, I'll go." So I went and beforehand I don't know whether it was that I just focused on it more, or if it's what people around me emphasized or what, but I had always associated Christianity with the whole, sin and hellfire side of things. And that night I experienced the complete opposite, and I loved it. I mean I was on the verge of tears I was so happy. And so then I started going to all the bible studies and Awakes, really wanting to look into it.
And through the course of doing so, and going to Fall Conference last weekend, I realized something. Whenever I describe my family to someone, the first word that comes to mind is "blessed." And throughout my life, there have been situations where I can?t imagine that anyone could really be just that lucky. Like one of my best friends I met in third grade and he turned out to be like a brother to me, and even though he moved to Louisiana just a couple of years later, whenever he would come back for the summer, it would be as if we had never parted. And I've met several people like that, that I know will be in my life for the rest of my days, and I can?t imagine it being anything other than the work of God to bring those people into my life. I'm just so glad that Kelly and Andrea knocked on my door that day, and started me on the ?come and see path, or wouldn't have made the realization I did."
Drew is still trying to figure out what he wants to do with Jesus, but God is so clearly speaking to him and moving him closer. Praise God that Andrea and Kelly invited him! Pray for Drew.
Pray also for Duy. Duy is An's brother. An is a girl who gave her life to Jesus over the summer. Her brother started asking questions about God and she invited him to come to the conference. He decided to come and had a lot of fun. He said he didn't really experience the presence of God, but he really enjoyed the worship. An said he was singing and listening to the songs long after the conference was over. Worship was a big was that An began to become interested in God so there is hope for her brother!
The God Experiment
We recently began a new four-week series in our Bible Studies. It is called "The God Experiment" and was created by people (including myself) in the northwest as an experimental evangelistic tool. Each week we study a way that we think God might be able to help us grow. These four things are Curiosity, Authenticity, Compassion, and Trust.
It felt like the right thing to do after Fall conference. Students would be excited to reach out to their friends and invite them into the experiment. When we evaluated the first week last night, we found that we had a total of 71 students participating, with about 12 people who are either not Christians or unsure Christians participating. The Bible Study in Sackett hall had a record breaking (in my time at OSU) 28 people show up! WHAT!?!?!? I remember having large groups that weren't that big! Praise God for people who are excited about growing in their faith!
A Reflection: Where Curiosity Can Lead Us
Week One of the God Experiment is "Curiosity." Jesus intentionally piques people's curiosity and wants them to learn to ask good questions. Take a look at Mark 4:1-20 for a good example of this.
I have realized that this year I have experienced a form of curiosity. I call it "defenseless correction." This year, more than any other year, I have found myself in conversations where people are calling me out on mistakes I am making or ways I am falling short of commitments I have made or when I am rubbing people the wrong way or when I am just straight-up wrong.
I have been learning how to just listen to the people as they tell me what they think and not put up any defenses. My gut reaction is to justify myself or rationalize their complaint away. I tried this in one of the early conversations I had this year and the person absolutely refused to buy it. During the course of that conversation, I realized that they actually had a valid point and that I was, in fact, in the wrong. The ball was now in my court to do something about it.
Since then, I have learned to be open to people when they call me on stuff. And you know what? I have grown a lot because of it. I am learning to accept correction from my friends and my life is richer because of it. I am becoming curious about the ways I need to grow and I am seeing that my friends often have great ideas about how I can do it.
Like this weekend when I was playing a game with 20 other people. I explained the game to everyone and we started playing. A few people began to question my version of how to play the game. I was convinced that my way was right. The conversation got a little heated and I suggested that we look at the instructions to settle the matter once and for all. I read them and felt my face get very red. They were totally right and I was totally wrong . . . in front of 20 people. I, as gracefully as I could, said that they were right and we began playing with the new, real rules.
It is not easy to do, but so worth it. Let people speak into your life. Be curious an open to what they have to say. Your life and faith will be richer because of it.
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