Stand 4 Freedom

Last Friday, I joined UCF students as they took shifts literally standing on their feet for 27 hours.  We did this to represent the estimated 27 Million people who are enslaved around the world. 

UCF was one of over 400 campuses across the country who participated in the Stand 4 Freedom campaign from March 5-15.  The IJM movement I've been coaching at UCF just started meeting this semester, yet they were able to gather enough people to fill the slots for all 27 hours! 

The event is geared to raise awareness about slavery and it did just that.  During the few hours I stood, I was able to have several good conversations with some people who were aware of the issue and others who were not.  Even more, one student I talked to, John, reminded me why a partnership between Cru and IJM can be so powerful. 

John came up to us asking what we were doing, so we told him.  He had recently heard about an anti-slavery movement started by a church that he felt was a bait and switch effort to try to get people to convert to Christianity without doing any real work to fight slavery.  He was happy to hear that IJM is an organization that is actively freeing slaves around the world. 

Since he knew that IJM is a legitimate organization, not just a group using a ruse of caring for the oppressed while hiding an ulterior motive, he stayed around for another minute or two.  As he did, we were able to explain that Christians are engaging in the fight because the Bible is clear that we are all made in God's image and He calls us to "do justice" and "love mercy." Then he sailed away on his skateboard.

With such disdain for religion, unless God does a miracle in John's life, he will never attend a Cru meeting or a church.  In order for Christians to reach him with the truth of the gospel, we must go to him and people like him.  Engaging in things that students like John care about is one way to bridge the gap.  As we do, we can have wonderful dialogues about the love of God.  That is why it is so crucial for all believers to "do justice" and "love mercy" and "give the reason for the hope that you have."  By doing so we show people a fuller picture of the God we follow.  It is why I love the partnership that Cru has with IJM!

March Prayer Update: Break it up!

Fights among students were common at Ashley’s school.  The teachers at her inner-city elementary school debated on the best way to handle the situation.  In the midst of competing suggestions, she thought, “The students need Jesus.” 

After graduating from college, Ashley spent a year interning with Cru’s High School ministry where she learned how to have a ministry in public schools.  This gave her the tools she needed to start a Good News Club where kids learn about God in a fun, engaging way after school.  The response has been tremendous.  The club quickly grew from 50 to over 100 students regularly attending!  With such a great turnout she quickly learned she could not do it alone.  She needed God and others to help her!  She meets 2 other teachers to pray regularly for the students and several volunteers from the Cru ministry at UCF help facilitate their meetings.

Last year Ashley overheard one of her Kindergarten students telling her friends what she was learning in the club - that Jesus died for our sins.  Through her ministry, God is touching the lives of children and using them to plant the seed of the gospel in the hearts of their friends!

God’s call to be an educator is extremely significant for college students.  As a result, we have been working diligently with Cru’s Middle and High School ministry to help prepare these students for what lies ahead.  As teachers, they have the potential to impact their students’ lives for eternity.  They will invest in hundreds, if not thousands, of students throughout their careers and we want each student to see Christ living in and through them.

Cru has a wonderful coaching center made up largely of former teachers who train educators and future educators how to live out their faith in the classroom.  We recently directed the production of a video with three of these educators here in Orlando.  You can watch it at cruoncampus.org/called-to-teach.

If you or someone you know is interested in learning how to invest spiritually in the lives of elementary, middle, or high school students, please let us know.  We would be thrilled to connect you to one of our coaches!
 

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Praises:
• For Godly teachers who impact students’ lives with the gospel daily
• Ashley’s ministry at her school
• Our partnership with Cru’s Middle and High School ministry who train teachers well
• Our Adoption Home Study was approved by U.S. Immigration!
• God’s grace in our lives

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Prayer Requests:
• For Ashley and all Christian teachers to see God use them mightily
• For many future educators to receive training and to be ministers of the gospel in their schools
• Please continue to pray for our adoption process. Our documents are being reviewed by the Chinese Consulate. Once everything is approved, our dossier will be complete to send to China!

OOPS - January Newsletter - finally!

In the busyness of life, I forgot to upload our January Newsletter to our blog.  Sorry about that!  That month we shared a cool story about how 5 of our grads spoke to graduating seniors at the Mid-Atlantic Winter Conference in Baltimore.  Alumni can speak powerfully into the lives of students, so it was great to make it happen!  Read it all here!