Faith Begins
On August 28 our team joined hands with the Cru® staff members and interns who work at a local college campus (IUPUI). The university hosted a series of welcome week events which included a student organization fair (see photo). We helped man the Cru information table and give away free popsicles.
One encouraging story from the fair comes from Rachael, my co-worker Kyle’s wife.
“I met Erin [while] walking around to other student organization’s tables and handing out popsicles. My teammate Brooke and I introduced ourselves to Erin and asked her about her spiritual background. She started sharing and seemed engaged! When she was finished at her table, she walked up to us and continued the conversation. We made plans to meet up the next day.”
When Rachael went to meet Erin the next day, she brought along Karmyn, a student she disciples. They explained the gospel to Erin.
“Erin said she did want a relationship with Jesus, but felt that she wasn’t able to start that relationship until she “did the basics”: go to church, read the Bible, get some things in her life in order. We explained that while those were great things and God calls us to them, that she didn’t have to do those first in order to start a relationship with Jesus. She was stunned and excited. Erin happily prayed to receive Jesus and asked forgiveness of her sins that afternoon and went to Karmyn’s Bible study just two days later!”
Faith Grows
I’m currently taking my final online seminary course before I start my Capstone Project in the new year. (A Capstone Project takes the place of a master’s thesis.) The course, Spiritual Formation for Ministry, is designed to help us continue growing in God’s grace despite the demands of ministry. Even though I’ve been in vocational ministry a long time, I welcome the class, because experience has taught me that it’s easy to let serving God get in the way of communing with God. Since it’s a graduate-level course, there’s quite a bit of homework involved. But I’m allowed to use one workday per week for my studies, which really helps!
Please pray…
- that God will continue to work in the lives of Erin and other students who connected with Cru at IUPUI’s student organization fair;
- that I will use my time wisely as I work on my seminary studies while I continue my normal ministry with Cru.
Thank you for praying!
