hello again Reader,
as always, I pray these updates encourage, inspire, and challenge you as we help college students find and follow Jesus.
from the field:
University of Nebraska Omaha (CSF_Omaha)
I would describe this semester of ministry at UNO as the best so far. Now, I'm not saying there is full blown revival through CSF on campus. We're a long ways from where we want to be, but this semester we've done the things that are most important.
We've consistently practiced hospitality and sharing the gospel by running Alpha in partnership with Kingsway Christian Church. We shared meals, interacted with really great content, and more importantly had conversations that really matter with our faithful few students who showed up week over week. We're excited to launch this in the fall as "the thing we're hanging our hat on" as a ministry (besides prayer, we do a lot of that).
In the vein of hospitality "Ask" continues to be a place of great connection with those who are exploring faith. Free food is helpful to them coming, but the conversations and friendships we build along the way have been really quality.
We constantly are running Bible Studies with students. The weeks we don't host Ask we open Scripture and explore how the wisdom of the Way of Jesus changes our lives today. Over the last semester we studied 1 Thessalonians and Jonah.
Outside of "programming" and staff meetings, discipleship is the primary work we do on campus. Samantha and I meet weekly (or bi-weekly) with students to mentor, study scripture, and pray for them. We've had the oppurtunity to be deeply invested in student's journeys through relationship struggles, managing the overwhelm, and helping them think Biblically about life.
Iowa Western Community College (CSF_CB)
Iowa Western has been a really good experience this spring. At the community college level, campus ministry changes every semester, so It'll be a little bittersweet when this semester ends. The atmosphere of CSF Weekly has shifted, it's more personal, more honest, and we've had much better engagement. It's cool to see students who have stuck out the ups and downs of the school year see the fruit of faithful engagement with a Christian community.
I've also had more oppurtunity to intentionally meet with a few students all semester long. It's been really fruitful to walk through life with these guys and I look forward to many more meetings!
The other big update for Iowa Western is our Spring Break trip! Thanks to a generous friend of CSF, we were able to take 3 students to Denver, CO to see and serve the church. We all started as strangers, but through some adventure, incredible experiences, and service to others, we left with new connections forged and some fun memories. Especially concerning the mini-van we took.
A special thanks to the generous friends who hosted us in Denver, financially supported us, and encouraged us along the way!
for you and your prayers.
thank you:
- for your prayers. - recently I've been practicing a new prayer rhythm for CSF. It's not anything grandiose, but rather a simple and faithful commitment to do a small act. It's become the single most important thing I do in a week. That's the power of prayer. So, thank you for partnering with me in contending for the Kingdom of God to breakthrough at IWCC and UNO.
- for your gifts. - as of this writing, tax day was this past Wednesday. And as I sat with my accountant, I again was reminded that the dollars on that page come from people who believe in the mission of helping college students reach, discipled, and unleashed. So, thank you. I never forget that what I get to do is by the grace of God and your generosity.
pray for
- Survival. - The end of semester lull is real, for both the students and I. So encouragement to end well, lean in, and give it my best!
- Staff retreat. - Every late April/early May CSF staff and board gather for a few days in the middle of nowhere Nebraska to rest, align, and look forward to what the rest of the calendar year holds. It's a highlight for all of us staff, so please pray for us!
- Our family. - Courtney and I are always trying to figure out how to best navigate life as parents of a (cute) toddler and also be responsible adults. This season has held a lot of choices and stress, so pray for joy and peace as we enter the summer!
