Hello, friends!
In just 5 days, 18,000 students from all over the world will be converging upon the great city of Saint Louis for the Urbana global missions conference. This conference is put on by InterVarsity in conjunction with the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, to which InterVarsity is a sister member. From December 27-31, these students will be studying the book of Luke, hearing from great speakers, worshipping together, and learning about God's heart for global missions as well as hopefully hearing from God about where He is leading them. It promises to be an amazing time.
This year, I will have 3 jobs for Urbana (I promise, it isn't as bad as it sounds). I will be working registration on the 26th and 27th, "on call" (read, doing whatever needs to be done) on the 29th and 31st, and taking care of the Mizzou students. I am looking forward to helping out wherever I can as well as spending time with Meg as she works with the International Student track.
Last Urbana, in 2009 (Urbana is held every 3 years), I was part of the prayer ministry team. For 5 hours a day I was praying with and for students, dealing with everything from depression to romantic issues to questions about people's futures. It was a time of great healing and hearing from Jesus but it was also absolutely exhausting.
My first Urbana was in 2006 as a Senior in college. I can honestly say that it was one of the worst weeks of my life. I was dealing with some relational drama and was feeling the pressure of hosting my entire family as well as a large group of students from my church. I was not in a place to receive from Jesus so when He came, I was a hot mess.
What does all this mean? It means that I really don't know what to expect this year. I know that God is going to speak to the students but I don't know how. I know that the Spirit is going to move but I don't know where. I know that lives are going to be changed but I don't know in what way.
Prayer Points:
- Pray that God will speak to the 18,000+ students there, especially the 14 Mizzou students and 6 UMSL International Friends students.
- Pray for Meg, me, and the rest of us staff as we put on this massive undertaking. Pray that God will give us rest and direction as we lead students.
If you'd like to give to scholarships for Urbana, there's still time! You can use this link.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Of Relationships...
Hello, friends!
There is one compliment that analysts give to athletes in team sports that, in my opinion, is the highest compliment that one can give. "He makes those around him better." Whether it be a quarterback who puts the ball in just the right place so his receiver can make a play, a basketball player who spreads the floor so his teammates can have more open looks, or a catcher who gives confidence to his pitchers and controls the running game, a player who makes those around him (or her) better may not be the star but is invaluable to the success of the team.
I've been thinking about relationships a lot lately. Not just of the romantic nature but of all types, from brother and sister to friend and friend to all points in between those. As I started to think about the relationships that are around me, that phrase, "He makes those around him better" kept coming to mind. In many ways, I think that this is the paradigm that Jesus asks us to follow when we enter into relationship with people.
When I think about it, there are two questions that come to mind. The first is "Should I be in relationship with this person?" The second is "What should the nature of our relationship be?"'
Should I be in this relationship with this person? Well, that depends on your answer to this question: Does this person draw you closer to Jesus or take you further away from Him? Hear what I am not saying. I am not saying that Christians should only hang around with other Christians. I am saying that those who follow Jesus should be legitimately asking ourselves the question as to whether or not the people who are around us make us love Jesus more or less. If they are, then rock on. If they aren't, then maybe that isn't the best place for you to be.
Let me give an example. I have a friend who I've known for 6+ years now. When we met, he wasn't a Christian but he was one who drew me closer to Jesus. How? My heart broke so much for my friend that I started praying more, for him and then for others I knew who didn't know Jesus. I studied the Word more so I could talk to him about his faith and tie it into the Bible. When he made the decision to follow Jesus, I almost cried and thanked God for his grace. If someone asked me whether or not being friends with my friend drew me closer to Jesus, the answer would be an emphatic "Yes!"
Answering the second question is similar to the first. "What should the nature of our relationship be?" To me, the answer is simple. Our number one goal should be to bring everyone, EVERYONE, closer to Jesus. Boyfriend, brother, roommate, whatever. Each and every one of your interactions should point them to Jesus.
Now, I am not saying that you have to be that guy or gal who tries to turn everything into a deep spiritual conversation and eventually no longer gets invited to social gatherings. I've been that guy; it isn't fun. =0).
Going back to my friend, I did a bible study with him for a while and invited him to church a few times but that wasn't what got him interested in Jesus. It was how calm I was when things went poorly and how I attributed that peace to Jesus. It was asking if we could pray before meals. It was offering to be a designated driver and making sure folk got home safely. It was trying to genuinely love his friends who were hostile to Christians. It was playing football with guys and not cussing up a storm. These were things that were showing him life with Jesus. It was a mix of the explicit and the implicit but it was an intentional effort to show him, as well as those around me, Jesus.
So, what does this have to do with anything InterVarsity related? In many ways, these are nothing more than the reflections of a 27-year-old married guy in Saint Louis. But, I think that on another level, if this is the sort of thing that I can teach college students, we would see a mighty different campus and a mighty different world.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
There is one compliment that analysts give to athletes in team sports that, in my opinion, is the highest compliment that one can give. "He makes those around him better." Whether it be a quarterback who puts the ball in just the right place so his receiver can make a play, a basketball player who spreads the floor so his teammates can have more open looks, or a catcher who gives confidence to his pitchers and controls the running game, a player who makes those around him (or her) better may not be the star but is invaluable to the success of the team.
I've been thinking about relationships a lot lately. Not just of the romantic nature but of all types, from brother and sister to friend and friend to all points in between those. As I started to think about the relationships that are around me, that phrase, "He makes those around him better" kept coming to mind. In many ways, I think that this is the paradigm that Jesus asks us to follow when we enter into relationship with people.
When I think about it, there are two questions that come to mind. The first is "Should I be in relationship with this person?" The second is "What should the nature of our relationship be?"'
Should I be in this relationship with this person? Well, that depends on your answer to this question: Does this person draw you closer to Jesus or take you further away from Him? Hear what I am not saying. I am not saying that Christians should only hang around with other Christians. I am saying that those who follow Jesus should be legitimately asking ourselves the question as to whether or not the people who are around us make us love Jesus more or less. If they are, then rock on. If they aren't, then maybe that isn't the best place for you to be.
Let me give an example. I have a friend who I've known for 6+ years now. When we met, he wasn't a Christian but he was one who drew me closer to Jesus. How? My heart broke so much for my friend that I started praying more, for him and then for others I knew who didn't know Jesus. I studied the Word more so I could talk to him about his faith and tie it into the Bible. When he made the decision to follow Jesus, I almost cried and thanked God for his grace. If someone asked me whether or not being friends with my friend drew me closer to Jesus, the answer would be an emphatic "Yes!"
Answering the second question is similar to the first. "What should the nature of our relationship be?" To me, the answer is simple. Our number one goal should be to bring everyone, EVERYONE, closer to Jesus. Boyfriend, brother, roommate, whatever. Each and every one of your interactions should point them to Jesus.
Now, I am not saying that you have to be that guy or gal who tries to turn everything into a deep spiritual conversation and eventually no longer gets invited to social gatherings. I've been that guy; it isn't fun. =0).
Going back to my friend, I did a bible study with him for a while and invited him to church a few times but that wasn't what got him interested in Jesus. It was how calm I was when things went poorly and how I attributed that peace to Jesus. It was asking if we could pray before meals. It was offering to be a designated driver and making sure folk got home safely. It was trying to genuinely love his friends who were hostile to Christians. It was playing football with guys and not cussing up a storm. These were things that were showing him life with Jesus. It was a mix of the explicit and the implicit but it was an intentional effort to show him, as well as those around me, Jesus.
So, what does this have to do with anything InterVarsity related? In many ways, these are nothing more than the reflections of a 27-year-old married guy in Saint Louis. But, I think that on another level, if this is the sort of thing that I can teach college students, we would see a mighty different campus and a mighty different world.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Friday, December 7, 2012
Waiting...
Hello, friends!
On Wednesday was our last Large Group of the semester. I had the pleasure of teaching although it was a little stressful because I wasn't told that I needed to teach until Tuesday afternoon. To be honest, I offered to do it but it was because students are in that mode right now where asking them to do anything beyond breathe and study makes them give you this look like you shot their cat. But anyway, I digress.
It is the Advent season, which means it is a time of waiting and preparation. As I was thinking about what I wanted to teach, what kept coming back to me was the idea that oftentimes we are waiting and preparing for the wrong thing.
Right now students are waiting and preparing for finals and final grades for the semester. There is nothing wrong with studying, in fact, I wish I had done more of it when I was a college student, but here's the problem. Usually what we are preparing and waiting for is something that is temporary. Grades only last until the next test. Finals come back next semester. We spend all of our time preparing and waiting and stressing and anticipating and losing sleep over stuff that does not satisfy and ulitmately doesn't matter a ton in the grand scheme of things.
What if we focused on preparing for the eternal instead? What if we spent less of our energy focused on grades and the temorary and more time focused on Jesus and what is eternal? I can't guarantee that we'll end up with all of our current dreams realized but I'll bet that we would end up with bigger and better dreams because they would be Jesus' dreams for us.
Anyway, to all the college students out there, blessings on finals. Remember that grades are not the end of the world and that above all, you should be pursuing Jesus.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
On Wednesday was our last Large Group of the semester. I had the pleasure of teaching although it was a little stressful because I wasn't told that I needed to teach until Tuesday afternoon. To be honest, I offered to do it but it was because students are in that mode right now where asking them to do anything beyond breathe and study makes them give you this look like you shot their cat. But anyway, I digress.
It is the Advent season, which means it is a time of waiting and preparation. As I was thinking about what I wanted to teach, what kept coming back to me was the idea that oftentimes we are waiting and preparing for the wrong thing.
Right now students are waiting and preparing for finals and final grades for the semester. There is nothing wrong with studying, in fact, I wish I had done more of it when I was a college student, but here's the problem. Usually what we are preparing and waiting for is something that is temporary. Grades only last until the next test. Finals come back next semester. We spend all of our time preparing and waiting and stressing and anticipating and losing sleep over stuff that does not satisfy and ulitmately doesn't matter a ton in the grand scheme of things.
What if we focused on preparing for the eternal instead? What if we spent less of our energy focused on grades and the temorary and more time focused on Jesus and what is eternal? I can't guarantee that we'll end up with all of our current dreams realized but I'll bet that we would end up with bigger and better dreams because they would be Jesus' dreams for us.
Anyway, to all the college students out there, blessings on finals. Remember that grades are not the end of the world and that above all, you should be pursuing Jesus.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Sports is a funny thing...
Hello, friends!
Funny thing. Apparently, my last post was actually post number 100 for this blog! It has been a great time posting and sharing with y'all about my life and ministry. Here's to 100 more posts! =0).
Many, if not all of you, know that I am a HUGE sports fan. Like, huge. Really big. It may be a bit of a problem. I am unabashedly a fan of the Saint Louis Cardinals, the Miami Dolphins, the Saint Louis Blues, the San Antonio Spurs, Matt Kenseth, and Tottenham Hotspur. I have also been known to root for the LA Galaxy, the United States in any international competition, and Canada when the US is not present.
Earlier today, I went to a Rams game with a few friends from out here. For a fan who didn't have either of his teams involved (the Rams beat the 49ers 16-13 in overtime), the game was actually really fun. Of course, for my friends who were 49er fans, as well as my brother-in-law, the game was probably much less fun. This post isn't about my gametime experience though. It's actually about what happened after the game.
After the game, my friends and I were walking out of the stadium and we saw things get a little out of hand between 4 fans. 2 of them were obviously drunk and I wouldn't be surprised if the other 2 had thrown back a few too many at the Dome as well. From what I could see, the 2 Rams fans got into the faces of the Niners fans. The Niners fan pushed the Rams fan and thankfully a level headed citizen got between them before punches were thrown. However, that didn't stop the Rams fans from chasing down the Niners fans and exchanging a few more choice words before heading in the other direction.
There were a few thoughts that struck me.
1) Sports makes us do funny things. The Rams fan was literally half the size of the Niners fan but he was definitely the aggressor. I don't think that in a million years these guys would have had more than a quick "how do you do" but because one guy was wearing the "wrong jersey" they got into it.
2) Apparently, we don't grow up all the way. What would possess a man to drink too much, swear in front of children, pick a fight with someone he'd never met, and almost get arrested? I would like to think that as we get older we get smarter. That may not be the case. It actually got me thinking about how important the work that InterVarsity is on the college campus. My hope is that we are graduating people who are less stupid and more Christ-like than when they started.
3) It's amazing what a few weeks can do. Today, the Edward Jones Dome was the home to public drunkenness and a verbal altercation. In just 25 days, it will be home to 15,000 delegates from all over the world praising Jesus at Urbana. It will go from a place of anger to a place of love. It will go from a place of selfishness to a place of sacrifice. It will go from a place of brokenness to a place of new life. Hooray! =0).
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
Funny thing. Apparently, my last post was actually post number 100 for this blog! It has been a great time posting and sharing with y'all about my life and ministry. Here's to 100 more posts! =0).
Many, if not all of you, know that I am a HUGE sports fan. Like, huge. Really big. It may be a bit of a problem. I am unabashedly a fan of the Saint Louis Cardinals, the Miami Dolphins, the Saint Louis Blues, the San Antonio Spurs, Matt Kenseth, and Tottenham Hotspur. I have also been known to root for the LA Galaxy, the United States in any international competition, and Canada when the US is not present.
Earlier today, I went to a Rams game with a few friends from out here. For a fan who didn't have either of his teams involved (the Rams beat the 49ers 16-13 in overtime), the game was actually really fun. Of course, for my friends who were 49er fans, as well as my brother-in-law, the game was probably much less fun. This post isn't about my gametime experience though. It's actually about what happened after the game.
After the game, my friends and I were walking out of the stadium and we saw things get a little out of hand between 4 fans. 2 of them were obviously drunk and I wouldn't be surprised if the other 2 had thrown back a few too many at the Dome as well. From what I could see, the 2 Rams fans got into the faces of the Niners fans. The Niners fan pushed the Rams fan and thankfully a level headed citizen got between them before punches were thrown. However, that didn't stop the Rams fans from chasing down the Niners fans and exchanging a few more choice words before heading in the other direction.
There were a few thoughts that struck me.
1) Sports makes us do funny things. The Rams fan was literally half the size of the Niners fan but he was definitely the aggressor. I don't think that in a million years these guys would have had more than a quick "how do you do" but because one guy was wearing the "wrong jersey" they got into it.
2) Apparently, we don't grow up all the way. What would possess a man to drink too much, swear in front of children, pick a fight with someone he'd never met, and almost get arrested? I would like to think that as we get older we get smarter. That may not be the case. It actually got me thinking about how important the work that InterVarsity is on the college campus. My hope is that we are graduating people who are less stupid and more Christ-like than when they started.
3) It's amazing what a few weeks can do. Today, the Edward Jones Dome was the home to public drunkenness and a verbal altercation. In just 25 days, it will be home to 15,000 delegates from all over the world praising Jesus at Urbana. It will go from a place of anger to a place of love. It will go from a place of selfishness to a place of sacrifice. It will go from a place of brokenness to a place of new life. Hooray! =0).
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
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