Megan's New Year's Resolution

Hello, friends! 

My lovely wife, Megan, wanted to post about a resolution that she will be making for next year.  Enjoy!

2014 is just around the corner. As such I have been thinking of New Year's resolutions - what to leave behind from 2013 or what to pick up in 2014. My initial idea was to give up gum - I did it in 2012 and did just fine, why not do it again?

After further pondering and reflection I have noticed that 2013 was a particularly selfish year for me. Maybe it was marriage that helped point it out - you know learning how to sacrifice for someone else and putting someone else before myself. Or maybe it was the transition from moving from St. Louis to Columbia that especially brought out my need to cling to what I have. Either way... I recognize that 2013 exposed much of my selfishness from within.

As many of you know, this summer Adam and I are taking a team of 8 students to Cambodia for an InterVarsity Global Project (Learn More Here). In preparation I am reading the book "First they Killed My Father - a daughter of Cambodia remembers" by Loung Ung, a survivor the Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge was an awful regime that killed an estimated 2 million of the 7 million Cambodian people from 1975-1979. In the process, they wiped out most of the educated, teachers, doctors, nurses, and many more. As a result, there university structure is just beginning to be rebuilt leaving a great opportunity for God's kingdom to transform the structures and systems in Cambodia. 


In 2012, our InterVarsity Central region sent our first staff over to Cambodia to start an InterVarsity movement in Cambodia in partnership with OMF. This summer will be our first student team sent over. So why am I saying all of this and how does it go along with my new year's resolution? 

In recent news, there have been protests in Cambodia over workers in the clothing industry not being paid fairly. In the past year, we all heard of the factory collapse in Bangladesh that killed 1,000 people.  I am left wondering, what can I do in all this mess? I feel helpless really do change anything. One idea that I had is, what if I think more critically about the whims that I have to buy a new shirt or about the leggings that I just have to have, and instead begin to think through the systems and structures in our world that take advantage of the poor. So this year I am planning to give up buying new clothing that is from stores or companies that do not pay workers in their factories fairly. 

 

How will I know? Well, I will never know for certain, but this guide is helpful as well as other helpful resources. My hope in doing this is that I would think more critically about how my choices affect others, I would depend more on Jesus in my whims than on quick fixes, and that it would encourage others to also consider making changes to their habits that may enslave or hurt others. 
 

 

Friends, as you consider your New Year's resolutions, would you prayerfully consider joining us in the campaign to do our part to end injustice in the world.  It may not seem like much but it has the potential to have a huge impact. 

 

Have an excellent day! 

 

~Megan (and Adam)

Early Departure...

Hello, friends!

This is my seventh year here at Mizzou and I would say that even though I came from a very different context (moving from a small private, liberal arts school to a large state school) I've done my best to embrace the culture here and am pretty used to how things run.

However, there is still one thing that I haven't gotten used to about life in Columbia: Students graduating early.  At WashU, it was very rare that you had students graduating early.  Not only with the heavy class load but the fact that many folk were hyper-competitive pre-med students, there were course re-takes and such that ensured students were hanging around for a full 4 years. 

Not so much at Mizzou though.  It's much more common for students to graduate a semester, or even a year early.  This semester, we're losing 3 of our student leaders to early graduation.  Each of them was a huge contributor to ACF during their time here and we are sad to see them go but excited for the next stage of their lives.  Here's a bit on each of them.

Sarah Liz is one of those students you just can't help but love.  She is always so happy, willing to serve, and willing to take risks.  She has led an international student small group for us as well as reviving the women's small group this year.  One of the things that I have always appreciated about Sarah Liz is that she is not afraid to go where God is leading her.  She has built up great friendships with Indian students in her apartment complex and that has led to inroads into that community that we would not have had otherwise.  We are definitely going to miss her. 

I'll never forget one of my first conversations with Rachael.  We were hanging out and I wanted to get a sense of how missional our new freshman was, so I asked her a simple question: Who do you want to see come to Jesus?  I don't know if there was even a breath between when I finished the question and Rachael's answer of "my sister."  At that point I knew we had a missional student.  Since then, Rachael has shown how much of a servant's heart God has given her.  She does a great job of being thoughtful in her care for students and has definitely grown in her leadership as she's taken lead of the worship team.  No doubt, we are going to miss Rachael. 

April is Rachael's sister but she's also much more than that.  When April gave her life to Jesus (much to Rachael's delight!) it began a journey for her that has been really amazing.  April has never wavered in her love for her sorority sisters.  It was when she started following Jesus that she saw her sisters as a mission field.  Since that time, she's been working tirelessly to share the Gospel with the ladies of APhiG and we've begun to see some real openness.  It's been really fun to see April grow over this time and absolutely we are going to miss April.  Thankfully, she said she's still going to be hanging around Columbia for one more semester so we're pretty excited about that.  =0). 

Friends, there you have it.  3 more ACF leaders are riding off into the sunset.  Our hope is that ACF has blessed them half as much as they have blessed the fellowship.  Please pray for them, that wherever God leads them next, they will hear his voice and look to advance His kingdom. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Address Book Update Time!

Thankfulness, Giving, and updated address books... =0). 

Hello, friends!  Right now we are getting ready to send our Christmas cards and definitely want to send it to the correct address.

If you could take a second to click the link below and fill out your information, it would be much appreciated!  There are also some other questions about how we can best communicate with you and ways to get to know you better.

Thank you all so much for your love and support.  God has been doing wonderful things here in Columbia and your partnership has made it possible.

Have an excellent day!

~Megan and Adam

 

Click here to update your information

Happy (International) Thanksgiving!

Hello, friends!

I just wanted to post a few photos from our International Thanksgiving luncheon we had on Saturday.  It was a really great time and for many of the students, it was their first time having a "traditional" Thanksgiving.  Here are a few highlights:

- We somehow managed to fit 35 people into our house!
- Besides the 2 turkeys and a thing of stuffing, all the food was donated by people from the community, especially our church small group.  Megan did a great job of coordinating everything.
- Three of our student leaders joined us and they did a wonderful job of engaging in conversation.
- One woman from our church not only joined us but also shared with the group about the first Thanksgiving and after the event, expressed interest in volunteering more!

Overall, I'd say it was a smashing success.  Enjoy some pictures!

Have an excellent day!

~Adam 

Hooray for Students Partnering with Ministry Partners!

 

Drumroll Please... Students Gave $631 Wednesday! As soon we posted the idea on Facebook, the news went viral - 16 people shared the  status to get the word out that ACF would hold a fundraiser and donations would be matched! In God's sovereignty, we had already planned to make Filipino food this week with Gina, a Filipino freshman so when we decided to do the fundraiser, all the plans began to fall into place. As students poured in we invited them to participate & take action through giving... they responded not only through giving, but through prayer as well.  Back to Gina - Gina helped cook the food for over 50 people. By the end of the night she was in tears... she even left that way. When I asked her if something was wrong she said "I am just so touched."  The Filipino American Student Association members showed up and had the goal of raising $200 tonight. In just 2 short hours the students tripled it. With the matches so far we already have raised  $1,648! Later a Filipino American student posted "Deep stuff from Mr. Adam J Leong tonight! #reflecting"  Deeper trust was built with FASA community and Mizzou as a whole. If you are still interested in matching up to a certain amount or matching the entire $631, there is still time to do so! Just click on the link below. If you chose to match, could you also let us know so we can share with students? Again, thanks so much for your prayers and partnership. Praying that God is meeting you in this season of Thanksgiving! ~Adam and Megan Leong Donation Link Copyright © 2013 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, All rights reserved. unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

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Leaders Leading Leaders!!!

Hello, friends! 

I was talking to another campus minister from another group a yesterday at lunch and we were talking about how things have been going for both of us in terms of ministry this semester.  It was interesting to me as I was talking to him how we were both measuring "success" not in terms of who was showing up, but how our leaders were doing at taking initiative and leading.  In many ways, that is the ultimate goal of any campus ministry: to build up the next generation of leaders in the kingdom. 

One thing that Megan and I love to do is not just build up leaders of students, but students who can be leaders of leaders.  It's one thing for a student to lead members of our fellowship in small groups and Large Group and stuff like that.  It's a whole different level when leaders are leading teams of other leaders so that they can then lead members.  (Should I draw a graph?  =0).) 

Let's take the past week of ministry as an example.  On Tuesday, we had one of our leaders do the training at our Leaders Meeting.  Last night, one of our leaders designed and led a lock-in for our leaders.  Tonight, three of our leaders are going to be leading an "Open House" for students who want to be serving in ACF next semester. 

When leaders lead leaders (in leading!) it's a beautiful thing for a number of reasons.  For one, it is a great way to develop leaders.  It's one thing to lead folk and something else to lead your peers.  On another level, it gives Megan and I a great sense of who has staff potential.  Being on staff with InterVarsity is all about leading leaders.  Those who have a head start now are probably going to be better at it by graduation.  One last thing is that when leaders lead leaders it gives Megan and me more time to do other things, like scout new campuses and coach our interns and volunteers well.  Pretty much, it's a win for everyone. 

So, friends.  Please be praying for our leaders, Danny, Colter, Sarah Liz, Rachael, April, Tim, Willin, Melody, Vincent, Jen, Elaine, Grace, and Josephine, as they lead, not just the fellowship, but also one another. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Everybody's Working for the Weekend!

Hello, friends! 

As I am writing this to you, my lovely wife Megan is sitting at the desk across the room, putting the finishing touches on a training we will be leading this afternoon for our staff team, right before she meets with a student to prepare another training that the student is leading on Tuesday.  As soon as I am done with this blog post, I will be working on the bible study that I will be leading for the staff team training this afternoon.  Yesterday was day full of prepping for meetings, trying to get a hold of students, and Megan supported some students who were performing at Mizzou's India Night while I stayed home to get some more admin done.  This may seem like a terrible and busy way to spend the weekend but I'd say it is fairly typical for us. 

One thing I've learned in my 6+ years on this job is that everyone does it a little bit differently.  Some are more pastoral.  Others are more business like.  Some are great at gathering while others are vision casters.  Some love doing admin while others excel at raising funds or planting.  No one staff is the same and we all have different strengths and weaknesses.

However, it seems like no matter what staff I meet who are working in the field, we all have one thing in common: working weekends is never out of the question and almost assumed. 

When you think about it, it makes sense.  Students are free because you don't have to worry about them being in class (except for the occasional lab at WashU).  They just finished a hard week of work and are up for a little social time, even if that means time with their staff.  There are football games, dinners, performances, and other things that you can attend to build relationships and meet new students (or train your current students).  If nothing else, it's a great chance to catch up on all the admin that you didn't get done because you were with students.  Some over-achievers even use the time to prepare for the week ahead!  =0). 

Personally, Megan and I Sabbath on Mondays and Tuesday and Wednesday are our heaviest days of the week, so Saturday and Sunday are prime days to get things done and set up the week well.  Without working on the weekends, we'd be stuck scrambling even more than it feels like we already do now.  While the rest of the world enjoys their time off, we are getting ready for ours. 

So, my friends, as you are enjoying your weekend today (or next weekend), remember us and be praying for us.  It's not an ideal situation but one that requires us to rely more on the power of Jesus.  Pray that Saturday and Sunday will be times where we are not just getting stuff done but meeting Jesus where he is and depending on him as we do work for his kingdom. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Hooray for Scouting!!!

Hello, friends! 

Looking back at my last few posts, they haven't really been much about the stuff that has been happening on campus, have they?  There have been a few personal posts and rants and things of that nature.  Well, this blog was originally meant to be a way for me to let folk know what is happening on campus so you can better pray and partner with us even if you don't live in beautiful Columbia, Missouri.  With that being said, what do we say we have a post about something that's actually happening on campus but not really?  =0). 

When Megan and I moved here to Columbia, it was not just to be the staff for Mizzou ACF.  I love Mizzou ACF with all my heart but there was definitely more to coming back here than just taking back the old job.  We moved here as Team Leaders with the hope of planting the Mid-Missouri area, made up of all sorts of chapters on campuses all over Mid-Missouri.  (We are defining Mid-Missouri loosely, as it pretty much means anything that isn't St. Louis or Kansas City at this point). 

In order for us to do that, it requires that we do some scouting to see where the Spirit is moving.  Just within 60 minutes of where we live we have Mizzou, Columbia College, Stephens College, two locations for Moberly Area Community College, Lincoln University, William Woods University, Westminster College, and Central Methodist University.  Add a half hour to your commute and you can throw Missouri University of Science and Technology, State Fair Community College, University of Central Missouri, and Truman State University to that list.  Without us scouting these campuses, we would be literally running around Missouri without any plan or any sense of what these campuses need. 

So, the past few weeks have been spent scouting these different campuses.  We had students from Missouri State (Springfield is about 3 hours from Columbia) and MS&T join us at Fall Conference and Megan was able to have a conversation with them about their thoughts on the campus and what the needs are there.  Some of our ACF students did a prayer walk in Greek Town at Mizzou to see if there was anything to be done there.  Megan took one of our volunteers and a student leader to Lincoln to pray and meet some students.  Last week, Megan and I went to Moberly to do the same there.  It's been a crazy few weeks filled with meeting new people, interesting conversations, and getting to know the area known as "Mid-MO." 

Honestly, I don't know if we've gotten a huge sense of what is next for us but we're excited about the prospect of getting closer to knowing what our next step will be.

This is where you come in.  Please be praying for us as we continue to scout and discern what God has next for Mid-MO.  If everyone who reads this post spends just 10 minutes listening to God on our behalf I'll bet that God will speak in a really powerful way.  If you hear anything, you could just send it along to us too.  =0). 

Megan and I have committed to 4 hours/week focused on scouting.  Our prayer is that this will give a good sense of the next plant in Mid-MO.  Won't you join us? 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

The Brokenness of Homecoming...

Hello, friends! 

This weekend was Mizzou's homecoming.  According to legend, homecoming was founded at Mizzou in 1911 when our Athletic Director Chester Brewer encouraged all Mizzou alumni to "come home" and cheer on the Tigers vs. the dastardly Jayhawks of KU (the final score was a 3-3 tie).  It was meant to be a time of coming together, a time to renew school spirit, and a time to root for the home team. 

It's amazing what can happen in 100 years.  What was once a chance to come together and cheer on your alma mater has turned into a chance to get together with old friends and get absolutely smashed drunk.  Both Megan and I almost hit drunk folk when they stumbled into the street outside of a bar.  Thankfully, no one was hurt but it could have been a really bad situation. 

What has happened?  Maybe it's the culture of the time.  Maybe it's a symptom of society.  Maybe it has always been like this.  There is probably some truth to each of those thoughts.  Honestly, though, I think it's come down to this: more and more, people are looking for something and are realizing that what they have now isn't doing it. 

Megan and I were talking yesterday and we were trying to figure out what the appeal of getting drunk is.  It costs money.  It leads to hangovers that don't look like a lot of fun.  There are stories every day of folk making poor decisions while drunk and the horrific consequences that come from those decisions.  What is the appeal?  We think it comes down to escapism.  Folk want to escape from the fact that life hasn't turned out how they thought it would.  It's easier to get drunk and forget for a few hours than to remember that life isn't what you wanted. 

Which brings us back to homecoming.  Why not come back and "relive the good old days"?  Who cares that most of your time was spent stressing about your classes, trying to get an internship, and worried that the guy our gal you met last week won't call?  It's time to get slammed! 

If I sound pissed, it's because I am, but it isn't as much at the students and alumni as it is with the brokenness of the world today.  The Evil one has implanted the lie in our minds that the only way to deal with our problems is to try and escape them.  There is the lie that getting drunk and sinning is fun with no consequences.  It breaks my heart to see so many people drifting further and further from the fullness of life with Jesus and having no idea of what is happening. 

So, my friends, please continue to pray for our universities and our students.  I took this job because I believe that we can have an impact and turn things around on college campuses all over the country.  It begins with prayer.  Please pray that these students and alumni will be looking for something more.  Please pray that as they look, they find Jesus.  Please pray that the students who follow Jesus will be a light on this campus. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Hooray for Alumni!

Hello, friends! 

It's starting to get pretty chilly here in Columbia, MO, which is great for some but a little tough for those of us who bike to campus.  I'm not saying that it's too cold to bike.  I'm just saying that I rocked the gloves and the earmuffs on the commute today.  =0). 

One of the things that I have been thinking about a lot this season of ministry has been how great it is to have so many alumni for Mizzou ACF and the different ways that they have partnered with us after they graduate as we bring the Gospel to the campus.  A number of alumni are financial partners, which is great, but it has also been so cool to see the way that alumni have been serving as well.  Jordan and Charis are who ACF alumni and they are both interning this year in Columbia.  Esther is one of the original ACFers who is now serving with us as a volunteer.  Paula is another alumna who graduated last year who not only did an EXCELLENT job leading worship at Fall Conference but will also be speaking for us tonight at Large Group.  It has been such a pleasure seeing each of these alumni work and being able to continue in relationship with them. 

Campus ministry is tough in the sense that you only have a limited amount of time with people.  In other settings, time is less of an issue.  In college ministry, you know that you have 3-5 years max to invest in students in a real intentional way.  After that, they are off into the "real world" and the best you can do is pray that you've prepared them to be followers of Jesus.  When I get to talk and work with alumni, it is a continuing of the relationship, which I really enjoy.  It is such a joy to see that former students are still following Jesus and are making waves for the kingdom. 

Graduating is hard though.  As I've talked to alumni, one of the things that has jumped out to me is how tough the transition is, regardless of what you are doing next.  The students who go to Grad School and the students who go into the work force are all feeling the issue of finding community and transitioning to life after college.  Unfortunately, it isn't quite the same as in college, when New Student Outreach and being sought out are rites of passage. 

So, to the Mizzou ACF alumni, please remember that you always have a place here at ACF and that I am super thankful for the time that you spent in ACF.  We are what we are today because of your influence, as large or small as you think it may have been. 

To everyone else, please be praying for all of the ACFers who have walked through our doors.  Pray that they will be encouraged in their transitions and that they will continue to follow Jesus wherever they are. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Balanced Advocacy...

Hello, friends! 

I've been thinking a lot about advocacy lately, particularly when it comes to matters of race and ethnicity in the US.  There have been a few different events that have brought this up, including the Trayvon Martin shooting, trial, and verdict, a few unfortunate missteps by some prominent church leaders, and a trip to Memphis to the Civil Rights Museum.  There was also an Asian American Association General Body Meeting a few weeks ago that talked about hate and how to combat it. 

As I've thought more and more about it, I've come to this conclusion: as much as we want to believe that standing up for our rights is the best way to change things, and I believe that it does work to a certain extent, I believe that the best way for us to see injustice eradicated, hate put to death, and a real understanding of racial reconciliation is if we stop just advocating for OURSELVES and start advocating for OTHERS. 

To my African-American brothers and sisters: We, as Asian-Americans, need your help.  Your struggle for equality and justice goes back further that ours and you have won many more battles.  You have endured more injustices here in the US than my Asian-American brothers and sisters can even count and through your fight you have gained so much.  We need you to stand up on our behalf because you are probably better at advocacy than we are. 

To my Latino-American brothers and sisters: We, as Asian-Americans, need your help.  You are the fastest growing minority group in the US and your numbers are only going to continue to grow.  If you advocate on our behalf we will have numbers that will make those in power (of all ethnicities) stop and listen to what we (being you and us) have to say. 

To my Caucasian brothers and sisters: We, as Asian-Americans, need your help.  Let's not beat around the bush.  You are the majority culture.  You hold most of the offices of power in the US and that includes places of business, media, and politics.  You set the agenda.  If you advocate on our behalf it will do one of two things.  It will give our voice a place to be heard, yes, but I think more importantly, it will show others that whatever injustices we suffer are not just a "minority" thing but an actual injustice.

To my Asian-American brothers and sisters: We, as Asian-Americans need to get off our butts and start caring about the rest of the country.  For better or worse, we are the bridge that spans the gap between our Caucasian brothers and sisters and our African-American and Latino-American brothers and sisters.  To put it crudely, White folk aren't as afraid of us as they are of other minorities.  We need to use this power to foster understanding and we need to stand up for the injustices that we see happen to our brothers and sisters of color. 

Originally, I was going to post about how important it is to balance time and energy between caring about issues that plague "our kind" vs. issues that plague "someone else's people" but as I thought about it more, I believe that the call is not for balance in terms of equal time as much as it is balance in terms of making sure that we are all moving closer to the goal.  Honestly, when it is "your people" getting up to advocate isn't all that hard.  It comes naturally.  The hard part is when it is "someone else's people."  That's when we really have to think and act intentionally. 

I follow Jesus.  That is what I do.  What that means is that I am called to bring the Kingdom of God, one of righteousness, justice, love, and mercy, to Earth.  That doesn't mean just for my people but for those who are oppressed, regardless of how they are oppressed or who is oppressing them. 

Have an excellent day!   

~Adam

Happy Migraine Season!

Hello, friends! 

Happy October to you all, which of course, means happy migraine season for me! 

It's been an interesting 15-18 years living with migraines.  I'm not entirely sure why I've been getting them or why they continue to happen but they happen and they've become part of my life. 

From what I understand, people react differently to migraines.  Some are light sensitive.  Others are sound sensitive.  Some have nausea.  Mine are a little bit of light sensitivity but it is mostly dizziness with some vertigo thrown in there for good measure.  Pretty much, if I have a migraine, I can't spend too much time "vertical" meaning that standing and walking are a chore.  Forget driving or biking too because those are definitely out of the question.  It makes for a very debilitating migraine. 

Allow me to give you a little tip about how to talk to folk with migraines.  If you do not suffer from migraines, do not suggest causes.  I know you're trying to help but it probably doesn't and I've probably already thought of it.  I would abstain from suggesting remedies too.  It's not that I don't think you care; it's that you haven't been living with this for 15 years.  =0). 

So, my friends, please be praying for me this season.  For some reason, the migraines are the worst during the months of October and March.  I've already had 4-5 this October, which is about par for the course. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Fall Conference By the Numbers...

Hello, friends! 

Megan and I just got back from our Fall Conference, joining InterVarsity Chapters from all over the great state of Missouri.  Words cannot express how tired I am or how awe I am of God's goodness.  Our theme this weekend was Dwell and we can't definitely say that God was dwelling with us.  I think I might be too tired to write much so let's do this by the numbers. 

292 - miles round trip driven to our camp location
174 - students who attended Fall Conference, which may be our biggest ever (I'll have to check that)
150 - boxes of ramen purchased to feed said students during one glorious snack night
19 - staff, including paid staff, volunteers, and interns, who helped make this conference happen
12 - school represented, including students from Missouri State and Missouri S&T, where there is currently no InterVarsity work
9 - Mizzou ACF student leaders who led our 28 students in attendance during small group time
4 - students from Mizzou who made re-commitments to Jesus
2 - ACFes who made first time decisions to follow Jesus
1 - crazy awesome God who showed up BIG.

Friends, God is good, isn't He?!  Praise him for a wonderful weekend and for new life in the kingdom.  Angels are partying hard right now in heaven.  =0). 

In a few days, after I clear it with some students, I hope to post a story or two about how students learned to dwell with God.  I promise, it'll be good. 

Please pray for the students as they return to campus and "real life" tomorrow.  As I was praying last night I got the sense that the prayer we need for them is not protection but boldness.  Please pray that they will be bold in owning what happened this weekend and unashamed to proclaim the Gospel. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Time, time, time...

Hello, friends!

First of all, Happy October to you all!  Here's hoping that this month is your best yet.  =0).

October means that Megan and I have officially been at the team leading thing for 3 full months now entering our fourth.  As I have been reflecting on what the differences are between being a Team Leader versus being a Campus Staff Member (CSM) the one big difference that jumps out to me is this: I have to be more intentional with my time.

Back in the day, things were a lot simpler.  I only had to worry about one chapter and one staff.  The chapter was Mizzou ACF and the staff was me.  If I didn't have something prepared in time or forgot to do something, I could adjust my schedule to prep it with minimal effort and minimal collateral damage.  Improvisation was a virtue because it allowed me to get stuff done as it came.

Now that isn't the case.  There are too many moving parts for improv to have the same effectiveness.  There are too many campuses, too many staff, and too many students for it to be a fly by the seat of my pants.  Everything has to be calculated and planned out weeks in advance because if it isn't too many things (and people) suffer.  Add that to the fact that Megan and I are co-Team Leading and things get even harrier.  Making unilateral decisions on the fly is not a good way to build trust with your co-leader (or your wife).

The simplest example I can give is with this blog.  When it was just me, I could blog whenever I wanted and usually had the time to do so.  If I wanted to hit pause on the day to write down something about what has happened then I could do that.  Now, Mid-MO is a fright train that will not stop easily.  I am going to have to be a lot more intentional about carving out time to blog and let you know everything that has been happening here in CoMO.

It doesn't stop there though and it certainly isn't just about team leading.  Intentional time is one of the things that I am learning about when it comes to being an adult.  I have to carve out time for friends.  I have to carve out time to recharge my batteries.  I definitely have to carve out time for Megan.  There is a lot of carving and not as much time to make sure all the pieces fit.

So, friends, please be praying for me as I continue to navigate new responsibilities and adulthood in general.  Please pray for wisdom and intentionality as I invest my time, resources, and energy in things that matter.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

For My Wife...

Hello, friends!

Guess what today is!  It is Meg and my anniversary!  One year ago today, I was a nervous wreck, praying that I wouldn't throw up or forget the chords to the song that I was going to play at our wedding.  One year ago today, Meg and I started on a crazy adventure that I don't think either of us truly anticipated.  One year ago today, I made one of the best decisions of my life, second only to my decision to follow Jesus.  One year ago today was kind of a big deal, eh?  =0).

As I look back at this past year, I am so thankful for Meg.  Words cannot describe how much I love and appreciate her.  I may not show it all the time but I am so thankful that we get to spend the rest of our lives together.  She has inspired me to be a better husband, a better staff, a better man, and a better follower of Jesus.  She has dealt with my selfishness, my pride, my corny jokes, and my various quirks.  She is an incredible cook, an incredible co-laborer, an incredible wife and an incredible woman.

Last night, I asked Meg what her favorite memory from the past year was.  We both had a hard time thinking of one that was not related to our honeymoon, which seemed a little like cheating.  =0).  Thinking about it now, I don't know if I have a single favorite but I do have an event that I love whenever it happens.  We'll be sitting on the couch watching a movie or something and it will hit me that the gorgeous and wonderful woman sitting next to me is my wife.  That moment is my favorite.

I won't lie to you amends diary that it has been all rainbows and butterflies the entire time.  Over thing I have learned is that marriage is hard work.  It takes a lot of communication and humility, two attributes that do not come naturally to me.  There have been some rough spots but the good has definitely outweighed the bad.

I could keep typing but it would probably start to get a little uncomfortable so i think I will stop here.  My prayer, and hopefully UI ours too, is that I will be able to show Meg how much I love her every day, and not just a blog post once a year.

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

The Silly Season...

Hello, friends! 

As most, if not all, of you know, I am a HUGE baseball fan.  Seriously, a HUGE baseball fan.  But, it isn't just about baseball, although that is my favorite.  I'll watch and participate in anything where folk are competing.  I have favorites in MLB (Cardinals), NFL (Dolphins), NBA (Spurs), NHL (Blues), NASCAR (Matt Kenseth), EPL (Tottenham Hotspur), and the USA in all international competitions.  Besides being athletic in nature (yes, NASCAR takes athleticism), all these sports have one thing in common: They all have really long seasons. 

In baseball, it's called the Dog Days of summer.  In the NFL it's the mid-season lull, and in the NBA it's the pre-All-Star Break part of the season.  It's the time of the year when you've been at it long enough that the season doesn't feel new anymore but you're too far away from the end for there to be any sense of urgency.  My favorite name for it is when NASCAR calls it the Silly Season.  This is when the play gets a little bit sloppier, the tempers are a little bit feistier, and you can tell that everyone would like a few days off to recharge their batteries. 

Speaking from a Campus Ministry standpoint, we haven't entered the silly season quite yet but I can tell that we are getting into that range.  New Student Outreach isn't quite over but getting students (or staff for that matte) up for tabling or meeting new folk doesn't have the same appeal, especially when there are already new students to be investing in right now.  School is just about 4 weeks old so no one has quite found their rhythm yet but folk are starting to feel the pressure of the first round of tests.  Yet, we are still early enough in the semester that no one is starting to freak out about their finals or graduation.  (Ok, there may be some who are freaking out but those folk probably started the semester that way, right?)  =0). 

The dangerous thing about the Silly Season is that it leads to complacency.  When things get a little boring the temptation is to take your foot off the gas and coast for a bit.  The problem with that is that there is no guarantee that you'll be able to kick things back into gear later.  The best teams are the ones who find a way to fight through the temptation to let things ride and are always looking for ways to get better. 

Honestly, there is still a lot of work to be done.  There are still students to be reached.  There are still leaders to be developed.  There are still opportunities to be seized for the kingdom.  There are still new places to scout and interns to train.  There are still ministry partnerships to be developed.  There are still conferences to plan and to recruit for as well.  Now is not the time to be slacking.  It is the time to be preparing things for the home stretch, even if it is still 2 months away. 

Friends, please continue to pray for us during this season, or as we enter this season.  Pray for Megan and me, that we will lead well and continue to go to Jesus for our strength.  Pray for the students, that they will continue to be inspired by the Gospel.  Pray for our interns and volunteers, that they will see our example and continue to move forward with the good work set in front of them.  Above all, please pray that God will continue to move in Mid-Missouri and that we will get to partner with him in that good work. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Highs and Lows...

Hello, friends! 

What a difference 7 days can make, yeah?  Last week was one of those weeks where it seemed like everything was going right and things were really starting to hum here in Columbia.  This week was one of those weeks where you are reminded that in college ministry, or life in general, things can go south just as quickly as they start going good. 

I haven't decided if I am one for hyperbole or not (I probably am), so I don't want to say that this was one of those weeks where EVERYTHING went wrong, but it sure did feel like there were more downs than ups.  If I had to categorize this past week, I would call it the "Buffet of Bad Deals."  Nothing was overwhelmingly bad but there was a nice sampling to go. 

You may be asking yourself what goes into a bad week in campus ministry.  Usually it means:
- Conversations that go poorly (or at least not as expected)
- Low turnout for events
- Lack of time that leads to lack of preparation that leads to less than stellar teaching
- Getting stood up/having to cancel meetings with students
- Having your bike stolen (oh wait, that may just be me). 

Here's the thing about campus ministry: you can't ride the highs or the lows and you have to remember that no matter what, God is good.  If I got down every time a student left me hanging or our event didn't have as many people as expected, I would never leave the house.  No matter what, God is good. 

So, please be praying for me, that I will remember God's goodness.  Already this next week has started to move in the right direction, so here's hoping I post (sooner rather than later) with a great update of the ways that God is moving on campus.

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam 

The Week That Was...

Hello, friends! 

Guess who has run into a really interesting "Catch-22" of sorts?  Ok, you guessed it, it's me.  =0).  Sorry it's been so long since I've posted.  I've found that when there is a whole bunch of stuff happening I have less time to post but I have more of a need to post because of all the stuff that is happening!  It seems like doing just a quick blurb of everything doesn't do it justice but the other options are to have a super long post (in which case you probably aren't going to want to read the whole thing) or a series of posts (but we both know that I'm not going to post enough and the posts are going to get backlogged).  So, a quick-ish summary is going to have to do.  Here's a recap of the week that was:

Wednesday: Our first Large Group of the semester!  Friends, to say that it was a spectacular night would be quite an understatement.  We had 75 students show up (an all time high), Tim gave an amazing testimony of his missions trip to Thailand that he took this summer.  We had enough food for everyone, and we even had 16 students sign up for Fall Conference!  But, the best part of the night was before things even started.  We had to meet on campus which meant that parking was a bit of a beast (as always) so I had to drop off all our Large Group supplies then find a place to park.  When I got to our room, I saw all of our leaders, already there and going through the run-through of the night, right before they were going to pray.  I love our leaders. 

Thursday: Thursday, Meg and I met a guy who is interning with a local church who is interested in possibly volunteering with us at Columbia College.  We're not sure where things will go from here but it was cool to do some Team Leading stuff, which includes looking at potential hiring.  As I've said before, it's fun being an adult. 

Friday: On Friday, we had our first Columbia College event, which was a grill-out at our place.  I have been so proud of Charis and her desire to really see the campus reached with the Gospel.  After dinner, Charis went back on campus so she could take part in her first ever "Zombie Dance."  I'm not sure if she got any photos posted but she texted us later that she had a lot of fun, which was fine by us.  =0). 

Saturday:  Saturday was the reintroduction of one of my favorite ACF traditions: the ACF Tailgate!  Pretty much, it goes like this.  We grill up a whole bunch of food before the Mizzou game (Mizzou beat Toledo 38-23), play some games, and build relationships by baking with folk in the hot sun.  It was great to see the 25-30 folk who came out.  It was interesting to see how this event was very much an Asian American event.  We had some international students joining us but the truth is that when you put college football, grilling, heat, and lawn games together, it's probably something that is a little more "American" in tradition than anything else. 

Sunday: Now we've come to today.  Today was one of those days that had a little bit of everything.  We took a student to visit a church, bought some groceries for another student who wasn't feeling well, did a TON of admin, and then went to dinner with about a dozen students or so.  It was one of those days where there wasn't necessarily a plan but there was all sorts of stuff with students that happened anyway and you weren't going to hear us complain about it. 

So, there's the past few days!  Looking back, I didn't realize that we had something pretty big happening every day.  Both Meg and I are taking Sabbath tomorrow which is way needed.  Please be praying for us as we get ready to rest to get ready for the new week. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Hey Day!!!

Hello, friends! 

In just a few minutes, I will be on my way to Columbia College (Go Cougars!!!) to table with InterVarsity for Hey Day, which is sort of like an activities fair for the Columbia College students.  Our intern Charis has been doing a lot of great work there trying to get an InterVarsity chapter planted there.  The administration has been super open to the idea of us being there on campus and Hey Day is a great start toward that end.  We are super excited about what God could be doing at Columbia College. 

There isn't much time before I need to leave so please be praying, specifically for:

- Great interactions with students.  We don't know who we'll be meeting but please pray that God will give us divine interventions. 
- Continued favor with the administration.  When the school is on board with what you are doing, campus access is much easier than when there is an antagonistic relationship.  Please pray that this relationship will continue to blossom. 
- Energy for Meg and me.  Tuesdays are pretty long days for both of us.  Tabling will go until 2pm then we both have meetings in the afternoon before the Leaders Meeting tonight @ 7pm. 

I'll try and update later today with how things went but no guarantees on account of all the meetings and such.  Thanks for the prayers! 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

On Being an Adult...

Hello, friends! 

I'm sitting here right now blogging in Beautiful Columbia, Missouri with a simple question to answer.  Do I play some video games or do I paint a table?  Yesterday, the choice was whether or not I should watch college football or clean the basement.  I ended up cleaning the basement and soon I will be painting the table.  I just spent the past 30 minutes doing a home energy audit to see if how to best cut back on costs.  This includes looking into getting some information on possibly going solar.  Added to that, I've been going back and forth the past few months on whether or not we should switch to pre-paid cell phones instead of the post-paid arrangement we have now. 

What have I learned from all this?  Being a grown-up is hard work! 

Let's be real y'all... I'm not the young man I used to be in a lot of ways.  I'm closer to 30 than I am to 20 (or 25 for that matter).  I'm now a (happily) married man instead of a single guy.  This is year 7 with InterVarsity and I am on the "veteran staff" side of the team now instead of the "new staff" side.  My number once concern used to be whether or not the Cardinals won last night.  It's still top-5, but not an obvious #1 anymore.  =0). 

Here's the thing.  I love being an adult.  I really do!  I love being married and having grand conversations about having kids and things like that (No kids anytime soon, btw).  I love owning a home and thinking about ways to make it run more efficiently.  I love taking on more responsibility in my job and seeing a new crop of student leaders and staff answer the call.  I don't love not being able to run a sub-6 minute mile anymore but even that's necessarily set in stone!  Being an adult is awesome! 

The one thing that has remained a constant throughout my maturation has been that I have loved seeing how God has given me new opportunities to love and serve the kingdom.  When I was younger, it was through my studies (oops), my attempts at relationships (double oops), and student leadership (meh!).  Now it is through my job, serving my wife, and staff leadership.  Financial stewardship is a big deal.  Making sure that I'm serving and loving Meg is a HUGE deal.  Setting a good example for students and empowering them so they can share Christ's love with the Asian and Asian Americans on Mizzou's campus is a crucial deal. 

Pretty much, it comes down to this.  Being older or being younger doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.  Freshmen have just as many opportunities to do good work for the kingdom as Seniors (and staff!).  The opportunities may look different but they are most certainly there.  As I've seen it happen in my own life I have hope that I'll be able to see it happen in the lives of students. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

A Bonfire Miracle!!!

Hello, friends! 

Sorry that I've been out of commission for the past week.  NSO stuff has been crazy.  On Wednesday ACF hosted a relay race that was really well attended and everyone had a lot of fun.  Meg and I have been busy meeting students, attending meetings of other student orgs (including kickball and game nights!) and getting everything ready for our first Large Group next Wednesday.  Because of that, I haven't had a chance tell you all about our Bonfire last Friday! 

Here was the plan: set our backyard on fire, grill up some meat and sugar, and invite a bunch of folk to see if they want to join us in setting meat and sugar on fire.  =0).  Ok, it wasn't quite like that but it was still a rocking good time. 

Based on our best estimates, we were expecting somewhere around 70-80 folk showing up, which meant that we needed a lot of food.  Of course, we also didn't want to spend too much money as it would mean fewer meals down the road (in order to stay within our budget).  So, our plan was to spend $120 for 80 people, or about $1.50 per person.  Our menu included hotdogs (with all the fixin's), fried rice, corn, sweet potatoes, baked beans, fruit, and s'mores for dessert.

This is where it gets fun.

Miracle 1) We actually stayed on budget.  Both Meg and I have this problem where when it comes to food we'd rather overbuy than underbuy.  I suppose it isn't really a problem but it can lead to us going over budget because either we want more variety (Meg) or we want folk to eat more (me).  Thankfully, after tallying up the receipts, we bought all the food we wanted and were on budget.  Praise Jesus! 

Miracle 2) Everyone showed up and everyone ate their fill.  How we ended up cramming 70 people into our backyard around our fire ring is a little bit beyond me but it worked!  The spread of food looked great and everyone had a fun time eating and meeting one another.  For many of the international students it was their first time eating a s'more, which was a lot of fun to watch.  =0). 

Miracle 3) There was actually TONS of food left over!  I'm not saying it was a "12 baskets" kind of situation, but there was definitely food left over.  When you couple that with the fact that everyone ate enough and that we stayed under budget, I am definitely calling that a miracle.  Meg said that she and a student leader prayed over the food before the bonfire started, that it would multiply and there would be enough.  As far as I'm concerned, that definitely happened. 

Miracle 4) Better than Miracle 1, we actually ended up UNDER budget.  Some of the stuff we were able to return and some of the stuff we were able to use for other events.  All said and done, we probably spent around $90 on this event, meaning that we spent a little bit over $1 per person and saw everyone full with tons of food left over to give away at the end of the night. 

Friends, God is so good.  Having a few hotdogs and some corn left over at the end of the night may not seem a big deal but when you look at it, it really just shows God's goodness and provision.  I'm not saying that this will happen every time but it sure was fun to see God multiply food and people. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Bonfire!!!

Hello, friends! 

I am writing this blog right before it's time to get down to business.  No, we won't be defeating the Huns (Mulan reference, anyone?).  Rather, we are going to be hosting what could be the most epic bonfire the good people of Mount Vernon Avenue have ever experienced. 

Allow me to break it down for you.  Right now we are in the midst of New Student Orientation (NSO) season.  The goal of NSO is to meet as many people as possible so we can show them how awesome our group is and they will want to join, make decisions to follow Jesus (or follow Jesus more) and eventually change the world in the name of the Kingdom.  Yes, folks, it's just that easy.  =0). 

So, Meg and I, along with input from the student leaders, decided that we wanted to do a bonfire this year at our place.  We have the space, we have the fire pit, and the bonfires that we had during the summer were well attended.  Besides, isn't eating food that you cooked over a fire fun anyway? 

Plans were made and we got excited about things, and then Meg and I came to a realization:  There are possibly going to be as many as 80 people crammed into our backyard tonight.  See, we may have overlooked three minor details.

1) ACFers are AMAZING at invitation.  They are tenacious.  They are diligent.  They are excited.  I'm pretty sure an ACFer could invite me to get a root canal done and I would at least consider going. 

2) We travel in packs.  Asian and Asian American cultures are both very communal.  That means that all decisions are group decisions and if one person decides to go somewhere, usually the rest of the group will follow. 

3) Free food is very attractive. 

When you put these 3 factors together, what you come up with is what could be a pretty epic party.  Here's hoping. 

Friends, please PRAY for us tonight.  Pray for the logistics of rides and food.  Pray for good conversations to happen.  Pray against rain.  Pray that tonight will lead to all sorts of great momentum for the year. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Table Up!!!

Hello, friends! 

I'm slightly dehydrated form being out in the sun all day, my mouth is sore from smiling too much, and Meg and I are wearing the same shirt... it must be time for tabling at Mizzou!!!  =0).

The concept of tabling is simple: You reserve a space on campus, set up your table with information about your group, and have conversations with students who pass by, inviting them to stuff and getting their contact information.  If you do it right, it can lead to lots of new contacts and propel the fellowship into the new year.

Here's the thing: year after year, I see that there are too many factors working against us to ever table well.  Let's run through them, shall we?  

- What's in a name: With a group name like Asian Christian Fellowship, it's not going to be easy when the campus is 85% White and only 5-7% Asian and Asian American.  Students see your stuff, slow down because the swag is good, read the name, and then be on their way.  Some of the bolder ones will even go so far as to come up and ask to still have the stuff, even though "They aren't Asian." 

- High Assimilation: When we do see Asian American students, they are usually with a group of non-Asian American students.  This leads to awkward eye contact and sometimes even spite when you consider that they know the only reason you are eyeing them is because they are Asian American.  ACF was created to reach all the Asian and Asian American students on campus but it works best with high identity students.  The truth is that most Mizzou students are used to being the minority and are totally ok with it.  (NOTE: Reaching out to Asian International Students is MUCH easier because they are high identity and usually travel in packs.) 

-  The curse of, technology:  Ok, so let's suppose you find an Asian American walking down the street.  Even better, he or she is alone so there isn't the awkwardness of group dynamics.  It should be easy from here, right?  Well, that depends on whether or not the student can hear for with the earphones on and the volume turned up on high.  Without getting too old school, back in my day, we talked to people on our way to class.  Apparently, it's all about the music as you move from one building to another.

For all the things that make tabling difficult, there is one huge benefit to tabling each semester.  Even though it may not do much for our group numbers, it grows our leaders in incredible ways.  I am always amazed at how well tabling brings out the best in our student leaders.  At its best, you see students take risks, get out of their comfort zones, and grow in their love for the campus.  Even at its worst, it brings up all sorts of internal issues within students that you can then begin to deal with.  It's not always pretty but it sure is helpful.

So, friends, please continue to pray for us as we continue to outreach.  We have a whole host of events coming up these next few weeks that will hopefully reach more students and grow the ones we have.  We may even table a little bit more.  =0).

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

It begins again...

Hello, friends! 

I am happy to be writing to you not only form BEAUTIFUL Columbia, Missouri, but also form the Mizzou Student Center and using a University Computer, just like old times.  As I sit here and pretend to be a preductive member of society, I am surrounded by the sounds of freshmen buying books, the parents of freshmen freaking out about the cost of books, and upperclassmen laughing at the freshmen buying books.  =0).  It's good to be back. 

Things have already gotten off to a great start.  On Sunday, the Student Leaders helped with student move-in.  I'm not sure how many students they met, but when I saw them later that evening, they had a look of exhausted satisfaction.  Added to that, Meg has been helping at the International Student Orientation, making friends and making contacts.  Meg and I have also been working on planning our pre-Fall Leaders Retreat, hopefully setting the table for a great year to come. 

Amazingly, this will be year number 7 here at Mizzou ACF for me.  This will be my 7th year meeting freshmen, my 7th year following up with students I meet, my 7th year planning a kickoff event, and my 7th year praying that God will bring new students into our fold.  In some ways, it feels familiar.  I know the campus.  I know the schedule of the university.  I know roughly what to expect.  Yet, at the same time, things are completely different.  This year I have a wife.  We have a team of interns and volunteers.  We have multiple roles and multiple campuses, including Columbia College.  We have a leaders team that has never been bigger or more diverse.  It may be the same Mizzou but it is an entirely different scenario. 

One thing stays the same though.  Our mission, as it has been and as it always will be, is to be a community that share's Christ's love with the Asian and Asian Americans on campus.  We have a purpose.  We have a mission.  It's time to get things done. 

Friends, please be praying for us as the new year gets underway.  Pray particularly for Meg and me as we learn to Team Lead together and learn to lead students together.  Pray for our leaders as they take on more and more responsibility.  Pray for the campus, that God will come in full force this year. 

We have no idea what will happen this year.  It has the potential to be a huge year for ACF.  All by God's grace. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

A Death in the Family

Hello, friends! 

Greetings from Cleveland, Ohio!  Why am I in Cleveland?  Actually, I am here for a funeral.  After 82 years, my great aunt Della died on July 23.  I was able to fly out to Cleveland as a representative for my siblings to be with the family. 

Death is a part of life.  I've been to funerals before.  When I was 12 my grandfather died.  Most recently, in 2007, my great uncle died.  I have been with friends as they have walked through the death of friends and family members.  Death is nothing new to me. 

The one thing that was new to me was going to a non-Christian funeral while working as a campus staff member for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA.  The questions as I prepared to fly out here were plentiful.  Which rituals would I participate in with my family?  What should I do with the opportunities to talk about faith with my family?  How much does it matter that I am campus staff for a living?

As I thought and prayed about it more and more, what I really felt God telling me was to remember to love people above all else.  There were going to be opportunities to talk to all members of my family and what I did with those opportunities, whether or not we talked about Jesus or not, would be secondary to whether or not I was speaking out of love. 

Yesterday was the wake and today was the funeral.  I would like to think that I did ok.  Except for the incense messing with my asthma and headaches, I was able to participate in the wake and the funeral.  I had a great conversation with one of the guys who Aunt Della mentored about Jesus and the afterlife.  I was even asked to pray at the burial along w' my dad (Papa John ended up doing the prayer). 

I can't say that I did everything right but I feel good about it.  I was looking for opportunities to love my family I and I hope that I did ok.  My hope is that God was glorified through my actions and words.  Pretty much, it's up to Jesus at this point. 

Please be praying for my family.  Many of my family knows Jesus but many in my family doesn't.  Please pray that God will move in my family.  Please pray for more opportunities to share who Jesus is.  Please pray for peace for me as I return home. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

One Week...

Hello, friends! 

Greetings from beautiful Columbia, Missouri, also known as Megan's and my new home!  Just one week ago today we packed up the truck, drove through some storms, and started the next chapter of Team Megan and Adam here in CoMO.  The past few days have been spent unpacking, trying to get a sense of a new rhythm, and hanging out with students.

Still, with everything that is on the horizon, at the moment we aren't feeling overwhelmed in terms of stuff to do.  Most of the boxes are unpacked, including the important ones (read: kitchen stuff).  We've set up the living room and the bedroom so we can lounge and sleep with some level of comfort.  I've set up the Nintendo, so I'm good to go there.  =0).  There is student stuff but the biggest piece on our hands is planning the Pre-Fall leader's retreat, which will be important but not terribly time consuming.  In many ways, you could say that things are a little slow out here right now.  Honestly, though, I think that's just fine with me. 

Both Megan and I are doers.  I'm super task oriented and Megan loves being active.  We like it best when there is a task to be accomplished or something to do.  In some ways, it is maddening to be here and not be filled to the brim with work, like how things will be in just a few weeks.  With that in mind, I've decided to change my attitude and actually be thankful for the chill time that we have.  There may not be a lot to do in terms of ministry but I believe that it's actually a gift from God that we have time to unpack and unwind a little.  I'd much rather have this than be swamped with work and living out of boxes and suitcases for a few more weeks. 

Transitioning is tough work.  We visited a church today and I felt the pull of trying to see it as its own thing and not compare it to church in St. Louis.  That goes for eating at a restaurant and walking downtown.  Things are different here.  Some may say they are better.  Others may say they are worse.  I'll just say they are different and leave it at that. 

One thing that I've been hearing during this time has been God saying, "Trust me."  Being the task oriented fixer that I am, I've wanted this transition to be just another item on the to-do list.  Things haven't been quite that easy and it's frustrating because I know that the only things that are going to make this better are time and Jesus, two things that I cannot make more of but have to be given to me.  It's not easy right now but I believe that God will make this place a home for us and that it will be awesome. 

Friends, please continue to pray for Megan and me as we continue to transition to life here in Columbia.  Pray that God will be with us as we serve together and learn to serve each other during this time. 

Have an excellent day! 

I'm Sorry...

Hello, friends! 

The past few nights I have had a lot of trouble sleeping.  Normally, it takes me a bit to fall asleep but things have taken much longer since Saturday night.  What happened on Saturday night?  Well, on Saturday, a jury found George Zimmerman not guilty of second degree murder and manslaughter of Trayvon Martin.  Since then, I've been thinking about the verdict and various implications, not just on me, but on my community as well.  Each night I have been kicking around a different question in my mind and trying to make everything clear. 

Originally, my plan was to post my thoughts about each of the questions that I had been kicking around each night but as I began to type, it felt like another long post that bordered on blabbering was probably not helpful to the conversation.  So, instead, I am going to do what feels right in my heart to do: Say I am sorry. 

To the Martin family, I am sorry.  You lost your son and probably feel like you have lost out on justice as well.  A court of law and a jury of your peers decided that the man who shot and killed your son did not undeniably do so out of evil intent and malice.  That sucks. 

To my African American friends, I am sorry.  From the people who I have spoken to, this was not just a murder trial.  This was about community and family.  From the people who I have spoken to, this verdict was not just a miscarriage of justice, it was another kick in the gut, another reminder to you that the system isn't fair and that you will always be considered second class citizens.  I don't know if that sentiment is true or not, but the feelings are real and I am sorry you are experiencing this right now. 

To my students, I am sorry.  I wish I had a good answer on what the Christian response, or the Asian American response is supposed to be in this situation.  Everything that I have come up with has sounded hallow and trite.  Bits about being "bridge builders" and "trusting in God's judgment over the judgment of man" don't seem to cut it at this point.  I want to point you in a good direction on this one but I'm not sure of what that direction is.  The best I can tell you is to care about this.  Care about this because it is important. 

~Adam

Discipleship Style...

Hello, friends! 

Now entering my 7th year on staff with InterVarsity, I've had the opportunity to disciple and supervise a number of different folk in a number of different roles.  I have done training, coaching, mentorship, accountability, teaching, preaching, small group leading, and a whole bunch of other roles.  I've worked with students, volunteers, interns, and fellow staff.  Depending on my role, my relationship, and the task at hand, I have learned to adapt my leadership style accordingly.  It hasn't been perfect but I have been learning more and more about how to be an effective leader in a number of different contexts. 

One thing that has stayed constant in my discipleship style though, is my basic philosophy in developing people: I want to help you do what you want to do as well as possible.  What I mean is this.  Sometimes there are instances where my job is to create a gameplan and lead folk toward that gameplan.  But I feel most comfortable when folk have a place they want to go and my job is to help them get there as quickly and successfully as possible.  Even when I have a gameplan, it is usually more of a loose guideline kind of thing that allows for input and wiggle-room. 

Understand, I love specifics.  I have ideas on how things ought to be done and the best way to accomplish goals.  I am not afraid to voice opinion or let folk know when something is going to work or not going to work.  But I have always believed that folk really develop when they own their actions.  If someone does something I tell them to do, they may do it, but it won't be theirs.  When someone outlines their own goals and we craft a gameplan together, that is when they really own their actions and their decisions.  It is a beautiful thing to see it happen. 

However, there is a downside to my leadership style.  Actually, there are two big risks involved.  The first is that this style requires a lot of trust and discernment.  If I am going to help you get where you want to go, I have to trust that you have put in the work to decide where God wants you to go.  Sometimes this can be a bit tougher when it comes to students who do not have a lot of experience listening for God's voice. 

The second risk is that time can sometimes become an issue.  If folk are unsure about their decisions or don't know how to make good decisions, eventually it can get to the point where something is chosen simply because something needs to be done.  I like to say that need is a terrible reason to do something.  This holds true for decisions as well. 

Now that Meg and I are Team Leaders, there are more opportunities for discipleship and influence, especially as we consider branching out to other colleges beyond Mizzou.  Please be praying for us as we continue to develop our leadership styles in a way that will serve those we are leading and give glory to the kingdom. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam