Here we go!

Hello, friends! 

First of all, Happy Independence Day!  Isn't it great that we live in a country where a guy can blog about random thoughts and ministry happenings without worries or persecution or oppression?  God Bless America.  =0). 

As you are reading this, there is a good chance that we are on our way to Chicago so we can catch our flight to Cambodia!  After months and months of planning, recruiting, preparing, and praying, the trip is finally here! 

I don't know that I'll be able to blog much while we are in Cambodia so I wanted to ask one more time for your prayers.  We are going to need a lot of it and you can never have too much of it, right?  Here are a few specifics:

Journey's mercies.  There area a lot of moving parts here.  We are driving to Chicago to catch a flight to San Francisco.  12 hours later we fly from SFO to Taipei where we catch a flight to Phnom Penh.  We leave 1pm on Saturday and arrive @ 1pm on Monday.  Our trip back includes stops in Taipei, LA, Cincinnati, and Chicago.  That doesn't even include the traveling we'll be doing by foot, motorbike and bicycle carriage (called "tuk-tuks").  Pray for safety and that the logistics will be on our side.

Team cohesion.  Pray for Megan, Megan, Ellen, Julia, Alanah, Grace, Nathan, Colter, and myself as we work together for an entire month.  I know that conflicts will arrive.  My prayer is that we will resolve them in a way that shows Christ's love. Also be praying for Megan and me as we lead the team.  It should be a blast.

Spirit movement.  None of this matters if Jesus does not go before us to prepare the way.  Please pray that God will be moving in our hearts as well as the hearts of the college students we will be encountering.  I know that we won't come in and save the whole county in just a month but if we can help start a student movement that will eventually win back Cambodia for the Kingdom, then that will be pretty sweet. 

Have an excellent month!  =0).

~Adam

Happy New Year!

Hello, friends! 

It's July, which means it is the beginning of the InterVarsity year.  This will be my 8th year working for Intervarsity, which means not only have I lived in Columbia just about twice as long as I lived in St. Louis, but it also means that we are getting closer to my 10 year college reunion.  Time sure flies when you're having fun, doesn't it? 

Since it is the beginning of a new year, I thought it would be fun to lay out a few New Year's resolutions for 2014-2015.  God totally blessed me vocationally, relationally, communally, and in a whole bunch of other ways during the past year.  Still, as I like to say, there is still much work to be done. 

My New Year's Resolutions for 2014-2015:

1) Spend at least an hour a week interceding and listening for students.  For as long as I can remember, an area for growth for me has been to pray more.  I remember my second year on staff when my planting coach asked me what my goals were for the year.  I told her that my goals were 40 regular attenders and 12 conversions.  She looked me dead in the eye and said, "You don't pray enough for that to happen."  Instead of just making my resolution to be to "pray more," I decided to be more specific.  I want to spend significant time each week interceding on behalf of students but also listening to see if Jesus has a word for them. 

2) Be more intentional about building up leaders.  Every year the goal is to have more leaders rising than leaders leaving.  A lot of this is happens through intentional investment.  I think in the past few years as I have tried to step back from my ACF responsibilities in order to take on more responsibilities as a Team Leader for Columbia, I have spent more time intentionally looking for and developing leaders and left it up more to the students to recruit one another.  While there is value in that, I think this year I need to make sure that I am setting the tone of developing followers of Jesus.

3) Plant something.  It's been a long time since I've planted anything that stuck.  3 years ago I tried planting a Black Campus Ministry at Mizzou that didn't quite gain traction.  2 years ago the same thing happened at Florissant Valley Community College in St. Louis.  This year I spent the first semester scouting before as a team we decided that Megan would be planting an ISM chapter at Mizzou.  This year, I want to plant something and have it stick.  We'll see what it turns out to be.  =0).

4) Get fully funded.  The past 2 years, because of new responsibilities, a number of transitions, and just general lack of diligence, our funding hasn't put us in dire straits but it has taken a hit.  Just like anything that isn't checked on regularly, eventually deterioration happens.  This year our budget will be increasing yet again to $125,000 and I believe that God will provide for us. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Final Countdown!

Hello, friends! 

It just hit me today... this week Megan and I are leaving for Cambodia...

This trip has been a long time coming.  I'm pretty sure we agreed to it in January, or maybe even earlier than  that.  Either way, it's been at least 7 months of preparations, planning, recruiting, fundraising, and strategizing.  There have been hard conversations, tough decisions, joy, pain, frustration, and a whole lot of prayer.  Still, up until earlier today, everything felt like it was a long way off.  Cambodia was something that was going to happen in the future.  Well, the future is won. 

Our list of things to do seems to get longer and shorter at the same time.  Both Megan and I are being very diligent in making sure that we are staying on task.  At the same time, we continue to find new things that need to be done so that we are as prepared as possible for the task at hand.  I won't say that I'm feeling anxiety right now about the things that are still to be done or about the trip in general.  It's more a sense of excited nervousness.  The best way that I can describe it is to say it's very similar to how I felt right before an intramural football game back during my undergrad days. 

Friends, I know these next few days are going to fly by.  Before you know it, we'll be on our way to Chicago to catch our flight that will take us to San Francisco, then Taipei, before we land in Phnom Penh, 48 hours after we boarded our first flight.  During that time, we still need to pack, buy some last supplies, check on the team, and make sure that we have all our ducks in a row. 

Please continue to pray for us.  Pray for our team.  Pray for the logistics.  Pray that God will be preparing us to go to Cambodia and that He will be preparing Cambodia for us to be there.  Pray that we will be open to what He has for us and that He will be protecting us.  Thanks. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

Disaster Avoided

Hello, friends!

As I'm sure you know, it is just a few more days until Megan and I leave for Cambodia to lead a team of students on a month long missions trip.  There have been many hours spent preparing and there are still many hours left to spend preparing but I wanted to give glory to God for the ways that he has already been providing for us and keeping us from disaster.

We had a passport issue that got cleared up.  A new passport application was sent in about 6 weeks ago. 4 weeks later it was returned to us saying that the documentation provided was incorrect.  To expedite the process (along with an extra $75), would be another 3 weeks, meaning the passport would be expected to arrive July 2, just days before we planned on leaving.  If anything went wrong during the process again, we would be in huge trouble.  Praise Jesus, the passport was processed quickly and was recceived June 18 with plenty of time to spare.

There was an issue with a summer school class that may have required a student to stay in the US during the month of July.  Obviously, that would have meant that the student couldn't go on the trip with us.  After talking with a few advisors and a few parents, the disaster was averted yet again and we have a full team heading with us to Cambodia.

One of the things we were going to do while we were in Cambodia was work with a group that helps free children from human trafficking.  Unfortunately, the organization double booked and the other group was from their home church so we were suddenly looking for a way to fill up 4 days on the trip.  Thankfully, we had one of our students knows some missionaries in Cambodia and we were able to figure out an alternate plan. 

I could spend many more paragraphs talking about the ways that God has come through in a lot of different situations but you get the idea.  Megan and I firmly believe that some of what is happening is spiritual warfare.  But our God is greater.  Would you please continue to pray for us as we make final preparations these last few days?  Pray specifically for protection from spiritual warfare for us as well as our students.  Our God is greater.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

On Campus Access...

Hello, friends!

Over the past few years, InterVarsity has been in the news in a less than encouraging way.  There have been a number of universities across the US that have derecognized InterVarsity chapters for what administrators call "exclusionary practices."  Of course, we at InterVarsity disagree with these rulings and continue to fight them.

Last week the New York Times wrote an article, "Colleges and Evangelicals Collide on Bias Policy" that includes quotes from our president, Alec Hill.  I encourage everyone to read it.  As staff, we were also sent the following email to help us understand our position better:

The primary issue is the freedom of religious student groups to use religious criteria in leadership selection. As Christians we strive to follow these standards in order to be obedient to Scripture.

Religious student groups should be given the same opportunities and access that other student groups receive. The Greek system selects members and leaders based on gender. Sports teams select on abled-body status, as well as gender. Musical groups select based on status and skill. The university affirms these kinds of discriminatory behaviors all the time.

We believe in (and long for) an inclusive university that values all people and treats them with respect without forcing intellectual conformity. Our faith is grounded in the belief that God is good and loving and longs to be in relationship with all people.

We welcome any and all students and faculty to participate fully in our community life. Christianity—like all religions—has a core set of beliefs. To have integrity, leaders who lead other students in Bible study, worship, prayer, and evangelism need to share those core beliefs and live consistently with those beliefs. Muslim groups expect to be led by Muslims. Hindu groups expect to be led by Hindus. Christian groups should be led by Christians.

Friends, please pray for us as well as for our universities as we look for a way for us to stay on campus to bless students while not compromising our beliefs or the calling that God has given us.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

Summer ACF!

Hello, friends! 

This past month or so as I've been seeing students around Columbia, one theme has jumped out... everyone is bored. 

Students are here in Columbia for a number of different reasons.  Some are here because they actually live here.  Others are taking classes.  Some have internships or jobs.  Whatever the case may be, most of them have more time on their hands than they know how to use.  Folks are looking for stuff to do and it breaks my heart. 

Normally, that void is filled by Summer ACF but this year it appears as though that won't be happening. 

Summer ACF is one of those things that never NEEDED to happen but somehow always did.  My personal ministry philosophy is that Summer programming is something that should be left to the students to organize and execute.  This is for a number of reasons.  One is that it can be fairly intensive to plan and during the Summer I am usually already working with a full plate.  That is especially true this summer given that we'll be in Cambodia in a few weeks. 

Another reason I like to leave it up to students is because it tells me a lot about the students who are going to be a part of the fellowship next year.  Summer ACF is a great way for students to step into places that they wouldn't normally go in terms of leading or even showing up.  Last year one of our students did an amazing job of organizing an entire Summer's worth of service projects.  The year before Summer ACF served as an onramp for a student who eventually came on to be a leader.  Not planning something is a great way to see who steps into the void. 

It appears as though this year the void will exist.  This isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Asking students to lead something that they aren't comfortable leading is a great way to lead to burnout.  We have lots of students in Columbia this summer but few leaders.  Sometimes this stuff happens. 

But, there's still something we can do.  Please be praying for the students who are here in Columbia.  Pray that they will be pursuing community and pursuing Jesus in the midst of the Summer lull.  Pray that God will be preparing their hearts to receive once the school year starts again.  And, please pray that God will move in the students to step into places of faith and risk. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

On Campus Shootings...

Hello, friends! 

It seems like every week we have new stories of shootings happening across the US.  A few of the most recent ones have hit really close to home. 

A few weeks ago, a multi-racial student opened fire on the campus at University of California - Santa Barbara, killing 6 and wounding another 13 students.  The shooter lamented the fact that he was multi-racial which is not only disturbing but also makes me think about the potential struggles that Meg and my kids may have down the road. 

Just a few days ago, a man fired on students at Seattle Pacific University, a private Christian college where InterVarsity President Alec Hill graduated and was once faculty.  More close to home, one of the victims was friends of an ACF student at Mizzou.  (If you'd like to donate to the funeral of the student, you can do so here

Now is not the time for me to share my views on gun control or to get into the politics of the issue.  However, it is a time for me to ask that we pray for the victims, their families, and the families of the shooters.  For the victims who are still fighting for their lives, we believe in a God who is the great physician, a God who can heal with just a word.  For the families of the victims, our God is the great comforter, the one who will dry every tear.  For the families of the shooters, our God is one who frees us from guilt and shame.  There is nothing that is too big for our God to forgive. 

Have an excellent day...

~Adam