Going back to the core things

As we are going through some changes on campus: I wanted to take time to just pause and reflect what's at the core of being InterVarsity staff and a follower of Jesus in the midst of it all?

Christ's love is at the center of it all. Its the beginning the genesis of my life, my faith, my ministry.

2 Corinthians 5 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

As I have been studying 1 Timothy in my own discipleship with Jonathan and as I have started going through 1 Timothy 4 in Discipleship with students I was really moved by the centrality of the gospel in that chapter which is a kind of summary of the call on Timothy in ministry: 

Its this beautiful outline of 

others - doctrine and life

share/teach

train for godliness in Timothy's life. 

Gospel hope

godliness - set the example

share and teach others

others doctrine and life. 

At the center is the gospel hope we have in Jesus the motivation and drive and heartbeat: 

1 timothy 4: 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

Out of that is first our response and our labor to train for godliness in our own lives. Out of that comes an example we set for others and then we teach and call others to this gospel life and the response of training in godliness. 

My heart's desire is to be this kind of disciple and get to help others in this journey by discipling them from non christian or young christian to take step by step in faith and obedience to Jesus. So regardless of my situation, my career, or the circumstances of interVarsity I want to eagerly pursue this discipleship centered around the word of God and responding to the Word of God and letting Him change our lives from the inside out. 

God help me to do that and know how to do that well! Do your work in me and through me!

Amen

Reflections on what's true in fundraising:

What would change if you were fully funded?  
Ivanna would have dental insurance. We could get a raise for the first time in 2 years. I think there would a renewed sense of affirmation and support in our calling. Increased freedom to focus on campus. Ability to provide for our family and expenses. Preparing for adding health insurance to our fundraising. More partners in the gospel. A sense of God's provision as we ask for it and take steps of faith. 

What level does God want you to be at?
I think this answer is surrounded in distractions like there are more urgent things on campus so I shouldn't fundraise. Also lies come in. 
My first response is the level of funding we are at I guess. 
Its hard because I know He will provide what we need as we ask. But its easy to justify living under what is   actually already pretty low paying income. 
Scripture says: in 1 timothy 5
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”[a] and “The worker deserves his wages.”[b]

The wages set by InterVarsity are not given to us. So do I believe that we as workers of the kingdom deserve our full wages? 
I have to say yes. 

God I ask that you provide abundantly with partners who really believe in this work and us. I ask that you provide so that we can receive the wages set for us for full time work with InterVarsity including health and dental insurance. I thank you for the awesome partners you have provided already! Help me step out in faith to ask more people to consider partnering. Specifically 10 this week. 
Amen

Why do ministry?

What is my motivation for doing mission and ministry? Why am I InterVarsity staff and even broader why do I really try to bring the kingdom of God? 

Do I do it because Christ's love compels me that I am convinced He died for all people including me? 

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NIV)

Am I living for him or something else? And I doing ministry for Jesus or some other reason?

It hit me in thinking about our vision statements. It's easy to jump to what are we going to do. What's our mission. 

To know Christ and make Him known in every corner at CU. Which is awesome!

But why? Why do we want to know Christ? Why do we think others need to know about him so much that we will put ourselves at risk for others to know him?

I want to remember my motivation that Christs love came first demonstrated most completely in his death. And that my response my motivation is gratitude. And that Christs love was for those who don't know him and that I want them to know him too. And Jesus commanded us to make disciples to share this message so they can know him and his love for them.

Center my heart and ministry and my whole life on this!

Amen

Prayers for the moment and for the big picture

God I want to invite you to do your work through me.

I ask for your help and for you to work the little things and the big things.

Guide us through Leaders Meeting.
Guide us in leading student leaders of small groups.
Help us build momentum.

Show us how to shape our structures with where IV is at now and to have the greatest impact for your kingdom and growing the students involved in following you!

Amen

Can I trust like Paul in the ups and downs of ministry?

And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. (2 Timothy 1:11-12 NIV)

Here is the context:

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (2 Timothy 1:6-10 NIV)

Prayer for small group

God I ask that you move in power and send your Spirit to confirm the word I speak and the word we study in Matthew tonight. Speak to us as your disciples! Reveal your gospel to those that aren't following you and give those that want to but haven't surrendered a vision for giving it all to you God! 

Amen

Thank you God for connections

Today as I usually do on Tuesdays I tried to take steps forward in planting new things to plant God's kingdom seed in new corners and people groups on campus.

At first I rushed into it without praying and I felt I should pray but I get excited. It wasn't terrible the first meeting, but it definitely reminded me why bother going if I am not praying and going where God leads and inviting him in. So I slowed down and prayed and I looked to the bible for what to do. Mostly I was reminded how often Jesus and Paul's strategy was to focus on a few to meet one samaritan woman in John 4 or one greek like the demoniac in Mark 4 and then send them simply to share their story. Then that person and their story broke open the spiritual doors for people to want to check out Jesus. I was also encouraged and challenged that Paul was almost always facing rejection and extreme persecution but he kept preaching the gospel and inviting a response. And it seems in every place a few believed and started following Paul and believing in Jesus. The challenge is will i persevere and invite and share the gospel even if I get rejected 99 times in the hope and faith that 1 will follow and believe. And hope that they will begin to impact their community.

So I prayed and started again. I met 3 chinese guys and what really changed was my humility and attitude. I came in with questions and asking for help and their ideas instead of bringing just something I have to offer or calling them out of what they are doing to go to my thing. I want to be like Jesus and go to where people are at. they had some helpful responses. I want to go as Jesus sent the 72 in Luke 10 looking for people of peace and asking for help to cross that culture into their world.

The main takeaway I had was: Chinese students are shy or think they are shy and so inviting them out to some group thing or some unknown thing is probably not the most effective way to reach them. It makes me think of Luke 10 again:

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

God I ask for more workers and I am willing to go. Help me bring others or find others to go with me. I ask for a student partner in this.

Also I happened to meet a latino student I had met in the latino student group. We had a great conversation and I have been surprised how so many of the students have some christian connection and less catholic connections than I expected. I am excited to share my ideas and get his response and ideas for what might bless latino students at CU and the idea of starting a group for latino students to be in community and learn about Jesus. God I ask for your guidance on how to do that: that it would be natural and culturally aware. That you would inspire it to be very relational and communal and not necessarily my natural way or the normal way InterVarsity does this for other groups.

Finally I rode around the bus and asked students this question: Do you think God cares about the suffering at CU and in the world? It amazed me how many people went 2 directions: philosophical apparently tons of students take philosophy at CU and the main thing in that class is this question of God and suffering often with a professor who seems biased against religion. It gives you a taste of the culture and faculty at CU and where students are at. But surprisingly some students said: well I think there is a reason for suffering that it is the balance that allows the good things to be good so if there is a God then He has a good reason for it.

God I don't know what will come of this. I ask for people of peace and that I would enter into these respective cities and proclaim the kingdom of God has come near and you would confirm it with a demonstration of the Spirits power and if I can help through my life and my love. God I pray for partners: for students to disciple and send into these harvest fields.
Amen

Lord give me faith! I long to develop new partners in the gospel!

I just realized today that outside of InterVarsity alumni I haven't really developed or invited people to start partnering with God's work with CU InterVarsity and the part I am playing in a few months.

I have been so blessed by people from my family, friends from college, and people from church who believed in me. It was awesome to see people say yes as I took risks and asked friends and people I didn't know well. I really saw God's provision through that. Last summer Ivanna and I took a risk and trusted God to do a new thing leading students to cross cultures and cross the world following Jesus. That also meant most of my summer was focused on that project and I had little time to do fundraising. But God and his people continued to provide: this past fall I was really encouraged that many partners continued giving and I was able to continue part time.

A big challenge has been getting more connected with people and finding partners in Boulder. Joining a new church and even making friends is a challenging thing for all of us outside of college! I have been blessed with the young adults community there but have faced obstacles and fears as I tried to connect to people in the church outside of the young adults group. The reality is I have not been able to find more than a few new partners in Boulder.

God I ask that you would give me faith that you will continue to provide. I believe you will and often in ways I don't even expect. Lord I hope to find new partners who can partner in prayer and service as well as financially. I dream of having a team of people in Boulder praying together and partnering with us to see your Kingdom come to CU!

I specifically want to ask God:
For prayer warriors that can meet and call upon your name and pray for your work at CU!
For partners near Boulder who want to serve and encourage us as students and staff.
That you move your kingdom forward at CU through students and staff and partners. I long to be on campus but even more I long to see you show up on campus!
That you give me faith, courage and strategy to connect with new people and invite people to partner in different ways.
Amen

Reflections: How God showed up today as I tried to start new things

Thank you God for hearing my prayers.

I feel like I did find a person of peace in the Latino student group and I learned a lot. And unexpectedly before I even started the day I met a Chinese international student who was very hospitable. 

I also faced a little rejection today as a Chinese student and I had a great conversation but was not interested at all in the vision I had:

To start a group for international students and American students to meet to share culture and together to learn about Jesus who lives all people.

I got pretty discouraged, I am not sure why. 

But it continues to push me to ask: how best to do evangelism and planting? Do we first build relationship and then share Jesus? Do we bring up Jesus and then invest in the ones that stick around. Do we do both? God speak into this for me and for students. But also help me to just keep going and not get stuck in atrategy and discouragement. Give me faith to face 100 rejections so that one student will hear the gospel of Jesus and get to respond and maybe enter the kingdom and follow Jesus and make him known in their world the rest of their life!

I am trying to learn the discipline of reflecting and learning. I often just try to do more things. But out of that often comes pursuit of success instead of faithfulness. I want to know what God has sent me to not what will make me feel like I am accomplishing something.

As I am reflecting on this idea of being a sent one an apostle a missionary as my identity: What does that mean? How is that different than something I do? I think even today what hits me most in that is that whether anyone responds or not I am sent to them. But if its a function or a job then I might move on or give up. Bu tif its who I am what I am made for then I am called to endure in love to the end. Just as Jesus loved those who were his own and his disciples to the end in John 13.

Even as I don't have any new students who want to do these new things really yet: how do I go in with the mindset they are seeds to be scattered: that every follower of Jesus has the full potential of the kingdom of God with them. Just as in Acts when the church is persecuted and scattered they actually begin to grow and new people enter the kingdom and become a church in the cities they were scattered to. How in the midst of going to students where they are do I bring Jesus to them and not call them out of where they are to join a group that hangs out with Jesus. I want Jesus to walk into their dorm room and communities not just to invite them out of their dorm for a bible study.

God continue to teach me and help me become your sent one just as you sent Jesus into the world and he sends us. Send me to whomever you want! Help me to be faithful and by your power and your gospel and not my ability to seek to bring your kingdom!
Amen

Prayer for new things

God I thank you for your love for CU and for each student here! I thank you that you see their heart and their potential even when they don't. 

I long to see your kingdom come to new places on this campus and for people to come to know you and receive your love and look to Jesus and believe in Him that you sent him and that He died for them.

Guide me today as I keep seeking to plant something new! Help me meet Latino students and international students of peace and partners. I ask that you would connect me with Latino students who would have a heart for creating a community for other Latino students to follow and investigate Jesus as Savior and Lord. Help me have eyes to see and ears to hear! 

Inspire me of how to start international student ministry and reach those that aren't reached!

Also I ask for you to be at the center and it not to let the groups or heart of the outreach stray from you but to help me empower students and groups to follow you in their community and culture and ways. Let it be about your gospel not the worldly hope or even just good things primarily but about you Jesus the best thing. Help me to love students well and disciple them well!

God help me to balance these new things and lead CU IV well! I long to help them be who you made them to be and be missional from the way you made them Asian missional and awesome!

Fundraising: A big thanks to my partners!

When I talk to my friends about doing campus ministry fundraising usually comes up as what people think is the hardest part of doing what I do.

What I have found over the past 3 years is that fundraising and campus work for the gospel really parallel each other. In both cases I am inviting people into a vision of the kingdom of God through Jesus. On campus I invite students to be a part of something that matters to be a part of our vision as CU IV of knowing Christ and making Him known on every corner of campus at CU. That's really the same vision I am inviting people to give financially, serve with time and pray for when I meet with people or contact people when I fundraise. Sometimes I lose sight of the vision and like the students I lead our invitations can look more like: hang out with us we are a great community and we are Christian. And when I lose sight of the vision in fundraising my asks sound sad like: I really need your help so I can have more hours on campus to meet with students.

We always have to come back to our vision. I work for InterVarsity because I believe Jesus is real and I want every student at CU to be invited to make an informed decision yes or no for Jesus. First we have to go and bring the gospel to every corner and every community and people group, every dorm, and every student on campus. And then those that say yes or who want to join us we disciple so that they begin to Know Christ more. And as they do we challenge them into the mission of Jesus: to go and be sent into their world to make more disciples. Some of them do and I get to see as they thrive in Christ growing in character, faith, vision, sacrificial love and they get to see people they invest in take steps towards Jesus. Then every four years we send these students into the world and they go to many corners of the US and the world. God is the one at work at CU: but I love that together we get to plant seeds and water them and watch as God grows students into His disciples!

This is the vision I want to invite people to give financially, with time and prayer towards!

I am so thankful for the people who have supported me along the way. So many people have believed in me and this vision. Even in the hard times on campus and in fundraising a team of people have given and prayed for CU and me and encouraged me. I just want to say Thank you! You are changing my world and the kingdom of God is coming at CU breaking in one student at a time as they take a risk for Jesus or take a step towards Jesus. Your monthly and recurring giving especially has made a huge difference.

My prayer is that each one of you would know the difference you are making and that you would in heaven see the eternal treasure of people who are there in heaven because of your partnership in this ministry!

God I ask for continued partnership and new people to partner with you and me and CU IV in this vision!

Thank you God and Thank you CU IV partners!

Preach the Gospel though the world considers it foolishness

Ivanna and I are reading through the bible together and we are just starting 1 Corinthians.

As I prayed and talked to students today dreaming of starting something new and reaching more students at CU of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds I was both encouraged and discouraged.

And I longed to hear from God in the midst of it. Then I looked back at what we had read this morning in 1 Corinthians 1.

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;

    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[c]

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Preaching at CU often seems like foolishness but I have to remember to many it is foolishness but to those who will believe it is the power of God. And some will believe at CU. The gospel needs to be preached there at a place where freedom, pleasure, success, tolerance, moral relativism and general spiritualism (basically believe and do whatever you want) dominates. God help me to believe the harvest is plentiful. God teach me to preach the gospel and invite people to respond again and again with hope and not discouragement. God please confirm your gospel with a demonstration of your Spirit's Power. 

God I long for students at CU to come to follow Jesus the way the truth and the life to you. I long for more Asian American students, a new thing with latino students, an exponential growth with international students, a transformation of the gospel reaching South Asian students, native students and black students. God send me and others to them especially the ones who aren't being reached who are alone and ignored at CU. Help me find them, help me love them, raise up leaders amongst them to reach even more than I could ever reach. Please Lord show me where to start. Latino, International, Greek, a renewed emphasis on intentionally reaching Asian American students? 

God I feel weak and small and inadequate. But you seem to choose the lowly things of the world the people who feel small. So if you want use me, if not don't use me. 

1 Corinthians 1

6 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[d]

Lord may your kingdom come at CU! As it is in Heaven. And regardless of my role let me boast in you alone Lord!

Amen