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
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
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