It's Winter Camp Time!

One of the most important events of our calendar year is our annual Winter Camp.  It falls at just the right time--far enough into the year that we can get new students to come spend three days with us, but early enough to help build momentum for a great spring semester.  This year we'll be heading to Sky Ranch in Van, TX, from January 17-20.

Here are some things you can do to bless this camp:
1.  Pray for all of our students to attend!  The ones who need it the most are often the hardest to get to come.  Pray for wisdom and boldness for our student leaders as they talk to each person in their cores about signing up.
2.  Help scholarship a student who can't afford to come on their own.  A full scholarship is $135, but even $5 helps.  Most students will pay at least some of the cost, but we don't ever want to leave a student home because of money. You can give at anyfocus.org/wcscholarship.
3.  Pray for our speakers.  Brady Bobbink, from CCF up in Bellingham (where we go to SICM), is our special guest speaker.  He's talking about "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom."  Some of the FOCUS staff will also be sharing at key points throughout the weekend.  We serve a God who reveals himself through words and as the Word, so we know the spoken word is powerful.  I'm praying that students will have encounters with God that weekend.
4.  Come out for a session and see what Winter Camp is all about.  If you're in the DFW area, Sky Ranch isn't too far a drive. We'll have sessions each evening and morning from Friday night to Monday morning.  Contact me or Debbie for more details.

In other travel related notes, Matt Clark (our UNT Campus Minister) and I were able to travel to New York City for a few days before Christmas to visit his sister.  We also got to have dinner with an amazing FOCUS alumnus, Christian Sommerhalder, who is in med school up there.  It's great to see our alumni being salt and light all over the nation.

Christian and his girlfriend, Savannah.  She's great!

We had a blast on our very cold visit to the Statue of Liberty.  Matt is such an amazing friend and co-worker in the Kingdom.

Thank you so much for your ongoing love and prayers and support. Spring is when we work to harvest a lot of what was planted in the fall.  I'm praying the God of the harvest will send out lots more workers in 2014!

Nikki's Story & Thanksgiving

At our Thanksgiving dinner last week, my family had the opportunity to host one of the new FOCUS students from UTD, Nikki.  She's seeking and learning and studying Jesus, and she's been great to have around this year.  At our Thanksgiving dinner she shared that FOCUS and learning about being a Christian are the things she's most thankful for from the past year.  Here's a little of her spiritual story:

Four months ago I moved to Dallas, taking the biggest gamble of my life at the time to pursue my passion, a bachelor’s degree in software engineering. I packed whatever I could fit in my car and left San Antonio, completely oblivious to another passion God had decided it was time for me to chase after--Him. Once I made it here, I met a group of women who befriended me no questions asked. At the time I was a religion hopper, jumping from Buddhist, Baptist, Atheist, Catholic, and settling on Islam. I was just trying to find my place and home knowing I had always believed in a higher power.  Through one of these women however, Christ challenged me to see which road I would take so I chose the one less traveled. This woman convinced me to go to FOCUS and after a few times I was challenged once more by her to do FOCUS on Jesus, so I agreed. I was so angry with her after the first day because this woman dared to challenge me and my beliefs, and after that day I planned on never returning. I wrote in my journal to God asking why He would be so cruel and allow this to happen and I asked God to show me a world divided and within that world where He wanted me to be. A few weeks later, still going to FOCUS and doing FOCUS on Jesus, I waited patiently for his sign. Then God gave me, Marwa, a woman I helped one night with programing homework in the computer lab. Again, Christ challenged me when she asked me what kind of Muslim I was. I couldn’t give her an answer because there was just so much more I had yet to learn. Raised Muslim, Marwa found Christ later on in her adult life and unbiasedly she showed me the good and bad sides of Islam, she also told me she would pray to God for me. I wrote in my journal again that night about a world divided and later realized that this was what I had asked God for. This was His answer to me, to become Christian. I was a woman who felt as if something was always missing and through FOCUS not only did I find friends, a family that I love unconditionally, but I also spiritually have grown because of every single person in FOCUS. I am happier now than I ever remember being before I moved. FOCUS has given something so precious, a priceless gift that will forever be one of the greatest I will ever receive in this life - helping me to find Christ. 

Nikki!

Nikki at the beginning of the semester with some other FOCUS students.  Rachel, to the right of Nikki, is the one studying the Bible with her.

With Thanksgiving last week, I just want to say how thankful I am to each of you and the many ways you support me in ministry and life.  Thank you to all of the financial supporters who invest in the vision of vibrant Jesus-communities on every campus, and are willing to partner with missionaries to make it happen.  Thank you to those who support with advice, support, friendship, and encouragement.  Thank you to all those who helped lay the groundwork for these campus communities during your own time in college.  Thank you to those who mentor or have mentored our current generation of student leaders--your fruit is growing!  This is truly a team effort--thank you for being a part of the team.

"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God's service." - Paul, 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

A couple of cool stories

We had our UTD ministry Park Day a little over a week ago.  Because our first date on a Saturday was rained out, we decided to have Park Day in lieu of our regular Friday Night Fellowship on campus. I wish you could have watched firsthand as lots and lots of students came out, played games, ate dinner, and stayed for a devotional.  People new to our community formed new relationships and got to see how a Christian community plays and has fun.  At the devotional you would have heard 4 students share about how Jesus has impacted them through this community over the past few years.

One of the guys shared about how he came in not knowing what to expect, but that he simply said "yes" whenever he was invited to something ( like small group, one-on-one study, the SICM training) and was open to what God wanted to do in his life.  He shared how God used those simple things to change him and prepare him for ministry.  Then he challenged the freshmen to say "yes" and be open.  That's a message for each of us, no matter how far along in our spiritual journey.  When God invites, say "yes" and be open!

We also had a girl in grad school and a guy who is a junior share, and they both shared about the same person making an impact on them--Christa Smith (formerly Kenyon) who graduated years ago.  I love how in the kingdom simple things that we do can continue to bear fruit for years to come.  Jesus loves the imagery of seeds that start tiny and grow into huge things!  Both of those students have been deeply impacted by Christa's invitation in their life, but it wasn't immediate.  I encourage you to "not become weary in doing good" (Gal 6:9), because God's harvest comes in the right time (Mark 4:26-29).

I would have included an incredibly sporty picture of me, but I didn't want to outshine the students.

You can't see the majority of the group, but we had a great time of worship and sharing outside.

One more story: this past Friday night one of the Sociology professors at UTD came to our Friday Night meeting to share with the students about the ongoing impact Jesus has on her life.  You would have been so encouraged to hear her share!  Most challenging to me were her comments about the times in life when God has led her to do really hard things--getting her PhD, her first job as a professor, etc.  She shared that when she feels overwhelmed and incapable, she goes back to the question, "Is this what God wants me to be doing?"  If the answer is "yes," then she knows she can finish what He sent her to do.  I hope you find that encouraging too and remember it in those moments when you think your strength has run out.

One of our student's favorite professors sharing her testimony at FOCUS!

Thank you for investing in me, in these students, and in a Kingdom vision for this campus.  You're making an impact, and it's only growing!

PS:  One great thing about having a larger staff at UTD this year is that I've had more time to invest in teaching.  I've been working my way through a commentary on Mark's Gospel from the NIV Application Commentary series to help me prepare for a weekly Discipleship Class (or "D Class") on campus at UTD.  This book is awesome!  I thought it would be just a reference book to help me write curriculum, but it has taken me deeper into the scripture and is challenging me so much as someone striving to follow Jesus.  I highly recommend it if you're looking for something to read and want to understand Jesus more.  It goes beyond explaining the text and gives insight into how it should shape our lives as Christians, both individually and collectively.

Break Every Chain

A couple weeks ago at our UTD Friday Night Fellowship (FNF), I had the opportunity to introduce our theme for the year--Break Every Chain.  I shared about God's ultimate desire to end oppression and bondage and bring true freedom through Jesus to the world.  After the lesson, we had every student fill in the blanks to this sentence: "____________ is a chain in my life that I want to see broken this year so that _______________."  
After a song, we opened up the mic to let anyone share what they had written.  Around 70 students came up to share!  I wish you could have heard how they made themselves vulnerable to the community as they shared about chains of fear and anxiety, of sin and shame, of constantly comparing themselves to others, of laziness, of depression, of weakness, of lust, of vices like smoking--and that barely scratches the surface.  On the one hand, your heart would have broken as you heard what the world has done in and through these students.  But on the other, you would have been so encouraged to see them boldly renouncing those things, openly facing them, and powerfully praying for God to move this year!  Transformed lives is absolutely the best part of campus ministry!  
The students in attendance that night who don't know Christ were blown away by the openness and acceptance they witnessed that night.  And many of them shared as well!  We have so many students coming who are investigating Jesus for the first time, and so many Bible studies started with them already.  
This past FNF, I had a girl tell me that she was trying to be serious about finding God for the first time--she'd started reading a Bible given to her by a friend and she's made it to Leviticus!  She's coming to a class I'm teaching on Mark's Gospel starting this Friday--I can't wait to tell her all about Jesus. Please be praying for God to move powerfully this year, breaking the chains in these students' lives and bringing them into intimate relationships with Him.  And please message me with your own answer to the above prompt so that I can be praying for you too!
A couple more notes:
1.  My peer team is made up of the Core group leaders I'm mentoring on a weekly basis.  I'd so appreciate your prayers for them as they try to reach out to the nearly 40 guys attending their groups.

From left to right, it's JD, Morgan, me, Christian, & Peter.

2.  I wanted to share with you these cool articles about UTD.  You can just read the headlines, or click on the links to find out a lot more.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013
	CAMPUS U.S. News Ranks UT Dallas in Top 25 for Diversity UT Dallas has one of the top 25 most ethnically diverse student populations in the country, according to recent data from U.S. News and World Report. “Diversity is important to the student experience,” said UT Dallas President David E. Daniel. read more
	CAMPUS Big Freshman Class Lifts Enrollment to 21,145 The largest freshman class in UT Dallas’ history is a major reason that enrollment has grown more than 7 percent since fall 2012. The preliminary total enrollment tally of 21,145 shows a record 2,231 new freshmen – a 44 percent increase since last year. read more
UT Dallas Home Page | UT Dallas News Center | Privacy Policy
The UT Dallas News Center is an electronic news service published by the Office of Communications at The University of Texas at Dallas.

It's been an awesome beginning!

I'm running about three weeks behind on most of my tasks, but the student ministry is off to an amazing start!  Honestly, I think we've had our best Welcome Week yet on every campus.  At UTD, our 36 student core leaders went out and made tons of new friends, starting with move-in and continuing on through all the campus-sponsored events.  I wish you could have seen these young disciples in action!

One of the students I mentor was sharing with me about how last year he was too shy to meet new people.  So he thought about one of the most outgoing people he knows--Charlie.  Then, when he'd see a freshman standing by himself this year, he'd just ask himself, "What would Charlie do?"  The answer? "He'd walk up and introduce himself." So that's what he did!  And he has about 15 guys coming to his core, only a couple of them returners from last year.  I could repeat stories like that over and over.  These students are willing to stretch outside of their own comfort zones in order to meet the needs they see around them. I'm reminded of Paul writing, "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some" (1 Corinthians 9).

Had you been at our first Friday Night Fellowship at UTD, you would have stood among nearly 200 students!  Had you attended UNT's meeting last Friday, you would have worshipped with around 250.  I'd be worried except that we have nearly 40 small group leaders on each campus--plus a host of staff and returning students--ready to befriend, teach, and mentor these new people.  God is growing these missional communities, but we aren't losing our core value that ministry is personal--"One on one is how it's done" as my father/mentor Ronnie always says.

After Welcome Week was over, we took all of our staff and small group leaders on a retreat--over 100 people.  Our topic was the Heart of Leadership.  In one session we focused in on the idea of vulnerability (if you haven't seen the Brené Brown TED talks on vulnerability and shame, I highly recommend them).  Afterward, each student anonymously wrote a secret on a card and slipped it into a box.  Later that night we had them on the wall for everyone to read and reflect on.  I think you would have had tears in your eyes if you had been there reading those secrets--some exciting, some heartbreaking.  I know I did!  I've included a sampling of them below so you'll get the idea.  Pray for these students and all the others.  If these are the secrets in our student leader's lives, think about the brokenness in the lives of their peers who don't yet know our loving God.  Thanks for supporting me in so many ways so I can be on campus and with students.  Without our partnership, so much Kingdom work would go undone.

These are just a sampling--some were darker, others really encouraging.

The busiest month of the year!

We are off to a great start this August.  Upperclassmen started moving in yesterday at UTD and freshmen are coming in the next couple days.  Our leaders, both students and staff, have been diligently preparing to welcome new and returning students with help, friendship, and the opportunity to learn more about Jesus.  Just this week we'll host a pool party, an ultimate frisbee night, and a trip to the dollar theater.  On top of that, our students will be attending all sorts of official university events with the goal of making as many new friends as possible!  At those events you would see FOCUS members meeting new students, drawing in people who are by themselves, starting up games and activities, getting contact information, and inviting people to other events.  Doesn't it feel good to get a personal invitation when you are new somewhere?  Be in prayer that we'll make the most of these great opportunities--the first two weeks after move-in sets the course for the entire academic year in campus ministry.

Especially pray for all of our leaders who happen to be more quiet or shy.  This is when they really step out of their comfort zones in order to serve freshmen and transfer students who don't have friends yet.  But God can and will do amazing things through those sacrifices--I've seen it over and over.  It reminds me of the title of a book I've never read: If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat.  I mean, with a title like that, do I really need to read the book?!  God does His biggest miracles outside of our comfort zones, and I love seeing young disciples step out of their comfort zones in an effort to be more like Christ.

August also saw the beginning of the 2013-2014 FOCUS Staff, serving 6 campuses!  I'll be investing a lot of my time in this extraordinary team.  Pray that I would have wisdom and insight as I lead our team in leadership development for the coming year.

Thanks for your partnership through friendship, prayer, and finances.  This is a team effort and we couldn't do it without you guys!

Spiritual Energy

This past weekend a new friend of mine (Todd Sinelli) shared this idea: think of money as spiritual energy that we can pour on whatever we want to see grow and flourish.

Think about that for a second.  We invest money in our kids, in our retirement, in grand causes, and in petty vices, sometimes even in sin.  And whatever we pour it on gets that much stronger.

As a ministry, we've consistently made the decision to invest the funds God gives us in people rather than programs or facilities.  That's because we hold the firm conviction that raising up leaders for the harvest is what the Kingdom of God needs most; what the world needs most.

I remember talking to a missionary to Peru last year.  He shared that he'd learned that he could get thousands of people to show up at any event he had just by giving stuff away at the event.  But guess how many people showed up at the first event where there wasn't a handout?  He had to scrap years of work and start over with a new approach because he realized there was no lasting fruit.

Campus ministry can be like that.  You can throw big events, give away free food and cool stuff, bring expensive attractions and students will show up!  These things do have some value in drawing people in. But what are we drawing them in to?

Real community is what people really need, whether they realize it yet or not.  And real community requires real disciples, real leaders, real friendships.  You would be so encouraged if you could pull back the curtain, so to speak, and see what lies behind the large groups of students we draw on these campuses.  Not a lot of advertising; not a lot of free stuff; but a lot of authentic one-on-one relationships.

That's why we put so much time and energy and so much of our budget into the FOCUS Internship. Training our brightest young men and women disciples to think critically and Biblically, to love and care for others in more helpful ways, to lead communities and reproduce themselves as leaders--these are what the Church needs!  We've got 9 amazing young people coming on staff as interns this year.  If you haven't been given an opportunity to invest in campus missions yet, consider investing in one of them this year as they wrap up their support raising in the next couple weeks.

Pray for these 9 as they embark on a huge year of growth in character and ministry skills!

This kind of ministry is slow going, slow growing--at first.  Some of you have been investing for a long time.  But the exponential nature of what we are doing is starting to show itself.  We have more student leaders than ever before this year (about 90 core facilitators!).  We're starting to reach out at Texas Woman's University and the Collin College Preston Ridge Campus.  And even with all this growth, we are exporting leaders into the marketplace and into families and into local churches every year as students graduate and move outward.  It's an exciting time to be a part of FOCUS!

What all are you pouring spiritual energy on?  Let's see some great things grow and flourish in the years to come!