Mission Aurora, a Blessing to Those Who Were Served & Those Who Served

My church, First Presbyterian Church in Aurora, has been spending quite a bit of time the past months preparing for ourselves for something new for us. Every summer for the past I don't know how many year, my church has done a Family Church Camp at a conference center in WI for a week during the month of July.  However, this year we didn't stick with tradition.  Last fall the idea started as whispers and then grew into something I don't think anyone really imagined.  Church leaders began to ask, "What if we stayed in Aurora for a week & served our neighbors?" What indeed would happen if we veered away from what we were familiar with, was a truly great time of fellowship & worship, to try something different, something new. Well I can say that when you step out in faith, trusting in where God is leading you, some pretty amazing stuff happens.

The slogan for Mission Aurora was "Go, Serve, Tell" & that is what we did for a week at the end of July.  250+ First Pres volunteers ventured into the areas of Aurora where the lost, hurting, & broken were to serve them through mobile food pantries, backyard Bible clubs, habitat for humanity, landscaping, nursing home visits, spa day at the local women's shelter, helping at the homeless shelter, & much more.  All the while our volunteers, young & old, were taking time to not just love like Christ through their deeds but through their words as well.  People would stop to pray with some of the ladies in line at the mobile food pantries, Bible Club volunteers were inviting neighborhood kids to accept Jesus into their hearts, kids were helping other kids that have special needs so they could experience a Bible Club & learn about Jesus, adults  were talking to the parents attending our various events inviting them to church & to hear their story... God was at work through His Spirit in every person, sharing His hope, His love, His peace, His healing, His saving grace with each of those people we came in contact with. God is so GOOD!

But what I found truly amazing was watching the people I was serving along side as the week went on. I saw light bulbs rise up & hearts change.  People started to talk to each and say, "You know we could get 10 families together & host a mobile food pantry. We could even get the Jr Highers to help volunteer." "You know we could volunteer at the food pantry more often." "You know there is an opportunity we could help serve (insert group here) coming up, who wants to join in?" "You know we could do this on a smaller scale over a weekend." As people served the lost & hurting in our community, God did an amazing thing in our hearts.  He opened eyes to see the need surrounding us & breaking our hearts for the hurting & spurring His hands and feet on to do something about it beyond Mission week. Little did we know that when we signed up to serve those in our community that they would serve us also by calling us to be a part of God's mission in our city. What a joy being part of such a great reminder of God's call to His people.

As the week progress, our theme song's chorus started to become more real.  Not just a prayer, but a desire to take part in it ourselves, in being God's hands & feet to a hurting world.

Build Your kingdom here.

Let the darkness fear.

Show Your mighty hand.

Heal our streets and land.

Set Your church on fire.

Win this nation back.

Change the atmosphere.

Build Your kingdom here.

We pray.

~"Build Your Kingdom Here" by Rend Collective

"'Come,' he said." ~Matthew 14:29

I'm sure many of you have heard the song "Oceans" by Hillsong either on the radio or at church (if you haven't check out the video I posted bellow). It has become popular pretty quickly & is everyone's new favorite. I typically get hesitant about new crazes in Christian songs because they get over played very quickly. I enjoy them the first few times but after the 50th time of hearing it on the radio, I'm generally tired of it & want to hear something new. Though I fear they are on the verge of overplaying this song, it has struck a cord with me that makes me tear up ever time I hear it. So what it is it about this song you ask that makes it different from the other crazes? Well first lets take a look at the Scripture this song so easily draws me to, Matthew 14:22-33

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said,“why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Jesus' call to Peter to step out on the raging waves feels a lot like the call to ministry & this song really encompasses all the emotion that comes with that. First, this song is my prayer for the work God has called me to. Doing ministry calls me to places that are uncertain & to do things that need me stretch beyond my comfort zone (ie like Jesus calling Peter to step out on the water). In fact, Peter said that if Jesus really was Jesus to tell him to come.  Why would he do that? Because Peter trusted Jesus.  So I too trust Jesus & pray call me where you want me to go.  But that isn't easy, so to remember God's promises & comfort are the things that give me the strength to take that next step. I'm sure Peter was thinking about all he'd seen Jesus do before he took that step out of the boat. So this song really is my pray to trust where God is sending me & to remember that God is good, faithful, sovereign, & my source of strength.

This song is truly beautiful & my prayer, but it also terrifies me & that is what causes me to tear up. When you really sing this song as a prayer, really wanting to step out on the water & go where He might send you, there is a moment when you realize just exactly it is that you are asking. I'm sure it is similar to that moment Peter says, "Lord if it is you tell me to come," & Peter hears the answer of "Come". Jesus told him "Come," to step out a midst the wave, far from land in deep, open water. And Peter did come but then it really sunk in what he was doing, & he was afraid. He saw the rough waters & was afraid & began to sink. I might not have ever actually been asked by God to step out on a turbulent sea, but campus ministry is a pretty good metaphorical one. When I sing this song & really pray "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders / Let me walk upon the waters / Wherever You would call me / Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander", the whole time I am thinking about AU & being sent to do ministry there.  Then I have that moment where it sinks in what I just prayed.  I just prayed for God to send me to the students that don't know they need Jesus & are more concerned about where the next party will be. I just prayed for God to send me to do a job that I need to raise financial support for on a yearly basis in order to have a paycheck & the means to pay for expenses of ministry. I just prayed for God to send me to have to daily overcome my fears & be a leader when I'd more comfortably be a follower.  I just prayed for God to send me to do a work that is emotionally, mentally, & physically draining. I just prayed for God to send me into an environment that will constantly challenge my beliefs & scoff at what I say is Truth. I just prayed for God to send me to a place & a people that might ridicule me, reject me, & maybe never appreciate me. That is hard stuff & that is why that prayer, why this song, terrifies me at times. I can sing this song all day long, but what do I do when Jesus says like he did to Peter, "Come"?

But the fear doesn't last long. As Peter was sinking Jesus was right there ready to reach out & save him. Jesus is right there to remind me to take my eyes off those "waves" & focus on him.  "Your grace abounds in deepest waters / Your sovereign hand / Will be my guide / Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me / You've never failed and You won't start now" He has called me to come.  He will guide me.  Even if I'm afraid, I get to experience his grace & he will never fail me. I can trust him. So tears of fear turn to tears of joy, because my eyes are on His plan & purpose. So I trust & I see Him come through.  Those students that are so concerned about partying find themselves empty & they begin to investigate who Jesus is. That budget I need to raise, I get to experience God's perfect provision & His Church steps up to invest in & love on college students. Those fears I have become nothing when I watch a student commit their lives to Christ for the first time. All the hard work & long nights become worth it, & though I feel exhausted I am satisfied & full of joy. And the fear of rejection & scoffing becomes a heart that breaks for the campus & now sees these people as empty & broken in great need of hope & love. When you keep your eyes above the proverbial waves of life, things look differently. Once you've seen what God has done & how He is always faithful & never fails, you can only respond in worship to Him. Just like the disciples in the boat after Jesus calmed the stormed. Your soul really does rest in His embrace, because there is such great peace in knowing & trusting Jesus.  And that is why I can keep singing this song with a worshipful heart, because He is far greater than the waves.

"Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" Lyrics

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

[6x]
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

I will call upon Your name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

Chapter Focus Week, 2014 Photo Album

Check out all of our awesome adventures at Chapter Focus Week this year by clicking on the link bellow!

IV at AU, Chapter Focus Week 2014

What's Your Mountain?

Did you know prayer is powerful?... I guess the better question is, do you believe that prayer is powerful? Do you believe that prayer can really change things? Do you believe that God really listens? Do you believe that if "whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him."? (Mark 11:23) Do you believe that God can move the mountains in your life?

A few weeks ago my small group at church was looking at this passage from Mark. As we were diving into the passage, my pastor asked us what were the mountains we were praying for in our lives.  After a few moments of silence, one of the women spoke up and share "I think that I've stopped asking for my mountains to be moved." Her honest observation about herself resonated with all of us there that evening. We all, in one way or another, had stopped asking for mountains to be moved and were settling for just okay; no longer praying big prayers, but prayers for the bare minimum.  We were content to settle for what we think is enough when God tells us to pray for mountains to be tossed into the sea.

But isn't this so true of all of us though?  We stop praying for our mountains or maybe never begin to pray for them.  We either think we don't deserve it, or think we're asking God for too much, or maybe we don't believe something that big could be moved.  Well I was defiantly convicted by this passage because Jesus didn't give any prerequisites for prayer other than faith and no doubt. So it doesn't depend on whether we deserve it or think we're good enough, it is a matter of faith and how Jesus tells us to pray.

So if that is all it takes why aren't I praying like that? Why aren't we praying like that? God wants me to pray, to come before Him with the things that lay heavy on my heart. And I have plenty of mountains to pray for too! In fact I have a whole mountain range of mountains just at AU alone. Yet I'm hesitant to pray for them, I've hesitated and haven't prayed for them. But it is time to stop moping around about the spiritual lostness of my campus and do what God told me to do in the first place, PRAY!  God really convicted me during that Bible study, I wasn't praying enough or big enough, or chapter wasn't praying enough or big enough.  So something needed to be done.

I still don't have it all right and could definitely pray bigger and more often.  However, I've stepped out in faith and I'm trying to pray bigger, for the things only God could accomplish on the campus. I'm trying to pray more regularly too.  And you know what, it makes a difference.  I'm seeing those mountains begin to shake as students accept Christ and step up into leadership in the chapter and get excited about God's mission for our campus.  I don't know why I didn't pray like this sooner.  God does listen to our prayers and He does answer.  Not always in the ways I expect or in the ways I want, but He is answering prayers in a way to advance His Kingdom.  Prayer is more powerful than we might think.  So what is your mountain prayer? Start praying for it and watch as it begins to move.

Having Coffee With Jesus

**This is something I taught on at WinterFest, so I thought I'd share part of it with you all :-)

We all really do worship something and as Christians that is (and should be) God.  One way that we can spend time worshiping God is through our quiet times.  Spending time in God’s word, praying to and listening to Him.  Not only does God want us to worship Him, but He also wants to transform us in the process. So how does that happen? How do we continue to bring our identity under Christ’s Lordship to be transformed by him?  Well the best way to be transformed by Christ is to spend time with Christ.  Transformation happens best in relationship over task… transformation is more a process rather than project. You can compare task vs relationship to Shopping at a grocery store vs. chatting with a good friend over a cup of coffee.

Shopping, it is something we need to do to be fed and have what we need. It is important that we do it regularly so we don’t run out of what need.  However, it is very impersonal.  You get in and get out, it is 1 way focused (a means to an end). When you are shopping it really isn’t a place get to know someone and it isn’t a place you would expect to be transformed in.  The same is true for our quiet times.  It is something we need to do, to fill our spiritual thirst and hunger.  But if we treat it as a task we run the risk of only doing it for the sake of doing it.  We read the words but don’t really let them transform us.

On the other hand, having coffee with a friend is different.  It is a chance to slow down, to go deeper, be very personal, and get to know each other better. It is more 2 way, you share and they share. You are more likely to hear something new, be encouraged, or work through some hard issues.  You can be transformed in a relationship.  However, it takes time and intentionality on our part (remember a 2 way street).  And if we aren’t careful it can become routine and be taken for granted.

Spending time with God is something we need to do (like going to the grocery store).  But sometimes we can get in a rut and just go through the motions.  We take for granted the time we get to spend with Him and we might push it off until we realize it has been a few days… a week… a month since we’ve had a good chat with God.  It happens in all of our relationships.  You don’t intentionally do it but you let things get in the way.  We let others take priority and try to fit God into what’s left, and the thing is when we do that God doesn’t really have the space to fit in.  When that happens with God it is because we start to worship other things like time, work, relationships, etc…

And when that happens  and we notice what we are doing we might feel ashamed or guilty or fearful or maybe just leave the relationship alone because we know we’ve neglected it and aren’t sure what to expect now.  We realize we have been putting our best friend off, canceling our plans with Him, and it makes sense that we would feel shame and guilt. But when that happens God doesn’t want us to think the relationship is done and over, God just wants us to come back to Him and pick up where we left off.  He wants to still spend time with you like any best friend would.  Once we remember who we should be worshiping we need to return to Him.  He’ll welcome you back with open arms and want you to continue to grow in your relationship. So often we don’t treat quiet times like a relationship though, we treat it more like a trip to the grocery store to get the bare essentials to survive. Quiet times can be more than just a task on our spiritual to do list though.

God doesn’t want us to just survive on our quiet times, He wants us to thrive in the.  It can move from something we need to do, to something we want to do.  Just think about that for a moment… What if your quiet time was something that you wanted to do? Not for the sake of doing it but because you are so in love this God that loves you more than you can image. Think of how your life could change if you not only wanted to satisfy your spiritual appetite but valued the relationship it was.  Quiet times can be a place where we can be growing in our relationship with God, like we would with a best friend catching up over coffee. And just like we are eager to hangout with that best friend, we can be that eager to spend time with God.  To grow in our relationship with Him. And when our relationship with God grows, we are transformed in the process (we get to know more about God AND about who we are, who He created us to be, our true identity).  Just like in John 4, after the women spent time with Jesus she was transformed by it.  She was not the same after her encounter with Christ.  Not only was her thirst filled, she was so passionate about the experience she had to invite others into this transformative relationship.  Her passion for Christ was so overwhelming that she left what she thought she needed behind, she left her water jug at the well, to pursue her relationship with Christ further.  And our quiet times can do the same for us. So take some time to slow down, pull out your Bible, grab a cup of Joe, and have some coffee with Jesus.

"Whom shall I send, & who will go for us"...to AU?

At National Staff Conference

The new semester has just started on top gear.  The last month has already been filled to the brim for me with meeting new students, planning our first outreach events, starting small group Bible studies, traveling to St. Lois for Nation Staff Conference, heading to Indiana to continue my second year of staff training, & somewhere in the midst of that fitting in the rest of my life. The last few weeks have been a constant go, go, go.

In St. Lois for National Staff Conference

Taking time to slow down in the busyness is vital to hearing God amidst all the noise around us.  That is what happened one day as I was slowing down to do my devotions.  That morning the section I read was based from the Isaiah 6 passage where he is in the throne room of God.  There is so much going on around Isaiah; angels are singing of God's holiness, the overwhelming presence of God, and even Isaiah's own realization of his sinfulness. It is such a wonderful and busy picture, yet in the midst of all that Isaiah is able to slow down and hear God, "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here I am! Send me.'" (6:8)  Because Isaiah slowed down enough to hear the call, he was able to respond and say "Yes God!" He didn't know where he was going at that point but he faithfully said yes to going where ever God sent him.

IV students at our Celebration Dinner back in December.
These students have said yes to God's invitation to be His
ambassadors at AU.

After reading that it really struck me, God is saying the same thing right now.  He is saying the same thing to me and to my students.  "Who will go for us to AU?"  When we said yes to coming to AU, we said yes to God's invitation to be His ambassadors for His Kingdom right here at AU.  God has invited us into His work at AU, to see students & faculty transformed, the campus renewed, & world changers developed.  So now what? We said yes, so what do we do to see that happen?  We invite people to get to know Jesus, that is where transformation happens.  So we lead Bible studies on campus, we pray for our campus, we provide a space for students to hear Truth on our campus, but above all we invite others to make the decision to follow Jesus.  So as we do all of our regular things with IV we can never forget that we are really inviting people to get to know Jesus and serve Him as He has invited us to. It is a great thing that we have been given, a relationship with God.  We need to invite others to get to know Him so they can receive it as well. 

Please pray for us this semester to be inviting people to get to know who Jesus is through the different Bible studies, prayer meeting, and larger group activities we do.