fresh perspective, new direction

earlier this week, we sat down with manuel and cecy, after a couple weeks working on campus, to discuss what we liked, what our goals are, and how we are doing in reaching them.. after looking at the goals set in the past for reaching our two campuses, we talked about what needed to be changed.. we ended up having a really incredible and inspiring conversation that really reminded me of why i am here..

we discussed how these students arent simply just numbers.. the goal is not set at a certain number of students each year to share the Gospel with.. our focus is not on numbers or percentages or demographics.. our focus is really on the hearts of students, the lives of young men and women, and our scope truly is the entire country.. for example, what is more important: to see five hundred students come to know Christ, and then vanish into the woodwork of everyday life; or to see a handful of students become truly passionate for the salvation of their families, friends and peers? to have hundreds of people fill the churches year after year, so long as american missionaries are working here; or to see a movement form that sustains itself long after our teams leave?

we realized, after looking through the Gospels at Jesus' three year ministry, that His focus was not on simply preaching to the masses.. He knew that He was here on earth for a very short time, and He had a very specific purpose for everything He did.. His primary focus was on pouring time and energy and love into His disciples.. the twelve followed Him everywhere, knew Him intimately, learned to trust the Lord for everything, and were trained to carry on His ministry.. with Jesus' last words before He ascended, He urged His disciples to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations," teaching the people what Christ taught them.. flash forward two thousand years or so, and now there are thriving movements of Christ-followers all over the world..

we want to model that same focus here.. we want to pour out everything we know, everything we are, for these students.. teach them to observe what Christ has taught us, and send them out to reach the far corners of their country, and beyond their own borders, with the love and truth of the Gospel..

so pray that we would be building friendships and solid relationships with students! pray that we would be able to hang out with them outside of time on campus! please pray that the Lord would be revealing to us how to have truly effective discipleship times..

thanks everyone!