Conversion and Community at Catalina

As some of you know, mid-April, I spent a week at Catalina Island with Cal State Northridge. We had a fantastic time! I spent the week going through the first third of the gospel of Mark with 18 students...and by the end of the week, three of them made new decisions of faith!

Miguel shared that he now understood, for the first time, that God wants to forgive him. Candice confessed her struggles with depression and cutting, and shared that Jesus was leading her into healing.

The highlight of the week was when we had a local pastor come into camp and baptize four of the students who wanted to publicly express their new commitment to faith. One of them from my study, Ariel, shared about Jesus’ pursuit of her, and spent two minutes—from the freezing Pacific Ocean water—exhorting the group about the wonderful love of Jesus that everyone needs. The whole
camp was moved by her words, including myself and my family! (My kids still talk about the baptism!)

It was a beautiful week of watching a bunch of normal college students becoming the people of God, brought together by the love, the healing, and the leadership of Jesus. I look forward to share more about what God keeps doing in them, and how that work impacts their campus.

Ongoing Work: USC Leadership Explosion!

We’re starting to see the fruit of investing in helping students reach students at USC. This past year, the group had 10 student leaders…the last month has been spent training the new team of 20 student leaders who have committed to leading their peers on campus!

These students have spent April being led into deeper intimacy with God, into following Jesus’ model of outreach through relationships, and into visioning for how to engage the campus with God’s love. Each time they are trained in a new facet of faith, they are sent out to put it into practice. One of the recent campus-wide outreach events they put on was called “Signs: is God trying to get your attention”. They had over 80 students show up, and one made a new faith decision that night.

So far this year, we’ve seen USC students lead 5 of their non-Christian peers into new Christian faith…and we’re praying for that number to double by the end of the year. I am celebrating the health and vibrancy of the group, and expect to see it become a place where Christian students become a major force in shaping the campus.

Behind the Scenes: Training Students for Urban Ministry

I spent the past weekend leading our Student Training in Mission conference. 70 students spent 24 hours being equipped to be sent out this summer to the Middle East, Guatemala, Honduras, and inner city Fresno and Los Angeles. They will spend 4 to 6 weeks serving alongside Christian workers in these places.

Possibly more than any other single thing InterVarsity does, these summer experiences teach students to put their faith into action, and graduate them as equipped men and women of character who have shaping influence for the rest of their lives. Pray for them as they bring God’s love into places of need!

On the Horizon: LAUP

What I’m most excited about right now is that I get to spend the summer directing students in the Los Angeles Urban Project. I’ll be working with urban ministries such as PATH on skid row (People Assisting the Homeless), the Brezee Youth Institute, and Redeemer Community Partnership.

Family and Financial Update

Jenny, Lucy, and Tyler were able to come with me to Catalina mid-April, and the kids had the time of their lives! Lucy caught her first fish, tyler caught crabs and gained a prized collection of shells, and Jenny, Lucy, and Tyler spent every morning playing on the beach. It was wonderful!

As I head into the end of the fiscal year, June 30th, I am seeking $6500 in additional support. So far, donors like you have brought in 95% of our need which is wonderful, and for which I’m grateful. If you are in a place to give a year-end gift to help put us over the top of our budget, that would be welcome blessing!