Week 0

Helllo everyone!

I think you should all read this letter- it's from Chris (he runs the ministry that reaches out to street boys in Kenya) to the Saint Boys (the boys we interacted with in Kenya and who are changing lives).  It brings glory to God and if you're like me, you'll be in tears at some point.  read

Here is the plan.  I will be writing a post once week, normally on Saturday's and updating you on the LT program, asking for prayer requests and adding any thoughts or lessons God is teaching me.  So here we go!

Week 0 as it is promptly titled by the staff at New Life Church is the first two weeks before our leadership training program (LT) starts.  To say there is a lot to do would be an understatement.  Week 0 includes prep time for life groups and new life teams, programming, creating budgets- basically all the details that go into running a 7 week program.  It's a lot, more than I expected ha.  Although it's a lot of work I really enjoy it.  I love that I'm working towards a program I believe in, working for a God that I love, and working/serving students so they may grow in their relationship with Christ (and everyone on staff is great, it's been a pleasure serving them).  Even if it's planning out a budget, which was my first assignment, it's encouraging to remember the overall vision and goal of the summer-to disciple UofM students in their walk with Christ.  That fires me up!

The theme of LT this year is "Unprecedented"- pursuing God's dreams.  That's big eh?  Unprecedented- what the heck does that really mean?  The overall vision is that we arecalling God to do the unthinkable in peoples' lives this summer.  That could mean freedom from addictions for the first time for students, sharing their faith for the first time, finding true friends- basically anything.  I was once told by one of the pastors at New Life (Graig) that he tried to put himself in positions where God had to come through.  Situations where the only way you could explain why the outcome was positive was to reference God and say, "I have no idea how this worked, but by God doing work."  That's what we are aiming for this summer.  To see real freedom and growth for these 150 UofM students, and for them to go into campus, into the world and share the Good News with others....change the world.  Unprecedented.  Who knows what will happen this summer. But whatever does, will all be for the glory of our heavenly Father.

The two theme verses for LT are Mark 2:1-12 and Isaiah 43: 18-19.  I"ll let you read them for yourselves if you'd like, but again these verses refer back to the awe inspiring, wondrous power of God and his ability that knows no limits.  He has the ability to change a life, to change a heart and change the world.  I'm excited and don't know what to expect.  I sort of have the same mindset before I left for Africa in the sense that, I really don't have any expectations.  I'm just waiting to see what God will show me and am curious to see Him work in the lives of others.

So in recap: this past week was a lot of prep and planning.  And this next week will be more of the same.  Daily meetings, planning out activities and programming.  This can mean long days, but since Africa, God has really given me a heart and desire to serve his Saints.  And I am tremendously grateful for that.  And look forward to work this week! : )

Here are some prayer requests:

-Spiritual warfare: With all the potential that this summer has to offer, with all the possibilities of freedom, growth and life change I know we will be under attack.  Ephesians 6: 12 states, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  Spiritual warfare is real people and I urge you to pray for our Church.  To pray for the Saints. Be praying against divisions between the staff.  The worst thing that can happen is for our staff to be divided, and that's the best thing that Satan could ask for.  We need your help.  We need prayer.  We need God.  I again urge you to be praying against spiritual attack and for staff unity.

-Pray for small groups and New Life Teams.  This is where a lot of people will be sharing their lives possibly for the first time.  Pray that God would move in all these groups and that fruit, growth and love would be seen from it.  That God would be glorified.

-I ask for prayer personally: It's been hard adjusting since Africa.  I miss it, I miss the Saint boys, and quite frankly my life seems so minuscule compared to what I saw (and it is ha).  Pray that my heart would be engaged for LT.  I'm ready and excited for the work, but God cares more about my heart and I want to grow this summer too.

-I'm directing "Party at the Rock" which is our big evangelism outreach program which consists of three Wednesdays in July (13th, 20th, 27th).  The vision is to build relationships with other UofM students and pray for God to provide avenues to share the gospel and invite them to Church.  Quite frankly, it's a major undertaking and I feel over my head at times.  Pray that I may receive direction and wisdom from God in dealing in running this event (I'll be coordinating over 150 students which includes set up, advertising, logistics, all that jazz).  Pray that I may humble myself to continue to ask for help.  Pray that I may lead in a way that brings glory to God.  Pray that lives are touched through this party. And pray against spiritual warfare for myself and everyone involved in this party.

Thank you all for reading and your prayers.  I BELIEVE in the power of prayer, and I KNOW that we all need God to pull off this program this summer.  I know I do.  Thanks : )....

And now I'm going to add some of my thoughts from this week and things God has revealed to me.  You're welcome to keep reading if you'd like : )

I've been listening to sermons by Mark Driscoll a Pastor at Mars Hill church and several things he has shared have really stuck out to me.  This one in particular.

I want you to image a throne.  A throne that is decorated and built for a king.  The throne has a title on it, and it is titled "Lord".  Now imagine a person on that throne.  Someone you look up too.  Someone you are nervous around.   Someone who's opinion matters to you.  When this person is happy, you are.  When they are sad, you are.  When they are disappointed in you, your world falls apart.  You live for this person's approval.  Your self-esteem, confidence and life is based on this persons view of you.  At the end of the day you want this person to say well done my good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21- His Master replied, 'well done, good and faithful servant...!).  Once you've identified this person, put them on the King's throne.  If that person is not Jesus, you are idolizing them.

Like a dagger to the heart.  I've always been a people-pleaser, and this past year God has really shown me how much I live for others.  But this analogy that Mark Driscoll so eloquently shared (You can listen to the sermon here if you'd like, he describes it much better than I do haha Mark Driscoll- Jesus and Fear ) struck me to the core and I've seen it play out already in my Job.  This past week I have struggled so much with wanting to please and win the approval of other staff members and pastors- win the approval of man.  Galatians 1:10 states, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?  Or am I trying to please man?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."  I struggle with this, and this week I think God is teaching me even more about repentance.  Daily repentance.  I listened to another sermon by Pastor Driscoll yesterday and he referenced 1 Thessalonians 5:17, which states, "Pray continually".  Now, I don't do that all the time (I wish I did) but that verse stuck out to me because I need to.  I sin (ha the understatement of the century) and I NEED to confess daily to my Lord and repent to him.  I need to be in communication with God daily.  I've found myself repenting more of idolizing people this week than ever before.  It's been difficult and humbling but I need to be honest with my Lord, He knows my motives, seen and unseen and as Martin Luther once stated, "The life of a Christian is one of daily repentance."  Amen to that brother.

So here is another thought I had the other day.  As I was thinking about my issues and how I'll never be fully glorified here on earth, I came to an acceptance of this (haha duh).  Although this is an ongoing process in my life- accepting my imperfection, I was reminded of the gospel and how much freedom I do have because Christ died for me.  I'll have issues now and until the day I die, but I can still serve others and Love the Lord.  I can still seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and to the best of my ability, lay my life down for others and my God.  But I had this thought, bare with me if I can't articulate it well, because it sounded so dang clear in my head ha.

1 Corinthians 4:5, "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes.  he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts.  At that time each will receive his praise from God."  I had this thought (I'm not teaching on scripture let that be known ha) and I'll speak only for myself.  I don't think I will fully understand the magnitude of how much I need Jesus until I stand before the throne of God.  I don't think I'll fully understand the desperate need of my savior until the Lord Almighty brings to light all my sins, all my motives, seen and unseen and has every right to cast me to eternal hell.  Only then will I finally fall to my knees in awe and desperation of Jesus.  With my motives and heart exposed before the One who can righteously cast me to hell, only then will I FULLY realize the full impact of the Good News...Of the Gospel.

I know I am saved, and I need to hear the gospel daily because sometimes I forget the truth.  I know I'll stand before the throne blameless and clean, not by my own deeds and actions, but by the blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22-24, "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus).  The gospel has become more powerful to me yet again.  The moral of this thought I just shared is that I need the Gospel, I need Christ, and other people need to hear it.  So with that I leave you with a you tube clip that my fellow intern and dear Friend Josh shared with me the other day.  It's the gospel presented in a clever and artistic way, which I really enjoyed.  Thank you all for reading and your prayers.  God bless!

-cam