Snippets of Last Year

It's been a while since I updated you on what's happening on the campuses of New Jersey with Cru, so here are some short snippets from my monthly prayer letter. If you ever wanted to sign up to receive these letters via email, click here.

November

YOU'RE INVITED
The month of November was full of invitations for students. The Jersey Metro staff team invited students to Jersey Cru (pictured above) where students heard invitations to our winter conference called “RADIATE”, and to Summer Mission with Cru.

 Every year, we invite students to these conferences to give them opportunities to grow in their faith with other students in similar life stages and college circumstances. One of these students, Kassy Martinez (pictured left), is an emcee at our statewide meeting who’s been involved in the ministry at Kean University for three years. Last year, both emcees were our student representatives for RADIATE encouraging other students to attend the 4-day conference in DC. 

For the last two summers, Jeffery has participated and some form of summer mission but Kassy confessed she’s avoided it. Before an audience of her peers, Kassy confessed her selfishness and fear that prevented her from living on mission for God during her summers. At that moment, she declared that before graduation in May, she would apply for a summer mission trip with Cru. She’s not yet sure if she will go to the Dominican Republic or our stateside partnership – Hampton Beach, NH so please continue to keep her in your prayers as she prepares to raise the funds necessary to go. 

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December

Luis & Chris-John at Fall Retreat in October 

As our new staff, Joel Aponte, continues to raise his support away from campus activities, I’ve had the privilege of stepping in to coach the NJIT Cru ministry.  The New Jersey Institute of Technology is full of aspiring engineers who enjoy math, science & strategic planning.

Several of these fun & intelligent young men lead the movement of 10 students. Please pray for Chris-John, Luis, Nick & Tyler as they help lead their campus to Christ. March 2^nd, they will have an outreach called Pizza & God. 

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January

All throughout Scripture, God promises to be with his people. From the pillar of cloud in Exodus, to the Great Commission in Matthew, God assures his people over and over again that he will be with them wherever they go.

WITH US

This year, speakers at our winter conference (RADIATE) taught on this life-giving truth, and the implications it has for us today. 1,228 students from New York to Virginia packed into a DC hotel for four days to learn more about the great God we serve. Almost 100 students from New Jersey took this opportunity to grow in their faith and in community with other college students.

 

622 students signed this pledge: "Lord Jesus, I submit to you and in the power of your Spirit, I will...go where you want me to go, do what you want me to do, say what you want me to say, and give what you want me to give." Of those who signed the pledge, 29 trusted Christ as their Savior, 110 committed to spending at least a year of their life in full-time vocational ministry and 283 committed to going on a Summer Mission with Cru! 

Last letter, I told you about Kassy  (pictured right of me) who made a pledge before 200 of her peers at Jersey Cru to go on a Summer Mission Trip. I’m happy to report that she has just been accepted to the two-week missions trip to the Dominican Republic! Please pray for her and the other Jersey students who will begin raising the financial support necessary to go this summer!

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February

“For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die – BUT GOD shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” - Romans 5:7-8 (Excitement added by me out of pure joy!)

YOU ARE LOVED

Not everyone you meet has heard these words. Chances are, those who have heard them, have doubted or will doubt its truth. Cru student leaders at Kean University and many campuses across the state took this month as an opportunity to communicate the love of God through Jesus Christ to their peers.

In the student center, during Valentine’s week, Kassy Martinez and Phil Sarpong (pictured above) stood at a table with sticky notes full of words that could describe a person’s desire. Students were asked to come to the table and take what they felt they “needed” or write down what they didn’t see represented. Words like “friends”, “money”, and “good grades” were all mentioned. Kassy and Phil were able to start several spiritual conversations with students and engage with them over a painting I created. The painting was full of diverse people and languages all saying one word: “salvation”. They pointed to everyone's need for salvation.
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March

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3

“If God walked into the room right now, what would you do?”

In my last prayer letter, I asked for prayer over NJIT’s (New Jersey Institute of Technology) outreach event called Pizza & God. I was able to attend this conversation with 6 student leaders and 22 students who were interested in discussing life as it relates to spiritual things… or they were just seeking free food!

Two students from the Middle East who recently moved to New Jersey for school were definitely there with attentive and inquisitive hearts.  Sareesh shared how he has pondered for the last 7 years what the purpose of life is and if there really is a Creator. Arvand who was raised Hindu explained his skepticism in all religion but says he believes God exists but isn’t sure who He is or how He reveals Himself to people.

At the end of the evening, Arvand pulled me aside to ask me a few questions.

“If God were to walk into the room right now, what would you do?” I was first thrown off but as he repeated the question and pointed to a spot on the floor by the door, I couldn’t help but feel a grin stretch across my face! “I would be so happy! I would hug Him so tight!” (Even now, my face hurts from smiling as I think of this moment!) Arvand was thrown off by my response saying:  “Oh, okay. I didn’t expect that.” “What did you expect?” I asked. “Well most Christians I know say that they will fall prostrate on the floor in worship.” “Oh… uhh… yeah… oops. Probably that too but I’d be so happy to see Him, I guess I’d forget His holiness for the moment and think of His love! Maybe that’s wrong. Oops. Ha.” “No. Don’t apologize. It’s interesting. Do you think I should fall down to worship Him?” he asked. I know at one point Arvand and everyone will one day bow down and worship but did I expect him to do that at this point? “No. Why would you worship someone you clearly don’t know yet? I think if you got to know Him, that would be a separate thing but right now, you have nothing to worship Him for.” He responded in awe: “Really?! No Christian has ever told me this! I agree! I don’t know Him, how could I bow down to someone I don’t know. Let me ask you, where do you think I can meet God?” (Insert shocked face & huge gasp here – could it be this simple?!) “You can meet God anywhere Arvand, even right here.” Arvand quickly asked his next question: “Okay, so then why do you go to church?” I could see that he was trying to catch me and so I quickly responded: “Not to meet God. Sure, I can get to know Him better there but I do that on my own at home too. I go to church to be encouraged by my Christian family and friends and to encourage them. See, as Christians, we believe we are better together because God made us each uniquely and when we share with each other what we’ve learned about Him, we grow in deeper love with Him.” “Wow. I don’t think anyone has ever had an answer to this question before. This answer makes me want to explore your Christian faith more! Hmm… Thank you.”

I’m holding back tears just thinking about this interaction. Arvand connected with Nick, a student leader at NJIT who hopes to follow up with him. Nick assured Arvand if he ever came to Cru, they would talk about whatever he wanted because Christ meets us where we are and we desire to imitate Him. Arvand walked away encouraged and even more inquisitive.

SHARING JESUS!

Mid-March, our team went with several students (pictured left) to Rutgers and then to Kean (pictured below) to share the Gospel with as many students as possible. Some of the students who joined us had never initiated spiritual conversation before. 

We trained students in how to initiate spiritual conversations using tools like soularium, perspective cards, and quest surveys. Then we taught them how to transition to the gospel. Sharing the good news of Jesus is not as easy as it sounds, but we train our students to ask questions and listen.

It was such a blessing to be able to partner with Liberty Church in Union, NJ where we trained 26 students who had 144 spiritual conversations including 55 that led to the Gospel & 29 who said yes to Jesus! This truly is the best job I ever had!

Stories like this would not happen if it were not for the support of you through prayers and financial gifts. THANK YOU for partnering with me to see this happen!

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April

#BestJobiEverHad

This phrase constantly comes to mind as I see the Lord work in and around my life. Every day, I get to go to work with my Father. I get to see Him move in students’ lives and in my staff team. It brings me to tears just to think of all the staff who have come through the Jersey Metro team.

Just yesterday, our team said goodbye to Matt and Heather Baehr who have worked in New Jersey for 12 years. If it weren’t for their faithful service, hundreds of people would not have heard the Gospel, and countless students would not have had an opportunity to grow in their faith and lead a movement on their campus for Christ. Matt and Heather were a crucial part of our decision to edit our mission statement to include “empowered and led by the Holy Spirit” and they have exhibited just that for as long as I’ve known them. It has been an honor to work alongside such humble servants of the King. They will truly be missed.

One of the many legacy stories they leave behind is starting movements in South Jersey at Rowan, Rutgers Camden and Stockton University. One of those Stockton alumni will be joining staff with us this summer and just a week ago had the thrilling opportunity to lead an international student from Vietnam in a prayer to receive Christ as his Savior. The legacy lives on and the baton is now passed to Alex and the students she will continue to coach and develop in South Jersey. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to see the Lord work in the lives of staff & students!

Not only does this job allow me to see God at work in the lives of students, but I also get to see more of who God has created me to be and grow in my leadership skills. In April, I was able to attend the start of the second module of the Cru Strategic Leadership Initiative (SLI).  Twenty-one other leaders from around the nation joined me and the Cru SLI design team in San Antonio, TX to be developed as leaders who will help bring change to our growing organization so that we can reach our goal of seeing 10 million multiplying disciples by 2020 who will reach the 5 billion people who do not yet know Jesus as their personal Savior.  This goal is vast, but we believe it is possible through molding hearts to be like Christ, multiplying our faith into others & mobilizing others to do the same - so that every one knows some one who truly follows Jesus Christ.

Visit PRAY2020.org for more details about this goal and to join the prayer effort.

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May

PEOPLE & PLACES

“One of the most beautiful outcomes of the spread of the gospel is how the redeeming work of Jesus Christ unifies people across lines of ethnicity, gender, and class.” (SHEreadsTRUTH.com)

Last summer the Cru president of U.S. ministries, Steve Sellers, confessed the need to grow in the understanding of ethnic diversity as an individual and as a national ministry. Most of the conference was focused on learning about who God has created us to be as individuals and what the body of Christ could do in this world if we truly loved one another and worked together.

I’ve been reading devotionals from SheReadsTruth.com for the past few months and I’ve grown to enjoy scripture in a fresh new way. Although I’ve read the book of Acts several times (once in a sitting!), I look forward to studying this devotional on the works of the Holy Spirit through His people in all kinds of places.

Cru doesn’t just exist for students. Cru is a community of like-minded believers who want to see God’s people filled with and led by the Holy Spirit to live out the plans He has for their lives. We want to:

• Help families learn to glorify God everyday (FamilyLife).
• Mobilize athletes to “run their race” (Athletes In Action).
• Motivate military men and women to be bold for His name (Cru Military)
• And connect many more believers to their next best step as a member of the body of Christ for the sake of the Great Commission, advancing God’s kingdom (Cru.org).

The Cru Strategic Leadership Initiative (SLI) of which I am a participant is helping me learn more about my role in God’s kingdom as it relates to my leadership responsibilities in Cru. I am a Missional Team Leader for the Campus ministry in New Jersey where we have 28 student-led movements and 4 full-time on campus staff. Our Global 2020 goal to see 10 million multiplying disciples who will multiply their faith and reach the 5 billion people in the world who do not yet know Jesus as their personal Savior is BIG, but we don’t plan to do this on our own!  This goal was created by our Cru leadership to encourage us staff to be the few thousand who will multiply our faith and help mold and mobilize the Church to do the same. We believe it is possible to see everyone know someone who truly follow Jesus Christ if every Christian person would allow God to mold his/her heart to be like Christ’s, multiply his/her faith into others & mobilize others to do the same. In New Jersey, I pray the Lord helps me lead my staff and students in this effort.

Visit PRAY2020.org for more details about this goal and to join the prayer effort.