OUR RESPONSIBILITY

Every month, students get together to worship, fellowship and testify about the wonderful things God’s done on campuses across New Jersey. 

Last Jersey Cru, our staff decided to invite a panel to discuss what God says about diversity and unity within the body of Christ. I was able to join a panel of intellectual, God-fearing believers to answer questions about race and our roles as Christians in the conversation.

A week after the panel, I was given the opportunity to speak at Kean’s Cru movement meeting on Ephesians 4:1-16. We talked about the 4 major responsibilities we have as Christians in addressing those different from us within the body of Christ.

Together, we recognized that humility, patience, gentleness & bearing with one another in love are all ways through which we can yield to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Yielding to one another is not very different than yielding to someone in traffic on the road. It takes the Holy Spirit giving us humility to lay down our desires (to be right, to be in control, to be comfortable) so that others may feel loved and so that the body of Christ may grow in maturity. 

“We are called to speak and act in humility, patience, gentleness and love.”

No matter what our opinion on a social justice issue, politician or carpet color of the church rug, we are called to speak and act in humility, patience, gentleness and love. This isn’t easy, but is necessary for the Christian church to grow more fully in Christ and therefore more accurately represent Jesus Christ to the world. When we do this, more will want to be a part of God’s family - because of our love. The Lord has challenged me to consider how I’m applying Ephesians 4:2 to my speech on social media, in person, or within the body of Christ.

Jersey Metro Cru is Unique

Students who are and alumni who were involved in the Cru movements of New Jersey (known as Jersey Metro Cru) are unique. These young Christian leaders have been exposed to the Good News of Jesus as expressed through a variety of people and cultures.

Kean University Cru @ Fall Retreat 2014

A DIFFERENT WORLD
Not many college campus movements are made up of such an ethnically diverse group. Being involved in Cru at just one campus, you can befriend someone from Singapore, dorm with a Filipino American, meet African-Americans, Chinese Americans, first generation Haitians, second generation Dominicans or Puerto Ricans, Portuguese students and even 7th generation Germans. It's not uncommon to see this group having dinner, fellowshipping in the game lounge or going on mission trips together - especially in the northeast parts of New Jersey.

In fact, Steve Douglass, president of Campus Crusade for Christ - the worldwide non-churched based organization to which Cru belongs, spoke at Jersey Cru (our statewide Cru meeting) just two years ago. He told stories of people from around the world coming to know Jesus and then looked at the crowd and pointed out the reality of the amazing diversity in the room. We once asked how many people spoke a second-language and 2/3 students stood up. Darryl Smith, president of the high school ministry of Cru also came to speak at this meeting and noted feeling like it was heaven but without the amazing food.

STEP BY STEP
This type of environment didn't just happen overnight. 
A few students had to make a decision to be uncomfortable in a setting that was for the majority different than what they were used to. These students challenged the band to learn new music for worship, gave the staff different background music to play before and after the meetings, and introduced various Pastors and speakers to the team. Each individual student engaged with as many of the majority culture in the room as possible so that each person they met would know that not all stereotypes are correct and crossing culture isn't so scary. When other ethnic minorities came, they felt more comfortable seeing people who looked like them and sounded like them. This initial group stayed and created space for others to come and continue to create space. The ministry in New Jersey isn't perfect but also hasn't lost it's core values to glorify God but now expresses them through a variety of ways.

OUR VISION
Empowered and led by the Holy Spirit, each staff and student strive to advance God's kingdom by making Jesus Christ known in whatever way possible to whomever possible for the sake of influencing the state and the world. These staff and students recognize that there are students attending college on U.S. soil who are citizens of countries in which Christians are not allowed. They also see and seize opportunities to create communities that are ethnically diverse and reflective of their state.

SO WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? 
Students, staff and alumni of New Jersey have a unique perspective of the body of Christ. 

• We can more easily connect with others across cultures unlike many in our nation.
• So we can share the Good News of Jesus with MORE people.

• We see the spiritual depravity first-hand as we engage in spiritual conversations across ethnic barriers on campus.
• So we can step up in leadership within and outside of our ethnic cultures to bring about positive change.

• We have seen and acknowledged the racism within our own hearts and the relational divide within the body of Christ nationwide.
• So we can challenge our brothers and sisters in Christ here and around the U.S. to grow in building relationships and loving others across cultures.

#GETOUTTHERE

God didn't just place you in the Jersey Metro ministry of Cru for no reason. Our nation is currently suffering from the lack of knowledge and love for each other that comes with the experiences we've had living here. You know this breaks God's heart. So Have His Heart for our nation.

Could God want you to go somewhere, say something, do something, or give something that can be a small step towards the healing of our nation? 

Ethnic Diversity Matters

You may have read in my last letter about my trip to headquarters in Orlando, Florida back in August. I went to help the national direction team create a strategic plan for our national priorities and it was an honor to have been invited into that conversation.

I’ve been invited into several projects over the past few months with Cru. Although my new role title is female director for Jersey Metro Cru, I have been invited into several other conversations by some of its national directors that will help change the outlook of our organization as a whole.

Diverse group @ Jersey Cru

Around the nation, Cru campus movements are led and filled with majority White staff and students. Jersey Metro Cru is a rare community with various ethnic backgrounds and cultures represented. Some of this could be attributed to the make-up of the campus or the students’ rare ability to integrate with one another. Sadly, another reason could be the fear and uneasiness in presenting the Gospel to students of a different culture or ethnicity.

My long-term goal is to help Cru campus movements across the nation reflect its scope ethnically. God recently provided an opportunity for me to put these thoughts into a video presentation (visit my blog to view video) that was presented to our national campus direction team at headquarters by the Mid- Atlantic national director and a few others.

God is already moving in the hearts of so many staff, faculty and students to go in this direction. I am excited to see how God will use students from New Jersey to help transform Sunday morning experiences and encourage love and unity throughout our country during this very difficult time. Thanks for being part of this.

“And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common.”

(Acts 2:43-44)

1. Students leaders are preparing for finals and the holidays. Please pray they are able to set their eyes on Jesus.

2. Jersey Metro Cru staff are preparing for next semester and for RADIATE in our nations capitol. Please pray for this.

3. Personally I’m tired. Please pray I rest well in Jesus and His word.

www.JerseyMetro.com

Tabbystab.blogspot.com

A dream…

On August 28^th, 1963 our nation heard a speech from a well-known Pastor concerning a seemingly impossible dream called equality.

This speech helped “remind America of the fierce urgency of Now.”

“This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism... Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children. It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment,” says MLK Jr.

With Christine in the MLK garden @ KU

Later in his speech, King encourages the people to love one another and remember that each person is an individual who deserves a fair chance and we as a people cannot “walk alone”.

On August 27, 1985 I was born to a young Christian Puerto Rican couple in the back seat of a station wagon in the Bronx of NYC. After being raised in a very ethnically diverse environment, I later went to Kean University in NJ to study yet another culture – deaf education. The summer of 2008, after a one-year internship with Cru’s campus ministry in New Jersey, I joined staff.

Over the course of the past 11 years serving God through the ministry of Cru, the Holy Spirit has placed on my heart a dream to see His children fellowship together across ethnic barriers. I’ve been privileged to see Him transform the ministry in New Jersey and recently experienced amazing new efforts by the national leaders of the campus ministry to see an Acts 2 community come alive across the United States. (Specifically verses 7-11 & 42-47)

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. – Ephesians 3:20-21

Next week I will be at our headquarters in Orlando, Florida with a team from across the nation praying, hearing & strategically planning to make Cru a more ethnically diverse ministry. There is so much more I can say about this matter, but for now, I would just as you to please pray that I submit to the Holy Spirit and follow as He leads in regards to this very sensitive topic.

… And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.
– Martin Luther King Jr. 

New Job!!!

From Chicago, he grew up in a predominantly African American church, has a beautiful, talented, intelligent wife named Jocelyn and 3 hilarious, fun, loving children. He couldn't be thug if he wanted but is the chillest White dude I know. ;) He's like my big bro... and NOW MY CO-DIRECTOR for Jersey Metro, Mark Scott! #jerseymetro #BIGNEWS

Crazy how a Boricua (Puerto Rican) from the South Bronx would end up raising funds to move to the step-sister state of New York, known as Jersey (not New Jersey, Jersey) to promote the mission and vision of God to complete strangers. #Bronx #NewYork #Give #NewJersey

Visit give.cru.org/0597677 to partner with us in advancing the mission of God. :)

Working with my Father

Everyday is "Take Your Daughter to Work" day for me bc I get to join my heavenly Father and watch Him do these amazing things! Check out this video! So cool!

http://vimeo.com/91575798

#Cru #2014 #AmazingGod #StudentTestimonies #Stories #ToGodbetheglory #YoungPeople #happy #JCru #NewJersey #Christians #diversity #encouraged #myjob

"LEVEL3:16 Missionaries on the Scene"

LEVEL3:16 at Rutgers Camden

“Cru and Impact for the win!! I love how the Lord brought us together for such a powerful outreach in NJ. Partnerships like this MUST continue!” – Crystal Whitaker, band member & Impact Music Staff

Each week this the past semester consisted of prayer, evangelism, Scripture, checking email, planning, discipleship, fund-raising & LEVEL 3:16! 

I met the majority of the band this past summer, in Colorado, during the Cru National Staff Conference. I even had the opportunity to interpret their concert on the main stage. Immediately, God laid on my heart the value, purpose and need for LEVEL in ministry & especially in Jersey!

LEVEL 3:16 uses the beautiful harmony of vocalists Candace Jones, Kristin Mason & Crystal Whitaker in combination with the sharpening scripture-based lyrics of Steve Gaskin & Chris Tabron all supported by the fun and engaging DJ skills of Kristen (KB) Newton.

LEVEL IN NEW JERSEY:

In their concert at New Jersey City University, Wednesday night, 40 students were challenged to enjoy the Christian life while taking Christ very seriously.         

Thursday consisted of panel discussions at Rutgers Camden (pictured above) & Kean University, where each member of the group shared their testimony of faith in Jesus and the Gospel message was clearly presented along with a few special musical tunes. J

Friday night ended with LEVEL joining us at Jersey Cru, leading us in worship for part of the night and ending in praise to our King with a few of their own songs! Following JCru I got into a conversation with a Jehovah’s Witness who is exploring Christianity and her faith because of the impact LEVEL had through their music!

About 100 people in total on these three campuses heard the Gospel & where challenged to live out Christ.

Bringing LEVEL3:16 here was not only strategic in reaching those students who have grown up in the church but still don’t embrace full surrender (live at His level – John 3:16), but it also challenged those who do live for Him to engage with others in the truth of Jesus (#getoutthere) & for those who don’t know Jesus, it challenged their view of Christians. AKA through their stories & music, LEVEL said: “Christians, STEP IT UP! Don’t be a sad representation of the greatest story ever told! Show them the joy that comes with knowing and loving JESUS!” And, “we love you world! Look at our first love, His name is JESUS!”

Special Story:

At Rutgers Camden, we ended defending the true faith of Christians to two lost students who believe there is a “mother god” who we must accept in order to be saved. L LEVEL 3:16 in town was not only good for NJ students, but for the band members as well! They had the chance to defend their faith & share in one of the most dangerous cities in America.

Emcee, Chris Tabron says:

“My experience in NJ was very re-affirming in regard to my faith. I was encouraged and also challenged in many different ways. It was a good mixture of a long week of ministry and relaxation. Go NJ. Thanks!”

The week was very busy with lots of driving, little sleep for a few of us and plenty of flights to last through the year! So Saturday we decided to celebrate with a day of fun in NYC with my sister, Eliza and Jersey Metro intern, Christine (pictured right).

Although it was a very busy week, I think God used it in ways beyond our knowledge here on earth for His eternal glory. One of the tangible ways I can see is in my own life as I served this group in various ways. Each of the young musicians with Impact, the African-American sister ministry of Cru, pursued me in love all week long and even sought ways to serve me. I am so grateful to God for providing all that was needed to bring them in and for using them for His glory!

God has once again proven He is the one and only Sovereign King, and HE IS GOOD!

Please pray for the women I disciple, students I coach and staff I work alongside to continue to submit to the Holy Spirit throughout the winter break.

Pray also for the students who have decided to attend RADIATE Dec. 28^th -Jan.1^st

Please pray for me as I prepare a seminar & interview for this year’s winter conference, RADIATE - In Awe (logo below).