The Differences Between Convictions, Persuasions & Opinions

Photo Credit: ThoroughlyReviewed

One of the things that I have most appreciated about my involvement with the ministry of Cru is that we are an interdenominational, worldwide organization. This means that we have people involved from a variety of church and cultural backgrounds.

This provides for our staff and students the opportunity to learn from those who are different than them and to gain a greater appreciation for the diversity that exists within the Body of Christ.

This, of course, also provides the opportunity for a variety of challenges as people from varying streams of faiths and ethnicities seek to understand each other and serve together around a common vision of proclaiming the good news of Jesus.

As a Christian ministry, we do have a Statement of Faith in order to clarify what we believe about those things that are essential to the Christian faith. This not only helps to provide direction when partnering with local churches and other organizations, but it helps to bring focus to who we are and what we're about.

As a new staff member with Cru I was introduced to a helpful framework to help in discerning which beliefs were absolutely essential to my faith and which could be viewed in a bit of a different light.

Dr. Alan Scholes frames this in the language of Convictions, Persuasions and Opinions. Here is what Dr. Scholes has to say:

1.  Convictions: These are central beliefs of the Christian faith that are crucial to salvation. Notice how Paul identifies the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as “of first importance” in 1 Cor. 15:3–5 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”  Paul is saying that the truth of Christ’s death for sins and resurrection from the dead is fundamental to Christian belief.  To deny this is to deny the gospel (see vv. 1-2).  Other examples of “conviction-level” doctrines would include the authority of the Scripture, the doctrine of the Trinity, the full deity of Christ, the full humanity of Christ, humans under divine judgment for sin, the forgiveness of sins, salvation by grace through faith, etc. These are issues over which we would eventually divide fellowship with others (if there is no repentance). The church has historically used the term "heresy" to speak about deviations from these beliefs.  Listen to what Paul says about those who abandon these fundamental truths of the gospel in Gal 1:8-9.  “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed." 

2.  Persuasions: These are beliefs about which we are personally certain but can still fellowship with other Christians who disagree since they are not matters central to the gospel and/or the historic Christian faith. A person may be ignorant of these doctrines and yet still be saved.  For example, it is not necessary to know how God’s providence relates to human freedom in order to experience salvation.  Examples of "persuasion" level issues would be forms of church government, appropriate mode of baptism (sprinkling vs. immersion), the scope of Christ’s death (everyone vs. only the elect), the age of the earth, nature of God’s providence, and the nature of the millennial kingdom. Many denominational distinctives fit into this second category.

3.  Opinions: These are beliefs, desires, or even wishes which may not be clearly taught in Scripture over which believers may legitimately differ. Implicit in this third category is the assumption that there may be more than one correct "Christian" view on an issue. Notice what Paul says in Rom. 14:5-6 about Sabbath observance for Christians: “One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.”  As an apostle, Paul could simply have handed down a ruling that would have settled the controversy but he didn’t.  Examples of “opinion-level” doctrines could be aspects of church government (e.g., how many elders should a church have), the order of Christian worship, etc.

Having this type of framework has been extremely helpful for me as I've gotten older in my faith and been exposed to many different beliefs that fall under the Christian umbrella. It helps me to determine which doctrinal beliefs are non-negotiable and which are not.

It is common for many Christians to think that everyone has to agree with them about everything. It doesn't seem to matter whether it's about salvation, baptism, when to hold Sunday morning services or what kind of chicken to serve at the potluck, these believers make no distinction between matters.

But what I've found as I've matured in my faith is that the number of issues that I would include in the "Conviction" category has grown smaller but my passion for these matters has not.

It has also freed me up in interacting with others about those areas that might be considered more "Persuasion" level beliefs to allow for a greater degree of flexibility. I can still firmly believe in a certain doctrine but I can also maintain fellowship with other believers that have come to different conclusions.

This type of approach to understanding Christian doctrine recognizes that how we understand the Scriptures is often influenced by factors like where we grew up in the world, what our church experiences have been, the ethnic group to which we identify and even our political party affiliations.

It is natural for us to want others to be passionate about the things we're passionate about. But there are simply some doctrinal beliefs where the Bible is not clear and in which sincere Christians might disagree yet remain in fellowship with one another.

Even though we may use guidelines as those I've suggested here, we may still find ourselves in disagreement with others about which beliefs fall into which category. In these circumstances, it's important for us to maintain a charitable & humble spirit.

In addition, it's wise for us to continue to search the Scriptures, to pray for God's Spirit to guide us and to seek the wise counsel of those we respect like our pastors and other spiritual leaders. I do believe it's possible for us to hold firm beliefs but interact with others in a winsome and kind way.

Cru - Together We Are Making A Difference

To all of our ministry partners with Cru -- Thank you for the impact that you are having in the lives of people all over the world.

Josh McDowell Shares How God Can Use Our Past For His Glory

Noted Christian speaker and author Josh McDowell came from a difficult background. He experienced a troubled home life and was sexually abused as a young child. He developed a stutter and after becoming a Christian later in life, he never thought that God could have use for someone like Him. But he found that God could use even our weaknesses and troubled past for His glory.

In the video here, listen to Josh tell his story and how he learned that God could work through the seemingly insurmountable obstacles of his life.

To hear the stories of other veteran Campus Crusade for Christ staff members, visit the YouTube channel for The Legacy Project here.

Five Things Needed For A Lifetime of Christian Service

As a part of our ministry to college students with Campus Crusade for Christ, our hope is that young people would trust God to work through them by personally experiencing being part of God's mission while they are on the university campus.  But, not only that, our desire is that they would serve God beyond college for a lifetime of service wherever He might lead them.  We believe that Christians who are filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit can be used by God in great ways, no matter what their vocation or where they live or what stage of life they may find themselves.

Check out this video on the "Five Things": 1) A kingdom vision, 2) A plan, 3) A coach, 4) A team and 5) Ongoing equipping.


The 5 Things from CCCNEHQ on Vimeo.

[The 5 things for a successful ministry audio from the 2011 Boston Winter Conference, by Holly Sheldon. Art by Ed Flemming. Produced by David Rice.]

My Thoughts On The Campus Crusade For Christ Name Change

As a nineteen-year-old college sophomore at Central Michigan University, I reached a crisis of belief. I had been raised in a Christian home but had come to the point of questioning much of what I thought I believed. I came to the realization that my parents believed strongly in Jesus, the Bible and the Church but I came to the conclusion that I didn't think I did.

And then, to borrow a phrase from author Brennan Manning, I was ambushed by Jesus Christ. A friend had given me a book published by Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) that explained the concept of having a personal relationship with God in a way that I couldn't ever remember hearing before. I read the book and a four-point outline in the back (commonly known as The Four Spiritual Laws) and invited Christ to be the Lord of my life. I have never been the same since and I have Campus Crusade for Christ to thank for it.

Over fifteen years ago I joined the staff of Campus Crusade because I feel that there is nothing more important in life than seeing a person's life transformed through a relationship with Christ.  So it is with keen interest that I have followed the discussions of the past couple years in which our organizational leaders have explored the possibility of a name change for CCC.  Earlier this week at our biennial U.S. staff conference, it was announced that we will be changing our name in the coming months to "Cru."

Since I had the privilege of learning of the new name with a small group of leaders in the organization a couple days before the announcement was made, I was prepared when the new name was shared with over 5,000 of our U.S. staff.  What I was unprepared for, though, was the amount of coverage in the mainstream media that this news would generate.  Mainstream outlets such as CNN, USA Today and The Huffington Post have all posted front page stories of the change in the past couple days.  On the day of the announcement, "Campus Crusade" was a trending topic on Twitter.

Over the past number of years, it had become apparent to many within our organization that our name was not helping us in what we feel our primary calling to be -- sharing the life-changing message of Jesus Christ with those that are far from God.  The word "crusade" carries a significant amount of baggage and had become a hindrance in many circles because of its historical connotations.  In fact, many of our campus chapters had begun using a different name locally years ago in order to increase effectiveness on campus.

For many within the Christian community, our name is a benefit and brings credibility to those with whom we interact.  For most non-Christians, however, our name is a turn-off that limits conversations before someone has even had an opportunity to interact with them.  Our name change has nothing to do with being ashamed of the name of Jesus Christ.  It is because we want to proclaim Him that we believed that this change was necessary.  To help illustrate this point, please check out this video that vividly demonstrates how the change of words can make a difference:



Words do matter and because we felt like the words within our organizational name was preventing us from doing what we are called to do, we have decided to change it. The question is not how this affects those who are already Christians but how it affects those we seek to reach. There has been a backlash from some in the Christian community who feel like we are kowtowing to the political correctness movement and that we have left our calling. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our name may be changing but our mission stays the same. We are still committed to sharing the gospel, building believers and sending them into the world to establish spiritual movements everywhere so that everyone knows someone that truly follows Jesus.

There are some Christians that have legitimate questions about the decision making process in changing our name and those questions can be addressed by following the link near the end of this post.  But for those that identify themselves as Christians and are overly critical of this decision, I ask you to do a heart examination. If you have never personally stepped out in faith to share the gospel with another person, if you've never had the privilege to see another place their faith in Christ, if you've never personally invested your life into the spiritual life of another or have never left your family and home for the sake of the gospel, then may I suggest that you seek the Lord on how you can personally be involved in His mission rather than criticizing those that are already doing it.

It is far easier to sit within the four walls of a church and talk about ministry than to actually go out and do it. There can be no argument that the staff members, volunteers and students of what will now be known as Cru are wholeheartedly committed to the Great Commission. There are critics in the mainstream that think we're too evangelistic; now there are critics in the Christian world that think we're somehow ashamed of the name of Jesus. No matter what others say, we will continue to go to the four corners of the earth to let everyone that will listen know that "God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life."

For further information on the Campus Crusade for Christ name change, please check out these resources:

* Frequently Asked Questions about the name change can be found on the CCC public website here.

* Christianity Today's article about the change can be found here.

* Thoughts from my colleague, Shawn McGrath, on his perspective about the process of the name change can be read here.

Campus Ministry Leaders Move Forward In Unity

Photo Credit: oooh.oooh

A historic meeting that took place earlier this school year has led to an unprecedented agreement from the leaders of a number of major evangelical Christian campus ministries.

The document, known as the Chicago Agreement: Unity in Mission, was signed by leaders of 17 different national ministries and demonstrates a commitment to unity among those working to reach college students across the Unites States with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The following eight points of the Chicago Agreement demonstrate the priority that each campus ministry is placing on working with and alongside others that have also been called to the mission field of America's college campuses:

1. We are all part of Christ’s body.

2. We do not regard any campus as our exclusive field. We recognize that many students and faculty may be helped through the various appeals and styles of the different organizations.

3. We will seek to establish relationships and build bridges with our counterparts in other Christian groups on campus. When establishing ministries on new campuses, we will take the initiative to communicate with the leadership of existing groups.

4. We will speak well of and refrain from criticism of each other’s ministries and members.

5. We commit to addressing problems on a local, regional or national level by humbly communicating with our counterparts, seeking the Lord together to resolve the issues.

6. We affirm the leadership commitments students and faculty have made to each other’s ministries and will not actively recruit them away from those groups. When starting a new campus work, each organization will endeavor to select new leaders, not leaders from other ministries.

7. We recognize students and faculty have the freedom to choose their involvement with any campus ministry. In general, we will encourage them to select and be involved with one primary organization.

8. We will encourage collaborative efforts on a voluntary basis between our organizations. We are open to share experiences and resources to assist each other with the unique challenges of campus ministry.

I'm proud to say that both the ministries that I serve with, Campus Crusade for Christ and The Impact Movement, were signers of the agreement. Though my name is not listed among the 31 initial signers, I was involved in the process of the creation of this document and wholeheartedly agree with its spirit of partnership.

All too often churches and ministries can subtlety view themselves as being in competition with other like-minded groups. The Chicago Agreement is a step in the right direction of campus ministries expressing our unity with other members of the body of Christ even as we recognize the distinctiveness of what God has called each of us to.

Baptist Press offer some more commentary on this exciting development here.

Do Short-Term Mission Trips Really Matter?

On a short-term mission trip in
Soweto, South Africa - 2002

In our ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ and The Impact Movement, I have participated in countless numbers of what would be considered short-term mission trips or outreach programs. Whether they be for half a day, a week or two months long, our students and staff actively share the gospel of Christ in word and deed in communities in which they don't reside and, potentially, will never return.

There are some that fault this approach to ministry and claim that it demonstrates more of a tourist mindset than of one who is truly seeking to make a difference in peoples' lives.  And, to some extent, I agree with them.  In most cases, true life change will happen in the context of relationships.  Those that will be most struck by the Christian are those that not only hear it, but see it lived out before their eyes.

However, I'm also convinced that taking the time to share the greatest message ever told with a stranger is not only good, but carries with it the potential to alter eternity.  Don't believe me?  Check out the following story from Michael Oh, a seminary president who recounts an encounter he had while he was a college student. Dr. Oh shares about a time when he was on a spring break missions trip to Daytona Beach with an unnamed Christian organization (my guess is that the group was Campus Crusade) and tells of a young man that he met:

"One day I was paired with a friend Janet (an upperclassman). It was about time to call it a day, and I was ready to slink back into being inconspicuous again after a long day of being stared at and laughed at by the hundreds. I don't remember who it was who suggested that we try just one more time, but I'm guessing that it was Janet.

So we walked the beach and Janet (who is Korean-American like me) says to me, "It would be nice to talk with some Asians." Nodding, I added bravely, "And it would be nice to talk with people who are away from the crowd and by themselves." "If it were two people that would be nice," Janet remarked. "And two guys," I said.

A few moments later we both looked up on the horizon and there by the edge of the water were two Asian guys sitting by themselves. Janet and I looked at each other and took the opportunity that God had given.

We shared the Gospel with two exchange students, Caleb and Henky, from Indonesia studying in Canada. Both were very friendly but also uninterested in the Christian faith, almost hostile to it. One had recently lost thousands of dollars at an Atlantic City casino and was at a loss for what to do.

Despite the spiritual gap, we hit it off relationally and eventually Janet and I followed up with them visiting them in Toronto that summer.

During that visit God opened up Caleb's heart to the Gospel. Life had become tough for him, and he even showed me the roof of his apartment where he almost took his own life. From hopelessness to hope, God rescued Caleb that day.

20 years later I received an email from a man named Caleb from Indonesia with the subject line, "Greetings from an old friend."

He wrote,

I wonder if you still remember me. You shared about Christ to me on the beach of Daytona, FL. Few months after that, you drove to Toronto, Ontario with your friend Janet, with a message from God that He loves me and wants to use me. That's the turning point of my walk with God, the moment that I consider myself born again.

God has done many wonderful things in my life and through my life since then. Praise be to His glory!

Caleb had been invited to represent Indonesia at the 2010 Lausanne Congress in Cape Town and found my name and picture on the Lausanne website.

Today he serves as executive pastor of a church of 10,000 people in Surabaya City, Indonesia."

When we step out in faith to share the message of Christ's love and forgiveness, we do not know what will happen. Most may ignore what we have to say but, sometimes, God uses us to see someone's life change. And when God really gets a hold of someone's heart, you can be sure that other lives will be affected as well.

To take the initiative to share the gospel in a short-term situation may not seem like it will matter much, but it certainly matters to people like Caleb.  When we make ourselves to be used by God, we never know what he might do.  As the late founder of Campus Crusade, Bill Bright, used to say, "Successful witnessing is simply taking the initiative to share the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God."  As Christ's ambassadors, our jobs are to represent Him well to all those we encounter and let Him do the rest.

To read the rest of Michael Oh's story please click here.

The Role That Campus Crusade Played in the Chilean Miners' Rescue

Photo Credit: thomaswanhoff

For some reason, I woke up around 2 a.m. the other night and had a hard time getting back to sleep. I ended up turning on the television and found that the rescue of the trapped Chilean miners was in full progress.

The miners, who had been stuck nearly a half-mile underground for over two months, were all brought safely to the surface and reunited with their loved ones.  It was truly an inspiring thing to see.

Afterward, I learned that the ministry that I work with, Campus Crusade for Christ, played a small role in the lives of the miners while they were underground and during the rescue.  CNN.com tells the story of how staff members with the Jesus Film Project were able to get the miners some spiritual resources while trapped and t-shirts that they all wore during the rescue. 

From CNN.com:

"Seventeen days into the mine accident, Campus Crusade for Christ International (CCCI) country director for Chile, Christian Maureira, started contacting public officials to see if they could send the miners a copy of the film. Fiess said Maureira was able to reach a daughter and a brother of miner Jose Henriquez.

Through that family contact, the group was able to send an MP3 audio version of the Jesus film and an MP3 audio version of the New Testament in Spanish to Henriquez down in the mine.

The Jesus film explains that the New Testament tells how Jesus is laid in a tomb-like cave after his crucifixion. Three days later, Jesus is said to have risen from the dead. In the Jesus film, women come to the tomb and find the stone that blocked the entrance has been rolled away, the cave empty.

It is unclear if the miners saw the resurrection story as a parallel for their hoped-for rescue, but Jose Henriquez passed along a letter to CCCI's Maureira from inside the mine. Fiess shared the English translation with CNN:

Thank you for this tremendous blessing for me and my coworkers. It will be good for our spiritual edification. I am fine because Christ lives in me.

We have prayer services at 12 noon and 6 pm.

"At the end of the letter," Fiess said, "(Henriquez) said goodbye with Psalm 95:4, which says, 'In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him.'"

A few days later, Henriquez asked Maureira to get them special T-shirts.

"The T-shirts were a gift from Campus Crusade for Christ Chile," Fiess said. "In the front you can read, 'Gracias Senor' – 'Thank you Lord.'"

And on the back, Psalm 95:4.

"Apparently, all the miners liked them," Fiess said. "It kind of solidified them."

The goal of the Jesus Film Project is to give every person in the world an opportunity to say "yes" to Jesus. It is nice to see that not only were these miners physical lives saved but they also got the opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life.

Have You Heard About Global Short Film Network?

Photo Credit: Andrei Z

I remember taking a seminary class several years ago in which we examined the various worldviews held by adherents of the world's major religions and philosophies.  The professor, Alan Scholes, frequently used a wide variety of movie clips to demonstrate these perspectives on life and the world.

In order to prove the significance that film plays within our culture, he asked a simple question.  He queried the class on how many of us had seen the television show 24, the most popular show on T.V. at the time.  Approximately a quarter of the class indicated that they had seen at least one episode of the Kiefer Sutherland drama.

He then asked how many of us had seen the movie Titanic, the highest grossing movie of all-time.  Even though Titanic had been released a handful of years before, all but one of us in the class had seen it.  This was a small demonstration of the role that cinema plays in our society.

Recognizing the power of film to tell stories, Campus Crusade for Christ has developed a ministry called the Global Short Film Network. Global Short Film Network, or GSFN, produces short-films that deal with everyday topics that can easily lead into spiritual conversations about things like life, death, forgiveness, love and redemption.

The films, now being used in over 70 countries around the world, are well-done and easy to access at the GSFN website located here. If you have a friend that you'd like to talk about the deeper issues of life with but have found it difficult to bring up spiritual matters, perhaps a movie from GSFN might be the springboard you need.

To learn more about how to utilize Global Short Film Network, check out the video below. 

The Impact Movement Makes a Difference in Orlando

One of the best ministry opportunities that The Impact Movement and Campus Crusade for Christ offer are our summer mission trips. These trips provide students the chance to grow in their relationship with God, gain valuable ministry experience and reach out to those in the communities in which these trips take place. This summer alone, Campus Crusade, along with Impact, sent over 3,500 college students to 220 locations throughout the world.

One of these teams was based in Orlando, Florida at the headquarters of The Impact Movement. Those that participated in this program were featured in today's copy of The Orlando Times, a local newspaper that seeks to serve the needs of the Central Florida black community. Here's the article:

"Four African American college students from across the nation are tutoring children this summer in the Parramore area of Holden Heights with the community center Restore Orlando. The students – representing Carroll University, North Carolina State University, Rice University and Rochester Institute of Technology – are part of The Impact Movement’s summer internship program, based at the organization’s headquarters in Orlando.

Impact is an international ministry of discipleship, evangelism and service that envisions each community of African descent fulfilling its destiny as a reflection of the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. The ministry includes a campus, community and world focus, and has a presence on more than 100 U.S. colleges and universities.

Serving weekly in the local Orlando community is part of the Impact internship experience. The students, along with Impact staff members, serve Wednesday afternoons at Restore Orlando’s summer program tutoring elementary children in math, doing arts and crafts, and playing indoor and outdoor games with them.

Donavan Jackson, a rising college sophomore, shared, "We are planting in them a vision of things that can happen in the future for them," he said. "I really want to stand out to the young. Just show them the way respectable young men can grow up to be."

Dr. Charles Gilmer, President of Impact, explained reaching the African American community is so important because, "There is a desperate need for people who will take what they learn and will want to go back and give back to the community." Gilmer also shared each Impact college chapter will be encouraged this year to recognize a student community outreach coordinator. There will also be a national campaign for students to regularly tutor a child as an expression of Impact’s commitment to the community.

Restore Hope (RH), founded in 1992 by members of the First Church of the Nazarene, is a strategic place for Impact to partner and serve. According to its web site, the area serviced by the mission is roughly comprised of 89 percent African Americans, 8 percent Caucasians and 3 percent Hispanics. 80 percent of the children come from single parent homes, many are in the legal custody of a grandparent and a large percentage receives federal lunch programs, which is a poverty indicator.

David Washington, staff member with RH for four and a half years, sees the effects of these statistics in the lives of the children daily. "They need help, love and hope," he said. "Jesus met people in need and we should be willing to do the same."

Taking the Bad With the Good

I just returned from a great time at the biennial Campus Crusade for Christ U.S. staff conference. Our staff conference is always a great time and each year we have it I leave feeling refreshed and motivated for ministry. One of the main speakers this year was Keith Battle, pastor of Zion Church in Maryland and a popular figure at our Impact conferences for the past several years.

Pastor Battle offered a particularly timely message for me during one of the sessions. He preached on a well-known passage, from the 8th chapter of the book of Romans, but offered a perspective on it that ministered to me deeply. In case you're not familiar with the verses (Romans 8:28-39), here is what it says:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Verse 28 of this portion of Scripture is often quoted by others when we are facing a particularly difficult trial or tragedy in life. However, when confroted with suffering or tragedy or loss, we rarely desire to look for good in the midst of our grief. But Pastor Battle shared an interesting illustration to help me "get" this biblical truth.

Each of us know that in order for our car to run properly we need a battery that will give the car the power it needs to run correctly. We also know that the battery needs both "positive" and "negative" charges in order to work. If it only has positive charges or only has negative charges it won't work. But if it has both it will have the power it needs to run.

Our lives are really no different. I've found that although I appreciate the positive times in life, it is usually as a result of the hard times that I grow the most and learn more about God and my relationship with Him. When things are hard, as they are now, I'm usually at a greater place of brokenness and dependence on God. When everybody in my family is healthy, the bank account has a cushion and I'm not facing any major problems, I tend to "coast" and rely on myself.

The "negative" experiences in life are not easy and I don't enjoy going through them. But I also realize that these times shape me and develop my character. As I look over my walk with the Lord, I can remember specific seasons of life that were extremely difficult to go through then...but I'm grateful for how God used those instances to conform me to His image.

It doesn't mean that all things are good. Sin and death and suffering are not good in and of themselves. But God can work in these things for His glory and our good. It doesn't mean that things always work out the way we want or how we'd hoped they'd turn out. But if we have been called according to His purposes then we can take comfort in knowing that God is working for our good even when our circumstances seem to say otherwise.

Highlights From the Campus Crusade U.S. Staff Conference

I am currently in Fort Collins, Colorado on the campus of Colorado State University (CSU) at the 2009 U.S. Staff Conference for Campus Crusade for Christ. The conference, which is held every two years, is a refreshing time for nearly 5,000 staff from throughout the U.S. to come together for worship, prayer, equipping, training and solid Bible teaching.

Today is a day off for us with no scheduled sessions or seminars and I'm enjoying the opportunity to catch my breath (both literally and figuratively in this high altitude) before the last few days of the conference. Here are some highlights so far:

* The opportunity to get some quality, uninterrupted time with Lori since our parents graciously agreed to watch our children while we're out here.

* Witnessing the progress that Campus Crusade is making in effectively reaching out to ethnic minority communities within the U.S. The make-up of our new staff, the stories we hear from up-front and the seminars offered indicate a greater intentionality in this area. There's still a lot of work to do but the growth is encouraging.

* Hearing from Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, on the gospel. His understanding of the "good news" is a challenge to us all.

* Seeing that Mrs. Vonette Bright, co-founder of CCC and the wife of the late Bill Bright, still has a lot of spunk even after almost sixty years of ministry.

* Listening to Mark Charles, a Native American from the Navajo tribe, explain how culture affects our understanding of God and each other and the need for contextualized ministry.

* The chance to have dinner with Jim Lundgren, a Senior Vice President with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a partner ministry also seeking to reach the next generation of leaders for Jesus.

* Having lunch with Campus Crusade leaders from across the U.S. that lead partnerships throughout the continent of Africa.

* Helping to lead a session for CCC Campus Ministry staff hoping to become better equipped to reach the students of African descent on their campuses.

* Getting to interact with missionaries that have been in God's service for decades. For example, Lori and I were able to talk with Tom Fritz at breakfast this morning. Tom is a Vietnam Veteran who has been on our staff for close to four decades and was the founder of The Impact Movement. We talked about how to use modern technology in order to engage in evangelism more effectively.

* Chatting with David and Lourdes Merriman, friends of ours from our days in Ohio, who we challenged to join our staff. The Merrimans now lead CCC's Military Ministry in San Antonio and reach thousands of soldiers for Christ every month.

* Seeing six new Impact staff members join our ministry this summer.

Overall, our time at CSU always involves fun times with old friends, the chance to make new friends, be reminded of our calling in ministry and to learn about some of the things that God is doing throughout the world. You can learn more about Campus Crusade for Christ here.

Good News Meets Good Deeds

There is a growing desire among young evangelical Christians to not only share their faith through their words, but also by their actions. A recent article in Christianity Today spotlights the efforts of Campus Crusade for Christ in this regard.

Realizing that non-Christian students are looking for a faith that is backed up by a lifestyle of service to others, many Campus Crusade staff members and students are seeking to live out the gospel in both word and deed. Here's a portion of the article:

"Josh Spavin knows the stereotypes about evangelical Christians: judgmental, sanctimonious, narrow-minded. He may not buy into the image, but at the same time, he knows how real — and damaging — it can be. So that's why Spavin, a recent graduate of the University of Central Florida and an intern with the UCF chapter of Campus Crusade for Christ International, wants to launch an HIV/AIDS outreach with a campus gay-lesbian group. 

"Because of the way they perceive us," said Spavin, 25. "What we wanted to do is find common ground where we can serve along side with them. … We don't necessarily agree with their choices, because that's not part of our faith, but we still love them." Campus Crusade — an organization that once denounced rock music only to later embrace it — is once again changing with the times, engaging potential new Christians through social issues that perhaps seemed taboo in the past. 

Unofficially nicknamed "Good News, Good Deeds," the initiative at UCF, and others like it, is a ground-up effort by one of the nation's largest evangelical groups. It also provides a peek at what issues young evangelicals see as important, and how they are changing a faith they inherited from their parents, but sometimes chafe against."

The post by Amy Green goes on to share about outreach initiatives at Stanford and Michigan State. Click here for the rest of the article.

My Co-Workers

One of the privileges that I have in my work with The Impact Movement and Campus Crusade for Christ is the individuals that I get to work alongside of on a daily basis. The picture to the left is of our Impact Campus Ministry team, a group of individuals that coach, resource, provide direction and encourage student leaders with The Impact Movement across the country.

Our mission of Impact is to take the truth of Jesus Christ to the campus, community and world by producing leaders of African descent who are spiritually focused, financially responsible and morally fit. One of the ways that we do this is by hosting a national conference which helps to equip the next generation of leaders in the black community and beyond. If you'd like to learn more about Impact 2008 Mission:Possible or register for the conference, please visit the conference website at http://www.impact2008.com/.

Another group of people that I get to lead with is the national leadership team of Ethnic Student Ministries of Campus Crusade. This is a team made up of regional and national directors committed to reaching each American ethnic minority and international students with the gospel. I get the opportunity to meet with these friends a few times a year and it is always a good time to hear how God is working in the lives of students throughout the U.S. This photo was just taken this past week at our meetings in Breckenridge, Colorado.

To learn some more about each of the strategies of Ethnic Student Ministries, check out these links:

Destino (Hispanic & Latino students)
Epic (Asian American students)
Korea Campus Crusade (Korean American students)
The Impact Movement (African American students)
Nations (Native American students)
Bridges International (International Students)

JESUS Film for Women

Three decades ago a low-budget movie based on the life of Christ was produced by Campus Crusade for Christ and few could have expected that it would go onto to become the most viewed film of all-time. JESUS, a two hour picture based on the gospel of Luke, has been viewed by over six billion people with over 220 million people indicating decisions to place their faith in Christ as a result of viewing the movie.

And now, a new version of the film has been made with a special emphasis on reaching out to women, especially those from Middle Eastern and Eastern cultures. Carolyn Arends recently wrote a review of Magdalena: Released from Shame which can be found here. As Arends says,

"The filmmakers also appear to have been intentional in reaching out specifically to cultures in which women are abused, oppressed, or made to feel ashamed. An article on InterVarsity's International Student Ministries website notes "internationals from honor/shame cultures may especially be able to relate with [Magdalena's] message." Although Western understandings of the gospel tend to center around guilt and innocence paradigms, many Middle Eastern, Indian and Asian cultures relate more strongly to concepts of honor and shame. For example, in his 1994 EMQ article "The Gospel for Shame Cultures," missionary Bruce Thomas details the breakthrough he had in evangelizing Muslim friends when he moved from legal-model understandings of the gospel to explaining that Christ dealt with the defilement and shame of human flesh by becoming flesh himself."

A website has been developed to help in providing resources in conjunction with the release of Magdalena. Hopefully this movie will be widely used in helping to share the Christian message with women that are often neglected in missionary efforts.

Technorati Tags: jesus film, magdalena released from shame, jesus for women

The Impact Summit & Racial Reconciliation

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of participating in a truly historic gathering (at least in the history of Campus Crusade). For a few days in Orlando, a couple dozen leaders from The Impact Movement and the U.S. Campus Ministry of CCC got together to build relationships with one another and dream about the future together.

A handful of years ago The Impact Movement went through some major structural and organizational changes. For a myriad of reasons, it became apparent that in order to be a significant leader in bringing change within the African American community and in the world that Impact would need to forge a new identity apart from Campus Crusade. In church terms, this was much more akin to a "church plant" rather than a "church split." In a new church plant, an existing church gives birth to a new church in order to reach people that aren't currently being reached. A church split, on the other hand, is caused by divisiveness and disagreements.

Within the legacy of Campus Crusade, there has always been a spirit of relinquishing control to new leaders and new ministries. Dr. Bill Bright modeled this often as his primary concern was not the promotion of Campus Crusade for Christ, but of the glory of God and the fulfillment of the Great Commission. If more people could be reached for Christ through another vehicle apart from CCC, Dr. Bright supported it. And so it has been with that spirit that the leadership of CCC agreed with the leadership of Impact that changes needed to happen.

The Impact Summit was a demonstration of our commitment to partner together to reach the lost for Christ. Since we made the changes with Impact, it has affected the amount of time that we have been able to relationally connect and trust is built as relationships are formed. In bringing together various leaders from both ministries, we were able to share our stories with one another and hear each other's perspective.

A couple of highlights from the Summit:

• We had a panel of Impact "veterans" share about their early experiences with Campus Crusade and the story behind how the Impact conference (and later The Impact Movement) was launched. There was a lot of laughter, but also painful stories were shared as some of our African American staff members shared their experiences of being involved in a predominately white organization.
  
• We spent some time looking at a passage in Daniel 9 as Dr. Charles Gilmer, the president of The Impact Movement, led us in a powerful time of public confession of our past corporate and present personal sins against one another. In over a decade of being involved in addressing these issues within this organization, I had never been apart of something like this.
  
• On our last evening together we enjoyed a tremendous meal at Johnson's Diner, a popular soul food restaurant in downtown Orlando. It was a great time of fellowship and a unique experience. While our group was there, we ran into a couple of Orlando's African American city commissioners and had the opportunity to pray for them -- right there in the middle of the restaurant!

Anytime you have gatherings such as this (i.e. blacks and whites coming together) there are bound to be issues that surface. In order for true racial reconciliation to take place, we need to be willing to hear one another's stories and seek to understand one another. Our experiences may not all be the same, but we can learn from each other in moving forward together. One of the issues that does need to be addressed for many of us when it comes to working with those of other ethnicities is the area of control.

We all seem to like to be in control and call the shots. But in order for biblical reconciliation to take place, there must be a willingness to relinquish control (especially for those of us in the majority) if there is to be any hope of the unity that Jesus prayed about in John 17. Christianity Today published a great article several months ago entitled, "More Free at Last." David Gushee, the author of the article, addresses the need for those of us that are white to be willing to submit to others ouside of our own cultural background. You can read the whole article here, but here is a highlight...

"We will witness true racial reconciliation when white evangelicals release power and become more regularly willing to share leadership with Christians of other ethnicities. It happens in several other sectors of our society, such as the military and education, far more often than it happens in our churches. Warm feelings of fellowship are one thing; sharing power is something altogether different—and much harder. When we share power, we lose control, and in our human insecurity, a craving for control is one of our most basic instincts. And yet Christ calls us to imitate him in laying down our control, our self-interest, and our power, for the good of others (Phil. 2:5-11)."

I have had the privilege of having a number of friendships with those of other ethnicities, co-workers whose cultural background is different than mine and mentors that have different color skin than mine. I've also sat under the teaching of pastors who don't look like me and bosses that are of another race. This has helped me in seeing things from their perspective and helped me in giving up the control that I so desperately wanted to hold onto. I hope that we all seek to follow the model of Jesus in Philippians 2 as we serve with one another.

Technorati Tags: the impact movement, campus crusade for christ, racial reconciliation

Campus Crusade in the Orlando Sentinel

Today's edition of the Orlando Sentinel has a nice little article about Campus Crusade for Christ and our increased emphasis on addressing issues of social justice and poverty, along with our historical priority given to evangelism. The shift in thinking goes along with a cultural shift among young evangelicals that verbal proclamation of the Gospel continues to be vitally important, but does meeting the physical and tangible needs of the disadvantaged, poor and hurting. There have been many within our organization, namely with Here's Life Inner City and The Impact Movement, that have called for this type of shift for some time and it is encouraging to see this happening on a broader scale.

A snippet from the article...

John Turner, author of a new book, Bill Bright & Campus Crusade for Christ: The Renewal of Evangelicalism in Postwar America, said this, "Crusade has always adapted quickly to changes in student culture. When campus culture changed dramatically in the late 1960s, staff members talked about Jesus as a 'revolutionary' and tapped into the activist ethos of the era. When the activism subsided, they invited students to seminars on time management and effective study techniques. In short, Crusade has always used evolving hooks to get students to listen to its message about Jesus," he said. "Christian students and young staff members may still be theologically conservative and committed to evangelism, but they're much more progressive on issues like the environment and poverty."

The piece was written by Mark Pinsky, a religion writer for the Sentinel, and you can read the full text here.

Campus Crusade & Simple Movements

I have spent the past month in Colorado helping to train dozens of new Campus Crusade local leaders from across the country. These are godly, gifted and, in most cases, young new leaders that are trusting God to use them in reaching students here in the U.S. and abroad. One of the areas that I've been giving specific leadership to is the concept of launching and building spiritual movements on campuses.

In some respects I think that a number of us within Campus Crusade have lost a sense of why we exist and the unique role that we play within the body of Christ. We are but one organization and there are many other mission agencies, para-church ministries and denominations that also play a unique role in the expansion of God's kingdom. Dr. Bill Bright used to say that we (CCC) are but "a leaf, on a twig, on a branch, on a tree which is the body of Christ." As Campus Crusade I see our calling as reaching out to those places in society that the traditional church may not get to. We are about reaching those that don't know Christ -- pure and simple.

We define ourselves as a parachurch ministry and that is important to remember. We don't consider ourselves to be a local church, nor should we. For example, a given campus movement could have hundreds of students involved, but those students likely are in the same age bracket (18-23), come from similar economic backgrounds (they are in college), are probably of the same ethnicity and, though we are an interdominational organization, we do tend to attract students from a fairly mainline, Protestant background.

Considering this, a local CCC movement does not reflect the whole of the body of Christ, only a small part. As mentioned, I see our job as going into every nook and cranny of a campus and meeting people right where they're at so that they can hear about Jesus without having to jump over a bunch of religious and cultural barriers to do so. Within our ministry we talk about Winning people to Christ, Building them in their faith, and Sending them forth to do likewise. In the course of discipleship, we are not equipped to provide everything that a young person needs in their Christian development. A local church (with a bunch greater diversity of life experiences and availability) can help in a more complete way to meet people's needs. We help students to establish a relationship with God and grow in that relationship so that they can introduce others to Christ. We help to excelerate the mission of the local church by reaching those that the church isn't reaching, plugging them into those churches and infusing a heart for evangelism into its leadership.

Our movements need to be simple, transferable and easily replicated. When we attempt to be everything to everybody we fall into a subtle trap. Our staff are not pastors. We are pioneering missionaries. In order to take the gospel into these places where committed followers of Christ don't currently exist, we must be committed to taking the message of Christ in its simplest form so that it is easily understood and can be easily passed onto others. We have a history of being committed to the basics of the faith so that God can work in our lives and we can show others how to also grow in Him.

My friend, Jay Lorenzen, recently wrote a post on his blog entitled "Simple Movements." It addresses this need to not overcomplicate things so that the gospel can move quickly and effectively within people groups. You can read the post here. We are about "movements everywhere so that everyone knows someone that truly follows Jesus."

Technorati Tags: campus crusade, movements, simple movements, evangelism

What does a Spiritual Movement Look Like?

Since Steve Douglass became the president of Campus Crusade for Christ a few years ago, there has been a phrase that he has used frequently to describe the role that CCC plays in partnering with local churches and ministries. It encapsulates what we're are trusting God for and how He might use our lives. It is this:

"Spiritual movements everywhere so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus"

Mr. Douglass goes on to say this,

"When the phrase "movements everywhere" was given, it was in the context of a movement of spiritual multiplication. In other words, this movement is when a small group of true followers of Jesus band together to win, build, and send in the power of the Holy Spirit. Individually, and as a group, they "own" the Great Commission and, as a result, gladly volunteer their time. They are intrinsically motivated and intentionally in doing ministry - not needing ongoing motivation by staff members"

Doesn't that get you excited? To dream that every single person on the planet would have at least one person in their life that is radically committed to following Christ and sharing His love with others is pretty exciting. That idea greatly motivates me to want to look around to see where God is working and to join Him in His work. But, practically speaking, what do these spiritual movements look like? How does this play out in a neighborhood, in a family, on a campus or in a church? I have one example to share...

Though I grew up in a solid church and in a Christian home, it wasn't until my sophomore year at Central Michigan University that I began to really follow Jesus. I think a significant reason that I grew so tremendously in my faith (and, subsequently, led to what I've been doing with my life) was my encounter with a movement of believers that were radically committed to following Jesus. I can vividly remember the first time I encountered this group of individuals. It was at a meeting called "College Life" and there were eight people in the room (and three were tuning their guitars for the meeting). There wasn't a whole lot of people there, but things were different about these people and it made me want to spend more time with them.

What I experienced with this group of people was just not something that I had previously been a part of with people my age. There was sincere love for one another, a real commitment to prayer, and a vision to tell others about Jesus. Though the numbers were not large (there were only about 25 students involved by the time I graduated), there was a deep and abiding commitment to following Jesus.

My involvement with these individuals deepened and I began to realize I was participating in a real movement. We gathered several times a week at 7 a.m. to pray for our campus and world (which is not easy to do in sub-freezing Michigan winters). We consistently shared our faith in Christ with our peers. We were a part of one-on-one and small group discipleship. And in the three years I was involved with CCC at CMU, we had 14 students participate in ten-week summer mission projects. Considering we only had around 20 students involved each year, that's not too shabby.

But the true effectiveness of this movement can be measured by what happened after we graduated. The movement did triple in size in the subsequent years after I left, but look at how God is using us now. Dan is reaching out to college students in Detroit; Andy, Gina and Wendy are planting a church in Grand Rapids; Matt is ministering to soldiers in Germany; Lorena is sharing God's love with children in Ecuador; Laurie is leading youth at a new church in New Zealand; Tracy is telling students about Jesus in a communist country in Asia; I help to launch spiritual movements among ethnic students across the U.S.; and there are many others that went before me and came after me who are leading in their churches, families and communities.

You see, it doesn't take hundreds of people for God to do something special (Remember, Jesus started with only twelve). At CMU, we didn't even have any full-time staff working with us. Just a staff coach and a couple of volunteers. All that it takes is a small group of believers, filled with the Holy Spirit, who trust God to use them to touch the world. I think that's what we did during my time at CMU. I really don't think any of us were that gifted or special. We were just naive enough to take God at His Word and ask Him to give us a broader vision than the little town and cities that we grew up in. And He did.

What I experienced is what so many young people are crying out for today. They're tired of being entertained. They want to experience authenticity and a God who is personally involved in their lives. They're not going to be convinced of the Christian faith by someone giving them a book on apologetics. The question they're asking is, "Does it make a difference?!?! They're shouting, "Show me by your life that Jesus is real!"

I'm grateful that I have been able to be part of movements of people that want to see Jesus real in their lives and to see Him come alive in the lives of others. We define a movement as 5 people filled with the Holy Spirit passionate about reaching a specific group of people for Christ. I trust that if you're not part of this type of movement right now that God will lead you to others that have similar passions. And the world won't be the same because of it.

Campus Crusade segment on "Good Morning America"

ABC's morning show, Good Morning America, is going to be having a segment tomorrow morning, Tuesday, December 6th, entitled "Keeping the Faith on Campus." The story revolves around a student who is brought up in a church-going family, but struggles with the temptations of college life. After finding the party scene lacking in fulfillment, she recommits to her faith.

The piece will feature some practical do's and don'ts for parents. There will be footage of the student at her sorority house, at a Bible study, at church and a Campus Crusade weekly meeting. In addition, a Campus Crusade staff member will be interviewed about our ministry.

So check out Good Morning America tomorrow morning or tape it if you'll be at work. You can check your local channel listings for time and channel.

Update: You can read the transcript of this broadcast here.