Hello friends below you should find our update letter for March 2011.
Archive for the ‘Ministry’ Category
40 Acres of Truth
Posted 08 Mar 2011 — by nick
Category Fun, GCM, Ministry, music, Spirituality
Category Fun, GCM, Ministry, music, Spirituality
Music has always been an important part of my life. Not that I play any instruments; I simply consume a lot, I always have. I’ve heard it said that artists are the prophets of a generation – I think I agree. Some of the greats would being Dylan, the Beatles, Jeff Tweedy and maybe even Justin Bieber (not really though).
The messages that dance melodically into our ears shape the way we think about the world, inspire new vocabulary and raise social issues. At least the good music does.
An album that would make a top 10 list for me is 40 Acres by Caedmon’s Call. From start to finish it washes you with truth and honest, heart gripping stories of following God. Not long after I became a Christian I purchased this album. It was a little folksy for me at the time, but I came to love it. Listening to it again recently brought reminders of all the places and things I’ve been through in the past 12 years.
My response: Thankfulness for a God who walks with me. A needed reminder as I spend so much time on the road raising support.
A Spirit of Unity
Posted 24 Feb 2011 — by nick
Category GCM, Illini Life, Jesus, Ministry, News, Spirituality
Category GCM, Illini Life, Jesus, Ministry, News, Spirituality
Not long ago I received word from the GCM office of an agreement made between the 17 dominate missions groups focusing on reaching college campuses (of which GCM is one). It’s being referred to as “The Chicago Agreement: Unity in Mission” you can read it here, or below.
It excites me knowing that the common ground we have in Christ can spur us on together to reach our campuses for Christ despite our theological, worship and stylistic differences. In matters of faith and Christian brotherhood, I find it more profitable to find the common ground we share rather than drawing lines and defining who is in the club and who is out. I find the spirit of this agreement to be the same.
Support Raising: By the numbers
Posted 27 Jan 2011 — by nick
Category GCM, Illini Life, Ministry
Category GCM, Illini Life, Ministry
Awhile back I posted giving a brief rundown of the process of raising support most missionaries go through. It’s a long process, one where I feel God does more preparing and readying me for ministry than I anticipated He would and/or needed to.
I’m asked to be faithful, to continually step into uncomfortable situations for a introverted engineer. I get to meet new people constantly and hear their story and share mine. Along the way great friendships form and some folks even decide to support the work God is doing in and through my life.
You know I’m an engineer at heart, so numbers a thing for me. So I figured I’d give you all another batch of support raising numbers here:
1250 – the number of times we’ve tried to initiate with people to see if they’d like to meet. That could be anything from an email thread, a text message thread, facebook message thread, phone call or in person.
161 – the number of people committed to praying for us regularly.
123 – the number of appointments kept. Quite a few of those folks were couples.
53 – the number of people supporting us financially with a repeating gift. There are 16 additional people that have given special gifts with no commitment to repeat.
9 – the number of homes stayed in besides ours along this journey.
Pleaded with us for the privilege…
Posted 20 Jan 2011 — by nick
Category GCM, Ministry, Scripture, Spirituality
Category GCM, Ministry, Scripture, Spirituality
As a support-based missionary Paul’s writings have come to life for me. Recently I was reading his second letter to the church at Corinth and my eyes widened as a smile filled my face.
Paul is writing to the church in Corinth to check in with them after some time. You’ll recall that in his first letter to the church he was dealing with some rather egregious sin issues. Here he addresses them and references back to his past visit and letter and offers pastoral advice as usual. Among the topics he wants to discuss is their giving.
The church in Jerusalem has come under some hardships. In response Paul has been taking up a collection of gifts from the churches elsewhere to help the church in Jerusalem thrive again. The church in Corinth has promised to give and he is sending Titus to urge them to finish their ministry of giving – to do what they said they’d do.
Paul is raising support.
There is this church in Macedonia that Paul can’t help but brag about. He’s writing to the church in Corinth and he is telling them about this church in Macedonia and how they’re so poor he didn’t really even ask them to give, but they PLEADED with him for the privilege to give.
And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
2 Corinthians 8:1-7
As another follower of Christ some years later, I get Paul’s excitement here. It’s not often others plead with you for the privilege to give. I can also get Paul’s excitement about generous giving.
Today we’re at 42% of our needed monthly support. It’s overwhelming when I stop and think about that, 66 individuals have chosen to give generously to see another church thrive, 51 of them on a regular basis.
January 2011 Update
Posted 05 Jan 2011 — by nick
Category Creation, Family, Friends, Fun, GCM, Illini Life, Jesus, Ministry, Photos, Spirituality, Winter
Category Creation, Family, Friends, Fun, GCM, Illini Life, Jesus, Ministry, Photos, Spirituality, Winter
Hello friends below you should find our update letter for January 2011.
December 2010 Update
Posted 16 Dec 2010 — by nick
Category Family, Friends, Fun, GCM, Illini Life, Jesus, Ministry, Spirituality, Winter
Category Family, Friends, Fun, GCM, Illini Life, Jesus, Ministry, Spirituality, Winter
Hello friends below you should find our update letter for December 2010.
Thinking about Grace
Posted 24 Nov 2010 — by nick
Category Jesus, Ministry, Scripture, Spirituality
Category Jesus, Ministry, Scripture, Spirituality
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Lately the topic of grace has been on my mind, in a different sense than usual though. In the past weeks I’ve fallen into the trap of thinking of God’s grace solely as undeserved forgiveness. It’s always been easy to see where I’m far from God – the times I lose sight of the Kingdom of God and embrace the kingdom of Nick. Grace is ever-present when I acknowledge my faults and turn back. I get that sort of grace.
The difference lately comes not in the distance from God in a classic “sinning” sense, but in a more crafty “sinning” sense. Somewhere in the past few weeks I’ve fallen into a mindset that God’s favor is won when I live a certain way, when I do certain ministry tasks, when I’m a good missionary. To which God says “Nope, it’s about Grace.”
I can find myself in this trap of thinking, I’m doing pretty good, God must be happy with me because of that. To which I hear “Nope, it’s about Grace.” He’s always happy with me, because when He sees me He sees a dearly loved son – not my past, present or future. Just a son washed clean.
So the grace goes both ways. Not just forgiveness of my sins, but forgiveness of my thinking that I earned any of my standing with God. Which you wise folks might point out is sin as well.
November 2010 Update
Posted 07 Nov 2010 — by nick
Category Family, GCM, Illini Life, Jesus, Ministry, Spirituality
Category Family, GCM, Illini Life, Jesus, Ministry, Spirituality
Hello friends below you should find our update letter for November 2010.
