Young Adult Sunday Sermon

Click here to listen to Elliott's sermon from Young Adult Sunday at our church!

at home and on campus - what we're up to

I figured we were due for an update.  What do you think? :)  We're working on a newsletter (with exciting news about Haverford College!) but maybe you'd like to know what we've been up to recently.

Elliott

At church:  Elliott has been preaching periodically, in an effort to grow as a leader and discern whether or not he should head into pastoral ministry.  You can listen to a sermon on Habbakuk here and one on Advent here.  This coming Sunday is our young adult service, and he will be preaching again!  (We'll put it up once it's on the internet.)

On campus:  Elliott continues to meet with small discipleship groups (made up of about 3-4 college students/young adults) and is taking a greater leadership role in Transformed, the drama ministry group at Eastern.  He has been leading the group in Bible study and has helped direct some skits. We have about 20 students signed up for the Jubilee Conference from Eastern University so far (very exciting!), and we're having a Pancake Dinner Fundraiser to raise money for transportations and scholarships.   He is still involved in Haverford Christian Fellowship and is one of the lead members of a faith group started by the college itself.

Rachel

At home:  Rachel has been very busy at home, spending much of her day with baby Gwendolyn and cleaning up at the house (as well as finding nifty ways to save money and the environment - you can read more about that here).  She has finished her M.Ed in Secondary Education, and teaches part time at an after-school children's theatre program.  Recently she also got a second job as a writer for a business (very, very part time).  

On campus:  Rachel continues to mentor girls one-on-one, both on campus and at the house.  Although she has been unable to be there for many big events, she tries to stay involved in the ministry with the relationships already formed from last year.

Gwendolyn

Gwen has been learning how to shuffle across the room.  She is quite skilled at shuffling backwards, but can shuffle herself forwards with great gusto when there is something she's not supposed to play with (like a computer).  She is teething and likes to wake up at all hours of the night, but is so sweet that we easily forgive her.  Her favorite hobbies are singing and putting everything into her mouth.

a home in which to do ministry

We have been settling in, offering this home to God as a place for His ministry to thrive.

And He has used it to His glory!

Since moving in, we have had people over almost every night -- including many, many students.  Less than a week after moving in, we hosted a group of twelve students chaplains over for dinner.  The student chaplains at Eastern University cultivate community and discipleship on their halls by leadings a weekly Grow Group, which is a chance for the hall to engage with the Lord in order to bring spiritual growth.  As they are so focused on pouring themselves out to their peers, we wanted to be able to fuel them -- both with food as well as spiritual encouragement.  This dinner was a chance for them to talk about what was and wasn't working, and to pray for their ministries -- as well as their personal walks with the Lord.  It was an incredible night of fellowship, and before the night was over, they were asking when we would have them over again (we're hoping to do gingerbread-house-making before they break for winter!).

Never before have we been able to open our home to students in such a way.  We feel abundantly blessed to invite students into our lives -- all the time asking that God will use our family and our home to bring people closer to Him.

Please pray for all who enter our house -- that the Holy Spirit would enter into our conversation and that people would be encourage and refreshed.  Pray especially for the student chaplains -- that the Lord would continue to give them personal support, and that they would see the fruit of their leadership.

it's in the day-to-day

Campus ministry is so much more than programs, events, and overall flashiness.  It's about something bigger -- something more encompassing than a mere four years of college.  It's about the Kingdom -- the larger Narrative of which we are all a part.  It's about discipleship.

There are many things that could be said about discipleship, but I want to highlight one thing right now: discipleship is in the day-to-day.

When we look at Jesus' way of discipleship, we see how he lived day-in and day-out with his disciples.  He traveled with them.  He prayed with them.  He walked side-by-side with them through all their trials and joys.

In campus ministry, we attempt to do the same.  We do disciple students in a very formal way -- going through Bible study, prayer, being deliberate in spiritual growth.  Yet we also try to go one step further by living day-to-day with our students -- inviting them into our home, getting them off campus for a coffee or movie, or even moving in with them.

For the last five months, we have lived with two of our students, and the growth (on their end and our end) has been astounding.  Our God really uses relationships to reveal Himself to us, and to mold us into His likeness.  And now as we pack up to leave, we invite other students into this part of our lives.  Tomorrow when we move, there will be a number of students helping us.

We praise the Lord that as we go on in ministry, He has provided more and more opportunities to live among our students -- to not just be there for the bigger events, but to be there for the smaller ones, or the days where there are no events at all.  He is allowing us to get to know our students in very personal ways, and is opening doors with even more students each year.

Happenings at Haverford College

For the last three (going on four) years, Elliott has been actively involved on Haverford College's campus.

The fact that he is there at all was no easy feat.  Haverford is a very different school than most schools.  Students are drawn there not only for its academic rigor (think Ivy-League quality), but also for the autonomy of the student body.  No one can be on campus without the welcome of the students.

So it's been a slow road, but year by year, we have begun to grow deeper relationships with the school -- both in the student body and the administration.

One thing that has helped is partnership.  The CCO is committed to partnerships -- with churches, campuses, and organizations.  We have partnered with Haverford Christian Fellowship (HCF), which is a chapter of InterVarsity.  There was no male leadership in the group, and so Elliott has been attending for a couple years, mentoring different students through his time there and bringing them to our church.  This year, Elliott has had the fantastic opportunity to teach during the HCF Bible meetings.  The response has been so great, that Elliott has been asked to teach more often.  He also had a couple of non-Christian students approach him about talking more about the Bible.  (I want to say more about this opportunity to minister to non-Christian students, but I will get to that at the end.)

The other thing that has aided in the CCO's presence at Haverford is a newly formed organization for faith-based groups.  Elliott was asked by someone in the administration to be on this group in order to represent HCF.  This is huge, as we reflect on Elliott's first year, going door to door in the administration, met with suspicious stares that implied the question, "Why are you here?"  Now, they see him representing a strong voice on campus on behalf of part of the student body.  This is also exciting because if we are ever to leave and work elsewhere, the CCO will have an official spot at the school.

I wanted to share this with you for two reasons:
1) To praise the Lord for open doors, especially when we persevere with patience.
2) To let you know the work that we are doing on secular campuses.

Speaking of the secular, please also pray for the new opportunities Elliott has had to minister to non-Christian students.  I believe Elliott has been gifted with a few things:  great wisdom of the Bible, great articulation of words, and great charisma.  People are drawn to him, as he is non-threatening, welcoming, and has good answers and insights.  Elliott has had the opportunity to answer many of these students' questions about Christianity, in addition to sharing his testimony and the Gospel.  Please pray for more opportunities to come up like this -- that in our work to disciple Christian students, we would also be able to reach non-Christian students with the love of Christ.

tis the (busy) season for campus ministry!

Hi friends,

Bear with us -- this is our busiest time of year!  Between new students coming in, old students coming back early, and preparing our master schedules, we have a lot to accomplish the next couple of weeks.  We are also working on our newsletter, which should be out in the next month.  Stay tuned in the next couple weeks for student stories from the summer -- from the far reaches of Ghana to Maryland to Eastern University and beyond!

We appreciate your patience, as well as your prayers, as we focus on our students at this time.

Thanks and love,
Rachel, Elliott, and Gwendolyn

The Rocky Road of Relationships

There are small groups scattered throughout the lounge, each engaged in various forms of discussion, prayer, and worship. After finishing a prayer with my own group, I glance at my watch. 10:30 pm. We "ended" the official discussion over an hour ago, and still students linger to engage in conversation with us about their struggles. Despite being overcome with pregnancy-related tiredness, I am overwhelmed with joy. These are some of the best moments in campus ministry -- the unexpected, unplanned conversations that usually extend into later hours of the night. On this particular night, we (the leaders) have come alongside the students to wrestle with self-image.

Partnering with Eastern's Office of Faith and Practice, Michael (a fellow CCO staffer), Elliott, and I have developed a series of discussion nights oriented around relationships. The first night, in February, we discussed the value of singleness in the Kingdom of God. Since the Eastern student population is somewhat relationship-obsessed, and since the students often live within this "ring-by-spring" culture day-in and day-out, we wanted to bring in a different conversation. We invited three speakers to talk about what it has been like to be single and pursuing the Lord. The feedback was great from the students. One girl in particular came up to me and thanked us. "My friends have been telling me I'm crazy to be single right now," she confesses. "The pressure has been hard, but I really want to focus on the Lord at this time in my life without the distraction of a relationship. It's good to hear that I'm NOT crazy!"

In mid-March, our next discussion night was on self-image and basing our value on being made in the image of God. Four speakers came on this night, sharing their testimonies of self-image battles as well as deliverance from the Lord. After some discussion in the larger group, we broke up into small groups and each speaker (as well as myself) led a small group discussion, as well as some much needed prayer.

About 30 students have shown up to each event, which is honestly an incredible turn out on a small college campus. We have seen the Lord's hand every step of the way and are thankful that He can use us in this way to bring hope and expose truth to these students.

Tonight is our third discussion night, where we will be talking about appropriate boundaries -- both in relationships and friendships. Two weeks from tonight, our last discussion night will focus on how social networking and the internet are affecting our relationships with one another, and how a Christian ought to respond or interact with such technology.

Please pray:

1) That the Lord will continue to draw students to these discussion nights. I pray each week that if someone is debating whether or not to come, that the Lord will tug on their hearts enough to have them finally come out. The last time, one student confessed that she really didn't want to come. "But I kept staring at the flier on my desk and I knew God was urging me to come. I'm so glad I did," she told me.

2) That each night will go smoothly, and the Lord will work through us--that our words would be His words, and that His truth would be revealed to these students. Pray that we would be mere vessels for His ministry.

3) For next year -- that we can continue to work alongside the student chaplains and RAs to prepare for these discussion nights, and that God would use us effectively.

Thank you!

-Rachel

P.S. If you read this blog and have yet to subscribe, please do so right now! We'd love to know who we're communicating our ministry with, and we'd love to pray for you!

Enjoying our Daily Bread

"Have you been spending time with God?"

It's a simple question, and one that people would expect a campus minister to ask. But the typical response always catches me off guard. Instead of a simple answer, my question is usually greeted by a shameful look downwards or a shrug accompanied by a pitiful glance.

I try to remind the students that I'm not asking them this question to make them feel guilty, nor does God want them to shrink away from Him in their guilt. He longs to be with us, and we were designed for fellowship with Him.

So why is it so hard?

I admit that even in my own life, some days I find myself trying to remember the last time I sat still before the Lord. God has taken away the sense of guilt or shame I used to feel, and has replaced it with a sense of mourning. It is sad to go without our Father's fellowship. I want to take joy in just being in His Presence. And without the Bible, how will I recognize His voice? How will I know who He is? Without our Daily Bread, we starve ourselves.

How do we let this happen?

I think it happens because we don't let God take control. We tend to think, "I need to spend more time with God. I just need to do it." How many of us have actually asked God for help?

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide,

so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."

John 15:16

I encourage my students to start out by doing three things:

1) Ask God to help you. We are not in control, and we can do nothing apart from Him. Ask Him to give you this spiritual blessing of spending time with Him.

2) "A Psalm a day keeps the devil away." My brother said this to me once, and I thought it sounded corny. And then I just decided to try it, and God has blessed my spiritual walk abundantly. When you have a spare five or ten minutes, whip out that Bible and read a Psalm.

3) Engage in the Word with others. It is hard to keep ourselves accountable, but what if you planned to meet with a friend once a week for one hour to dive into the Word? How would that change your daily encounter with the Lord? How much would it help a fellow sibling in Christ?

So I ask that as you and I both struggle to find our own time with the Lord, that you would join me in praying for these students that are not practicing quiet time before God. Please pray that God would impress it on their hearts, give them the motivation, and that they would follow through in engaging daily with God and His Word.

Praying for the peace that surpasses understanding -

Rachel

Over the "Break"

Our work in campus ministry follows a different sort of path. We are, in a sense, on the same schedule as our students. We take life in semesters and follow the ebb and flow of midterms, exams, and then a nice, long break. Of course, while the students are snuggled warm in their homes, we have a different sort of work to accomplish.

We kicked off the break with a massive push for support-raising. In our efforts to be faithful to God, we spent two full weeks in meetings (and traveling all the way to Richmond!), making phone calls, sending out cards, delivering Christmas yummies, and praying about meeting our support-raising goal. We have continued to hover around 40%-60% of our goal, and would sincerely appreciate the prayers as we ask God to see us through to full support.

Elliott spent a week in service with some other college-aged guys. Each day was spent serving these people in our area: Hope Works, Norristown Community House, Norristown Homeless Shelter, Broad Street Ministries, and City Team.

To see a little bit of the work the guys did that week, please go here. Trust me, the video is work a look!

We also had the opportunity to hear one of our students speak at her church service about the lessons she learned the past semester about the Lord. It was an incredible experience to hear how the Lord has used us, and I wrote a little bit about it in my personal blog.

That's it for now! More frequent updates coming soon!

-Rachel

"Shouldn't you be on a secular campus?"

As campus ministers, this is a question Elliott and I get a lot. And it’s a fair question. With so many colleges in our area, why are we on a campus that is known for its Youth Min department, its Christian activists (ie. Tony Campolo and Shane Claiborne), and its commitment to the Christian faith?

We could give you a slew of different answers based on our own interactions with individual students on Eastern’s campus. We could tell you about how, as alumni of Eastern University, we understand the culture of this particular college. We could also tell you about the many ways God opened doors for us to do ministry specifically at Eastern.

But instead, I thought I would share with you a story.

A true story.

Knowing I needed to get some prep work done for tonight’s Bible study, I left our usual “office” (aka the “Jammin’ Java,” Eastern’s campus coffee shop) and ventured to a local coffee shop in the neighborhood. Tucked away in a corner, I was among other lone customers, clicking away on computers and sipping hot drinks.

In walked three college-aged girls. The coffee shop being so closely located to Cabrini, Eastern, Villanova, Rosemont, and Haverford (among others), this was no surprise. I didn’t think much about their entrance, nor their talk of classes and upcoming finals, until I heard some buzzwords to clue me in: “New Testament Class,” “Youth Min Major,” “Theology,” “church,” “Wednesday chapel.” It didn’t take me long to figure out they were from Eastern, studying for this week of finals.

I never saw these girls on campus, but I was happy for the connection. I mused to myself about how much I loved my job and college students, and continued pouring over the Bible for tonight’s study. My intention was not to listen to their conversation, but the coffee shop being small and quiet, it was impossible for me (and others) to overhear.

It began with them discussing pot—both their views on pot (which was mainly, “I don’t have a problem with it”) and their interactions with pot. It moved to their talk of drinking off campus (I didn’t hear much of this part of the conversation because I was engrossed in my own work at the time, but I vaguely recollect them saying something about how easy it was to have access to alcohol off campus). Then one girl confessed to “not being a strong Christian,” occasionally going to church, but not really seeing it as a big deal. Before finally breaking to study, they spent a good deal of time gossiping about a girl they disliked in one of their classes.

I don’t know if these revelations shock you or not. Personally, I was not shocked. Having gone to Eastern, I have long been aware that the same entrapments and temptations that are widely accessible on a secular campus are just as much prevalent on this Christian one. I also thought about the other patrons overhearing this conversation. These girls, whether or not they want to be, are witnesses of the kingdom. In the same conversation came their interactions with pot and with chapel. I was reminded of James’ warning about the taming of the tongue in chapter 4: “Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?”

I do not condemn these women. I do not know their personal stories. And very unfortunately, I might never get to know these particular individuals. But I realize that they—and all of our students at Eastern—are up against a confusing world—especially confusing at a college where one would expect to find fervent Christians but instead find a lot of lukewarm beliefs.

Very recently, one of the students with whom I work closely confessed that she had been disappointed since coming to Eastern. She came expecting great Christian fellowship, but is walking away this semester experiencing a lot of complacency. “It doesn’t seem to make a difference in my friends’ lives, so I wonder why should it make a difference in mine?” This experience is one that I have heard directly from Elliott’s testimony. Facing a crowd of people who “confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord” and then do what they want the rest of time really causes one to struggle. Deeply. Where can one turn?

The students are trying to turn to their peers for answers, but are still coming up empty handed and tired. Can it really be only up to the students to lift one another up when they are struggling with the same things simultaneously?

These students need more. They need discipleship. They need a reawakening. They need challenges, encouragements, and someone to walk alongside their journey who can say, “I know. I’ve been there, but I’m not there any more. Let me tell you about how Jesus transformed my life, and how he can transform yours.”

And that, my friends, is a brief look into why Elliott and I minister on a Christian campus.

Transforming College Students to Transform the World

Praise the Lord!

Here are the students within our ministry that have already signed up for Jubilee:

Elizabeth "Bif" Cantinlina (a member of our small group)

Christopher Packard (the leader of Transformed!)

Ken Sawyer (a sophomore commuter with many connections to the CCO)

Kendra DiMicco (a member of Transformed!)

Nick Antonelli (a junior Youth Min major who helped out at Manoa's youth group)

Eva Hall (a member of Transformed!)

Eric Mayhew (a junior who comes to our church and is our personal Jubilee mascot)

James "Jim" Nielsen (a member of Transformed!)

Lauren Sell (a recent college graduate who goes to our church and small group)

Jim Chatterton (a junior who goes to our church and is co-leading a service trip with Elliott)

Jeff Sved (a junior who goes to our church)

Please pray that many more students will sign up to go to this life-changing conference. Pray also for funding, as many of these college students will have to support-raise to ensure they have the funds to go!

Calling out "calling"

Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Communication, Cultural Studies, Drama, Dance, Economics, Education, Environmentalism, Geology, Fashion, Horticulture...the list goes on and on.

The sum total of the academic experience leads to one question for most students: What am I supposed to do with my life?

As each field becomes more and more specialized--and subsequently births new fields--it seems the monolithic list of possible futures for students is only becoming more endless and foreboding by the minute. As several studies have shown, too many options actually are bad for us. In fact when given more than three options in any situation a human being is more likely to be indecisive for longer, and ultimately to be less happy with their decision after making it. An easy example is the cereal isle at your local grocery store; how many mom's spend over 5 minutes deliberating over which box of cereal to take home to make their kids happy? With students the stakes are a bit higher; whatever field they choose they will be stuck in for the rest of their life--in essence their choice of major is an identity claim of the highest order.

The problem is further complicated for Christian students, who not only need to make a life-changing (or rather life-making) decision, but are often under the added pressure to discern their "God-ordained" vocation, otherwise known as their "calling." This terminology is well-known in Christian circles, and it's popularity is perhaps only surpassed by its ambiguity. I can't count how many Christians I've met (students and non-students alike) who are absolutely convinced they have a calling before they fully understand what that calling is, or even what the word "calling" means.

For the longest time the overuse and misunderstanding around this term has nagged at me. Some Christians, it seems, can't make a decision of any significance before determining whether God has called them to do it. Forget majors for a moment, I'm talking about buying a car, taking a job, dating a person, even down to minuscule decisions like sending e-mails or setting up a facebook account. Please don't misinterpret me, I don't mean to be irreverent at all, and certainly desire to always find my choices in line with the will of God. But what happens for many people now when they seek to discern God's calling on their life is comparable to checking the horoscopes. Rather than seeking wisdom in decision-making, many of us end up seeking some external force to make decisions for us.

By now some of you must be wondering if I have any authority to back these claims up with; I'm going to pull a LeVar Burton here and tell you, "don't take my word for it," check out the bible. The term "calling" is never really used until the NT, at which point it is mostly used by Paul, and almost always used to refer to the Call we believers have received to follow Christ. Check out these verses to see for yourself: Rom 8:28, Rom 11:29, 1 Cor 1:26, Gal 5:13, Eph 1:18, Eph 4:1, etc...

From a biblical standpoint there are no grounds for interpreting a vocational path as a "call." So where did this idea come from? During medieval times clergy and "men of the cloth" were said to have recieved a call to do the work of the Lord. This "call" ended up creating a clear distinction between men in ministerial positions, and men of more earthly careers such as farming, masonry, or welding. Over time this distinction perpetuated the Hellenistic idea that earthly work was less important and less holy than ministerial work. During the reformation people such as John Calvin saw the awful dualism such thinking had caused in God's people, and sought to help workers in all varieties of professions recognize their labor as equally called upon by God, linking their earthly work to humanity's initial (pre-fall) function as cultivators of Creation (see Gen 1:28).

If you aren't confused or frustrated enough already, I'm going to admit that I agree with John Calvin in this instance. I do believe that the farmer is "called" to farm, the doctor is "called" to heal, and the writer is "called" to write. The difference is that the "call" we have received is a general one that applies to all of God's children, the same as Paul explains it, not necessarily a specific voice we are meant to discern through some Christian version of a Ouija Board. All of us have been called to be good stewards of creation, and since the proclamation of the gospel, we followers of Christ have been called to join Christ in the restoration of Creation. Within this call there is great liberty afforded to us, as Paul describes in Romans, "Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him...One person esteems one day better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind." And then again in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "So whether you drink or eat, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

These verses seem to intimate that it is not what we do (assuming what we are doing is not in contradiction to God's character) but whether what we are doing is done unto the glory of God; that is the important part; that is what God has "called" us to do. If I am farming unto the glory of God, then I am fulfilling the call of a farmer; if I am doctoring unto the glory of God then I am fulfilling my call as a doctor; if I am writing unto the glory of God then I am fulfilling my call as a writer; and if I am ministering unto the glory of God then I am fulfilling my call as a minister. Likewise, if I pursue any of these fields, including ministering, while not seeking the glory of God, then I am not fulfilling my call in that profession.

To some people this sounds like bad news, because it can seem like there is less meaning and purpose in our work when it hasn't already been decided for us beforehand--let's not get into predestination today--on the other hand, I think it's actually "good news" because we never have to wonder whether we are fulfilling God's Call on our lives as long as we are indeed living according to his word, and seeking to glorify God. The liberty to choose what to do within those parameters is actually a beautiful gift, not a curse. Whether we are writing, farming, engineering, plumbing, coaching, or whatever, we can always be fulfilling God's call.

This is one of the messages Rachel and I seek to help our students understand: that if they are striving to be true stewards, and if they are truly seeking to glorify God with their work, then whatever major or career path they decide to pursue has value in God's kingdom. But being a true steward and glorifying God both need to be defined before we can begin attempting either. Namely, they both need to be understood in the light of the gospel, and in the light of the life Christ has called us to walk in.

Please pray for us, as Rachel and I challenge college students to understand the call God has made on their life, and in particular how their particular major is part of the ongoing work of "joining Christ in the restoration of Creation."

In His Arms,
Elliott

PS. Just to clarify, I do believe there are some people who receive a direct clear "call" from God to act or live in a specific way. However, as was the case with Jonah, John the Baptist, and Christ, I believe this type of "call" is unmistakable when it comes to us, and we should be proactive and functional as Christians, seeking with wisdom to use the gifts we have to participate in gospel work always, fulfilling the greater common Call with diligence as a default, so if perchance we should find ourselves to be one of those special few we will not be found idle and wanting in spiritual maturity when that unique "call" comes.

Does Love Suck?

Does real love exist, or do we create the meaning of love through our experiences?

This question is the central theme to the movie (500) Days of Summer; a film that is marketed as part of the chick-flick and romantic comedy vein, but actually contains many elements that decontruct the cliches usually prevelant in the genre.

I'm bringing up this film because after watching it I realized how extraordinarily relevant the main dilemma of the films two main characters is to this generation of young adults and college students.

Anyone who thinks students go to college just to learn or to get a degree is wrong, or at least only half right. The other half of the reason: relationships.

Students today, guy or gal, want to explore relationships. They want to have a vibrant social network of friends and acquaintances, and at the non-platonic end of the spectrum many of them want to find love and romance with that special "someone." Next to time in front of the computer or text messaging you can bet relationships comes in at a close second on how students spend their time...school work is usually in fourth or fifth...sleep is maybe at number eight.

This should come as no surprise. Ever since they were in diapers the media and culture have told this generation that not only is "true love" out there, but that it is something everyone deserves and eventually finds--you need only confer with the plot of the nearest Disney movie, Twilight novel, or superhero film to confirm this point. At the same time, this generation has also been told that truth is relative, and that abstract things, like love, hope, and faith are socially constructed. Herein lies the current existential dilemma: is love real, or is love just an illusion? Can love be found, or are we left to find our own way?

The answer is yes and no. Love isn't the googly-eyed infatuation we find in the Edward Cullen's of the world, or the commitment-free-evening-rendezvous-lifestyle we find in shows like Sex in the City or Desperate Housewives. Love is not just the gushing and fawning exasperation of our hormone-laden youth. Love is real. But the "love" many of us look for is not; it's plain fiction.

Real love is not found, it finds us...to put it better it has found us.

"In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." --1 John 4:9-11

To understand real love students need to encounter real love: the love of God. We're being fed a fictional tale of "real" love in the world because much of the world still lives with a "fictional" understanding of history. The real story of history--involving the manifestation of God in the person Jesus Christ, who died and was raised to save us from our sin, so that we might live with Him forever--is the only way through which any of us can come to know what love really is or what it really means. Because, at the end of the day, if love wasn't knit into the fabric of humanity purposefully, if it isn't a blessing endowed to us by a creator of the same nature, if love isn't necessary and vital to our identity, then what's the point? At some point even a bloodthirsty sex-crazed vampire teen would have to pause and ask what love is all about.

That's one of the reason's why Rachel and I are going through the "Transformed Student Document" with students. The TSD is a helpful tool that breaks down the fundamental attributes of a transformed disciple into five categories.

1. Loving Christ Intimately
2. Viewing the World Biblically
3. Living Obediently
   
4. Joining Christ in the Restoration of Creation
5. Inviting Others to do Likewise

Every Monday night Rachel I meet with 7-8 students at Eastern University to walk through these five marks and talk about what real love looks like. Please pray for us as we lead a discussion tonight on what it means to love Christ intimately.

Mule + Chihuahua = College Student

Over-commitment and burn-out.

To the average college student these two words encapsulate daily reality. In the consumerist driven marketplace of events, clubs, student activities, classwork, homework, internships, social life, social networking, e-mailing, and facebooking that sum up modern "Campus Life" most students who Rachel and I meet are scrambling desperately do at least two things: to take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way, and to do something truly meaningful and significant with their time. Together these two things seem almost impossible to accomplish.

I don't mean to be cynical at all here. It's really mathematical. Doing something significant and meaningful requires us to devote hours upon hours of our focus and energy toward one goal or purpose; while, on the other hand, taking advantage of every opportunity means juggling dozens of things at once, and giving each thing a superficial amount of attention.

Trying to explain this to most students is like trying to tell a smoker that cigarettes are bad for them. Most of them will nod in agreement, agree they should live differently, but honestly they don't have the motivation or know-how to actually change course. I don't blame them; the drug of over-commitment and hyper-involvement has been pushed on them ever since middle school. This is how they have been taught to live. This is what they are being told life is all about...and we wonder why most college students struggle with anxiety and depression.

Several of the students Rachel and I meet with on a regular basis confess they are tired, strung-out, exhausted, and overworked. Actually, it is not uncommon for students to constantly ask to reschedule our meetings, or to miss church on a regular basis because of how busy they are.

I wish I could say churches are a refuge from this type of over-committed existence, but Rachel and I have recently been counseling two young adults from a local church who feel so heavy-laden with ministry responsibilities that they dream of coming home just to rock in the fetal position for a few hours before sleep. A slight exaggeration, but you get the point; and I don't believe their experience is an exception to the rule.

The lofty expectations of college students and young adults in our culture to be as hyper-active as chihuahuas and laborious as mules needs to be done away with. Students don't know what rest is anymore. I don't know a single college student who actually has a solid day off outside of fall breaks and holidays. There is no Sabbath rest for the college students. I asked a Chemistry student and Intervarsity small group leader at Haverford College the other day when he rests and he said on Thursday mornings before class, and sometimes in the afternoon when he is working for the tech group on campus. Similarly I spoke with a student from Eastern a few weeks ago who was taking 21 hours of class a week, working 25 hours a week (that's already a 46 hour work-week not including homework and the student club she is involved with) when she rested, and she said "when I sleep, which is about 3-4 hours a night."

The question is no longer whether students will experience burn-out, but when.

As you pray this week, ask God that he would provide rest and rejuvination for Ben Thompson of Haverford, Betsy of EU, Zack Groff of Temple, Jocelyn Groff of EU, Ben and Jess Mell of Manoa Presbyterian, Hannah Maclean of EU, Rachel Lim or Haverford, John Bridges of VFMC, Brandi of Uarts, and many, many others.

Pray that as we disciple these students and young adults God provides us with the words and wisdom to teach the discipline of rest to each of them, and that they would learn to begin making time to experience the gift of Sabbath each week.

Thank you for your prayers, love, encouragement, and support.

In Him,
Elliott and Rachel

Eastern Small Group

During our second week of the Monday night Eastern small group, we went deep into Ephesians 2:1-10 and Romans 12. We discussed why it's so important to be transformed.

The conversation really stirred my heart. These students are remarkably thirsty to know more about God, and to live their lives unto Him. I wrote a little bit about it in my personal blog, so please check it out here.

Thank you for reading, and please pray for the students in our small group.

Viewing the World Biblically

The CCO sees a transformed student as one who loves Jesus intimately, views the world Biblically, lives obediently, joins Christ in the restoration of creation, and invites other to do likewise.

How does one view the world Biblically if one does not even know how to read the Bible?

The following is a quote from this poignant Christianity Today article:

"Even weekly churchgoers who know the names and places struggle to put it all together and understand the Bible as a single story of redemption."

-Collin Hansen, emphasis mine

One of our focuses in discipling students is helping them see that the Bible is not a mere collection of stories, but an overarching story of the world -- one in which they are still taking an active part. Through inductive Bible study and related books, we want to help them see the Bible in a greater context so that they may read and understand it themselves.

"Disciples of Christ do not merely pursue Bible knowledge for its own sake... It changes the way they live, but not by merely offering them tips for parenting or financial freedom. Rather, the Bible gets them in touch with the Holy Spirit, who conforms them to Christ's image."

-Chris Hansen, emphasis mine

For more insight, please click the link above for the article, or go here for a previous post on my other blog.

-Rachel

So It Begins

Yes, we are still here.

Well, the school year has begun, and we're feeling it! The past two weeks have challenged us to use (or find) our multitasking skills, and each day has been an event of schedule-juggling and meeting-hopping. Let's give you the highlights:

Move-in Days: Elliott and I spent last Thursday moving in Cabrini College freshman, and the better part of Saturday moving in Eastern University freshman. We felt that we had the opportunity to really connect with some of the Eastern students. Please pray that those connections won't be lost, and that we'll be able to form relationships with those we met!

Haiti Reverse: There's been so much planning and so many meetings surrounding this trip, but we still have a loooong way to go. We met with the President and some faculty at Cabrini College and have yet to hear back if they're on board with the project. The Haitian churches in North Philly have been really responsive to the project, and we were able to invite them into the trip this past Sunday at one of their youth worship services. Please pray that the details to make this trip happen will fall into place, and that we will have at least 8 students from Eastern/Cabrini and the Haitian-American community on the trip.

Manoa Life: Manoa Life is the young adult program at Manoa Presbyterian Church, headed by Elliott. We met with some people to talk about the past two years, and challenged ourselves on how to go deeper with the Lord in the coming year. We had a lot of feedback about changing the Sunday night service by introducing more testimonies, dance, art, and drama (among other things). Please pray for the desire of the young adults to see the Lord transform their lives through this program will be fruitful, and that the Sunday night service would honor Him and draw others closer to Him.

Meeting Students: At the beginning of the year, we like to meet with as many students as possible. Although everyone's schedule is still up in the air, Elliott and I have both been successful in meeting with and praying with students and young adults. Please keep the following people in your prayers: Brandi, Amy, Hannah, Zack, Jocelyn, Jeff, Jim, Jonathan, Kristin, Maggie, Ben, Megan, Jess, Ben, Mike. Pray that Elliott and I would be able to discern whom to really pour into for the next year.

Norristown Community House: Peter and Becky Bowersox, fellow coworkers of ours at the CCO, have pioneered an intentional community in Norristown for students. We were honored to be asked to come in and lead team-building games/exercises before their Open House Party. We connected with so many amazing people at the party, and were so thankful that God has brought such people into our lives. Praise the Lord for the conversations and relationships formed through this community!

So that's just a brief look at the last two weeks for the Simkos!

in Him -

Rachel

Jesus Changes People's Lives

"Jesus Changes People's Lives" is CCO Core Value #2.

It's important to remember daily because it's why we're here in the first place. Jesus changed our lives, and now has called each of us to serve.

It's important to remember daily because it's not the program or Bible study or church service or Elliott or Rachel that changes people's lives -- it's Jesus.

We're just available for whatever way He wants to use us.

During New Staff Training this summer, we were asked to share so many testimonies -- the larger ones ("How did you come to know the Lord?"), as well as the small ones ("How has God worked in your life this past week?"). We were all so eager to share, and hear. Who doesn't want to hear about the mighty work of God? But what was striking was how thirsty we were to hear -- because, quite honestly, we don't talk about the daily work of our Father nearly as much as we should.

We should talk about the Lord every day, because every day He is doing mighty things in our lives. Our excitement and awe should bubble over and salt our every day conversation.

So why doesn't it?

Elliott and I, along with a number of young adults, have been asking this question. Why don't we talk more about the Jesus who changed our lives? Why aren't we always sharing testimony after testimony? Instead of just asking those questions, we decided to do something about it.

Last night, we joined two other young adults from the Manoa Life Project (the young adult program at Manoa Presbyterian Church - Elliott's CCO partnership) for a night of worship and testimonies. We offered ourselves to the Holy Spirit, and before we knew it, an hour of prayer and worship had flown by. Two people shared their testimonies. We praised the Lord for the ways He has saved, and also prayed over the individuals -- that God would continue to release them from old-formed habits. It was powerful and moving, albeit very simple.

Young adults and college students are thirsty for transformation. And sometimes, ministries can get caught up in flashiness and show -- believing that they need over-the-top-compelling programs to transform and bring people to Christ.

But all it takes is the simple (awesome) account of Jesus changing your life.

Please share your testimonies.

Please ask others to share their testimonies.

Talk about Jesus.

And pray for true transformation to come onto Eastern and Cabrini's campuses.

What's in Store? - Haiti Reverse Mission Trip

Hello friends,

Since it's the summer, it would seem that we don't have a lot to update in terms of student encounters, but we wanted to give you a taste of what we're currently working on in preparation for this year. If you received our most recent newsletter, you might have read about our plans briefly.

So let's start with our biggest project this year: it's a transformational experience, and we call it the...

Haiti Reverse Mission Trip

What: Haiti Reverse Mission Trip

• REVERSE mission trip
• We receive and learn more than we provide
• We affirm culture rather than foster dependency
• We work alongside rather than “work for”
• We travel a short distance rather than a long distance
• Going to Philly, NOT Haiti
• We encourage long-term deep relationships
• We empower and encourage Haitian natives to help their own nation, as they are more equipped then we will ever be
• Fundraiser
• Cost of traveling to Haiti, avg. $2000 per person
• Avg. annual Haitian income = $500
• We will ask participants to raise $1800 in order to attend
• Benefit Gala will raise money
• Money raised will be given to
• Haiti Relief
• Long-term sustainable missions
• Ethnographic Study
• CCTI’s Justin Poole will be assisting in the interviewing of many of the people involved in order to create a play that will be produced in Philly

When: Friday Dec 31^st—Sunday Jan 9^th

Where: In Haitian-American houses, churches, and communities in North Philly

Who is already involved:

• World Vision and World Vision Act:s
• Beyond Borders
• Eastern University Missions Department
• The Coalition (Board of Haitian Churches in Philly)
• Equitas Group
• CCTI
• CCO’s Cross Cultural Ministry

How you can help:

• For our friends and supporters reading this blog, please keep this trip in your prayers. Pray that the Lord provides at least one other person to step up and help us plan. We have a lot to do in a short amount of time. And yet, we've received confirmation from the Lord and fellow believers "not to be discouraged" in these efforts, but to keep going.
• Please keep the prayer as a whole in your trip - the students going, the leaders going, the churches involved, the connections and relationships established, the money raised, and that above all, we would remain in the center of God's will.

Living in community

Hello friends and supporters,

I'm writing to you from my apartment-style dorm room on the campus of Robert Morris University, just outside Pittsburgh. The mouth-watering aroma of simmering vegetables and chicken wafting from our crockpot has been filling the walls of our room for the past 8 hours. Mason Stumpf, the 10-year-old son of one of the new staff just stopped by to see where the smell was coming from. Before him three different people came knocking at our door almost exactly 5 minutes apart. Before that I was in a meeting with four other trainers trying to plan an intricate event just a couple days away. All this is to say Rachel and I are in one of the most unique and trying forms of training ever conceived of by human beings. All our time is tapped with learning, reading, applying our learning, and rediscovering what it means to love and be loved in the context of community.

It's an important lesson to learn (and re-learn) as a campus minister. Our students will be living under similar conditions almost the entire time they are in college...with the exception of the 10-year-old kids stopping by...and oh yeah, I got to pick my roommate, and we are best friends...the coolness of that never wears off :)

In a few minutes seven new staff will come through my dorm room door to chow down the stewing crockpot meal. It seems our periods of rest here are mostly filled with preparation for whatever is coming next. But, it only goes on like this for another two weeks. On July 23rd Rachel and I get to return to the comfort of our third-story apartment town-home in Philly--a luxury the typical college student will not have.

I'm realizing more and more through this time at RMU the constant pressure students feel as a result of living in community. You must be wondering to yourself, "wait a minute, wasn't Elliott in college just two years ago?" Yes, I was. There's a certain wisdom that is gained when you get to stand on the outside of an experience. When I was inside the college community I felt a pressure and stress, but couldn't fully comprehend it's origin or affects. Looking back, I realize now that community is both a beautiful thing...and a very intense thing.

Community has a way of both creating support and unity (when done correctly) and also a way of amplifying our brokenness. After all, anyone who is married knows that the longer you are with a person the more their hidden brokenness comes to light. I don't think that bringing brokenness to light is a bad thing, but I do realize now that it's helpful to have people around you who are attentive to the angst and internal struggles often caused by living in community who can help you process through these things. I'm really looking forward to being that attentive person for some of my college students in the fall.

A quick happy note: I just found out a student I ministered to in High School, Hannah McLean, will be coming to Eastern University in the fall. I'm looking forward to reconnecting with her , and hearing how Jesus has been working in her life since the last time we talked. Pray that the Lord will provide Hannah with discipleship opportunities at Eastern, and that she matures in her faith when she gets there in the fall.

Thanks for all your prayers and support.

In Him,
Elliott