Happy early fall! We are settling in to our new (temporary) home, finding temporary locations for our stuff, and helping Andy’s dad to sift through mom’s things. Andy is using mom’s desk in the office, and his dad likes to work in there with him. Andy still has a daily meeting with his whole Orlando team, along with many other online meetings . . . . I am at the dining room table and my team has grown by three new members. We are helping rewrite the Cru Writing Stylebook. This is a resource to help all of our ministry’s communicators write about things so that the messages don’t conflict.
The mission of Cru is still the same as it was in 1951 —to help win people to saving faith in Jesus, to help build them in that faith, and then send them out to do the same for others. Every believer on earth is called to that same mission in Matthew, 28: 18—20, “Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age’.”
Missions and Retreats, Greenhouses of Growth
Due to our move to North Carolina, I was unable to participate in a summer mission this year. However, many staff and students did participate. One staff member, Lauren Basey who serves in Chattanooga, shared this story:
“On July 20th, our Greek Cru team (focused on fraternities and sororities) hosted a retreat for Greek Cru students. We did soul care through Bible study, then we did some vision-casting for glorifying God in the Greek system through evangelism and discipleship, things that help more students find real life, real love, true satisfaction, and lasting purpose in Jesus Christ! I was encouraged that many of the University of Tennessee Chattanooga students are continuing to pursue Jesus and they are eager to try and share Christ in their chapters.
“One rising sophomore at the retreat, Kathryn, shared an update to her life. Kathryn had gotten involved with Cru through a sorority sister, Olivia. In the discussion group this past school year, Kathryn told us she was raised in a Mormon household, became disillusioned and apathetic toward Mormonism and God, and that this Greek Cru event was the first time in a while that she was around a religious group. Lauren’s co-worker, Savannah, met with Kathryn and shared the gospel with her, but Kathryn was resistant.
“Then, Kathryn shared with us that this summer she began to desire to know God, so she purchased her first Bible and read it regularly. As she saw the truths about Jesus for herself, she accepted Him as Savior and Lord! She told the group that the light she has felt in her life since making that decision has been indescribable. Now, she is eager to come back to UTC and grow more in her faith and even share her growing knowledge with her sorority sisters. This was such a good reminder of why we do what we do on campus, even when it has discouraging moments and seasons!”
This is exactly why Andy and I do what we do: changed lives! Giving people the opportunity to know and experience God through Jesus Christ. Supporting the work of people on college campuses, in board rooms, in military instillations, around the world. While our “offices” have changed, our goals and mission are the same. Thank you for walking this with us, for serving God through us. Join us in rejoicing for lives like Kathryn’s that are forever changed!
P.S. I LOVE working with others, and our campus ministry does too. Four different college campus ministry organizations— Chi Alpha, Cru, InterVarsity and Navigators — are, for the first time, coordinating their “intent to plant” lists. Based on their data, these four organizations intend to coordinate planting new ministry work on more than 175 campuses where no known gospel movements exist! That is so very exciting to me, when we all work together toward the same goal, more goals will be met.
The Kelloggs 