Listening to Rebecca St James "I need you" has just made me think "How hard is it for so many people in this world to say that?"
I think one of the major reasons people today don't associate with a religion or want to be come a Chrisitian is beacuse they don't want to admit their inability to save themselves. Today's society continually paints a picture that says we need to be self reliant; that asking any one for help is out of the question and if you do, you will be laughed at for being ignorant. It is hard to ask for help, from anyone. It is hard to ask for help from some one you can't even see.
For Christians to openly admit that they asked for help, and admitted that as humans, they couldn't make it alone; that they needed Jesus, is something i believe makes people think again. The initial reaction from the majority would be scorn, but from others, and often underneath the scorn, they wonder "why are they happy asking for help?"
I know i can't make it on my own, I need Jesus. And i'm happy knowing i can't make it on my own. That makes people turn around and think "could there be a better way?"
I think today i need to remember how much I need Jesus to save me, and how great it is that i can sacrifice my human pride enough to say that.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
The Student Life Update
The Mid Year Conference was held at the Queensland State Government campsite at Currimundi from the 7th to the 12th of July. Students from Universities from all over Queensland came, the majority from the University of Queensland (UQ) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Around 10 students came from universities in Towoomba, 2 from Gatton and 8 from Griffith. It was only when i got to camp, that i realised that one of the goals that i had set at the begining of the year, to have five people from my campus on the Mid Year Conference, had been reached. Including me, six people from the Nathan campus of Griffith attended the conference. Praise God for answered prayer!!
During the conference, we did numerous things, such as worship, prayer, free time, soccer, games nights, walks on the beach, quiet time with God. Each day was started with optional prayer (for the early risers) and then breakfast. After breakfast we had a time of worship, with a great team lead by the UQ missionary Bill on guitar. After this, we listened to our key speaker. This year, Keith Farmer spoke to us on Jesus answer to the most important comandment; "Love the lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." Having studied for many years in the seminary, Keith's talks were very
thought provoking.
We continued after this with discussion and then quiet time before morning tea. For the 2 hours before lunch each day, we had training, where we were taught about living the Christian life, what it means to be a Christian and also we were trained in how to share the good news of the Gospel. The trainings were very helpful and practical. As i had done the first 3 trainings, I was trained in personal discipleships. When people become Christians, often they have no church back ground or support to help them grow in their new life with Christ. In Student life, when we bring someone to Christ, we ensure they are "Discipled", which means they have someone more mature in Christ that they can meet with once or twice a week to catch up with, answer their questions and also be accountable to. This week, the training i did to become a Disipler was very eye opening and made me so thankful for the wonderful support that i have from St Matts as a Christian.
In the afternoon we had a changing program, most afternoons we had 2 hours of free time, but we also had relationship seminars, campus time, and elective seminars to choose from, on a range to topics, such as Chrisitianity and Evoloution, Conflict Resoloution, Answering Tough Questions and how to Finish for Christ. After dinner each day we had night activities, worship, games, prayer and worship and summer project seminars respectivily.
The final night of the conference was the Commisioning Supper. It was a dress up night and we all came as someone from the last Supper. As we ate, served by the missionaries, each table worked together as a team to compleate fun puzzels. It was a great night, which ended in us praying for God to guide us as we went out on to our campuses next semester.
I couldn't believe it when it was all over, it was so wonderful to meet up with old friends as well as make new ones, and then to have to leave them again was sad. It will be a challange to go on to campus next semester with out the people who were such a great support this week with me, but with the continual prayer support that we give one another, as well as from our churches, God has nothing to do but to hear our prayer and build up a movement for him on campus.
I look forward to talking with everyone about this more and sharing my experinces. Thank you again for all the prayer support! God is so wonderful that he gave us such a great way to talk to him all the time!
More for the bloggers
I caught up with Norm when i was at MYC and for thoes who don't know, he is someone i met in Feb and again in March at Connextions. He is 75 years old, and has been with campus cursade (student life world wide) for over 25 years. he has only been working on campus in Aus for 2 years. When i saw him in Feb, he gave a talk about "how to be a lifer" which was all about finishing for Jesus. For me, that was so special becuase it's soemthing i want to do. I don't want my life to fade and be caught by this world, i want to be a Lifer for Jesus. Seeing Norm again, reminded me the importance of quiet time for developing my realtionship with God, and making sure i don't forget that he is the first and most important thing in my life.
Another thing that struck me was Keith talking about being a radical, counter cultural christians in today's society. He said that God loves us compleatly, and if we learn to love him back with our heart, soul, mind and strength, then we can learn to love others around us in the same way and then they will learn (hopefully) to love us and God as well. This kind of love is so radical in today's society so that if we love people in that way, we can't help but make a change.
That's the coolest thing i can ever imagine; to be changed by God so much that people look and say "I want Jesus".
Other cool moments of the week included meeitng people from towoomba and finding out they are friends with Sarah. (hye Mancy!!) playing soccar/hacky sack with a soccar ball/volleyball with the soccar ball with the guys (nathan the dag, stephen, arron, sam (happy birthday!), patrick, Uncle John, soccar girl (sorry i foget your name) and the bryan boy (little dude), Playing the soccar match with 3 balls and winning for the LINC/UQ/USQ team as well as the regular soccar match (yeah! we won the silver boot!!), Seeing God challange me to step up to discipling with meeting Kelly and finally seeing God use me and other LINC people in the prayer night to really connect people to God.
Wade, Ron and Steve looked stunning in their disciples outfitis on the last night - hope to get the photos developed asap! :D
The Mid Year Conference was held at the Queensland State Government campsite at Currimundi from the 7th to the 12th of July. Students from Universities from all over Queensland came, the majority from the University of Queensland (UQ) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Around 10 students came from universities in Towoomba, 2 from Gatton and 8 from Griffith. It was only when i got to camp, that i realised that one of the goals that i had set at the begining of the year, to have five people from my campus on the Mid Year Conference, had been reached. Including me, six people from the Nathan campus of Griffith attended the conference. Praise God for answered prayer!!
During the conference, we did numerous things, such as worship, prayer, free time, soccer, games nights, walks on the beach, quiet time with God. Each day was started with optional prayer (for the early risers) and then breakfast. After breakfast we had a time of worship, with a great team lead by the UQ missionary Bill on guitar. After this, we listened to our key speaker. This year, Keith Farmer spoke to us on Jesus answer to the most important comandment; "Love the lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." Having studied for many years in the seminary, Keith's talks were very
thought provoking.
We continued after this with discussion and then quiet time before morning tea. For the 2 hours before lunch each day, we had training, where we were taught about living the Christian life, what it means to be a Christian and also we were trained in how to share the good news of the Gospel. The trainings were very helpful and practical. As i had done the first 3 trainings, I was trained in personal discipleships. When people become Christians, often they have no church back ground or support to help them grow in their new life with Christ. In Student life, when we bring someone to Christ, we ensure they are "Discipled", which means they have someone more mature in Christ that they can meet with once or twice a week to catch up with, answer their questions and also be accountable to. This week, the training i did to become a Disipler was very eye opening and made me so thankful for the wonderful support that i have from St Matts as a Christian.
In the afternoon we had a changing program, most afternoons we had 2 hours of free time, but we also had relationship seminars, campus time, and elective seminars to choose from, on a range to topics, such as Chrisitianity and Evoloution, Conflict Resoloution, Answering Tough Questions and how to Finish for Christ. After dinner each day we had night activities, worship, games, prayer and worship and summer project seminars respectivily.
The final night of the conference was the Commisioning Supper. It was a dress up night and we all came as someone from the last Supper. As we ate, served by the missionaries, each table worked together as a team to compleate fun puzzels. It was a great night, which ended in us praying for God to guide us as we went out on to our campuses next semester.
I couldn't believe it when it was all over, it was so wonderful to meet up with old friends as well as make new ones, and then to have to leave them again was sad. It will be a challange to go on to campus next semester with out the people who were such a great support this week with me, but with the continual prayer support that we give one another, as well as from our churches, God has nothing to do but to hear our prayer and build up a movement for him on campus.
I look forward to talking with everyone about this more and sharing my experinces. Thank you again for all the prayer support! God is so wonderful that he gave us such a great way to talk to him all the time!
More for the bloggers
I caught up with Norm when i was at MYC and for thoes who don't know, he is someone i met in Feb and again in March at Connextions. He is 75 years old, and has been with campus cursade (student life world wide) for over 25 years. he has only been working on campus in Aus for 2 years. When i saw him in Feb, he gave a talk about "how to be a lifer" which was all about finishing for Jesus. For me, that was so special becuase it's soemthing i want to do. I don't want my life to fade and be caught by this world, i want to be a Lifer for Jesus. Seeing Norm again, reminded me the importance of quiet time for developing my realtionship with God, and making sure i don't forget that he is the first and most important thing in my life.
Another thing that struck me was Keith talking about being a radical, counter cultural christians in today's society. He said that God loves us compleatly, and if we learn to love him back with our heart, soul, mind and strength, then we can learn to love others around us in the same way and then they will learn (hopefully) to love us and God as well. This kind of love is so radical in today's society so that if we love people in that way, we can't help but make a change.
That's the coolest thing i can ever imagine; to be changed by God so much that people look and say "I want Jesus".
Other cool moments of the week included meeitng people from towoomba and finding out they are friends with Sarah. (hye Mancy!!) playing soccar/hacky sack with a soccar ball/volleyball with the soccar ball with the guys (nathan the dag, stephen, arron, sam (happy birthday!), patrick, Uncle John, soccar girl (sorry i foget your name) and the bryan boy (little dude), Playing the soccar match with 3 balls and winning for the LINC/UQ/USQ team as well as the regular soccar match (yeah! we won the silver boot!!), Seeing God challange me to step up to discipling with meeting Kelly and finally seeing God use me and other LINC people in the prayer night to really connect people to God.
Wade, Ron and Steve looked stunning in their disciples outfitis on the last night - hope to get the photos developed asap! :D
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
I got an email yesterday asking if i wanted to sing in the MYC band. I said no. And once i had done that i started to reconsider my decision. Why did i say no? *sigh* i guess the inner Introvert i appear to have living inside me once again surfaced and decided i would be so much safer and happier if i stayed in the shadows instead of taking the chance.
I'd say that there is probabaly an inner Introvert in everyone... even thoes strange extreem Extroverts.
Maybe it's there to balance things out...
I'd say that there is probabaly an inner Introvert in everyone... even thoes strange extreem Extroverts.
Maybe it's there to balance things out...
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