Witnessing Community. Purdue IV unpacked the meaning of that phrase during our winter retreat together last month. Students were challenged to define the phrase and figure out how it would apply to their lives. But there was something they didn’t know.
They were developing into a witnessing community that weekend. As they drove together through the snow to the camp location they shared stories of life together. As they competed in Winter Retreat Olympics they were showing that Christian communities have fun together. As they unpacked scripture passages and worshipped together they demonstrated what a community seeking God looked like. Even as they learned, God was already using them.
Rui, one of the twenty students that joined us, said after the conference that for the first time he experienced God during the retreat. The community’s love and care for him opened the door for that. Please pray for Rui as he continues to make steps toward Jesus in the midst of community.
What also became clear that weekend was the need for a more formal structure within our chapter so that our community can grow even more next year. This is great because it provides the space for students to reach students and train other students to do the same.
Already in the leadership selection process Mike has had some key conversations with students. He has been able to coach several students and point out the qualities that they might bring to a leadership position. He is helping them see what God might be calling them to at Purdue.
Mike is excited to see the potential in the new structures in the chapter. As he and two other students select the new leaders he is asking for your prayers. Adding these structures not only shifts student roles, but Mike’s as well. Now he will spend more time investing in key leaders so that they might be equipped to reach other students. Ultimately the chapter hopes that this will allow them to better accomplish the vision of “Revealing Jesus through Authentic Community”.
They were developing into a witnessing community that weekend. As they drove together through the snow to the camp location they shared stories of life together. As they competed in Winter Retreat Olympics they were showing that Christian communities have fun together. As they unpacked scripture passages and worshipped together they demonstrated what a community seeking God looked like. Even as they learned, God was already using them.
Rui, one of the twenty students that joined us, said after the conference that for the first time he experienced God during the retreat. The community’s love and care for him opened the door for that. Please pray for Rui as he continues to make steps toward Jesus in the midst of community.
What also became clear that weekend was the need for a more formal structure within our chapter so that our community can grow even more next year. This is great because it provides the space for students to reach students and train other students to do the same.
Already in the leadership selection process Mike has had some key conversations with students. He has been able to coach several students and point out the qualities that they might bring to a leadership position. He is helping them see what God might be calling them to at Purdue.
Mike is excited to see the potential in the new structures in the chapter. As he and two other students select the new leaders he is asking for your prayers. Adding these structures not only shifts student roles, but Mike’s as well. Now he will spend more time investing in key leaders so that they might be equipped to reach other students. Ultimately the chapter hopes that this will allow them to better accomplish the vision of “Revealing Jesus through Authentic Community”.