Summer Reflections: On mission and looking ahead
The town of Crested Butte, Colorado set the stage for an unforgettable start to the summer. In CB, myself and 5 other staff guided a group of 7 students through a two-week discipleship intensive in which we intertwined spiritual growth with the beauty of God’s creation. Each day, held both incredible adventure in God’s creation, but also time gathered around crackling campfires and the fresh mountain air, to engage in heartfelt discussions diving into the depths of the Apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians. Discussions took on many different forms from challenging one another about how we can conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Phil 1:27) to mulling over what it means to work out salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12).
From camping underneath starry skies and hiking through lush meadows to navigating the complex truths of Jesus’ teachings and his unique calling for us, this immersive encounter not only strengthened students' bond with God through the wonders of his creation but also impacted us, the staff, profoundly. One of my favorite staff memories thus far.
As autumn quickly approaches, our campus ministry gears up for an eagerly anticipated fall launch. Despite facing the challenge of being down two more staff members (from 11 to 6 staff in less than a year), there’s quite a bit of excitement in the air. The landscape of our ministry has rapidly evolved, and it's with great joy that we witness the start of a full blown student run movement at the Colorado School of Mines. This transition signifies a remarkable step towards empowerment and growth within the community. This momentum is propelling the movements at CU Boulder and University of Denver as well. As we navigate and embrace these changes, I feel that new roads are opening and I am excited to try new things on campus this semester.
As I referenced in an earlier letter, the men engaged with Cru at DU will be immersing themselves in the teachings of Solomon through studying at the Book of Proverbs weekly with one another. Our aspiration for the upcoming year involves the establishment of two men's study groups, one guided by Cole and the other under the leadership of Kyle. Our hope is that a thorough exploration of Proverbs over the next year will lay the groundwork for many men to embark on a journey towards acquiring lifelong wisdom and wholeheartedly pursuing righteousness in alignment with God's will. I believe God will use his word to work through the students and encourage them to look to Jesus as the perfecter of that pursuit!
