The Harvest is Plentiful!
When we came to Christian Challenge there were about 20 students in Metro Phoenix (excluding ASU, Tempe Campus) that would say that Christian Challenge was ministering to them. The thought of reaching the quarter of a million students that didn’t go to ASU Tempe was a relatively new idea.
Fast forward four years. (I can’t believe we’ve been here that long!) There are now campuses all over the Valley with Christian Challenges on them. We’ve personally been blessed to get to recruit some of the staff members to come on and take those campuses. We’ve also been personally blessed to get to start some of these from ground up and turn them over to other ministers who could lead the growing campus so we could start another.
Over the course of four years, Christian Challenge has gone from 20 to 200 and we saw some of the excitement that comes from that as we all worshiped together this month. Our group actually led the worship for all the other groups and did very well to be such a new worship team.
We have one new leader stepping up into the role as a worship leader, and we have a girl playing violin with us who was saved last semester, and another leader with one of the best voices I’ve ever heard. Nick, our new leader is maturing into this role of being a worship leader, something that could end up being a life calling.
Fast forward another four years and we have endless possibilities. That is why we need people to be a part of our team financially. We are committing to see more campuses and salvations and callings to the ministry, and that can’t happen without you.
How does even $10 a month help reach college students?
It’s easy. Because that’s part of a salary. When you give, you are creating a position in ministry that would not be there without you. God adds your gift to the other monthly gifts and He (through His people) provides for all of our needs. This is a staff position that is so needed because ASU Downtown has such a need for Christ. We are the only Christian club that doesn’t treat Downtown as a minor addition to ASU Tempe. With 15,000 people who need Christ, we don’t view it as minor.
It is also very encouraging to know people are supporting what we care so deeply about and are praying for our students. As people who also support campus ministers, it is encouraging to give because you know you are a part of something that is making a significant impact in a spiritually dark place.
The two most important reasons which we have no control over is obedience. IF God is telling you to give and be a Ministry Partner, then He provides and He blesses. The second important reason is: God uses each dollar for His Kingdom purposes.
Recruiting
It turns out that recruiting other people to be campus ministers alongside me has become a large part of our ministry. The largest community college in the nation now has a Christian Challenge minister on it because God allowed me to bring him onto our team. We are also really excited to see a couple of friends of ours start volunteering with ASU Tempe this month.
Please be praying that the guys that I am talking to now will go where God is leading them, which hopefully will be serving with us. There is one guy that I am talking to seriously who is out of state. Several others are here in the city near unreached campuses. New staff are such a strategic way to follow the vision be sharing Christ on every campus throughout Metro Phoenix (300,000+ college students).
Powers Update (by Jamie)
Support that doesn’t cost a penny…
Instead of paying State Tax to the State, you can donate (for a tax CREDIT) that money to be used for Christian education, specifically to benefit a missionary family. You can bless us tremendously by using some of your owed Arizona State income tax dollars to donate to ACSTO (Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization, Inc. designated for Dallas Powers at Bethany Learning Center. You will receive a tax credit dollar for dollar against AZ State income tax. Pls. call me or visit http://acsto.org/ or http://acsto.org/faq.html
Thank You for Your Prayers!
Please pray…
§ PRAISE: Student who accepted Christ being very involved in Bible study.
§ The older students I’ve been reaching.
§ PRAISE: Worship Night with a great worship team!
§ Recruiting some more people to come on staff.
§ Small groups – God to move mightily
§ Master’s degree
§ Healing with losing Madison Grace
§ Health for us and the boys.
§ Us to train our boys up in a Godly way.
§ Our support
§ Sanctuary Church
§ More salvations
How God Used You;
We could not do this ministry without our team:
Read more about most in the sections below
-Worship leader stepping up
-Christian Challenge growing more than ever
- Incredible Bible Studies.
- Great Leadership
- Guys coming closer to surrendering to Christ.
-Passionate leadership team ready to do the work it takes this semester.
-New and old students are being reached.
-Getting to guide students through different stages in life.
-Investing in a local church.
Made possible by God’s mighty power and your prayers & giving:
thank you!
