We Love it Here

Some common questions and concerns we have received from many of you is how are you doing? Are you safe? How are you adjusting?

From the 1st moment last November we really sensed the Lord's hand upon this vision and mission to Mexico City. Have there been struggles, frustrations and fears? Oh, more than you can imagine. Have there been times that we have lost it emotionally? Sure, especially with the phone company and other cultural differences. But in all this we are seeing God's hand upon our family, marriage and ministry. We couldn't be happier that we moved to Mexico City. We feel safe. We feel like God is blessing us more than ever. This past weekend we heard often from the boys that they love it here. There are many new adventures and explorations we get to be part of. They love homeschool and are learning a ton from Christine. You can even catch them speaking Spanish once in a while. They have found friends and we are meeting couples each week. Pray for us as we begin to initiate with some foreigners and Mexicans about starting a spiritual community group in our home.

Thank you for making this move encouraging and possible. Your partnership in this ministry is changing the face of Mexico.
Categories: MexicoCity, Family, Prayer, Newsletters

Movements Everywhere - updated

Many years ago we heard that Robert Goizeta (former CEO of Coca Cola) once told his shareholders that it was his desire to put a Coke within arms reach of every thirsty person in the world because he knew that about 5.5 billion people in the world wake up thirsty each day. Why not give each and every person a refreshing Coca Cola?

In a similar manner we know that there are about 6 billion people in the world who wake up spiritually thirsty each day looking for love, significance, and truth all found in the person of Jesus. Let's get the Gospel within arms reach to each and every person in the world to quench their spiritual thirst. That became a great visionary picture of what we want to aim for as Campus Crusade for Christ.

Now that we're in Mexico City this vision has resurfaced. How can we get a coke product (the Gospel) within arms reach to the 1,000,000 students on over 400 campuses?

We believe the best way to guarantee that students can come back over and over again to the refreshing person of Jesus is to provide a Coke machine (a Christ-centered Spiritual Community) within arms reach of every student in every department on every university.
Our dream is that every student in Mexico will know exactly where to find Jesus so they can hear about Him, learn about Him, know Him, grow with Him and share Him with others. That is an ongoing, life changing, campus transforming, city impacting, country revival, world penetrating vision.

This is not just exposing the campus to Jesus but providing an authentic Christ-centered spiritual community led by students to students that is focused on Jesus every day in every place.

The reality of this vision is overwhelming.

This past week we have met with Beatriz, Ryan and Christy and a local church's youth and potential leaders. We are encouraged that they are all wanting to join us from different churches and mission organizations in launching spiritual communities on each and every campus.

We will need thousands of more partnerships like these in order to raise up 4,000-8,000 student leaders over the next 3 years. Pray that God moves supernaturally in the hearts, minds and lives of people in Mexico City.
Categories: MexicoCity, Prayer, Newsletters, Family

Please Pray for us

Please Pray:

• That we will be rested and committed in the Lord's grace and truth. Psalm 27:4.
• That we will communicate clearly and honestly with each other.
• That we will see God's hand and presence in our lives and challenges.
• That God raises up student leaders on each campus and that we’ll have a model movement by Nov 1st.
• That God's hand will be upon our recruiting and resourcing web sites.
• That we'll have over 100 students from the U.S. here during Thanksgiving week to launch spiritual movements.
• That we'll have 100's of more church and ministry vision casting appointments.
• That God will move supernaturally in our personal community group with new friends. Pray this group impacts our community and beyond.

Categories: Family, Prayer, Newsletters

The World is Flat. Are we?

In order to be effective in the world and its changing cultures we, CCC, and other large Christian organizations or churches must adapt. We definitely don't adapt our core message, the gospel, but we must adapt our methods of communicating the greatest story to the world around us. If you haven't seen the stats (Revolution - Barna), churches in American are shrinking and dying as a whole. Yet around the world, especially in Asia, South Africa and Latin America churches are growing rapidly (The Next Christendom - Jenkins).

What is it? Why are they seeing some success?

I was listening to the audio of the World is Flat by Thomas Friedman a few weeks ago and something caught me as he was talking in chapter 11 (I think-it is 18 hours into the audio version). He mentioned that in order to compete small companies must make themselves big, using the flatteners of the internet, free trade and commerce, communication, and other described in his book. He used a shipping company in the middle east that does all the shipping for Airborne Express. They are run out small back room offices but now, this small company has made a huge impact and made themselves big.

But on the flip side, companies that have been big must make themselves smaller. He used E-trade as an example. They took something, your finances, that is normally operated by large companies and put that power into your hands the consumer via the internet. Now you can trade stock, check out your mortgage and make more investments all with the click of the mouse. The company is basically run out of your office, kitchen, or wherever you have a computer.

Now there are people that don't want to mess with their finances and just hire some big firm to take care of them. They don't call and they don't care. But others in this changing world, want that power in their own hands. They understand the rules for making money and taking care of debt haven't really changed; positive is good, negative is bad. But the methods to make those positives bigger and the negatives smaller has changed significantly. From what I have read and heard, not many just want to leave their hard earned money in their company pension accounts for some other guy to make decisions on. They want to maximize that investment.

In order to compete in this financial world big investment firms have had to make themselves small to us, catering to our needs and desires.

How do I see this playing out in Campus Crusade the past 55 years. In the 50's and 60's we were a small organization, new to the Evangelical church world, yet in all our actions and influence we were big. It seemed that if there was a "I found It!" evangelistic campaign or some sort of ministry training, Campus Crusade and it's small band of faithful and radical staff and students were behind the scenes sharing vision, mission and a belief that the Great Commission would be fulfilled. Small had big impact.

Today, 40 some years later, and after many successful ministries that were birthed, millions of people saved and sent into the world as missionaries, Campus Crusade is BIG. I think we may be the biggest Christian organization in the world. What does that bring? Great influence. Great impact. Great glory to God.

It also brings missed opportunities because in our hugeness we move slower. We trust in the tried and true that worked the year before or the generation before. We get a bit comfortable because we are big and we miss moving out in bold, radical, passionate faith. We miss the millions of people, our target audience, that are looking for a Savior and possibly have been hurt by traditional methods or are thinking a bit different than our grandmother would have thought 50 years ago. They still want to be saved but they just don't see any relevancy in the methods we use to get to them; a church service, praise and worship, a mass mailing, an apologetic speaker using all sorts of logical proof or just convincing preaching that misses their questions and doubts.

The reality is that the whole world is not calling for change. There are still hundreds of thousands who still want to and can find Jesus in this method. But there are millions of others that want to touch Him, experience Him, and see Him through their neighbors, on their streets, in the projects, in their language, on their campus and through a friend. They want to access Christ and His never changing message, the Gospel, personally, just like those using E-trade. This generation doesn't want some big firm making decisions on how they practice the methods of knowing a Biblical Jesus and His mission all while they sit in a pew and listen. They want control. They want leadership. They want change and impact in their neighborhoods and on the streets. They want Jesus in their lives making a difference

I would dare bet if we were to take a survey of young radical, sold out, Christian men and women they would not point to Campus Crusade as being the radicals of the faith anymore. We are present. We are hard working. We do have great strategies. We are big. But I would guess they wouldn't say we are the ministry that will allow them to change the world. I think what needs to happen is that we must become small once again with a big influence. We must take the control, power, and Gospel message out of the hands of the professionals, the big firms, the board rooms and put it back in the hands of those we say always could change the world, STUDENTS. Didn't Dr. Bright always say, "Reach the Campus today. Reach the world tomorrow." If we continue to be the big ministry that makes room for all the professionals/staff desires and giftedness and forget that we're a movement of students then we have missed the point. Then all we become is a club of Christian leaders that like using their gifts. Its not to say these gifts are valuable but the often times we missed the giftings of the students and their ability to make a difference. Maybe it isn't all about our orthodoxy, right doctrines, correct preaching, perfect weekly meetings and creative outreaches that are birthed in our staff meetings and offices. I would dare bet it is the passions, the conversations, the dreams, the prayer groups and the students behind them in their dorm rooms, coffee shops, bars, frat houses and workplaces that will make a difference.

It's humbly stepping aside. Letting go of the reins and control of our ministries. Sharing the vision and mission. Releasing students (people) to change their campus, neighborhood, workplace and the world. Renewing and refocusing our mission for existence as an organization and church, "Turning lost students (people) into Christ Centered (Missional) Laborers.""For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10

Categories: Books, Leadership, Movements, SimpleChurch

What a weekend

Friday night was a follow up appointment with the Capital City Baptist church. Stephen Searfoss, their Spanish speaking pastor and I met about 3 weeks ago. I shared with him our vision and need of partnership on every level throughout the city. Immediately he sent me an email asking if we could meet with his youth and interested people. On Friday there were about 4 prep and college students and about 4 professionals, all who had a passion for Christ and His Kingdom work. We were super encouraged on the night and again believe that if we can have about 100-200 of these type of meetings and see God raise up about 4,000-8,000 student and professional leaders on each and every campus we'll see the city impacted with spiritual movements that will transform lives.

Saturday was a great day hanging out at our sports club by the pool and playing tennis. The kids just love it and are making friends from Brazil, Spain, Mexico and beyond. They are growing in their Spanish ability and are really getting good in the pool. We also have been meeting some friends from the U.S., Canada, Europe and Mexico. We have been sharing with them our desire to start a church or spiritual community. Many are interested and we're excited about God using this environment to encourage us, grow us and reach others.

Last night the staff guys, Craig, Joe, Jason and Nate, from our Enfoque Mexico team and the stint team went out to dinner in Polanco and off to Jai Alai in Condesa. I have heard about this speedy sport from my time in Tia Juana and from intro scenes of Miami Vice. It was killer. Basically we got free tix from my friend David Stamey (who is the most connected human in Mexico), who knows the start player's wife. We kind of learned the sport and realized we were at the semi finals of the superbowl of Jai Alai. The bummer is Mexico lost to those darn French. So fun.

The stint team gals came over to hang out with Christine and they encouraged each other so much. Christine had a great time.

Today we woke up and wanted to seize the day of low traffic and headed up to the Pyramids in the north. After a short 1 hour drive we climbed high into the clouds and were in awe of the history of Mexico. The boys and Isa were great tour guides and super brave.

Now we're seizing the fact that we have sitters coming over tonight and going out on a date. Yes, I know the Broncos are playing tonight but you don't know my hot wife. She is so fun.

Categories: MexicoCity, Leaders, Family, Leadership, Movements