SECC fall retreat

This weekend was the first ever fall retreat for Southeast Community College in Lincoln. 25 students showed up for a student-led initiative that followed the theme of "Light a Fire". As you would guess, the weekend started with an enormous bonfire near Seward accompanied by dinner and smores. The student leaders invited Bob, the faculty advisor for Campus Crusade for Christ, to tell his personal story of coming to Christ with the theme of "the fire in you". Many of the students stayed up all night and all stayed at the Efree church in Seward.

Today the student leaders gave a couple talks followed by small group discussion time. The themes were "how to share the fire", and "start a fire on campus" (sharing the gospel and launching a movement). Brian Abbot, a local pastor whom we're partnering with at SECC came for a few hours today, and sat in the last talk with Terah and I as Theresa talked about the vision of reaching every student at SECC with the gospel. We were sitting next to one another when something happened that neither of us had seen before:

Theresa was near the conclusion of her talk when one student raised his hand (odd). He's a quiet guy but he asked if he could say something...he then got up, faced the group, and talked for a minute or two about how this weekend and CCC had been such a huge blessing to him in the few weeks that he had been on campus. Sheepishly, he finished by saying "thanks", and then sat down. In a pure movement of the Spirit, one student after another started telling a short blurp of their story, how they got to SECC, and how they were so grateful for the group. One student tearfully shared of his struggles being adopted and how the group (in just a few weeks!) felt like a home...one student shared of how she had prayed and prayed for a Christian group before coming to SECC and what an answer to prayer the group was.It was amazing.

The best part was that there seemed to be a great wave mounting that, once one student broke the social norms and shared, came crashing down in an outpouring of worship. The students planned it, they spoke, and they are the one who will be lighting fires all over campus...Praise the Lord!

-Ethan

Around the Walls of Doane: Day 7

This was the final day of our Jericho walk, and what a day it was. We discovered that walking around Doane College seven times takes 2 1/2 hours. What an amazing time of prayer. This weekend was also Homecomeing at Doane, and so the atmosphere was very festive. As we walked around we couldn't help but be excited by the fact that God was going to show up and we believed it.

We started our walk praising God for who He is and asking Him to align our hearts and wills to His. On our second lap around we shared with each other what God had been teaching us lately. Up until this point we walked around the campus with very limited conversation. I enjoyed hearing how God was developing the character of our key leaders on campus. Lap three was dedicated to praying for the walls to come down; whether that be in individuals, relationships, between organizations, or area's on campus. After this round we decided it would be wise to take a little stretch break (maybe we should have trained for Saturday more ;).

Last night after we were done walking, Wes, one of our student leaders, mentioned his desire for comfort zones to be expanded. He said he felt like comfort was a wall. So, as we began our fourth time around I told them we would be praying about comfort zones, and getting out of them. Two verses had come to mind earlier that morning (2 Timothy 1:7 and Romans 1:16) and I shared those with the students. One the back stretch now we asked God during lap five where He was already moving on campus and how He was moving. That led us to our sixth lap where I challenged the students to ask God what their part in that movement may be. If God was already moving on campus, which we determined He was, and we asked Him what our part might be, which we did, the question then becomes are you willing to listen and obey. One of the most helpful things in the obedience step is accountability, and so on our seventh and final trip around Doane College I asked the students to share with on another what it was that God had told them on the lap before. We shared what we heard God answer to the question about where and how we might join Him.

And yes, of course at the end of our final lap we all gave a shout and the walls came down! I am confident that God was faithful, it's true of His nature, and that there will be a number of opportunities in the next few weeks for us to see Him work. My prayer continues to be that we as believers would stay faithful and full of belief. I pray that we are obedient in the opportunities God puts before us to join Him in His amazing plan. I look forward to posting stories of what is happening at Doane in the future.

For me this has been an amazing experience and while God continued to grow my understanding of obedience, He also rekindled faith that had become somewhat small. Thank you to those of you who joined with us in prayer. Our God is an awesome God!

-terah

Around the Walls of Doane: Day 6

Tonight Ethan and I made our way to the bell tower to meet our faithful students. I imagine I felt the anxiety the Israelites may have felt on their 6th walk around the walls of Jericho. We were on the sixth day, walking around Doane, wondering: what does tomorrow bring? What's behind those walls? My prayers were focused on the many walls that could be on this campus, in peoples lives, and between relationships. I think I can officially say, God has given me a heart for Doane.

Just to give you an update on the FCA skit that was performed last night at the Homecoming pep rally..."It was awesome" was the quote from Wes Jensen, one of our student leaders. As he told us what the skit was about, and how it communicated Christ's victory over Satan, he said students all over the stadium got it. They were whispering about the character that represented Christ in the skit, and became silent when one student declared the gospel through the loudspeaker. Praise the Lord because students were talking about it in class today.

One more day...

...then the walls will come down.

-terah

Around the Walls of Doane: Day 5

Today God seemed to be communicating to me about belief. My heart was burdened with the fact that we so often know things but stop at that knowledge. The simple fact is that faith is a core aspect to our salvation along with God’s infinite grace and Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. If we were to merely know about God’s grace and Christ’s sacrifice for our sins but did not believe it, where would that leave us. Why then, was the question that came to my mind, do we hesitate to believe as we live out our Christian lives? What makes us pray things simply because we know that is what we should be praying, but not really believing God will come through?

This challenging thought coupled with the fact that my heart was becoming more burdened for Doane College led me to resonate with D.L. Moody when he stated:

“It is a delusion of the devil to think that we cannot pray; we can if we really want anything. It is not the most beautiful or eloquent language that brings down the answer, it is the cry that goes out of a burdened heart. It is the desire, the wish of the heart, that God delights to answer. An arrow if it be drawn up but a little way, goes not far, but if it be pulled up to the head, flies swiftly and pierces deep. Thus prayer if it be only dribbled forth from careless lips, falls at our spirit. Fervency of spirit is that which availeth most.”

Tonight we started our walk by asking God to align our hearts to His. We individually asked the Lord to search our hearts and make known to us anything that may be hindering our belief. The Spirit was moving, and I look forward to seeing what God’s will is for the campus and the role we as believers will play in that. One thing I realized was, I truly do believe that God is going to do something great...my struggle is trying to avoid defining great by my own expectations. When our hearts are aligned to His, asking for the campus in His name, we will understand His amazing will.

Onto day six!

-terah

Around the Walls of Doane: Day 4

We have come to the middle of our week and while driving to Doane tonight I realized how easy it would be to loose focus and simply go through the motions. I prayed that God would renew my heart and open my eyes to specific walls on campus. Before heading out on our walk tonight we took some time to ask God to arms us for the battle we were putting ourselves in by asking God to show up. We prayed out of Ephesians 6, putting on the different pieces of the armor of God, and then we headed out.

God honored my request from the car and gave me focus, as well as clarity in what I should be praying for as I passed different buildings. God has been growing my heart for Doane College campus with every walk I take around it. I have been amazed at the way He brings something new to my attention each day.

When we finished up Rachel (on the left), a student who was walking with us the first time tonight, closed us in prayer. I don't know if you have ever experienced the spirit move as someone is praying the exact things that are on your heart, but it is amazing. As Rachel prayed I knew the Spirit was moving powerfully. I felt God affirming me in my faith. I can't wait to head out tomorrow.

By the way, I will be playing basketball after our walk tomorrow night with some of the girls on campus and will be inviting Christina from last night. Pray that she would be able to come and I would be able to have a spiritual conversation with her. Until tomorrow.

-terah

Around the Walls of Doane: Day 3

As we gathered at the bell tower tonight I felt it necessary for us to quiet our hearts before God and ask Him to reveal anything that may be standing in the way of our prayers. Knowing that in day three walking around the campus could become just something we do at 7:30 p.m. instead of a time where we step out in faith and ask God to truly move on our campus, I encouraged them to take some time to focus any thoughts that may be wandering, and we started our walk. We have had a total of 12 people walking, not including myself, and most of those have come more than once. It is encouraging to see God challenging the faith of the students and them responding.

Throughout the day and into the walk I had been praying for opportunities to share my faith or see the walls come down while I was there walking. When we were about 4/5 of the way done with our walk tonight I noticed a girl shooting hoops at an outdoor court, in the dark. My heart went out to her and immediately questions swarmed my mind. Why is she shooting by herself in the dark? Am I supposed to share the Gospel with her? Is she a believer? Does she play on the basketball team? What in the world will my opening comment be?

After recognizing the coincidence that she was playing a game I had loved so much, by herself, on a day I had prayed for God to give me an opportunity to impact a life at Doane, I decided to ask her if she wanted me to rebound for her.

Christina is a Sophomore at Doane who lives in the "Quads", the notorious party housing on the only wet campus in Nebraska. She was extremely easy to talk to and I felt comfortable asking her questions as I passed the ball back to her after a shot. I came to find out that her roommate attended the Crusade meeting after asking her if she would like to go with me that night. She hesitated, which I took as a good sign, and then said probably not tonight because of homework. I had also mentioned the fact that I was going to be playing ball with my friend Laura Kroese and a few other girls sometime this week and invited her to join us. She gave me her phone number and room number and I fully intend on picking up the game where we left off this evening.

Tonight I realized my desire to be able to step onto a court, build relationships with the people I'm playing with, and share my faith and hope in Christ with them through that. My conversation with Christina was my highlight tonight. Thank you for praying with us.

-terah

Around the Walls of Doane: Day 2

After walking around the campus at Doane tonight I was amazed at the way my heart was growing for the campus. As we walked a couple of the students told me what some of the buildings were and specifically some of the walls in those places. As the buildings came alive so did my faith that God would surely show up.

To top it off, when I returned home tonight I was checking my email and noticed an email from Beth Heimann. Beth is the faculty advisor at Nebraska Methodist College and an amazing woman of God. I must share it with you because of the amazing power of the Spirit. Here's what she wrote:

The Holy Spirit is definitely speaking. Last week the Lord placed on my heart to do one of two things for our meeting on Wed. The first was a Jericho Prayer Walk. I met with Kim this morning and she thought the prayer walk would be powerful. I had my bible on my lap open to the book of Joshua ready to read and review it just now.I saw that I had an email message and my mouth dropped when I saw it was from you re: a Jericho Prayer Walk. We’ll be standing in the gap with Doane on Wed. We will pray for their campus as well. I have a chill surging through my entire body right now. God is on the move. He wants our campuses claimed for Him. I can’t wait to see the work He will continue to finish.

Praise the Lord! The Spirit is always moving, the question is simply are we willing to listen and follow. Below I've listed some of the requests the students at Doane have for this week. Please join us in praying.

• the Chaplin office - that it would be based in Christianity and stand for what is Truth
• Homecoming is this week, pray for the activities that accompany that.
• FCA will be doing a skit for the Homecoming pep rally on Thursday evening that presents questions that lead to the Gospel. Pray that students would be receptive, and the believers on the campus would have courage to tell people about the Gospel when the opportunity arises.

I long to say as Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

-terah

Around the Walls of Doane: Day 1

There was excitment in me as I stepped onto Doane College tonight. Earlier in the day I received an email from one of our student leaders at Doane, that went out to a number of students on the campus. I would like to share the vision of that email with you.

Have you noticed walls on our campus? No silly not the walls of your dorm room that are slowly closing in on you. The walls we are talking about are walls between people and their relationships. We've noticed them too.
Here's what we are going to do. We are going to step out in faith and follow the model of Joshua and the Israelites in Joshua 6 and ask God in faith to bring those walls down.
Here's what that means for you. Campus Crusade is inviting you to step out with us. We are inviting you to walk around campus in prayer with us. Starting tonight for the next six nights we ask you to meet us at the bell tower at 7:30pm to walk around campus once in prayer. Then Saturday at 9:30 A.M. we will walk around seven times just as Joshua and the Isrealites did shouting praises at the end of the walk.
So here's the break down. God literally crumbled the walls at Jericho. Surely, he is just as powerful today. We would love for you to come and step out in faith with us for just one night or all seven.

These students are truly trusting God to bring down walls on their campus, and inviting others to join them in that faith step. And this is only the beginning.

As I made my way to the bell tower where I was to meet Kristin, our student president, I noticed a stone side built into the side of the tower we were to meet at. One the stone it stated "We Build on Christ". What a moment of affirmation for me. Tonight, seven students joined me on my walk around campus. Imagine what God can do with seven students who are full of faith.

-terah

Walls

Joshua 6:1 “Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.” This is the condition of many campuses across the state of Nebraska. Shut up because of the power of God in people, and to the Gospel in general.

Last week I was talking with God about where He might have me on the campuses here in Nebraska. Where was He moving, what part could I play, what did my next step look like? I took out a copy of my most recent email from Barbara Francis, a woman on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ, and began reading the Devoted to Prayer article. She had attached what was titled “A Jericho Prayer Walk”, and as I read that God began spurring my heart to action. She talked about a prayer walk, through the story of Joshua and the Israelites, and inviting God to break down the walls on campuses, among teams, and in the office.

As I read the story of Joshua (Joshua 5:13 – 6:20) and the Israelites in my Bible, I prayed for God to show me what this looked like in my life. As soon as I asked He answered; do exactly that. What would it look like to walk around a campus one time for six days in a row, and then on the seventh day walk around the campus seven times? What would it look like to have students who committed their hearts to this with the faith that God would do just as He promised? What would it look like to have the walls on campuses throughout the state of Nebraska shattered so that the Good News could be known?

That kind of faith excites me. Knowing the outcome God could produce fills me with passion. God communicated a commitment to me and I signed on the dotted line. My desire is to see students on every campus in the state of Nebraska step up to this challenge of faith and devote one week to following the model laid out in the Old Testament. Today we are starting a Jericho Walk at Doane College in Crete, NE, trusting that God will bring down the walls that are preventing the Gospel from transforming the campus. If you would like, you can pray with us every evening this week at 7:30 for Doane College. Also, on Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. we will be walking around seven times. I look forward to keeping you updated on the wonderful things God does this week, as well as other weeks on different campuses.

-terah