Hello again everyone,
Fall in definitely the air, and there are many great stories to report from the work of God across Iowa!
The Men vs. Wild trip that I wrote about in early September was a smashing success (See picture). 18 guys from across Iowa joined in the craziness, and we had a blast roadtripping across Nebraska/Eastern Colorado and then hiking in literally breathtaking venues. It was a fantastic time of networking for me with guys from across the state, but particularly with nine guys from Central who I had known in name only before. These guys are now forming the core of a "missional prayer cell" for men at Central that will be launching in the next week or two! You can pray that God would fuel the movement by his Spirit and that it would bear exceptional fruit: in our lives as sons of God, in the lives of the men of Central College, and hopefully in producing more male staff for God's work across Iowa!
This last weekend, I was with 250 students and staff from Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas for our annual Fall Conference: FC08. Our theme was "Down to Earth", and one of my best friends (and former staff worker/boss!) Jason Brown was the keynote. It was so fun to be with Jason again in a student ministry context, and the conference went exceptionally well. On Saturday night, Jason spoke on "Living as citizens of heaven" through the lens of being "loved and sent". The Spirit was powerfully at work through his talk, and the night culminated with a time of worship and prayer ministry for students who have felt unlovable and unsent in the past. At least two students chose to follow Jesus for the first time that night (!), but all of us were richly blessed by our gracious, heavenly Father!
During the conference, I was privileged to lead a seminar for about 60 men through the lens of David and Goliath. I was so thankful for this time as God challenged all of us to lead our chapters to engage more men on our campuses with the Gospel!
Across Iowa, momentum continues to build on our campuses as students take up the call to live as missionaries to every corner of their campuses. There are truly more stories to be told than there is space, so thank you so much for your prayer and partnership.
With Great Joy!
Jon
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Cost and Gain
On a more personal note...
The final talk of FC08 (see below) was on the "crazy math in God's Kingdom", specifically facing the radical costs (and even more radical gains!) that come with following Jesus in his mission to a broken world. Something deep was stirred in my soul as I listened to Jason tell the story of his friends Bill and Katie.
Bill and Katie were born into families of incredible priviledge where a $40k/year private high school, and dinner parties populated exclusively by CEO's and political leaders were the norm. After being transformed by Jesus in college through InterVarsity, the path of their lives was radically altered to lead through the slums of Mexico City to their current ministry in the city of Compton, California. They've had to face incredible pain and rejection from their families for the choices they have made and while their siblings and former classmates are ascending their respective corporate/political ladders around the world, Bill and Katie are spending themselves to see the Gospel transform lives and families and neighborhoods in inner city Los Angeles.
I can't fully communicate the power of the moments after Jason's talk on Sunday morning, but I can say that my heart was moved in a powerful way as Jesus brought my own desires into greater clarity.
A significant portion of my life (more than I'd like to admit) is spent pursuing the "normal" comforts of middle-class living: material provision, ample recreation time, engaging entertainment options, etc. While these things are fine in and of themselves, I found a deeper desire awakened again in me: the desire for a life of impact. While on the surface my heart goes after the trivial things of this world, at my core, I desire nothing more than Jesus and participation in bringing his kingdom to earth, and I found myself saying "yes" again to the one who is truly Lord of heaven and earth.
I don't know the paths that Jesus will guide us on in the upcoming years, but I know that we will not somehow magically arrive at a life lived in its fullness for the kingdom; such a life is only a product of hundreds of "yes, Lord" moments through the different seasons of life.
At the end of my days, I want nothing more than for it to be said of me and my family that we sought Jesus and his kingdom above all else (truly), and that there was no cost we were unwilling to pay to taste of the incomprable gain of a life well-lived in following Jesus.
"Truly, I tell you, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--along with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life." --Mark 10.29-30
Compelled by the gain,
Jon
The final talk of FC08 (see below) was on the "crazy math in God's Kingdom", specifically facing the radical costs (and even more radical gains!) that come with following Jesus in his mission to a broken world. Something deep was stirred in my soul as I listened to Jason tell the story of his friends Bill and Katie.
Bill and Katie were born into families of incredible priviledge where a $40k/year private high school, and dinner parties populated exclusively by CEO's and political leaders were the norm. After being transformed by Jesus in college through InterVarsity, the path of their lives was radically altered to lead through the slums of Mexico City to their current ministry in the city of Compton, California. They've had to face incredible pain and rejection from their families for the choices they have made and while their siblings and former classmates are ascending their respective corporate/political ladders around the world, Bill and Katie are spending themselves to see the Gospel transform lives and families and neighborhoods in inner city Los Angeles.
I can't fully communicate the power of the moments after Jason's talk on Sunday morning, but I can say that my heart was moved in a powerful way as Jesus brought my own desires into greater clarity.
A significant portion of my life (more than I'd like to admit) is spent pursuing the "normal" comforts of middle-class living: material provision, ample recreation time, engaging entertainment options, etc. While these things are fine in and of themselves, I found a deeper desire awakened again in me: the desire for a life of impact. While on the surface my heart goes after the trivial things of this world, at my core, I desire nothing more than Jesus and participation in bringing his kingdom to earth, and I found myself saying "yes" again to the one who is truly Lord of heaven and earth.
I don't know the paths that Jesus will guide us on in the upcoming years, but I know that we will not somehow magically arrive at a life lived in its fullness for the kingdom; such a life is only a product of hundreds of "yes, Lord" moments through the different seasons of life.
At the end of my days, I want nothing more than for it to be said of me and my family that we sought Jesus and his kingdom above all else (truly), and that there was no cost we were unwilling to pay to taste of the incomprable gain of a life well-lived in following Jesus.
"Truly, I tell you, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--along with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life." --Mark 10.29-30
Compelled by the gain,
Jon
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Men vs. Wild
Now, a quick update on the upcoming weekend!
Some of you may remember my post from Catalyst last May where I asked you to pray for my ministry to the men of Iowa. This has continued to be a theme of my summer, and God has been incredibly faithful!
As a a part of this reawakened calling for the men of Iowa, I decided to try and host some kind of "man trip" this fall for some guys across Iowa, so I started throwing out some invites to guys I know, and all of a sudden, we've got close to 20 guys who are going mountain hiking in Colorado this weekend!
We'll hop into vans in Des Moines on Friday afternoon, arrive in Denver at about 2am, watch some football and hike on Saturday, then get up and climb Mt. Bierstadt (14,060 feet!) on Sunday morning and drive home! (I'm getting too old for this stuff!)
Obviously, I think the trip will be a ton of fun (and utterly exhausting!), but beyond that, I'd love your prayer for a few key things:
* Many key male leaders from across Iowa are coming, and this is a crucial time of networking for me with them. You can pray that relationships deepen in natural and authentic ways, and that some of these guys might choose to come on staff! * My hope is that this trip (in combo with an upcoming Men's track at our fall conference) might lead to the emergence of pockets of men across Iowa that I can have ongoing relationship with, and who I can pray/minister with when I visit campuses, so you can pray that that vision coalesces during the trip.
Thanks All,
Jon
A Jesus Outbreak
Hello Everyone!
The next stage in the journey happened on 9.14 at the University of Northern Iowa. After hearing about what had happened at Central, our staff at UNI, Rachel Danley, invited me to make another call to faith at their Large Group, which I was happy to do. When I did so, another student (Evan) stood to mark his desire to give his life over to Jesus! (More on Evan Below!)
That weekend, on 9.18-20, my area staff team hosted FC09: Family Vacation (our annual fall student conference) for 130 students from around the state. I spoke on the final morning, again to give an invitation to faith, but as I was praying about it, I felt like I was supposed to ask Evan from UNI to give the talk with me (he had, after all been following Jesus for 5 days at that point!) So, I approached him to see if he'd be willing to share his story, and though he was a bit shell-shocked at first, he agreed. Sunday morning, Evan did a fantastic job of telling about what Jesus had done in his life, and I again made an invitation for students to give their lives to Jesus for the first time, and another 20 students stood to mark their decision from almost every school represented! Five of these students were from UNI and were inspired by Evan's testimony of receiving Jesus' forgiveness, and several were friends of Callie's, the student from Drake I wrote about above!
So, in the space of a few short weeks (22 days to be exact), we've seen 24 STUDENTS START TO FOLLOW JESUS FOR THE FIRST TIME, and another 21 RECOMMIT THEIR LIVES TO JESUS! I wish I had the space to tell you the stories of these 45 students, because Jesus is meeting them in incredible ways as they take steps of faith in following him (students experiencing physical healing, being challenged by parents angry at their desire to follow Jesus, and door after door opening for Jesus' gospel) They are following Jesus immediately into ministry and outreach to their friends, and we are TRULY WATCHING A JESUS OUTBREAK SWEEP THROUGH THESE CAMPUSES!
And, I believe that God isn't done yet. This Wednesday, 9.30, I'll be speaking again at Drake University, and I'll again be inviting students to follow Jesus for the first time (and join the other 5 Drake students who have already made that decision this year!) so I covet your prayers, and can't wait to tell you the next chapter in this crazy story God is writing.
Thank you for your support of this ministry, it's one of the deepest privileges of my life to watch God move in these ways on campuses across the state, and it's your prayers and support that make it possible.
Trying to keep up with a God who is most certainly on the move!
Jon
The next stage in the journey happened on 9.14 at the University of Northern Iowa. After hearing about what had happened at Central, our staff at UNI, Rachel Danley, invited me to make another call to faith at their Large Group, which I was happy to do. When I did so, another student (Evan) stood to mark his desire to give his life over to Jesus! (More on Evan Below!)
That weekend, on 9.18-20, my area staff team hosted FC09: Family Vacation (our annual fall student conference) for 130 students from around the state. I spoke on the final morning, again to give an invitation to faith, but as I was praying about it, I felt like I was supposed to ask Evan from UNI to give the talk with me (he had, after all been following Jesus for 5 days at that point!) So, I approached him to see if he'd be willing to share his story, and though he was a bit shell-shocked at first, he agreed. Sunday morning, Evan did a fantastic job of telling about what Jesus had done in his life, and I again made an invitation for students to give their lives to Jesus for the first time, and another 20 students stood to mark their decision from almost every school represented! Five of these students were from UNI and were inspired by Evan's testimony of receiving Jesus' forgiveness, and several were friends of Callie's, the student from Drake I wrote about above!
So, in the space of a few short weeks (22 days to be exact), we've seen 24 STUDENTS START TO FOLLOW JESUS FOR THE FIRST TIME, and another 21 RECOMMIT THEIR LIVES TO JESUS! I wish I had the space to tell you the stories of these 45 students, because Jesus is meeting them in incredible ways as they take steps of faith in following him (students experiencing physical healing, being challenged by parents angry at their desire to follow Jesus, and door after door opening for Jesus' gospel) They are following Jesus immediately into ministry and outreach to their friends, and we are TRULY WATCHING A JESUS OUTBREAK SWEEP THROUGH THESE CAMPUSES!
And, I believe that God isn't done yet. This Wednesday, 9.30, I'll be speaking again at Drake University, and I'll again be inviting students to follow Jesus for the first time (and join the other 5 Drake students who have already made that decision this year!) so I covet your prayers, and can't wait to tell you the next chapter in this crazy story God is writing.
Thank you for your support of this ministry, it's one of the deepest privileges of my life to watch God move in these ways on campuses across the state, and it's your prayers and support that make it possible.
Trying to keep up with a God who is most certainly on the move!
Jon
Monday, August 25, 2008
All Hands on Deck!
Hello again everyone! I hope the summer has been an enjoyable one. I apologize for the delay in my posting online, but I’m glad to get back into the swing of things now!
Put simply, this is the most critical time of year for our ministry on campus: current leaders are returning after summers spent around the globe, students from all walks of life are returning to campus, many of whom are looking to “turn over a new leaf”, and of course, new freshmen and transfer students are everywhere!
Even as I type this, our staff are in the midst of the most significant “sprint” of their staff year. They are casting vision to their leaders, hosting tables at organizational fairs, going door to door in the dorms visiting those students who sign up, and striking up conversation after conversation with literally dozens of students.
It is both an exhausting and exhilarating time of year. Hours are long and filled with what can feel like near endless details and initiation, but each day brings new conversations that have been appointed by God. Our chapter populations turn-over every four years, and these freshmen that we meet will soon be leading our chapters, so it is “mission-critical” time for campus ministry!
So for now, I’d love to invite your prayer as we begin this sprint. In general, you can be praying for the following:
* Pray that our student leaders would join our staff in a vision for mission and campus engagement; it is critical that our leaders buy-in!
* Pray for endurance and passion for our staff as they progress through this exhausting season.
* Pray for divine appointments, both with new missional leaders and spiritually hungry students who are looking to explore faith in college.
If you prefer, you can pray for me through my schedule for the next few weeks:
8.25- On campus and Speaking at UNI (John 1- Calling of the Disciples)
8.26- Meeting with key student at DMACC and Drake staff
8.27- On campus at Penn and Central
8.28- On campus at Grinnell
8.29- On campus at Coe
9.3- On campus and Speaking at Drake (John 4- Samaritan Woman)
9.5- First Area Meeting of the year
9.10- On campus and Speaking at Central (“Reaching Samaria- Unreached People Groups on Campus”)
9.12-14- Men’s Road Trip to Mt. Bierstadt, Colorado (Please pray for my recruitment which is already beginning!)
9.16- On campus and speaking at Grinnell (TBD!)
I’ll greatly look forward to sharing with you incredible stories of God’s provision and faithfulness, the fruit of your prayers and our labors!
With Expectation!
Jon
Put simply, this is the most critical time of year for our ministry on campus: current leaders are returning after summers spent around the globe, students from all walks of life are returning to campus, many of whom are looking to “turn over a new leaf”, and of course, new freshmen and transfer students are everywhere!
Even as I type this, our staff are in the midst of the most significant “sprint” of their staff year. They are casting vision to their leaders, hosting tables at organizational fairs, going door to door in the dorms visiting those students who sign up, and striking up conversation after conversation with literally dozens of students.
It is both an exhausting and exhilarating time of year. Hours are long and filled with what can feel like near endless details and initiation, but each day brings new conversations that have been appointed by God. Our chapter populations turn-over every four years, and these freshmen that we meet will soon be leading our chapters, so it is “mission-critical” time for campus ministry!
So for now, I’d love to invite your prayer as we begin this sprint. In general, you can be praying for the following:
* Pray that our student leaders would join our staff in a vision for mission and campus engagement; it is critical that our leaders buy-in!
* Pray for endurance and passion for our staff as they progress through this exhausting season.
* Pray for divine appointments, both with new missional leaders and spiritually hungry students who are looking to explore faith in college.
If you prefer, you can pray for me through my schedule for the next few weeks:
8.25- On campus and Speaking at UNI (John 1- Calling of the Disciples)
8.26- Meeting with key student at DMACC and Drake staff
8.27- On campus at Penn and Central
8.28- On campus at Grinnell
8.29- On campus at Coe
9.3- On campus and Speaking at Drake (John 4- Samaritan Woman)
9.5- First Area Meeting of the year
9.10- On campus and Speaking at Central (“Reaching Samaria- Unreached People Groups on Campus”)
9.12-14- Men’s Road Trip to Mt. Bierstadt, Colorado (Please pray for my recruitment which is already beginning!)
9.16- On campus and speaking at Grinnell (TBD!)
I’ll greatly look forward to sharing with you incredible stories of God’s provision and faithfulness, the fruit of your prayers and our labors!
With Expectation!
Jon
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Abigail Joy!
It's my joy to introduce the newest member of our family, Miss Abigail Joy Hietbrink, born on June 4th! (See picture to the right). We thought Elijah was a big boy, but Abby one-upped her older brother, tipping the scales at just over 8 pounds, 12 ounces and measuring 20 3/4 inches long! She's doing great on the whole, though we'd love for her to go to bed before midnight! She's strikingly beautiful with deep blue eyes and fine brown hair. Steph is recovering well, and Elijah has been a surprisingly gentle older brother thus far (although he did almost step on her while he was watching cartoons this morning!) We are so thankful for her little life: for the promise that it holds and the joy it brings to our entire family. Sometimes it's hard to believe that Steph and I have two children, but parenthood has been an unbelievably rich experience, and Abby's presence only adds yet another layer!
Thankful
Hello again everyone!
As a part of the university world, our calendar follows that of quarters and semesters, and June marks both the beginning of the summer and the end of a year of ministry. Campuses stand mostly vacant, students having been sent back to any number of places: summer internships, a job back home, or missions experiences around the world. Though much of our "staff summers" are dedicated to preparation for next year, saying good-bye to another class of students provides context for reflection on the work of God over the last year. So here's a short "thankful for" list at the end of this year!
I'm so grateful for how Catalyst (the leadership conference I wrote about last time) went. Not only was it a great week of training for student leaders from across the region, but it was a very meaningful time for me on a personal level. I'm so grateful to report that God moved in a powerful way during our Thursday night session that I asked you to pray for in my last entry. I spoke on the heart of a father, and how dads love to give good gifts to their kids. After I sat down, prayer ministry broke out across the room, and dozens of students mentioned that night as the highlight of their week at Catalyst. Thank you so much for praying; God is faithful!
I'm so thankful for the work of God at Drake this last year. Four years ago, the chapter basically imploded and only a handful of students remained. Since then, the chapter has grown to include close to 100 students, and we've decided to follow God's call to plant a new chapter specifically for international students on campus. There is such momentum and vibrancy in the community; I can't wait to see what happens next year.
At Catalyst, we got to witness a video testimony of the "Emails from God" story I wrote about back in the fall. (If you haven't read that entry yet (November 5), please do so...it's really unbelievable). Tears of joy welled up in my eyes as I saw the faces of "Li" and "Amber" testify to the God who is alive and actively pursuing his children. It still leaves me speechless to think about the God of the universe caring so deeply for a girl from SE Asia that he would hijack the Internet to find her.
I'm so thankful for a group of 18 students and staff who are set to leave for Ethiopia in just over three weeks. While they are there, they'll work with AIDS orphans and minister to street children alongside Christian Ethiopian college students just like them. I am pumped to have our students not only be a blessing, but be blessed by the faith and love of brothers and sisters from the other side of the globe.
I'm so thankful for the 24 students who decided to follow Jesus for the first time as a result of our witness on campus this year, and the more than 60 who decided that "just being a Christian" wasn't enough; they wanted to actually follow Jesus on his mission to the world.
I find myself so grateful for the people who surround my life. Steph, our kids, our families, our staff team, the students we minister to, our friends, and the hundreds of people scattered across the country who stand with us in the glorious ministry of the Gospel.
Thank you for your partnership, to God be the glory!
Jon
PS...As of this writing, I'm projected to fall about $1,000 short of my needed budget for this year (which ends on June 30th), so if you'd like to make a gift to help erase the deficit, you can do so at www.intervarsity.org/donate or by mailing a check to: IVCF-Donations, PO Box 7895, Madison, WI, 53707 and including a note that has my name on it.
As a part of the university world, our calendar follows that of quarters and semesters, and June marks both the beginning of the summer and the end of a year of ministry. Campuses stand mostly vacant, students having been sent back to any number of places: summer internships, a job back home, or missions experiences around the world. Though much of our "staff summers" are dedicated to preparation for next year, saying good-bye to another class of students provides context for reflection on the work of God over the last year. So here's a short "thankful for" list at the end of this year!
I'm so grateful for how Catalyst (the leadership conference I wrote about last time) went. Not only was it a great week of training for student leaders from across the region, but it was a very meaningful time for me on a personal level. I'm so grateful to report that God moved in a powerful way during our Thursday night session that I asked you to pray for in my last entry. I spoke on the heart of a father, and how dads love to give good gifts to their kids. After I sat down, prayer ministry broke out across the room, and dozens of students mentioned that night as the highlight of their week at Catalyst. Thank you so much for praying; God is faithful!
I'm so thankful for the work of God at Drake this last year. Four years ago, the chapter basically imploded and only a handful of students remained. Since then, the chapter has grown to include close to 100 students, and we've decided to follow God's call to plant a new chapter specifically for international students on campus. There is such momentum and vibrancy in the community; I can't wait to see what happens next year.
At Catalyst, we got to witness a video testimony of the "Emails from God" story I wrote about back in the fall. (If you haven't read that entry yet (November 5), please do so...it's really unbelievable). Tears of joy welled up in my eyes as I saw the faces of "Li" and "Amber" testify to the God who is alive and actively pursuing his children. It still leaves me speechless to think about the God of the universe caring so deeply for a girl from SE Asia that he would hijack the Internet to find her.
I'm so thankful for a group of 18 students and staff who are set to leave for Ethiopia in just over three weeks. While they are there, they'll work with AIDS orphans and minister to street children alongside Christian Ethiopian college students just like them. I am pumped to have our students not only be a blessing, but be blessed by the faith and love of brothers and sisters from the other side of the globe.
I'm so thankful for the 24 students who decided to follow Jesus for the first time as a result of our witness on campus this year, and the more than 60 who decided that "just being a Christian" wasn't enough; they wanted to actually follow Jesus on his mission to the world.
I find myself so grateful for the people who surround my life. Steph, our kids, our families, our staff team, the students we minister to, our friends, and the hundreds of people scattered across the country who stand with us in the glorious ministry of the Gospel.
Thank you for your partnership, to God be the glory!
Jon
PS...As of this writing, I'm projected to fall about $1,000 short of my needed budget for this year (which ends on June 30th), so if you'd like to make a gift to help erase the deficit, you can do so at www.intervarsity.org/donate or by mailing a check to: IVCF-Donations, PO Box 7895, Madison, WI, 53707 and including a note that has my name on it.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Catalyst 2008
Hello Everyone,
I'm writing at 12:30am from Windermere Camp and Conference Center in Missouri to ask you to pray for Catalyst 2008, our annual student leadership conference. I'm directing the conference for the third time, and wanted to both update you all and ask for your prayer!
So far, the conference is going great. We've been going for about 24 hours so far, and there's really a sweet spirit among the group so far. We talked about vision during the day today and then tonight, we had a celebration service where we commemorated over 50 students who had made decisions to start following Jesus over the last year. Part of the celebration included a video testimony of the "emails from God" story I posted last fall; I wish you all could have seen the faces of these women as they told the story of God's incredible pursuit.
On a more serious note, there were six different stories told tonight by students about God's intervention to actually save their lives or lives of their friends from suicide. Four of the students who gave their lives to Jesus this year were on the brink of taking their own life, but in each case, God intervened and not only rescued their physical lives, but breathed new spiritual life into them. Praise God for the way he finds, rescues, and saves!
Here's a few prayer points for the remainder of our time (we end on Friday at noon):
* You can be praying for my connections with male students. I've had some great conversations with guys from around Iowa so far, and God is growing a hunger in me to minister to men in a more tangible way...I'm curious as to what he's up to.
* You can pray that our students catch a vision of witness on campus. Often times witness can be a point of significant fear and anxiety for our students; our hope is to see this overcome by God's Spirit.
* You can pray for my preparation for Thursday night. I'm slotted to speak, but we purposely decide to plan the night "on site" to allow us the flexibility to discern what God is up to. While this is helpful, it also creates a bit of an urgent feel to the night, so I'd love prayer for clarity of thought and for the power and passion necessary to call for committment after a long week of ministry.
Thanks for your prayers!
Jon
I'm writing at 12:30am from Windermere Camp and Conference Center in Missouri to ask you to pray for Catalyst 2008, our annual student leadership conference. I'm directing the conference for the third time, and wanted to both update you all and ask for your prayer!
So far, the conference is going great. We've been going for about 24 hours so far, and there's really a sweet spirit among the group so far. We talked about vision during the day today and then tonight, we had a celebration service where we commemorated over 50 students who had made decisions to start following Jesus over the last year. Part of the celebration included a video testimony of the "emails from God" story I posted last fall; I wish you all could have seen the faces of these women as they told the story of God's incredible pursuit.
On a more serious note, there were six different stories told tonight by students about God's intervention to actually save their lives or lives of their friends from suicide. Four of the students who gave their lives to Jesus this year were on the brink of taking their own life, but in each case, God intervened and not only rescued their physical lives, but breathed new spiritual life into them. Praise God for the way he finds, rescues, and saves!
Here's a few prayer points for the remainder of our time (we end on Friday at noon):
* You can be praying for my connections with male students. I've had some great conversations with guys from around Iowa so far, and God is growing a hunger in me to minister to men in a more tangible way...I'm curious as to what he's up to.
* You can pray that our students catch a vision of witness on campus. Often times witness can be a point of significant fear and anxiety for our students; our hope is to see this overcome by God's Spirit.
* You can pray for my preparation for Thursday night. I'm slotted to speak, but we purposely decide to plan the night "on site" to allow us the flexibility to discern what God is up to. While this is helpful, it also creates a bit of an urgent feel to the night, so I'd love prayer for clarity of thought and for the power and passion necessary to call for committment after a long week of ministry.
Thanks for your prayers!
Jon
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Scarcity and Abundance
Hello again everyone,
It surely feels like more than six weeks since I last wrote. Whereas we were in the ongoing (!) throes of winter in the midwest, now the sun is shining; flowers are blooming, and I'm finally wearing shorts and flip-flops again! Six weeks ago, Steph and I were still in the second trimester and the birth of our baby girl felt like something in the distant future. Now, we are just over a month out, and let's just say the reality of a two-child household is beginning to settle in a bit!
As with all of our lives, words on a page (or a screen!) don't do justice to the complexity of God's work within us, but this last season has felt like a particularly significant one for me in my journey with Jesus; the operative word has been "scarcity", and though it has been rich, it has been difficult as well.
Back in January, I was leading an area meeting in Des Moines, and we were spending some time in listening prayer ministry for each other. When it was my turn to sit in the circle, my staff started praying some of the things that they heard Jesus telling them:
* One saw an image of a tree surrounded by thunderstorms. She prayed that my roots would go down deeper.
* One was led to Habakkuk 3.17-18: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my savior."
To be honest, I was glad for their prayer, but I was a bit worried by the ominous tone. What exactly was this next season of life going to be like? Fruitless? Stormy? Barren? While I was certainly a bit taken aback, I was also captured by the last half of the Habakkuk verse: "yet I will rejoice in the LORD".
For most of my life, I have been addicted to success and impact. Though I'm sure there were moments my parents might call to mind, I was a pretty good kid who did pretty well at most of life, and this continued in college. I was blessed with an awesome group of friends and a vibrant ministry to be a part of, and I got a picture of how compelling a life lived with Jesus could be. I absolutely loved doing ministry as a student: I loved influencing people's lives, I loved teaching, and I loved impacting a campus for Jesus.
In large part, it was this desire for influence and impact that led me to InterVarsity staff. What I wanted most was to live a life of rich purpose and expansive impact, and Christian ministry (maybe even following Jesus itself?!)became a means to that end. Sure, I wanted to have spiritual integrity, and my motives were mostly pure, but to a degree my "ministry" was largely an exercise in building my own kingdom. "Success" (whatever that meant) was what I wanted more than anything else.
I think Jesus is breaking me of this addiction to success.
The process has been long and has taken many turns, but this last semester, I believe the pace has been quickened. Whether it's through anticipating our most significant staff shortage in years in Iowa (only 8 staff for 7 chapters), facing the difficulty of fund raising for me and my staff, working through the complexity of contextualization on campus, or trying to be a great husband and father, I've found myself facing my own limitations more and more. At the end of the day, I am just not enough for the demands of my life, and at times, I feel as though the resources I need are miles away. ("There is no fruit on the vine!")
Yet, Jesus is working his resurrection in me (and us!) again. Whereas before my desire was for success and the boost it would give to my reputation, I now find my desires being purifed. Jesus is reclaiming his rightful territory at the center of my life and ministry, and though it is painful and stretching, I've said "yes" over and over again to his work in me, because HE is the one I want to want. Jesus is worth more than success. His presence is more valuable than hundreds of staff or chapters, or conversions, or talks. He is the "pearl of great price", and I would do well to "sell all I have" to "buy that field". (Matthew 13.44-46)
So, in this season of scarcity, may it be true of me that "yet I will rejoice in God my savior", and may we all receive scarcity as an opportunity for reliance on the one who raises the dead.
In Him,
Jon
It surely feels like more than six weeks since I last wrote. Whereas we were in the ongoing (!) throes of winter in the midwest, now the sun is shining; flowers are blooming, and I'm finally wearing shorts and flip-flops again! Six weeks ago, Steph and I were still in the second trimester and the birth of our baby girl felt like something in the distant future. Now, we are just over a month out, and let's just say the reality of a two-child household is beginning to settle in a bit!
As with all of our lives, words on a page (or a screen!) don't do justice to the complexity of God's work within us, but this last season has felt like a particularly significant one for me in my journey with Jesus; the operative word has been "scarcity", and though it has been rich, it has been difficult as well.
Back in January, I was leading an area meeting in Des Moines, and we were spending some time in listening prayer ministry for each other. When it was my turn to sit in the circle, my staff started praying some of the things that they heard Jesus telling them:
* One saw an image of a tree surrounded by thunderstorms. She prayed that my roots would go down deeper.
* One was led to Habakkuk 3.17-18: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my savior."
To be honest, I was glad for their prayer, but I was a bit worried by the ominous tone. What exactly was this next season of life going to be like? Fruitless? Stormy? Barren? While I was certainly a bit taken aback, I was also captured by the last half of the Habakkuk verse: "yet I will rejoice in the LORD".
For most of my life, I have been addicted to success and impact. Though I'm sure there were moments my parents might call to mind, I was a pretty good kid who did pretty well at most of life, and this continued in college. I was blessed with an awesome group of friends and a vibrant ministry to be a part of, and I got a picture of how compelling a life lived with Jesus could be. I absolutely loved doing ministry as a student: I loved influencing people's lives, I loved teaching, and I loved impacting a campus for Jesus.
In large part, it was this desire for influence and impact that led me to InterVarsity staff. What I wanted most was to live a life of rich purpose and expansive impact, and Christian ministry (maybe even following Jesus itself?!)became a means to that end. Sure, I wanted to have spiritual integrity, and my motives were mostly pure, but to a degree my "ministry" was largely an exercise in building my own kingdom. "Success" (whatever that meant) was what I wanted more than anything else.
I think Jesus is breaking me of this addiction to success.
The process has been long and has taken many turns, but this last semester, I believe the pace has been quickened. Whether it's through anticipating our most significant staff shortage in years in Iowa (only 8 staff for 7 chapters), facing the difficulty of fund raising for me and my staff, working through the complexity of contextualization on campus, or trying to be a great husband and father, I've found myself facing my own limitations more and more. At the end of the day, I am just not enough for the demands of my life, and at times, I feel as though the resources I need are miles away. ("There is no fruit on the vine!")
Yet, Jesus is working his resurrection in me (and us!) again. Whereas before my desire was for success and the boost it would give to my reputation, I now find my desires being purifed. Jesus is reclaiming his rightful territory at the center of my life and ministry, and though it is painful and stretching, I've said "yes" over and over again to his work in me, because HE is the one I want to want. Jesus is worth more than success. His presence is more valuable than hundreds of staff or chapters, or conversions, or talks. He is the "pearl of great price", and I would do well to "sell all I have" to "buy that field". (Matthew 13.44-46)
So, in this season of scarcity, may it be true of me that "yet I will rejoice in God my savior", and may we all receive scarcity as an opportunity for reliance on the one who raises the dead.
In Him,
Jon
Monday, March 3, 2008
Hitting our Stride...
Hello Again everyone,
I'd like to first invite us all to say a quick prayer for the arrival of Spring; I'm not sure I've ever felt so ready for it to come! (For those of you who aren't in Iowa or the upper midwest, we've had one of the longest, coldest, snowiest winters on record.) :)
Beyond that, it's good to finally be writing again. The last two months have been really significant, and it feels like life is just starting to "normalize" again (somewhat anyway!)
About a month ago, we finally moved into our new home on the outskirts of Pella. Most of January was spent painting, laying flooring, installing cabinets, moving, etc., so we are glad to be in and settled. (Another thank you to all of you who helped us with your time and efforts; they were an incredible blessing!) We are loving the simplicity and efficiency of the new place (everything is close together and very usable), and are looking forward to the thaw so we can start turning our yard from a mud-pit into an actual lawn.
In terms of ministry, I've been walking with eight staff applicants through the process of completing the application, interviewing, and now placement. I've been struck by what a pleasure it is to be present with such incredible folks at a "crossroads" of their lives, and additionally, how "weighty" the decision-making process feels to me. I thoroughly enjoy thinking strategically for the campuses of Iowa, but the significance of hiring and placement decisions for new, transferring, and current staff consistently feels like too much for me to bear. These decisions shape not only the lives of the individuals I'm charged to care for and steward, but also the lives of entire chapters and hundreds of students. I've found the process to be both humbling and exhilarating (usually in that order!), and I am so genuinely excited about how things are shaping up for next year (more on this next time after things are finalized!)
Internally, I'm continuing to work at being present to Jesus and his work in my life during this "season." I'm working to walk the balance of "being present to the immediate" context of my life, but at the same time making space for the "emerging vision" I find percolating in my heart.
Last night, I was babysitting Elijah and snuck back to his room to peak in on him while he played (unaware of my presence). I was brought to tears by my love for him in that moment, but also by the "lifelong" context of that love. Watching him joyfully move beads from one end of a wire to the other was a sacred moment intensified by imagining him as a one-day teenager sorting through his own life.
It is this "now and not yet" tension that has proven rich to me over the last months. Jesus is present now, as I hang cabinets, pray for my unborn daughter, toss Elijah in the air, and enjoy a night out with Steph, but he is also present then as we dream of what our lives will become, as I pray to catch a glimpse of God's dreams for the campuses of Iowa, and as we seek to build missional-incarnational communities on campus.
So, may we all come to a fuller knowledge of the one who was, is, and is to come as we walk through the "now and then" of our lives!
With joy for the journey,
Jon
I'd like to first invite us all to say a quick prayer for the arrival of Spring; I'm not sure I've ever felt so ready for it to come! (For those of you who aren't in Iowa or the upper midwest, we've had one of the longest, coldest, snowiest winters on record.) :)
Beyond that, it's good to finally be writing again. The last two months have been really significant, and it feels like life is just starting to "normalize" again (somewhat anyway!)
About a month ago, we finally moved into our new home on the outskirts of Pella. Most of January was spent painting, laying flooring, installing cabinets, moving, etc., so we are glad to be in and settled. (Another thank you to all of you who helped us with your time and efforts; they were an incredible blessing!) We are loving the simplicity and efficiency of the new place (everything is close together and very usable), and are looking forward to the thaw so we can start turning our yard from a mud-pit into an actual lawn.
In terms of ministry, I've been walking with eight staff applicants through the process of completing the application, interviewing, and now placement. I've been struck by what a pleasure it is to be present with such incredible folks at a "crossroads" of their lives, and additionally, how "weighty" the decision-making process feels to me. I thoroughly enjoy thinking strategically for the campuses of Iowa, but the significance of hiring and placement decisions for new, transferring, and current staff consistently feels like too much for me to bear. These decisions shape not only the lives of the individuals I'm charged to care for and steward, but also the lives of entire chapters and hundreds of students. I've found the process to be both humbling and exhilarating (usually in that order!), and I am so genuinely excited about how things are shaping up for next year (more on this next time after things are finalized!)
Internally, I'm continuing to work at being present to Jesus and his work in my life during this "season." I'm working to walk the balance of "being present to the immediate" context of my life, but at the same time making space for the "emerging vision" I find percolating in my heart.
Last night, I was babysitting Elijah and snuck back to his room to peak in on him while he played (unaware of my presence). I was brought to tears by my love for him in that moment, but also by the "lifelong" context of that love. Watching him joyfully move beads from one end of a wire to the other was a sacred moment intensified by imagining him as a one-day teenager sorting through his own life.
It is this "now and not yet" tension that has proven rich to me over the last months. Jesus is present now, as I hang cabinets, pray for my unborn daughter, toss Elijah in the air, and enjoy a night out with Steph, but he is also present then as we dream of what our lives will become, as I pray to catch a glimpse of God's dreams for the campuses of Iowa, and as we seek to build missional-incarnational communities on campus.
So, may we all come to a fuller knowledge of the one who was, is, and is to come as we walk through the "now and then" of our lives!
With joy for the journey,
Jon
Friday, December 28, 2007
Seeds of Vision
Hello again everyone!
Wow, it's been too long since I last wrote, though frankly, it's hard to follow a post like I made last time with anything that is even close to as exciting, though I am so glad to report that Li did finally give her life to Jesus, so the story is now complete!
My hard-copy letter told a few additional campus snapshots from the first semester (if you didn't get this, please let me know and I'll add you to the mailing list!), so I wanted to focus this post on a more "area-level" perspective.
I'm learning more and more that I love, need, and want vision. Without it, I quickly lose my way and find my leadership mediocre at best, but with it clearly in view, my heart is inspired and I find myself leading with conviction and passion.
As such, one of the primary undertakings of my first 18 months in the role of Area Director for Iowa has been to lead our staff team in the hard work of visioning. We began in earnest this past June, and though we remain in process, I wanted to share with you some of the "seeds" that are beginning to take root among our area team.
As I've reflected on how I wanted our team to function, I've become convinced that one of the most valuable things I can do is to create the right kind of "team culture". I've come to believe that when the "culture" is right, fruitful ministry will follow in natural, organic ways, or to put it like Jesus, "By their fruit, you will recognize them...every good tree bears good fruit." In Jesus' economy, there are profound levels of integration: the means are the ends (and vice versa).
So, we've talked about what kind of team we want to be. How do we want to function? What things do we want to value? What do we want to define us? In answer to these (and other!) questions, we created four pairs of words:
Wow, it's been too long since I last wrote, though frankly, it's hard to follow a post like I made last time with anything that is even close to as exciting, though I am so glad to report that Li did finally give her life to Jesus, so the story is now complete!
My hard-copy letter told a few additional campus snapshots from the first semester (if you didn't get this, please let me know and I'll add you to the mailing list!), so I wanted to focus this post on a more "area-level" perspective.
I'm learning more and more that I love, need, and want vision. Without it, I quickly lose my way and find my leadership mediocre at best, but with it clearly in view, my heart is inspired and I find myself leading with conviction and passion.
As such, one of the primary undertakings of my first 18 months in the role of Area Director for Iowa has been to lead our staff team in the hard work of visioning. We began in earnest this past June, and though we remain in process, I wanted to share with you some of the "seeds" that are beginning to take root among our area team.
As I've reflected on how I wanted our team to function, I've become convinced that one of the most valuable things I can do is to create the right kind of "team culture". I've come to believe that when the "culture" is right, fruitful ministry will follow in natural, organic ways, or to put it like Jesus, "By their fruit, you will recognize them...every good tree bears good fruit." In Jesus' economy, there are profound levels of integration: the means are the ends (and vice versa).
So, we've talked about what kind of team we want to be. How do we want to function? What things do we want to value? What do we want to define us? In answer to these (and other!) questions, we created four pairs of words:
- Innovative and Visionary
- Healthy and Mature
- Communal and Interdependent
- Joyful and Celebratory
Now, as you all know, talk is cheap, so I won't take the time to explain exactly what we mean by these things or how we plan to implement them, but as we finished our discussion a few weeks back, I found myself so grateful to be a part of my staff team. A group deeply committed to the Gospel, intent on loving each other in meaningful ways, and driven to play our part in the mission of God. Though it's perhaps expected, I am pumped for where our team is going and how we are going to get there; it made me grateful to God that he had situated me in that room, with those people, at that time.
I am expectant for the fruit that will arise in coming semesters, but for now, I stand thankful for the state of our "field" and the "good seed" that God has sown among us.
With anticipation,
Jon
PS...For those of you who would be interested in making a special year-end gift toward our ministry, you may do so online at https://my.intervarsity.org/f749db980fd18832ac7d5dac5a10e9cf/donate.php. The gift will need to be submitted by December 31st to qualify for your 2007 tax deduction!
Monday, November 5, 2007
Just another day at the office
In my experience, it is easy to exaggerate the "awesomeness" of things; I regularly attach words like "amazing", "incredible", "unbelievable" to things that are only marginally so. This story, however, deserves all those adjectives and more. As you can see, it is quite long, but I wanted to do it justice. I'm confident it will be worth a read.
The story originates from one of our chapters earlier this fall, where our staff leads a vibrant and growing chapter involving dozens of students. One of those students, who we'll call "Amber", had been working to love and minister to a non-Christian international student, we'll call "Li".
****
Li and Amber were both set to go to our annual Fall Conference in Kansas City in late September, but in the week before the conference, one of Li's best friends committed suicide. Then, while she was at the conference, she called another of her friends in London, and the police answered, informing her that this friend had just committed suicide as well (making three close friends in a week's time). As you can imagine, Li was dealing with incredible levels of pain, heartache, and sadness, and had little clue how to deal with what was going on around her. She would later tell Amber that she felt like she was having heart attacks all the time because her heart hurt so badly.
Amber sought to minister to Li and be present in her pain, both at the conference, but also after they returned to campus, and it was as this student leader empathized with her friend that God started to intervene in truly miraculous ways.
After returning to campus, Amber started getting emails from herself. Yep, you read that correctly, emails addressed to her, from her, using her own email address. (Weird, I know, but just wait.) The first email was a list of five Bible verses about healing brokenheartedness, and tons of information on how to help friends grieving suicides! She was understandably surprised by it, but decided to pass on the verses and information to Li, who received it thankfully.
Then, Amber got a second email (again from herself?!) that contained transcripts of emails that Li was exchanging with one of her friends about the suicides. In those transcripts, Li talked about how brokenhearted she felt, but also how thankful she had been for the care and friendship of Amber. Again, as you can imagine, Amber was even more curious about this email, as it wasn't just helpful information, but actual transcripted conversations from the very girl she's trying to witness to talking about how thankful she is for Amber's friendship. (Unbelievable, but just wait...)
(On a sidenote, Amber also got another email that was a transcript of a hand-written letter that Li had written to her brother. Amber got the email within one hour of the letter being sent to the post-office! Beyond that, because of their family situation, Li and her brother write in code, such that it would have been incomprehensible to read, but as Amber told me, "but there I had it, typed, and in completely comprehensible English.")
The third email came later that week. This time, the email Amber got was a transcript of an email conversation that Li was having with a friend in which she wrote about these "mystery emails" that Amber was getting. The friend was understandably freaked out, so suggested that they switch to Skype (an online messaging tool). However, Amber also received an email (again from herself!) with the Skype transcript later that day! The Skype transcript revealed some experiences from Li's past that would have been impossible for anyone on campus (including Amber!) to know about.
The next email gets even crazier! This is a quote from Amber:
"So tonight I got another email from 'me' (I've been getting about one a day) that contained an email [that Li got]from a friend who was concerned about the brother of one of the girls who committed suicide. The email was basically begging [Li] to call and talk to him since he was not doing well at all and everyone around him was scared he was going to kill himself. I [=Amber] went down to [Li's] room right after I read it and caught her just as she was leaving to go study, so as we were walking I told her about the email. She stopped and said, 'I need to call him, was it urgent?!' I told her it was, and she handed me all her books and ran to call him. She got a hold of him literally moments before he was about to hang himself and basically talked him out of committing suicide tonight. Afterwards she was pretty shaken and angry, but still glad that he was still alive.... A little while later, [Li] stopped and said, "[Amber], the pain's all gone!" Her chest pain had suddenly disappeared!
As of last report, Li was still teetering on the brink of faith in Jesus, but had actually gone back in her journals with Amber, and together they found a prayer that Li had written two years earlier where she asked God to speak to her in a way that could only be him; it seems like he is answering that prayer!
****
Now if that story doesn't drop your jaw, I don't know what will! As I've processed it, here are some of my reflections...
- I find myself so grateful to the LORD for his intervention, not only in the life of Li, but in the lives of her friends. What an incredible picture of the Lord's pursuant love!?
- I love the way that Jesus brings life out of a situation laden with death. He is the master of resurrection..."Death is swallowed up in victory!"
- I'm amazed at the "intricacy" of God's work in Li's life. He could have broken through to her in any number of ways, but his way is beyond comprehension; it is so wise, so beautiful, so intimate.
For all the "work" that we do on campus, this story serves as a reminder as to who it is that does the real work, and who is truly deserving of all glory and praise: Jesus, the one who lives to intercede for us.
To Him be Glory, forever and ever!
Jon
PS...The story goes on with the friend who Li talked out of suicide, but it's more than I can include here. If you'd like to hear the rest of it, drop me an email and I'll fill you in!
The story originates from one of our chapters earlier this fall, where our staff leads a vibrant and growing chapter involving dozens of students. One of those students, who we'll call "Amber", had been working to love and minister to a non-Christian international student, we'll call "Li".
****
Li and Amber were both set to go to our annual Fall Conference in Kansas City in late September, but in the week before the conference, one of Li's best friends committed suicide. Then, while she was at the conference, she called another of her friends in London, and the police answered, informing her that this friend had just committed suicide as well (making three close friends in a week's time). As you can imagine, Li was dealing with incredible levels of pain, heartache, and sadness, and had little clue how to deal with what was going on around her. She would later tell Amber that she felt like she was having heart attacks all the time because her heart hurt so badly.
Amber sought to minister to Li and be present in her pain, both at the conference, but also after they returned to campus, and it was as this student leader empathized with her friend that God started to intervene in truly miraculous ways.
After returning to campus, Amber started getting emails from herself. Yep, you read that correctly, emails addressed to her, from her, using her own email address. (Weird, I know, but just wait.) The first email was a list of five Bible verses about healing brokenheartedness, and tons of information on how to help friends grieving suicides! She was understandably surprised by it, but decided to pass on the verses and information to Li, who received it thankfully.
Then, Amber got a second email (again from herself?!) that contained transcripts of emails that Li was exchanging with one of her friends about the suicides. In those transcripts, Li talked about how brokenhearted she felt, but also how thankful she had been for the care and friendship of Amber. Again, as you can imagine, Amber was even more curious about this email, as it wasn't just helpful information, but actual transcripted conversations from the very girl she's trying to witness to talking about how thankful she is for Amber's friendship. (Unbelievable, but just wait...)
(On a sidenote, Amber also got another email that was a transcript of a hand-written letter that Li had written to her brother. Amber got the email within one hour of the letter being sent to the post-office! Beyond that, because of their family situation, Li and her brother write in code, such that it would have been incomprehensible to read, but as Amber told me, "but there I had it, typed, and in completely comprehensible English.")
The third email came later that week. This time, the email Amber got was a transcript of an email conversation that Li was having with a friend in which she wrote about these "mystery emails" that Amber was getting. The friend was understandably freaked out, so suggested that they switch to Skype (an online messaging tool). However, Amber also received an email (again from herself!) with the Skype transcript later that day! The Skype transcript revealed some experiences from Li's past that would have been impossible for anyone on campus (including Amber!) to know about.
The next email gets even crazier! This is a quote from Amber:
"So tonight I got another email from 'me' (I've been getting about one a day) that contained an email [that Li got]from a friend who was concerned about the brother of one of the girls who committed suicide. The email was basically begging [Li] to call and talk to him since he was not doing well at all and everyone around him was scared he was going to kill himself. I [=Amber] went down to [Li's] room right after I read it and caught her just as she was leaving to go study, so as we were walking I told her about the email. She stopped and said, 'I need to call him, was it urgent?!' I told her it was, and she handed me all her books and ran to call him. She got a hold of him literally moments before he was about to hang himself and basically talked him out of committing suicide tonight. Afterwards she was pretty shaken and angry, but still glad that he was still alive.... A little while later, [Li] stopped and said, "[Amber], the pain's all gone!" Her chest pain had suddenly disappeared!
As of last report, Li was still teetering on the brink of faith in Jesus, but had actually gone back in her journals with Amber, and together they found a prayer that Li had written two years earlier where she asked God to speak to her in a way that could only be him; it seems like he is answering that prayer!
****
Now if that story doesn't drop your jaw, I don't know what will! As I've processed it, here are some of my reflections...
- I find myself so grateful to the LORD for his intervention, not only in the life of Li, but in the lives of her friends. What an incredible picture of the Lord's pursuant love!?
- I love the way that Jesus brings life out of a situation laden with death. He is the master of resurrection..."Death is swallowed up in victory!"
- I'm amazed at the "intricacy" of God's work in Li's life. He could have broken through to her in any number of ways, but his way is beyond comprehension; it is so wise, so beautiful, so intimate.
For all the "work" that we do on campus, this story serves as a reminder as to who it is that does the real work, and who is truly deserving of all glory and praise: Jesus, the one who lives to intercede for us.
To Him be Glory, forever and ever!
Jon
PS...The story goes on with the friend who Li talked out of suicide, but it's more than I can include here. If you'd like to hear the rest of it, drop me an email and I'll fill you in!
On the home front...
Hello again everyone,
Before I get to updating the ministry, I wanted to share a couple things about our family.
First, as for the announcement, as some of you may have guessed (or heard!), Steph and I are indeed expecting our second child! We found out a few weeks back, and she is early in the process (about 10 weeks we think), which would put her due date in May/June. We go to the doctor next week for our first appointment and should be able to hear the heartbeat for the first time. She's been feeling more nauseous with this pregnancy than with Elijah, and being pregnant and a mom at the same time is a different ballgame, but all in all, we are thrilled and look forward to meeting our second child in the spring!
Another exciting development is the progress of our house (we are building on the west edge of town, by the soccer complex, for those of you who know Pella). I spent my Saturday trying to put a porch on the front of the house (with moderate success!) and at this point, it looks like we will be moving in sometime in January. I'll try and get some pictures posted after we get the siding on, so you can look forward to that next time!
I'm also glad to report that we officially have a toddler in the house. Elijah has been absolutely adorable lately (as you can see in the pictures!), but is becoming more of a handful as he regularly wanders off to flush our toilet and empty our cereal boxes on the floor (two of his current favorites!) I've embedded one of our favorite videos below; enjoy!
With Expectancy,
Jon
Before I get to updating the ministry, I wanted to share a couple things about our family.
First, as for the announcement, as some of you may have guessed (or heard!), Steph and I are indeed expecting our second child! We found out a few weeks back, and she is early in the process (about 10 weeks we think), which would put her due date in May/June. We go to the doctor next week for our first appointment and should be able to hear the heartbeat for the first time. She's been feeling more nauseous with this pregnancy than with Elijah, and being pregnant and a mom at the same time is a different ballgame, but all in all, we are thrilled and look forward to meeting our second child in the spring!
Another exciting development is the progress of our house (we are building on the west edge of town, by the soccer complex, for those of you who know Pella). I spent my Saturday trying to put a porch on the front of the house (with moderate success!) and at this point, it looks like we will be moving in sometime in January. I'll try and get some pictures posted after we get the siding on, so you can look forward to that next time!
I'm also glad to report that we officially have a toddler in the house. Elijah has been absolutely adorable lately (as you can see in the pictures!), but is becoming more of a handful as he regularly wanders off to flush our toilet and empty our cereal boxes on the floor (two of his current favorites!) I've embedded one of our favorite videos below; enjoy!
With Expectancy,
Jon
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Vision and Teaching
In addition to catching you all up the great things that have been going on, I wanted to give you a glimpse of my upcoming months and invite your prayers...
As I think about who I am and the mission I've been charged to lead, I'm seeing that my my two primary callings are to function as a visionary and a teacher. These are the things that give me the most life, that call the most heart, courage, and passion out of me, and which consistently prove to be the most fruitful activities of my life; the more I vision and teach, the hungrier I become to do them exceptionally well, so I'm asking for your prayers toward that end.
Teaching
In the next few weeks, I'll be speaking at William Penn (10.2), Central College (10.3), Grinnell College (10.9), Drake University (10.31), and again at Central (11.7). As such, I'd like to invite your prayers in two ways.
1. Pray that I would speak with power, authority, and wisdom: that my teaching would cause students to encounter Jesus in life transforming ways.
2. Pray that I myself would encounter Jesus in life transforming ways as I prepare. (Teaching is usually one of the ways I learn most effectively).
Vision
At the same time, I'm going to be continuing to lead our area in a strategic visioning process. I am so pleased with the work we have done so far, but as I mentioned above, the more I taste, the hungrier I become! Please pray:
1. That God would aid us in the creation of an organic, adaptive team culture that is marked by four pairs of values: "Innovative and Visionary"; "Communal and Interdependent"; "Joyful and Celebratory"; "Healthy and Mature".
2. That God would entrust us with a vision that would make us gasp because it is so compelling, gripping, and "heart-enlisting". (You can pray too that we would have the courage to follow Him!)
Thanks in advance for your prayers and partnership. I look forward to sharing the fruit of our (yours and my!) sacrifices!
With Expectation,
Jon
As I think about who I am and the mission I've been charged to lead, I'm seeing that my my two primary callings are to function as a visionary and a teacher. These are the things that give me the most life, that call the most heart, courage, and passion out of me, and which consistently prove to be the most fruitful activities of my life; the more I vision and teach, the hungrier I become to do them exceptionally well, so I'm asking for your prayers toward that end.
Teaching
In the next few weeks, I'll be speaking at William Penn (10.2), Central College (10.3), Grinnell College (10.9), Drake University (10.31), and again at Central (11.7). As such, I'd like to invite your prayers in two ways.
1. Pray that I would speak with power, authority, and wisdom: that my teaching would cause students to encounter Jesus in life transforming ways.
2. Pray that I myself would encounter Jesus in life transforming ways as I prepare. (Teaching is usually one of the ways I learn most effectively).
Vision
At the same time, I'm going to be continuing to lead our area in a strategic visioning process. I am so pleased with the work we have done so far, but as I mentioned above, the more I taste, the hungrier I become! Please pray:
1. That God would aid us in the creation of an organic, adaptive team culture that is marked by four pairs of values: "Innovative and Visionary"; "Communal and Interdependent"; "Joyful and Celebratory"; "Healthy and Mature".
2. That God would entrust us with a vision that would make us gasp because it is so compelling, gripping, and "heart-enlisting". (You can pray too that we would have the courage to follow Him!)
Thanks in advance for your prayers and partnership. I look forward to sharing the fruit of our (yours and my!) sacrifices!
With Expectation,
Jon
Rejoicing...
Hello again everyone!
I'm glad to report that I'm writing at a far more reasonable hour this time, and that the pace and strain of ministry on my family has been noticeably better since I last wrote. Thank you to those of you who have prayed for our family; I believe God has been at work! In particular, the last 24 hours or so have been incredibly sweet: Elijah is sleeping much better, is constantly saying "dac-to" (aka "tractor"), and can now take 5 unassisted steps before he dives giggling into our arms. Parenting can feel a bit paradoxical at times, but it is such a joy to love our little boy. :)
On the ministry front, we are emerging from a season that is known as NSO (New Student Outreach), and there are fantastic things to report from all across our area:
* Since I last wrote, we've seen at least two people choose to follow Jesus for the first time: a Chinese international student from Coe College, and a freshman guy from Drake!
* We had 150 students from Iowa in attendance at our first-ever Regional Fall Conference (FC07)! In two cases (William Penn and Coe), the number of students at the conference actually exceeedthe number of students in the chapter at the beginning of the year!
* Grinnell College is enjoying their best Bible Study launch ever. One of their studies had 18 students attend the first meeting!
The stories literally go on and on, as I only hear bits and pieces from my staff, but join with me in thanking God for the work he's doing on the campuses of Iowa!
With Joy,
Jon
I'm glad to report that I'm writing at a far more reasonable hour this time, and that the pace and strain of ministry on my family has been noticeably better since I last wrote. Thank you to those of you who have prayed for our family; I believe God has been at work! In particular, the last 24 hours or so have been incredibly sweet: Elijah is sleeping much better, is constantly saying "dac-to" (aka "tractor"), and can now take 5 unassisted steps before he dives giggling into our arms. Parenting can feel a bit paradoxical at times, but it is such a joy to love our little boy. :)
On the ministry front, we are emerging from a season that is known as NSO (New Student Outreach), and there are fantastic things to report from all across our area:
* Since I last wrote, we've seen at least two people choose to follow Jesus for the first time: a Chinese international student from Coe College, and a freshman guy from Drake!
* We had 150 students from Iowa in attendance at our first-ever Regional Fall Conference (FC07)! In two cases (William Penn and Coe), the number of students at the conference actually exceeedthe number of students in the chapter at the beginning of the year!
* Grinnell College is enjoying their best Bible Study launch ever. One of their studies had 18 students attend the first meeting!
The stories literally go on and on, as I only hear bits and pieces from my staff, but join with me in thanking God for the work he's doing on the campuses of Iowa!
With Joy,
Jon
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Midnight in Early September
This time of year, it's all too normal. Midnight hits, and I'm still plugging away at any number of things, hoping that my son sleeps well (he's awake with Steph at the moment), and fighting off sleep. Thankfully, this pace is an exception rather than the rule, but to be honest, it's been an incredibly full last few weeks, and I'm feeling it.
On the one hand is the work on campus. Chapters are launching into a year of new freshmen, inexperienced leaders, technical glitches, and transformed lives. I experience these things much more second-hand now than I used to, so I find myself cheering on my staff by phone as they tell me about this great new freshmen they've met, or the leader who is really stepping up to the plate and owning their responsibility in the Kingdom. It truly is an incredible time of year, so filled with hope, expectation, and sometimes disappointment. Though it's incredibly difficult at times, it's this time of year that reminds us why we do this job: we love Jesus, we love the campus, and we are convinced that it is incredibly strategic in God's kingdom.
On the other is family and core relationships. Though it can go unnoticed (and unappreciated!) my family feels as much of the burden as I do, and they sacrifice along with me for the sake of the mission.
To be honest, it has been a difficult season for my family. Both Steph and I are in the midst of ministry launches, which costs time and heart and attention. Elijah continues to sleep poorly, which wears on us physically. In addition, I've been pounding away at a grad school course that is due in just over a week (mainly between 9p-1a). (BTW, it should have been done long ago; apparently, I'm not done procrastinating school work...) Those factors (among others) have been taking their toll on our relationship.
Toward that end, I'd like to ask for your prayers.
1. Pray that Steph and I would make the most of the time we do have; that we'd be able to "check our work at the door" and be more fully present to one another.
2. Pray for Elijah's stomach and intestines, that they would stop waking him up all the time and that he would rest peacefully.
3. Pray for my capacity. I'm finding that I really do need Jesus' help to be a great dad and husband. (Go figure!)
4. Pray that we would be able to push through "functionality" into genuine intimacy.
Thanks for "bearing with" us in this way. We are so grateful.
Learning,
Jon
On the one hand is the work on campus. Chapters are launching into a year of new freshmen, inexperienced leaders, technical glitches, and transformed lives. I experience these things much more second-hand now than I used to, so I find myself cheering on my staff by phone as they tell me about this great new freshmen they've met, or the leader who is really stepping up to the plate and owning their responsibility in the Kingdom. It truly is an incredible time of year, so filled with hope, expectation, and sometimes disappointment. Though it's incredibly difficult at times, it's this time of year that reminds us why we do this job: we love Jesus, we love the campus, and we are convinced that it is incredibly strategic in God's kingdom.
On the other is family and core relationships. Though it can go unnoticed (and unappreciated!) my family feels as much of the burden as I do, and they sacrifice along with me for the sake of the mission.
To be honest, it has been a difficult season for my family. Both Steph and I are in the midst of ministry launches, which costs time and heart and attention. Elijah continues to sleep poorly, which wears on us physically. In addition, I've been pounding away at a grad school course that is due in just over a week (mainly between 9p-1a). (BTW, it should have been done long ago; apparently, I'm not done procrastinating school work...) Those factors (among others) have been taking their toll on our relationship.
Toward that end, I'd like to ask for your prayers.
1. Pray that Steph and I would make the most of the time we do have; that we'd be able to "check our work at the door" and be more fully present to one another.
2. Pray for Elijah's stomach and intestines, that they would stop waking him up all the time and that he would rest peacefully.
3. Pray for my capacity. I'm finding that I really do need Jesus' help to be a great dad and husband. (Go figure!)
4. Pray that we would be able to push through "functionality" into genuine intimacy.
Thanks for "bearing with" us in this way. We are so grateful.
Learning,
Jon
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to Jon's Epistle, Blog Edition!
I've never written a blog before, so this will be a work in progress, but by way of introduction, I wanted to lay out a few of my hopes for this experience.
1. I hope that utilizing this tool creates more opportunity for me to share about the ministry of InterVarsity in Iowa. I'm hoping that this will continue to feel trendy enough to help motivate me to update you all more regularly. :)
2. I hope this paints a somewhat "unvarnished" picture of the real ins and outs of doing this job. Communication to hundreds of people four times a year can be helpful, but there's only so much you can say in a page or two. My hope is that this blog feels closer to the action.
3. I hope it enables a greater level of connection between you all and our ministry, both through keeping you more current on what's going on and how I'm doing, but also enabling feedback and interaction.
As I mentioned elsewhere, I'm hoping to post every couple of weeks. If you'd like to receive an email when I post, please drop me a quick message, and I'll add you to the list. I believe it's also possible to "subscribe" to this blog using the hyperlink below, but to do that, I believe you'll need to create a user ID (if you don't have one already). If you have any difficulties with the site, please let me know, and I'll do what I can to fix it.
Thanks again for checking in, your care and support mean so much.
With expectation,
Jon
I've never written a blog before, so this will be a work in progress, but by way of introduction, I wanted to lay out a few of my hopes for this experience.
1. I hope that utilizing this tool creates more opportunity for me to share about the ministry of InterVarsity in Iowa. I'm hoping that this will continue to feel trendy enough to help motivate me to update you all more regularly. :)
2. I hope this paints a somewhat "unvarnished" picture of the real ins and outs of doing this job. Communication to hundreds of people four times a year can be helpful, but there's only so much you can say in a page or two. My hope is that this blog feels closer to the action.
3. I hope it enables a greater level of connection between you all and our ministry, both through keeping you more current on what's going on and how I'm doing, but also enabling feedback and interaction.
As I mentioned elsewhere, I'm hoping to post every couple of weeks. If you'd like to receive an email when I post, please drop me a quick message, and I'll add you to the list. I believe it's also possible to "subscribe" to this blog using the hyperlink below, but to do that, I believe you'll need to create a user ID (if you don't have one already). If you have any difficulties with the site, please let me know, and I'll do what I can to fix it.
Thanks again for checking in, your care and support mean so much.
With expectation,
Jon
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