I am sharing a story which makes me happy.
During the middle of last year the Christ Center Board considered
the state of campus ministry and concluded that there was a need to create a
new campus ministry with broader impact and appeal at CMU. The thinking
was that the Christ Center would have to create that presence on campus.
After a conversation with Tom the focus shifted to InterVarsity,
an international student ministry founded in England in the late 1800’s.
[For more information, check out intervarsity.org]
Teri Edwards (Christ Center) did homework and started calling the
Regional Director of that organization. To make a long story short, the organization decided to come to
Grand Junction during October of last year for a “chapter planting” training
session on our campus with 14 of their interns (prospective campus
ministers). During that training visit, a few amazing things
happened. One of the interns fell in love with our campus. Tom and Travis both made time to visit with
the Regional Director and made him feel welcome and supported here. There
was a lot of excitement in three camps: InterVarsity, the Christ Center, and a
number of First Pres. people.
A month later, the Mission Team added an amount of $5,000 to its
2013 budget in the form of support for a new campus ministry at CMU. The
Team did this in faith since InterVarsity had not yet committed to come to
CMU. In fact, another campus in Wyoming was their first priority for a
new chapter at that time. In December Session approved those funds.
The monies would be held back pending an InterVarsity decision to plant a
chapter on our campus.
All of that has now come to pass. Will Kuhlman will be the new InterVarsity campus minister at
CMU this fall. Will is a recent grad of the Colorado School of Mines who
will be giving up an engineering career and a great deal of money (new
engineers earn $80,000 plus) in order to serve students and God on our campus.
I have a strong sense that this would not have happened if Tom did
not play a part in identifying InterVarsity, if we as a church had not been so
encouraging towards the visiting Regional Director, if we had not stepped out
in faith to make available a substantial amount in support, etc. I am not
saying we are so great, just that we were obedient to the calling of the Holy
Spirit and stepped out on a limb.
It was about 8 months from the time the need for a strong new
campus ministry was identified, to the time InterVarsity made the commitment to
come. CMU went from not being on
the InterVarsity radar screen, to the first choice for their next chapter
plant. God does not always work so
slowly after all.
I think back to a time, a few years ago, when Debe Colby was the
Mission Elder and when First Pres. took the lead in the faith community by
becoming the first major church to donate a significant amount to the Christ
Center building fund. I think of just
last year when we decided to adopt an orphanage in Uganda in a big way, and of
how [the stewardship and finance team] “found” the money which enabled us to help with the roof
over their new facility. There are so many organizations on the receiving
end of our passion for showing the love of Christ.
I am encouraged to be part of a body of believers who can take
risk, move boldly (with both human and financial resources) and who can provide
leadership in the local faith community by helping in places near and far where
spiritual hunger (and just plain hunger) is rampant - all to the glory of God.
- Andrew Marais, mission elder at FPC
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