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Establishing Witnessing Communities at Northern Michigan University Cake with a Match for a Candle As I looked at my phone I had two minutes before the worship team would start Saturday evening at our weekend conference. I had put up an evangelism station the day before hoping to teach it to some students during free moments. “Hey, I need some people to come over here so I can show you this station!” Five students from our chapter who were nearby quickly circled the four display panels. I randomly asked Abby to be the participant and hurriedly asked a series of questions as she interacted with the display. Two of her responses caught me strangely, so I asked Abby if she had ever made a decision to follow Jesus. Since she was a regular to our fellowship I had encouraged her to attend a track for Christian freshmen that weekend, and not the track for those investigating Jesus. To my surprise, not only was Jesus new to her, she was more than ready to pray and commit herself to Jesus! During our chapter prayer time we got to hear more of her story. We celebrated with Abby singing happy birthday with a piece of cake we found and a match for a candle. Bailey an NMU student, is meeting this week with Abby for the second time. They are going through the Gospel of Matthew and Bailey is using discipleship skills she learned the same weekend in a different track. Students like Abby like to feel welcomed to a group before they start considering Jesus. Even though she came from a strong Christian family, she says she has understood the Gospel for the first time! Andy Liimatta- Campus Staff Worker [email protected] 906-236-9219 more campus stories at https://nmuintervarsity.wordpress.com/ Why Would I Go to Urbana? “Is God calling me to foreign missions?” That is the questions students ask themselves internally as we invite them to the Urbana Missions Conference Dec 27-31 in St. Louis. However, that is not the primary question we want them to have in considering if they will go! Urbana is not 5 days of arm twisting to recruit missionaries. Instead, Urbana is a time to see our world. We see the broken parts and we see the work of God’s people in being the church in those broken areas. Often at Urbana students realize deeply for the first time that God can use them at all! Often at Urbana students first see that the Gospel message of hope is desperately needed everywhere. The possibilities of serving Jesus are endless (and the organizations with booths inviting participation in proclamation and serving around the Gospel are endless at Urbana). I’m praying for 10 students to decide to attend Urbana. Spending 5 days thinking about the Gospel and what God is doing in the world will shape the way they think about God’s growing kingdom forever! Please also pray that students don’t give in to fear in fundraising for the trip and that they would not be afraid to talk to their parents about wanting to go to a mission conference. Fall Conference: Andy, Abby, Melanie, Emily, Makayla, Erin, Tamina, Bailey, Maddie, Julie, Kayla, Nancy (Tim not pictured)

Northern Michigan University Ministry Update Oct 2015

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A few highlights from the first part of the fall semester. A couple things coming up this fall to pray for.

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Page 1: Northern Michigan University Ministry Update Oct 2015

Establishing Witnessing Communities at

Northern Michigan University

Cake with a Match for a Candle

As I looked at my phone I had two minutes before the

worship team would start Saturday evening at our

weekend conference. I had put up an evangelism station

the day before hoping to teach it to some students during

free moments. “Hey, I need some people to come over

here so I can show you this station!” Five students from

our chapter who were nearby quickly circled the four

display panels. I randomly asked Abby to be the

participant and hurriedly asked a series of questions as she

interacted with the display. Two of her responses caught

me strangely, so I asked Abby if she had ever made a

decision to follow Jesus. Since she was a regular to our

fellowship I had encouraged her to attend a track for

Christian freshmen that weekend, and not the track for

those investigating Jesus. To my surprise, not only was

Jesus new to her, she was more than ready to pray and

commit herself to Jesus! During our chapter prayer time

we got to hear more of her story. We celebrated with

Abby singing happy birthday with a piece of cake we found

and a match for a candle. Bailey an NMU student, is

meeting this week with Abby for the second time. They

are going through the Gospel of Matthew and Bailey is

using discipleship skills she learned the same weekend in a

different track. Students like Abby like to feel welcomed

to a group before they start considering Jesus. Even

though she came from a strong Christian family, she says

she has understood the Gospel for the first time!

Andy Liimatta- Campus Staff Worker [email protected] 906-236-9219

more campus stories at https://nmuintervarsity.wordpress.com/

Why Would I Go to Urbana?

“Is God calling me to foreign missions?” That is the

questions students ask themselves internally as we

invite them to the Urbana Missions Conference Dec

27-31 in St. Louis. However, that is not the primary

question we want them to have in considering if they

will go! Urbana is not 5 days of arm twisting to recruit

missionaries. Instead, Urbana is a time to see our

world. We see the broken parts and we see the work

of God’s people in being the church in those broken

areas. Often at Urbana students realize deeply for the

first time that God can use them at all! Often at

Urbana students first see that the Gospel message of

hope is desperately needed everywhere. The

possibilities of serving Jesus are endless (and the

organizations with booths inviting participation in

proclamation and serving around the Gospel are

endless at Urbana). I’m praying for 10 students to

decide to attend Urbana. Spending 5 days thinking

about the Gospel and what God is doing in the world

will shape the way they think about God’s growing

kingdom forever! Please also pray that students don’t

give in to fear in fundraising for the trip and that they

would not be afraid to talk to their parents about

wanting to go to a mission conference.

Fall Conference: Andy, Abby, Melanie, Emily, Makayla, Erin, Tamina, Bailey, Maddie, Julie, Kayla, Nancy (Tim not pictured)

Page 2: Northern Michigan University Ministry Update Oct 2015

InterVarsity students running a table raising funds in Jamrich Hall

for Worldvision work among Syrian refuges

Looking for Apprentices!

Instead of looking for new leaders this year, we

are first looking for apprentices. I’m inviting 10

freshmen to join me for several weeks of

intentional missional activity on campus.

InterVarsity has noted that when we start with

training around getting to know non-Christians,

sharing life and the Gospel; it has the effect of

boosting other areas of their spiritual life. It’s in

the risk taking that we trust and truly see God’s

faithfulness and power. After being an

apprentice I’ll be inviting some of these

students into co-leading or planting small group

Bible studies during the winter semester. So be

in prayer for these apprentices. We have great

materials, videos, activities, Bible studies put

together nationally and we’re looking forward

to our campus being blessed through this

leadership development.

Praying about Transitions

Every day I think and pray a bit more about what I

might be doing a year from now. The thinking isn’t

born out of tiredness for campus ministry or fear of

the future; but is more a curious waiting. I believe

that guidance comes from God, and that God likes to

use his Church to help guide, so I’d like to quickly

share a few options Karen and I are praying around;

(that you could pray for also). We don’t feel God is

calling me to years of seminary. My passion area is

for teaching and training in an under-served context.

We are thinking God is calling us to stay in the

Marquette area (Karen will be looking for a Special

Ed teaching positions fall 2016). The broad areas of

interest are: 1) If Karen is hired out of the area I

could serve on a church staff in that new town. 2)

Planting a church in Ishpeming or Marquette focused

on unchurched non-professionals (service industry

workers). 3) Offer a variety of training seminars at

churches around the central U.P. helping people

grow in evangelism, Bible study skills, discipleship,

etc. 4) Taking 5 classes with my denomination that

will allow me to serve as a pastor in a church without

a pastor, likely in the northern Lower Peninsula. 5)

Karen is considering attending the Urbana Missions

conference with me (Dec 27-31) since we are both

going through transitions in our professional life, we

thought it would be good to consider how God might

speak to us at Urbana. Thanks for your prayers for us

and all those going through transitions.

NMU Cares For Syria

If you search Face Book for “NMU Cares For

Syria” you will see the work of one of our small

group Bible Studies. Julie, the small group

leader has us praying and giving to the work of

Worldvision among those living in refugee

camps. The funds help provide food, water,

basic health care and support for children

exposed to seeing violence in the Syrian Civil

War. It has been encouraging to see Julie

organize this fundraiser and open it to the

university community. Our goal is to raise

$10,000 by the end of the year. We are at

$535. Julie wanted to invite those receiving

my ministry update letter to consider giving a

donation through the link on Facebook.