Conversational Evangelism

UNT and TWU – after hearing stories of staff sharing the gospel 2 years ago and what the spiritual climate of the campus was, I was slightly terrified. But despite my terror, we were going to spend the afternoon asking students questions about their spirituality and hopefully getting to share what we believe about Jesus.

My partner, John, and I felt unsure about whom to approach, but the first real conversation we got into was with a woman sitting on a bench picking through her lunch. She was a 1^st generation biracial Korean Caucasian who had started following Jesus many years before. But just last year, the friend who had introduced her to Jesus betrayed her deeply. She no longer talks to her friend, and she’s struggling in her relationship with God. She hasn’t been to church, she says she isn’t sure Jesus is the only way anymore, and her pain was evident in her eyes and shaking hands. It seemed like she was running away from the pain, trying to make it through by ignoring it. We got to encourage her to stay honest with her struggles, that nothing can separate her from the love of Christ, and that he is with her, suffering alongside her.

The next woman we talked to was a Korean international student who had moved to America just weeks ago to study English. We had a lot of trouble understanding each other, but when we started asking about religion and whether she was Christian, eventually she told us “I’m nothing.” She had been to a Korean speaking church the weekend before where she felt relaxed for the first time. She excitedly took a track called True Story by James Chuong about how we were designed for good, damaged by evil, restored for better when Christ died on the cross, and are now sent to heal the world with Christ.

The last significant conversation we had was with a white student sitting at a fraternity table asking for donations for the North Texas Food Bank. He was spacy, eventually revealing he hadn’t slept the night before. It was kinda hilarious trying to get him to answer questions or even understand what we were saying. We found out he wasn’t very passionate about the food bank or the frat – he just wanted to be involved in something while he was at college. He grew up Catholic, but had decided to “take the wheel” and choose where he wanted to go. He agreed that Jesus was Lord “because that’s the language I always grew up with” but he didn’t think of Jesus as the leader of his life. We tried to challenge him that Jesus wanted more for him and for their relationship, that when we try to be in charge we make selfish and dumb choices, but he kept saying that he wasn’t sure about that. God was his safety net – that’s what he wanted and what God wanted. But he was considering going to some InterVarsity events because we were the second pair of people to talk to him about God that day. 

All in all, it was a great afternoon!

Reconnecting with Alumni

The staff in the Gulf Coast Area (College Station and Houston) are reconnecting with alumni. I hope to see a few things come out of this effort.

Alumni are encouraging to me and my students. We just had Rene and Jennifer Aguirre (’96 and ’98, respectively) down to our Large Group. Jennifer spoke on God’s heart for justice and Rene announced the LaFe ’10 conference happening in Dallas. They got to meet and speak truth to students. Friday morning at Sweet Eugene’s, I got to hear stories of the Aguirre’s time at A&M and share my joys and struggles in calling Aggies to follow Christ. They had encouragement and advice, and they understood.

Alumni can pray wholeheartedly for the campus, with more of a long-term vision than students can. We just had 4 alumni from the class of ’54 come to our weekly prayer meeting – how cool is that! Several times a year, we hold an alum prayer meeting at Dennis and Sunny O’Neal’s house in College Station. The folks who gather there ask insightful questions, and then we delve into praying.

Alumni can give. There’s just no way students alone could ever financially support me and the work we do together. Alum (usually – I know it’s not always true in this economy!) have jobs, so if God calls them to give, they can give significantly more than a student.

There are many more things alum can do for InterVarsity’s ministry at A&M – disciple a student, provide a home for a leadership retreat, teach at a conference, bake some cookies for an outreach. But, I think alum can benefit too. I’ve heard too many stories from dear friends about how easy it is to slip away from following God, getting caught in the busy-ness of life. I’ve experienced it myself. There’s life and vitality in being around others who are following Jesus wholeheartedly; if you can’t find it anywhere else, you will certainly find it among students who are trying to figure out how to follow Jesus, sometimes for the first time.

That’s what I’m hoping for, at least. I need your help to do this. If you are interested in helping me get in touch with alumni, let me know. This could look like a few things: looking through the alum list to see if I’m missing alum from your year, helping me contact alum, or holding an event in your city to gather alum to support InterVarsity at Texas A&M. Leave a comment or email me at Carolyn_Boatsman@ivstaff.org.

Rooted and Grounded In Love

That was the phrase that came to me last week while I was praying with the Gulf Coast area staff team (Houston + College Station). I felt God calling me to know that I am rooted and grounded in His love in a new way during the next few months. I’m excited!

My first thought was, that’s a little redundant. What’s the difference in being rooted and being grounded?

It’s from Ephesians 3:17. I’ve read that passage a couple times in the last few months, as I’ve pondered our vision statement (Infused with the Transforming Power of Christ, Overflowing with Sacrificial Love) and to help our Small Group Leaders choose passages to study this semester. But I’ve been reading the NIV, and that has a different wording – “rooted and established”. The phrase God gave me is found in a couple translations. Here’s the larger passage in the NASB translation:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21)

I keep thinking of all the difference this will make in my life. In my staff work, I would know that my self-worth is not based on whether someone chooses to give to my ministry or go to the event I’ve planned. I’m taking on more risks as a staff worker, especially in evangelism. Knowing that I’m rooted and grounded in love will transform the way I share the gospel and hopefully transform the people I’m sharing with. I’m learning how to take a Sabbath after working hard all week. I tend to spread my work out, trampling over boundaries I’ve set up for rest. That leaves me too tired to work hard when I need to. Can you imagine the difference? Stretching myself to work, because I know God loves me. Then, choosing to turn from work, trusting that God will still love me when I’m not performing for Him. Believing that delighting in God and playing and resting in His presence is a worthwhile use of my time. Because it’s worth it to experience God and His love.

So what do you think? What does it mean to be rooted and grounded in love? Has God taken you through a similar growing experience?