We had a great time at Christmas Conference this last year. If you want to read more about what happened at the Indianapolis Christmas Conference this last year you can read our january prayer letter or you can check out the indy cc website.
January 2005
Check our news section regularly to read the most current information about what is happening in our ministry.
Ryan and I just returned from another amazing Christmas Conference in Indianapolis. We spent 4 days with 2500+ college students, learning about, serving, and worshiping the Lord. The theme of this year’s conference was “He Is.” (in other words – discovering the traits of God that make up who He is.)
|
Gary Purdy was the main speaker during the conference. He is a dynamic and compelling speaker whose vulnerability and humility pointed us straight to God. He is the director of Crossroads, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ at the University of Georgia. He talked about God as Father, Friend, Lover and King in a fresh, enlightening way.
The worship is led by Paul Jenkins, the worship pastor at Oak Pointe Church in Northville, Michigan who has led our conference for 4 years. The worship band of students along with Paul helped us to experience, through singing, a way to worship Jesus.
On Thursday, the students went out into the city and to the jail to meet with families and individuals to give them “Boxes of Love” and share the Gospel with them. Our students were equipped with a few tools to take with them on our annual Day of Outreach. Partnering with churches all over the Indianapolis, we took Boxes of Love (filled with ham, canned goods and other food) to the people in the community. As we gave it, we just expressed that God loves them and offered to share with them more about that love, if they were interested. Overall, there were over 2000 conversations, 900 people heard the gospel and 124 people decided to follow Christ!
The Prison: About 60 men volunteered to go into the Marriot County Prison to share about who Jesus is with the men. They were so hungry for Him! One student was able to share about who Christ is to 8 men, 5 of which chose to follow Him for a lifetime. Praise God!
Changing a tire: Three students walked by a car where a few guys were changing a tire. After chatting for a while, the more aloof man in the back, who had never heard about Jesus, asked: “So, how can I get saved?” The students were taken aback by the deep desire to know about spiritual things.
A woman, 96: Some students knocked on a door where a 96 year old woman answered. After a lengthy conversation about Jesus and her background and life experiences – she realized her need for a Savior and asked Him into her life.
These snapshots do not even reflect who is now still thinking about these things and what God will do later.
My favorite part of Christmas Conference is the New Year’s Party. It starts out with dancing, games, and just hanging out. At 11pm, all the students head into the main meeting room to spend 45 minutes praying for the students on their campuses, for our ministries around the world, and this year, for those devastated by the Tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. We count down the last 30 seconds of the year, and then immediately spend the first hour of the New Year worshiping our Lord. It is amazing time to see so many college students intercessing for God’s people and then totally on fire as they praise Him with singing and music.
This year was especially amazing, for this was our first year as staff and not as students. Ryan and I had the opportunity to meet with and spend some time with a few of the people from our teams. I also had a couple opportunities to hang out with and get to know a handful of students.
You make it possible for us to be a part of this ministry and use our gifts at Christmas Conference to help students learn more about who Christ is, witness to others about Christ, and respond to the call to serve Christ with their lives.
In HIM,
Please Pray
> That God would continue to reveal Himself to the students from the conference. That they would go back to their campuses excited to reach lost students for Christ.
> For those newly entering the kingdom from our outreach, that they would receive follow-up from local churches, and they would grow in their new found faith. Pray also that their families will be reached through them.
> That Rachel and I would have wisdom in our desicion and need to buy a new vehicle.