The End of Days

The days of the Spring semester, that is. 

We had a good turnout last night; Brandon preached on 1 Peter 2:13-17, where Peter tells christians to submit to the governing authorities. Brandon did a really good job expounding what that looks like in our cultural climate today. It was one of the better messages I've heard from Brandon. If you're interested in listening to it let me know I can send you the file. It's certainly a challenging text in light of a lot of increasingly hostile legislation and cultural attitude against Christianity. 

Not everyone is pictured but here are a couple of pictures of some of the gals in some of the guys. 

We also had our "Senior Spotlight", where we give several minutes to interviewing and letting our graduating seniors share about their experience, and give advice and encouragement to underclassmen. Deryn Beck is our only senior this year and she did a great job last night Sharing about her experience and giving good counsel to her peers and underclassmen. 

"One thing I'm thankful for is having friends that will tell me when I'm wrong", Deryn shared. She encouraged students to be intentional with their time as soon as possible for the good of their neighbor. 

I would say that I will miss Deryn but fortunately she is starting grad school and will stick around next year!

For the Ladies

Not really "for" the ladies...

Taylor Waltner (second from the left on the bottom) has been a valuable volunteer and a good sister for at least a couple of years now (for Equip).  She went and got engaged (to be married), and so is headed off to Timbuktu this summer to tie the knot.  So, she won't  be here to volunteer anymore, which will be a loss for us, and a find for her new husband.

She has led Bible studies, discipled girls and all sorts of stuff for awhile now, and I will miss her.

Taylor's Bible study she led this semester.

The Old and the New

On the right is Josh, an Equip and FBC alum whom I discipled for most of his time in school. He graduated a couple of years ago and is now living just east of Sioux Falls and involved in a good church (Connection church), along with almost every other Equip alum that lives in or near Sioux Falls. I miss Josh, he is quite a guy, married, learning to live and sacrifice for his wife and lead his family. He was a loss to us when he graduated :( , but I'm excited to see him involved where he is. 

On the left is Trent, a sophomore now and very involved in Equip: student leadership and just overall a young man who loves Jesus and is one of those dudes who loves people, gathers them and is liked by basically everyone.  He is growing a lot, and I'm excited to spend more time with him next year. 

As you can see, they sparred this weekend at our men's summit shingdig. It was a very good time. More perhaps on that later. 

Abraham (left), and Michael also sparred, two more equippers. 

The whole Brookings crew that came: Amos, Brandon, Abraham, Adam, me, Michael, Trent and Seth. 

Men of God Summit

Last night and today, we are participating in a little men's event shindig called Men of God Summit. A handful of ministries and churches joined together to put it on, led by an Equip alum and some other young dudes. Brandon spoke last night, I teach today at 3:00, and lots of stuff in between.  Please pray for God to bless our time, that he would convict and lead us into further knowledge of him and his will for us. 

Thursday Night Live

 I have no idea why the students named it "Thursday night live". It was a good night. :) A handful of college ministries got together where everybody came and sang and heard God's word preached. 

It was a good night, even with the "hype amplifier" turned all the way up to 11 (not quite the way we typically do it at Equip. :) Ryan Franchuk (a friend) preached with clarity and fire from Matthew 19, so please pray that God would grow fruit of Godward passion and sober-mindedness in these students' hearts and mine. 

Screwtape and Wormwood

So I absolutely love the Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis. Our Reading Group is finishing the semester with it,  and it has been fantastically helpful and enjoyable. Yesterday was chapters 12-14, and here's a little snippet. 

Ratio Christi

As I've mentioned in one of the past newsletters, we (Equip) have been involved in helping create a new student group on campus called "Ratio Christi".  It is exclusively an "apologetic" ministry, with the express purpose of serving already established college ministries to reach and serve students.  We have been doing essentially the same thing on Monday evenings for several years, and it has been good overall, although with ups and downs.  However, we have never been too successful at reaching other christians on campus involved elsewhere, something we've wanted to be able to do.  So, Ratio Christi was born, with participation with us, Navigators, Intervarsity and others.
It has, by God's grace, been a great year for it, with upwards of 15 students regularly coming and involved, and seemingly some good progress towards better, deeper and more Christ-honoring christian thinking.

It really serves a major role in the mission of Equip..."enable students to humbly proclaim, explain and defend the gospel...".

Tonight, we had a little social BBQ & fire at our new place (3 blocks straight west of camps).  After a while we had everyone hare something more about themselves, as well as a major question/issue/thing they've dealt with in terms of theology or philosophy or whatever.  There were lots of great questions and issues, and we had a great night with all these students!