Why "Behind the Lines"?

Some of you might be wondering why we call this site and our monthly newsletter “Behind the Lines”. For Shelly and I this title has a two-fold meaning. First, as most of you know, Shelly and I graduated from Ohio State. For a couple people who bleed scarlet and gray, to live in Ann Arbor can feel like living behind enemy lines. Everything is maize and blue. The only scarlet you see is on stop signs!

The second meaning of this title is much more meaningful. We really are doing ministry behind enemy lines. For decades the college campus has been a stronghold of immorality, drunkenness, secularism, anti-Christian sentiment, and ungodliness. Students are taught to respect all opinions except those that involve absolute truth. They are taught safe sex but not what a meaningful relationship is all about. They are taught that there is no god but what they make him out to be. They are taught to find fulfillment in their careers, in success, in partying, in sex, or any other number of things except a relationship with God.

This is the environment we minister in. We can think of no other place we would rather work! We have a chance to be a part of reaching the future leaders of this country with the message of Jesus Christ. We have a chance to see God reach into student’s lives and turn them from a path of destruction to a path of life. What a privilege it is to be able to influence students at the University of Michigan “Behind the Lines”!  What a challenge it is to break through their unbiblical worldviews and spiritual apathy to lead them into a relationship with Jesus Christ!