Newsletters

July 2002

A Summer of Adventure

When the Lord chose 23 staff and 75 students to be a part of the Virginia Beach summer project, we knew that we would be embarking on an adventure that would change our lives. Bill Bright is right when he says “everyday can be an exciting adventure for the Christian who knows the reality of being filled with the Holy Spirit and who lives moment by moment under His gracious control.”  There are plenty of opportunities for adventure for both staff and students on a daily basis.

God has initiated and built a strong sense of community (with moments that feel like camping- roach sightings are common occurrences) as we live together in the Cherry Motel. The nature of project life also creates a strong sense of unity and dependency on the Body of Christ.

The purpose of the project is for the students to grow in their walks with the Lord. As they pursue His standard of holiness, they are developed in areas of leadership through discipleship and evangelism and through studying the Word. During the day, the students work full- time jobs at local businesses around the area.  These work environments provide natural life opportunities to build relationships with their co-workers and to share with them the love of Jesus. The evenings and weekends are set-aside for times of teaching, training, developing, and community building events. We have been studying the book of Hebrews during our weekly meetings and also in our small group Bible studies. As a project we have been able to share with over 1600 people about how they can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Throw off hindrances

Discipleship

God tells us His heart in Matthew 28 is to “make disciples of all nations.” For several hours every week each student meets with a staff member for a time of individual teaching and training to develop his or her own personal walk with the Lord and ministry skills. Amanda Phelan of Meredith College said, “I came here not wanting to be involved with discipleship because I was afraid to be vulnerable. But I have been amazed at how God has given my heart peace about sharing my life with my discipler. Also, I have never had someone sit down with me and directly apply the Word of God to my life!”

Run with perseverance

Outreaches

Several times a week, we would go out and share with individuals and small groups about how they can have a personal relationship with God. Along with initiating conversations with people, different events were held such a water balloon toss and “crazy football” in order to attract large crowds of people.

Fix your eyes on Jesus

Date night with Jesus

Wednesday night is set aside for time alone with the Lord. With everyone’s busy schedules, this block of time is highly anticipated and very refreshing. John Conner from Indiana University said, “this is a good time to think about what we have been learning and to let God talk to you.”  Each “date” looks different as some take their Bibles to the beach, some go to the coffee shop, and some hang out at the Cherry. Everyone appreciates the time alone to reflect and to refuel.

Fellowship and Unity

During our summer here in VA Beach, the students spend time together sharing about their lives and experiences while at the same time encouraging one another. God has used these “impact groups” to bring increasing unity to this project over the past six weeks.

Bible Studies

Each staff member invests specifically into 4-6 students as they lead a weekly Bible study. The Bible studies provide a smaller environment for students to be vulnerable with one another and to ask questions. Bibles studies not only give us the opportunity to study the Word in depth, but they also provide a time for the men and women to invest in one another’s lives. Emilee Fritts from Indiana University said, “In Bible Study our main purpose is to study the Bible, but we are also able to share our lives.”

Women of Influence

The female staff focused on becoming women of influence. They showed us that women of influence fix their eyes on Christ and allow him to develop their character in His timing.

Men of Integrity

The staff men proved themselves to be Biblical men. They exemplified servant hearts, sportsmanship and unity within the body of Christ to both the staff women and the project students. Truly, these men lived out real faith through everyday project life.

Virginia Beach Staff Team

Campus Crusade for Christ staff come from college campuses across the nation to make up the 23  person staff team here at Va Beach. While on project, staff work with individual students to lead them in Bible study, to train them in practical ministry skills and to deepen their personal relationships with Christ. Staff are also developed by more experienced staff members in being effective ministers of the Gospel on the university campus. 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2 

I never  thought about this before, but, sharing my faith with people is a form of worship. It is a way of worshipping God. It motivates me more to go out and do it because it’s a form of worship and not because people expect me to do it.  Sharing my faith is being obedient to God. 

Andrew Marcum,

Indiana University

One of the men Nate developed this summer (middle) shares Christ with two boys on the beach.

Dave spends time with Jesus. He was one of the guys Nate worked with last summer. He came back this summer to work as intern staff for the project

Jill (left) is our associate campus director at U-M. We were glad to spend the summer with her.

Nate and the men he worked with this summer.

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