Newsletters

March 2005

A Job with Many Roles

I often joke with my campus director about the wide variety of things we get to do as a regular part of our job throughout a year (from sharing the gospel with lost students to janitorial work). I thought it might be instructive to give you a snapshot of the different roles I tackle through the course of a year.

My “Day Job”

The Hill

For the past five years I have given leadership to the men’s ministry on the Hill area of campus. It is my responsibility to consider how to best use the student male leaders to reach the 1500 men in these four dorms.

Evangelism and Discipleship

Every week I meet with six key student men who lead community groups in the four dorms of the Hill. We do evangelism in the dorms together, talk through their ministry, and I do various types of spiritual development with them including teaching them how to study the Bible.

Leadership Group

Each Monday night I lead these six men in a Bible study. This year we have worked through 1 Corinthians. It is important for these men who have such an input in the lives of men in their groups to have good biblical input in their lives as well.

Training

Jason Roth is a student I worked with the last couple years who graduated last spring and has worked as an intern with us this year and leads the ministry in the largest dorm on the Hill. Tom Smyly is new staff at Eastern Michigan University. I meet with both of these men each week to encourage them, do evangelism together, and help them become more effective ministers on campus.

Communication with Ministry Partners

Along with designing and writing this newsletter I determine our support needs and keep track of incoming support (administered by the national office in Orlando).

My Campus Roles

Family Night

Each Monday night we gather all of our leaders together for a time of teaching, training, worship or prayer. I have planned and led this time for the past couple years.

Speaking and Teaching

I get a regular chance to speak at the weekly meetings at Michigan, Eastern and have even spoken at some other smaller campuses. I also have opportunities to teach at Family Night (e.g. “Applying the Bible” and “Asking Good Questions in Evangelism”).

Fall Retreat

For each of the past six years I have given leadership to our Fall Retreat which is a critical time of connection and growth for our movement.

Spring Break

I got a break this year (to fill another role), but often lead our trips to Turkey or Daytona Beach, Florida.

Campus Tech and Publicity

As one of the more tech-savvy and graphic design-inclined staff on campus I shepherd the website and most of our campus publicity.

University Paperwork

Somebody has to deal with the monstrous bureaucracy of  the “U” with the endless paperwork required for any event. All of the staff end up getting this pleasure.

My Regional Roles

Life Options

This was my first year running this conference. I wrote about this in detail in last month’s newsletter.

Intern/New Staff Application Evaluator

For the past few years I have read through numerous applications from prospective interns and this year for prospective staff to determine whether they meet the standards required for those jobs. I also help to determine needed steps for growth and make recommendations for their ministry placement.

My National Roles

Coach for Bible Study Methods

For the past two summers I have been one of the small group coaches for the Bible Study Methods class required for all new staff. I teach these groups of 10-12 the methods of the class, answer their questions, and grade their assignments.

The Edge

As I did two years ago, I will help lead this project for undergrad students. They will join us in Fort Collins, Colorado and will take theological classes with some of the best seminary professors in the country.

Kids' Column

My Thomas party was a lot of fun! You can see me blowing out my candles here. I am so big now that I am 5. It is important for me to tell Lauren what she should be doing since she is only 3. I am sure Mommy appreciates me helping keep her and Lindsey in line.

Andrew and I helped Mommy build a snowman when we had a big snow the first day of March. When it melted the left half melted first. It was funny to see only half of our snowman there! See the picture of me with big hair? That was for crazy hair night at Cubbies. My hair can get really big when Mommy frizzes it!

I have some new teeth. Molars. Between that and having a nasty cold/cough I have kept Mommy hopping at night. Andrew and Lauren had coughs, too, so Mommy got to visit us a lot at night during the past month. We are all sleeping better now. I am trying to climb on the furniture like I see my big brother and my big sister doing. No luck yet, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out soon.

Behind the Lines Online at www.ardle.org

Our website has a more memorable address now. You can access our site through the old address http://home.ccci.org/ardle or through www.ardle.org. Take a look at our website where you can get current information about our ministry, read current and past newsletters and always be up-to-date with how we are doing. Please add our site to your favorites. Also direct others to this address if you would like to expose them to our ministry.

www.ardle.org

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