We had more students than ever before, right around 20, step into some kind of leadership role this year. That means there are at least that many young people going onto our campus each day with a purpose in mind that exceeds and supersedes what is going on in their classes—they are there on God’s behalf. Each one of them is engaged in befriending their peers, initiating valuable spiritual conversations, and studying the bible one-on-one.
I would estimate we have somewhere in the range of 40-50 one-on-one bible studies going on right now. How cool is that?!?
I was really encouraged by a conversation with one of our corefas (student small group leader) last week. We were talking about the guys in his core and thinking about potential leaders for next year. He mentioned that a guy named Matt, who is a sophomore this year, has really been stepping up in their core.
As I reflected on that, I began to think through the process by which Matt came into our community. Two years prior, a freshman named Chad got connected with FOCUS through his older sister. I had the privilege of spending some time studying the Word and forging a friendship with Chad that year, and the following year he stepped up and led a core. That year, he reached out to a student named Tong from Thailand—befriending him, studying the Word with him, and helping him grow in his faith.
The following fall, Chad transferred to UNT. The first day of school, I was eating lunch in the café at Collin College, and in walked Tong. With him were two guys he had just met in his Computer Science class. He had initiated with them and invited them both to eat after class. One of those two guys was very quiet and shy. His name was Matt.
In the following months, I watched Tong use the things he learned through his relationship with Chad to shape his friendship with Matt. Now, a year later, I have another student leader telling me how much Matt is growing and stepping up.
 |
| Tong and Chad |
 |
| Matt (left) with Tong and guys from core |
This reminded me of so many powerful truths. First, that God can and wants to work through each one of us to impact the people around us.
Second, that it’s not as hard as we make it out to be! If we just take the time to be bold in initiating with people and invest in them, God will do the most difficult work.
Third, he doesn’t need people with amazing talents and communication skills—he just needs hearts that are surrendered to him. He used a 19 year old that struggled with doubt to impact a student from Thailand who was fairly timid and unconfident in his ability to communicate. He used that student to impact a quiet freshman on his first day of school, and now he’s using that guy to minister to a whole group of guys that he meets with every week.
And lastly, it reminded me that this is how the Kingdom grows. We must have a vision beyond the here and now. We don’t have to impact thousands. We only need to help one person build a relationship with Christ and understand His call on their life. The impact of one relationship can send out a wake beyond our wildest imaginations, altering countless lives and changing the course of generations to follow each of those disciples.
I hope you are as challenged by that as I am. And I ask you to pray for MANY more stories such as this one!
All my love and gratitude to each of you,
Casey
