Jesus said these words when seventy-two of His disciples returned from the "harvest field" rejoicing because God had worked through them as they proclaimed the Kingdom. I shared Jesus' joy and echoed His words after the Volleyball Team Mystery Dinner three Wednesdays ago. Jenna, a sophomore JV, volleyball player , and Rani, a junior, varsity volleyball player, shared a personal testimony and gave a Gospel presentation (respectively). It was each girl's first time proclaiming God's Kingdom in front of a crowd, and 8 of their teammates received the gift of salvation!!! You know there was beaucoup partying in heaven among the angels that night :)
Mystery Dinner!!!
Needless to say, the Mystery Dinner was wonderful. There were about 30 attendees and delightful chaos as the girls selected their three-course meals from encrypted menus. The girls were given one minute to make selections from a 12-item menu, which, unknown to them, included food items as well as utensils. Upperclassmen girls and top-notch butlers were assigned to serve two or three girls for the evening. It was quite hilarious to see some of the girls' faces as their servers showed up with a "course" that included a mint, a toothpick, and lasagna, or a fork, a cup of lemonade, and an ice cream sundae. They came up with some pretty creative ways to eat their meals without silverware (or with the wrong type). You really had to be there to capture the excitement, but since you couldn't be there, we captured it for you on camera! :-D
After the meal, the girls had the opportunity to gather in groups and share responses to questions related to their spirituality, their views of life, and their views of God. The activity prepared the girls' hearts to listen to Jenna's testimony and Rani's Gospel presentation.
L - R: Happy freshman girls. . . before they saw the menu!; Able servers ready to go!; "Who ordered the salad with a side of toothpick and napkin?"; Butler line-up - Caleb, Todd, and Chris.
Blackmail photos!!! :-D
L - R: Jenna sharing her testimony with the group; Rani giving a Gospel presentation.
Bible Studies
We had our first volleyball team Bible study tonight with a handful of girls. We talked about assurance of salvation, looking through Scriptures together for God's promises to those who receive Him.
Last week, a freshman girl on the school drill team told me she would be interested in hosting a Bible study in her home, so this Wednesday, Lord willing, we will begin another girls' Bible study!
Two new boys' Bible studies have also begun since our leadership retreat in September. Daniel, a student who received discipleship training last year, felt a desire to bear fruit by ministering to the academically gifted students at his school, and he has begun a Bible study in his home. Another student, Cameron, committed to ministering to his cross country teammates, and he has also begun a Bible study in his home.
See You at the Pole
September 24th was "See You at The Pole," a day when students across the nation gather around the flag pole at their school to pray. This year, Student Venture students helped to lead the event at Newman Smith. It was incredible to see the number of students who showed up at 6:30 a.m. to pray for their school and for the nation.
L - R: A group of early risers gathered to pray; Kevin leading the group in worship songs.
Prayer Requests
On Wednesday, October 15, we will have our first outreach for the year . . . (drumrolls, please) . . . JELLOFEST. It promises to be a messy time, with (you guessed it!) lots of jello flying around. The outreach events are opportunities to gather groups of students for a time of fun, and to make the Gospel of Christ known to them in a non-threatening environment. Please pray that there would be a good turn out and that the students who will be sharing a personal testimony or the Gospel would be filled with boldness by the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray also for "fertile soil" in the hearts of those who attend, that they would be receptive to the Word.
Fastbreak is coming up in a few months. It is a conference during Martin Luther King weekend (January 16-19) at which students are equipped for a life of discipleship. Conferences have historically been momentum builders in the ministry, as hearts are transformed through seminars, anointed speakers, and personal time with God. Please begin to pray now about what God is going to do in the lives of the students. So far, 25 students from Newman Smith have signed up to attend!
My Prayer for You!
Thank you all again for your encouragement, support, and prayers. In these times of economic, political, and social uncertainty, may you be steadfastly assured that the Sovereign, Ominipotent God is in control. May He continually reveal Himself to you as Provider, Healer, Shepherd, and Protector.
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