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February, 2011

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god encounter One of the reasons why the college campus is such a strategic missions field is that the nations send their best and brightest to American soil to learn English. This means that the Great Commission to take the Good News about Jesus to the ends of the Earth can be accomplished right here in our own back yard when we reach the foreigners among us for Jesus! Here’s a story from my co-worker Jonathan, a campus missionary who has dedicated himself to reaching out full time to International students at Western, Whatcom, and Skagit Valley College: “It’s going to be nearly impossible for me to fit this story on this page, because God is so amazing!  Last summer, we used some of your support money to get a Mongolian Bible for a girl named Unuru (pictured here).  My co-worker Theresa mailed it to her when she was in Chicago for the summer with an aunt.  Theresa remembers being a bit concerned about how the aunt would react to the Bible.   Would she think she was shoving religion down Unuru’s throat and get mad and speak poorly of her?  Would she tell Unuru that she was stupid for wanting to read the Bible?  Theresa prayed for favor. Fast forward a few months.  Unuru was at our Fall Camp, praying after one of the sermons.  She said to the Lord, ‘God, if you love me, I want you to give me a hug.’  Right at that moment, the friend sitting next to her suddenly reached over and gave her a huge embrace.  (I was watching this, but had no idea what she had just prayed in her heart!)  Unuru decided to follow Jesus at that moment! Later, when Theresa asked her if she’d been reading the Bible in English or Mongolian, she said English.   She explained that her aunt was really curious when she got the Bible from us and started reading it too!   Meanwhile, she found an invitation card to a Christian church that she’d gotten months before and decided to start going there.  When Unuru left at the end of the summer, she gave the Bible to her aunt.  Between reading the Bible and going to church, her aunt met Jesus!  She now reads that Bible every day, and since she doesn’t read English very well at all, being able to read it in Mongolian makes this possible.  She told Unuru she loves reading it and falls asleep hugging it every night. That’s not all!  Unuru was baptized at our Christmas service last month, and Elaine (from Hong Kong) was profoundly moved by her statement of commitment.  She told her host mother that she wanted to be baptized too.  When her host mother (a believer!) explained how serious a commitment that was (like a marriage), Elaine said, ‘Yes, now I’ve decided that’s what I want!  I want to make that commitment to Jesus!’ What a wonderful way to close out our mission in 2010.  We are so thankful that you make this possible!”

WHATCOMTIMES February, 2011

Jeffe’s book corner How do people think and process their world these days? In some ways we’re still asking the same questions that have been asked for thousands of years. Yet at the same time, the importance of those questions has changed. Our country is becoming increasingly more and more post-modern, and this shift in worldview has some implications in terms of how Christians are perceived and how we effectively share the Good News about Jesus. These are themes that Professor, Author, and Campus Missionary Rick Richardson shares in his book Evangelism Outside the Box, published by Intervarsity Press. As one who would say that Evangelism is one of my greatest passions, this book is one of the best books on sharing our faith that I have ever read. Rick draws from his experience of decades of reaching out to students on college campuses and draws some very helpful paradigm shifts for us to consider as we project ahead to reaching out to our co-workers, classmates, neighbors, family and friends on behalf of our Lord Jesus. I highly recommend this read.

Prayer Requests: • I have noticed a relational climate of tension and frustration among believers in our fellowship lately. Please pray for God’s guidance, that we as a community would allow him to speak to our hearts, and love one another well.

• Some young students I know are struggling with identity issues. Many students carry themselves as if they need to prove that they are right. Please pray that the love of God would be revealed as a firm foundation for their lives.

support update: Thank you for being the best Support Team I could imagine having! A note to my Financial Supporters, enclosed you will find your contribution statement for 2010 - all gifts are tax-deductible. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the UCM office at [email protected] or 360.676.8612." Thanks again for all you do for me :) Dec. Giving- $2,119.87 Monthly Goal: $2,300 YTD Mo. Avg.: $2,696

Thank You for your Generosity All donations made to UCM are tax deductible. Please make checks out to: University Christian Ministries Bellingham, WA 98225 Please Do not write my name on the check. Please do write SPRINGER on the bottom left

hand corner of the envelope. For other giving options, please visit us on the web: www.ccfministry.com/support or on the web: www.ccfministry.com/jeff