United States of America: Renewed in 30 seconds
On the surface, Kristine seemed fine. Having known the gospel from an early age, she was now an active member in her InterVarsity/USA group at El Camino College, California. But inside, she was struggling.
Losing Sight
“Service after service, my heart felt like it was being gutted right out of my chest,” Kristine explains.
“Pursued perfection, cursed with comparison, burdened with sin, feared my future, and regret of the past — all this baggage was hindering me from seeing Christ’s worthiness. I was spiritually exhausted.”
At the end of her “rollercoaster” college year, she headed off to an InterVarsity/USA camp in the nearby mountains. She admits: “I didn’t expect much. I was simply looking forward to getting away”. Along with two friends, she joined around a hundred other students from the area for five days of fellowship.
Regaining Focus
At the first session, packets of printouts from Mark’s Gospel were distributed. Their time in Scripture was going to focus on “Manuscript Study”, a communal, inductive method used for decades by InterVarsity/USA and adopted in many other IFES movements.
They opened their packs, and the first line was read out: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
The Word came alive; something shifted in Kristine. She recalls:
“In that moment, I realised that the only source of what is good, what is new and true, is Christ, the Son of God. Nothing and nobody else. God can do a lot in six months, in a year, but in my case, God did the most in thirty seconds. The Holy Spirit was overflowing. I realised that I no longer have to live in shame and spiritual collapse.”
Campus and Camps
Camps like this have long been a fruitful accompaniment to termtime campus ministry in InterVarsity/USA. Last year, over 3,300 students attended such events. The blend of resting in creation, growing in loving community, and digging into Scripture has been life-giving for many.
This summer break, the beginning of the gospel brought a new beginning for Kristine. As the new academic year starts on her campus, she’s being hopeful and realistic about what lies beyond her 30-second renewal:
“Although reading and soaking in the Word activates and enables faith, it only gets real when it’s tested. But whatever comes, I can now boldly say that Jesus is my only constant.”
Let’s pray for her and InterVarsity/USA ministry.
Pray
- Give thanks for Kristine’s liberating and refreshing encounter with Christ and his gospel – and for all those who have experienced God’s work through InterVarsity/USA camps during their summer break. As they return to campus, pray that they will not lose sight of Christ’s worthiness and sufficiency.
- Pray for the ongoing witness of the InterVarsity/USA group at El Camino College. The current group is small but strong in its love for God. As they meet new students and invite them to join, ask that God will be at work in hearts – that newcomers won’t be intimidated by the smallness of the ministry but see it as an opportunity to grow and flourish.
- Whether at camp or on campus, pray that the Holy Spirit will overflow as students meet for the communal, inductive study of Scripture. Ask that the Word will come alive, speaking into hearts, mindsets, priorities, and lifestyles.