Ministry Stuff

Between Oxford and Cincinnati, there are many corn and soybean fields. The Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13 stirs in my mind. The farmer wasn’t counting how many seeds he threw, rather he understood the value of good soil. He knew less than half of the seeds thrown would take root and reach complete maturation. Even if only a quarter of the seed took solid root, can you imagine the bounty each seed would generate as each year passes? It is almost unimaginable- almost hard to comprehend. Yet, the unimaginable is happening, here at Miami University. The Navigator staff has labored for many years, pouring life into students, not knowing what type of “soil” they would become. And, God’s faithfulness is being revealed as the good soil is beginning to produce a crop thirty, sixty and even one hundred fold of what was sown. This is what we are stepping into! This past week, 43 students, sophomores through seniors, took time out of their summer vacation to receive training to reach their peers for Christ. They sat in a hot, non air-conditioned church from 9am to 9pm, training, casting vision, and digging deep so they could be used by God. This is the scripture that both staff and student leadership will be focused on: Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. Isaiah 54:2-3
These 43 students understand that to “strengthen their stakes” means deepening their Bible studies, their prayer time, and their memorization to reach students for Christ-incredible! These are not your typical college student!

During the first week of classes at Miami, we have been working the street fair and the cafeterias, handing out surveys as a means to connect with students. We have been in the dormitories, meeting students, sharing the Gospel, and inviting them to Inner Mission(our large group meetings on Friday nights) and to Bible studies in their dorms. We have been meeting with students with whom we are co-leading Bible studies, we are praying for the harvest, and meeting with students in one-on-one discipleship. This has been a fruitful month in ministry!