Creating a Faith Foundation for Life

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 20:08:33 +0000

June 24, 2016

R. York Moore

Creating a Faith Foundation for Life

��Ƶ puts a high value on connecting new believers not just with the Bible and a Christian community, but also with a local church—resources that lead to lifelong discipleship. For over 20 years, I’ve met people all over the country who have said they came to faith through ��Ƶ and that their training and discipleship in ��Ƶ has made all the difference in their lives, marriages, and careers.

Michelle is just the latest face I can put to this experience. Michelle came to faith in Christ while an undergraduate student at Michigan’s Oakland University. She immediately grew as a believer, getting involved in training and service opportunities, and joining the student leadership team in reaching her campus for Christ.

After her graduation, she married and went to grad school out of state. Upon landing a dream job in a non-profit in the Detroit area, life seemed good. And then she faced the crisis of her life.

Her husband became addicted to prescription drugs and was admitted as a patient in a yearlong program at the very non-profit treatment center Michelle was leading. In sharing her story, Michelle said, “The thing that kept me from divorcing my husband and throwing in the towel during those dark days was my training and discipleship in ��Ƶ as a student.”

Michelle went on to share how her conversion and mentoring in ��Ƶ had prepared her to succeed at every step of her life. Currently serving at the executive level in a major global secular not-for-profit, Michelle and her team are providing critical resources during times of regional and national catastrophe. Few would know her story is rooted in ��Ƶ, but she routinely looks back to her time as an undergrad student as the time that prepared her for what she is doing now.

At the end of another school year, take a moment to pray for all the Michelles in ��Ƶ who have come to faith this year by the thousands! And please consider giving a generous end-of-the-year gift to help us continue to make stories like Michelle’s possible.

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Finding Love in Jesus

webteam@intervarsity.org — Wed, 28 May 2003 05:00:00 +0000

News

May 28, 2003

Teresa Buschur

Finding Love in Jesus

Students had been praying for God to help them reach out to Oakland University’s campus community with the message of Jesus Christ. The students began to see answers to their prayers as they planned the first coffeehouse outreach event. The students offered free food and entertainment in a relaxed atmosphere to encourage non-Christian students to come and investigate the Gospel.

The evening started with students sharing their talents in music, poetry, and comedy. The outreach event allowed many ��Ƶ students to become more involved in their Fellowship.

The evening started with students sharing their talents in music, poetry, and comedy. The outreach event allowed many ��Ƶ students to become more involved in their Fellowship. The entertainment also provided an opportunity for students to engage in conversations about their faith with others. The message of the featured speaker was that Jesus Christ can fill all the empty spaces in our lives with His love. Many students responded to this message.

Over 100 students showed up at the coffeehouse, and most of them were not ��Ƶ students. Lois Miller, ��Ƶ Staff at Oakland University, started a conversation with an international student. The student was searching for friendship and support in the campus community and asked Lois what students involved in ��Ƶ did. He also asked a lot of questions about Christianity, and Lois was able to share the Gospel with him.

As the coffeehouse outreach drew to a close, the students were asked what they thought of the evening. Two students said they had accepted Jesus for the first time, while several others recommitted their lives to Christ. Many students responded that they are interested in studying the Bible and what it says about Jesus.
The next day, another woman became a Christian after discussing her experience at the coffeehouse with her friends. Many students were encouraged to find love in Jesus through their conversations with ��Ƶ students. A student from China has also expressed interest in Christianity. ��Ƶ students invited him to attend a prayer meeting. Over the next few weeks, he attended two prayer meetings and went to two large group Fellowship meetings. He has also enjoyed playing basketball and volleyball with some ��Ƶ students and continues to investigate Christianity.

The coffeehouse outreach has encouraged ��Ƶ students at Oakland University to reach out to others with the Gospel of Christ. The event also reinforced the power of prayer for many students, as God answered their prayers for the event above what they had asked for or even imagined was possible. The outcome of the coffeehouse night has led ��Ƶ students to share their faith and continue praying for their friends and campus.

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Oakland University