Interns and Part Time Cru Staff

There were thirty people in the room... all future Cru interns or part time field staff.  All had flown into Orlando from across the country…San Diego, Missouri, Kansas, Virginia, etc.  

They were going through a crash course over Labor Day weekend to prepare to serve with Cru.  Much of the weekend was to learn about gathering the partners they’d need for their financial support, and filling out the hiring paperwork.  By the time I was to speak with them, it was already the end of a long day, and after a nice dinner!  Not the ideal conditions for a talk!

I shared with them that the headquarters they sat in, and the people helping to hire them, the training they were about to receive, existed because THEY were the most important people in all of Cru.  The most important activity that happens with Cru is the conversations they will have to explain to students how they can know God personally; that they can have assurance of their salvation; how they can walk in power of the Holy Spirit.

I also talked about how important it is they pursue growth in their heart and character.  We talked about living in grace and truth.  Their own spiritual and character growth will help them be the kind of people who can minister to others well.

One young woman is a softball coach at an Arkansas university who will work part time with Cru’s Athletes in Action.  One man is spending a year reaching millennials in San Diego.  Another couple is spending a year involving people on JESUS Film mission trips.

Over all of our years with Cru, this is what gets me most excited…helping people follow God’s call by faith to reach the world for Christ.  I get excited thinking about all of the people that will support them to show up on their assignment.  I get excited about the body of Christ together reaching the world.

Thank you for joining us on this great calling.  Together we are impacting the world with the message of grace and truth that Jesus preached.  It is an honor to serve with you.

With love,

30 Years of Memories...Elephant Dung

As we celebrate 30 years with Cru, we are recalling fun or significant moments we got to experience.  
Staff in East Asia had their mid-year conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand in the late 90’s.  As a treat, one year they brought an elephant for the families to ride.

I was there interviewing short term stinters who were applying to serve long term.

As we had finished one interview under a gazebo, we watched an elephant walk by.   The elephant paused, backed up, and deposited an incredibly large pile of dung just next to where we were talking.  

I don’t remember the interview, but I remember the elephant!  Here's the movie...

Missionaries FROM China

China was only 6 years removed from the cultural revolution in 1982 when Dayna and I ended a mission trip with a one week visit.   There weren’t many cars, but thousands of bicycles.  We were restricted on where we could go, who we could talk to, were warned to be careful about what we said, and were isolated in a tourist hotel.  That trip was at the beginning what God was doing in China.  I found some pictures Dayna took of our time in Guangzhou and Beijing.

A children's choir in Guangzhou

Tiananmen Square

Tour guides who were always with us.

A guard on the Great Wall

Over our years with Cru, we have seen the ministry across East Asia grow.  In fact, one of the best things we’ve had a part of was sending thousands of students and staff to serve in East Asia in the late 90’s.  We helped open campus ministries in about 50 new locations by sending summer projects, one year stints, and long term staff. The church in China has grown exponentially during the last 35 years. 

It all came full circle here in Orlando this summer.

During June and July we had two Chinese students serve as accounting interns in Cru’s finance office.  When they arrived, they shared their testimonies of how they came to Christ in China, and how they got involved with Cru as they studied at U.S. universities.

I was honestly amazed that we had two Chinese missionaries serving at Cru’s World Headquarters!  From our experience 34 years ago to now, it is just awesome to see God raising up laborers to send into the harvest from all countries!

Isn’t that cool?  Thanks for being a part of reaching the whole world with the gospel of Jesus.