blog is relocating

We’re relocating the blog to our official website.  Please visit at http://www.crosscampus.net/blog.html.

Rejected then Embaced

One week ago, I was sitting in a Starbucks in East Asia sipping my hot chocolate visiting with Michael. Michael’s native land is East Asia but I met him two years ago in the USA. He was on a sabbatical, so to speak, from his job working on his advanced degree.

My wife and I, along with several others, were given the honor of sharing the Gospel with him. Before he returned to his homeland, Michael’s wife and daughter both surrendered to Jesus Christ. Someone asked Michael whether he would like to do the same. His daughter spoke up and said “No, because he’ll loose his job”.

This is common in this part of the world. He lives in a country where the Gospel still cannot be freely proclaimed. While the Gospel is advancing among intellectuals here, there are still struggles like the one Michael faced.

Yet, this meeting was different. He had great news to share. A few months back he was able to visit the states again. He met with one of the American pastors he met two years ago and by the end of their conversation, he repented and turned his life over to Jesus Christ.

This corporate executive, who once rejected Christ due to professional pressure, finally embraced it by the grace of God!

The Archippus Challenge

May 12, 2009 is the one year anniversary of an earthquake that hit central China where more than 70,000 Chinese exited this world and entered eternity.

Based on my knowledge & experience, the vast majority of these people never heard the Gospel before their last breath.  While these deaths are horrific, the eternity for those who did not have faith in Jesus Christ is far worse.

In fact, 1.2 billion people in China and millions of others across East Asia are still unreconciled to God.  Their eternal future may be just as horrific if they don’t have faith in Jesus Christ.  But how does this happen?

The only way they will have the opportunity to have faith in Jesus Christ is if they hear the Gospel.  The only way these people will hear the Gospel is if a follower of Christ shares it with them.  The only way these believers can share the Gospel is if they are sent.  The only way these believers are sent is if others back home send them.  (my paraphrase of Romans 10:14-15)

Within our sphere of influence, there are more than 25 million college students in our line of sight and we need your assistance if we are to give them an opportunity to hear & respond to the Gospel.

1. Pray that God will send more workers into this harvest field of college students.  The harvest is ripe but the workers are so very few.
2. Get your church or campus or friends together and come visit us on the field.  You may contact us at office@crosscampus.net to discuss how you may be involved directly on the front lines of ministry in East Asia.
3. Pray that we will be continuously driven by the Holy Spirit in our ministry and not by ourselves.  Pray that we never loose sight of the most important thing, advancing the Gospel around the world.
4. Partner with us financially.  If we are not  sent, we can’t share.  If we don’t share, many may not ever hear.  Information to partner with us financially can be found at www.crosscampus.net/donate.html.

In this ministry, we focus on the eternal state of so many because this is the most important issue we all face.  There is absolutely nothing more important.  Jesus is the only way.

While faith in Jesus Christ may only be wrestled with on an individual basis, we who follow Jesus Christ have the answer and are responsible for ensuring every person has the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel.

Let me close with the Archippus Challenge.  In Colossians 4:17, Paul gives an instruction.  And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

Lets work together to see the last command Jesus Christ gave his followers.  Fulfilling the Great Commission is the over arching calling for those of us who do have genuine faith in Jesus Christ.

I believe there is no single issue more important than this.

Is our name Archippus?

Written by Steve

And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”  Colossians 4:17

Let me give you a little info about those we focus on in this ministry.  Suicide is the leading cause of death among East Asian college students.  The majority of them are Atheist.  All of them have been educated in the beliefs of Atheism.  I believe nearly 80-90% of them have never heard the Gospel one time.  At least 97% still need to be reconciled to God.  Only 1-3% have faith in Jesus Christ.

I know this is, in part, looking at the glass half empty.  One person told me that it’s great that 1-3% of them are followers of Jesus Christ.  Yes, this is awesome news and we are honored that we get the opportunity to be part of those discipling and equipping them!  However, the work is far from complete and just like Archippus, God has given us a ministry to fulfill – Advance the Gospel; Disciple the Saints; Equip them to Multiply.

We must not and we cannot let 97% of them enter eternity without the opportunity to hear the Gospel and respond.

I heard a Moody radio program this morning that I’d like to share with you.  It’s speaks to this very idea – “Fulfilling the ministry we have received from the Lord”.  I invite you to listen and compare it to your lives just as I am comparing it to mine and where God has placed us.

http://podcasts.moodyradio.org/TodayintheWord/2009-05-06_Today_in_the_Word.mp3