A man with an iron suit, a fallen son born of royalty, an assassin, an archer, a solider, a giant green monster, a telekinetic girl, a speedster and a humanoid android form a dysfunctional ticking time bomb called upon to...

Easter weekend is a crazy time of family events, egg hunts, candy, traveling, and church functions. However, for Cornell University, Easter weekend is focused on community, worship, service and a 48-hour prayer tent, serving over 2,000 people. These events were put...

On February 16th through 19th, over one hundred college students from many different ministries and campuses gathered together for Ignite Ivy at the historic Tremont Temple in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2011, Jerry and Judy Ball started Ignite Ivy after realizing...

Over 30 churches in Columbus, Ohio, worshipped the name of Jesus as one body for the third annual ONE NIGHT at the Celeste Center of the Ohio State Fairgrounds on March 10.  ONE NIGHT is organized by a team of 180...

Campus ministers from twelve ministries at Clemson University pray together weekly and strategize towards seeing multiplication and unification on campus.  In the spring of 2016, a few of the campus ministers began talks about regularly working together. They followed up with...

Some stop, but most just walk past the group of people praying every weekday in the TI Plaza at the University of Texas at Dallas. Campus Renewal and five other ministries at UTD pray together in public every Monday through...

Movement 133, a group of students from houses of prayer on college campuses all over Southern California, came together on Feb. 22 to fast and pray for revival. The gathering, held at the University of Southern California, was a culmination...

Greenhouse Church is a church that meets in multiple locations in Gainesville, Florida. One of these locations is in the University Auditorium at The University of Florida, which meets every Sunday night. The church has become a hub for college...

“Veritas Christo Ecclesiae (Truth for Christ and the Church)” ~Harvard University, 1636 “Lux et Veritas (Light and Truth)” ~Yale University, 1701 “Dei Sub Numine Viget (Under the Protection of God She Flourishes)” ~Princeton University, 1746 God has an inheritance for...

BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA – On Sept. 26 to Sept. 30, around 150 students prayed and worshipped in a white tent on Appalachian State University’s Sanford Mall. “Through prayer, and I don’t say this lightly, I believe the Lord was telling...

BELTON, TEXAS – Once a month, 500 to 700 students from every ministry at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor come together for a night of worship, bringing unity to the Christian university and providing students a way to connect with...

There are many sights, sounds, and events that indicate the start of the academic year. For some, it might be back-to-school sales, or the long-awaited arrival of pumpkin-spiced lattes. For us at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, every...

Fading Spiritual Momentum Spiritually speaking, Fall semesters at Cornell University start out with a bang. The weather is warm, exams and papers are weeks away, and campus fellowships and ministry leaders work overtime during the freshmen “gathering process.”   But...

Different Individuals, Same Body of Christ During Rez Week at The University of Texas at Austin, for an hour in the prayer tent, we broke up into groups and prayed with people from different ministries. As I sat and listened...

Around forty college campuses across the country united for prayer, worship and sharing their faith, during Rez Week, March 28th through April 1st.  The aim was to “make Jesus the most talked about person on college campuses”. “It’s one event,...

“Can we pray for sexual assault victims at the Good Friday service?”  The student sitting across from me in one of those overstuffed chairs was being completely sincere.  He had hoofed it up the hill to the student union to...

In the world of college campuses, it is so easy to categorize Christian groups as clubs — separate — each doing its own thing and not worrying about what others are doing. However, the Gospel is best represented through the...

Since 2001, campus ministry leaders at The University of Texas at Austin  have worked together to “spiritually map” our campus.  Spiritual mapping is defined as the systematic gathering and evaluation of data through surveys, research, and spiritual perceptions in order...

As we walked through the tall grasses and stepped onto the frozen sand – our souls paused… to soak in the supreme serenity and majesty of the sunrise. Predawn beckoned the fiery orb forth and wholly broke the darkness. Yes, during the predawn,...

Sometimes the best way to foster a greater sense of unity on campus is not to host a united event that brings people together at one time and in one location, but to create a common strategy that every campus...

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord,...

When I talk about unity, some people get it.  Part of my job as the director of Campus Christians entails making the rounds to visit our supporting churches on a regular basis.  When I visit these churches, I like to...

It was Friday, November 13th. The time was 10:30pm and there were about twenty-five of us college students, several of whom I had never met, in desks, chairs, and on the floor of a huge lecture hall –fervently praying. We had been...

Over the course of one week, The University of Texas at Austin was inundated with united prayer, worship, and evangelism. That trifold combination led to the salvation of one student (let’s call her Jasmine), as well as thirty-eight others on...

Well, the skulls have been put away for another year.  Each year at the beginning of November, our Latino/a community at St. Edward’s University erects their altar in our Chapel commemorating Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. ...

Forward Thinking Even now seniors are being asked to predict the future with a precise certainty that would raise anxiety levels of even the most tranquil person. With last summer closer than is the coming summer, students are already asked...

One spring day in 2013 at The University of Texas at Austin, freshman business majors Tim Nelson and Chris Uhlig were hanging out, sharing thoughts about their first year of college. At one point in the conversation, they both realized...

Have you ever wanted concrete answers to questions like these? How many students on your campus are involved in churches and campus ministries?  How many students put their faith in Jesus in a given school year? How many international students...

Inside Out is Pixar’s latest creation, and it has become one of my top ten favorite Pixar movies of all time. This is a spoiler alert for those who haven’t watched the movie. Inside Out’s story revolves around a teenage...

I have had the great privilege and blessing of being a part of God’s work in Williamsburg, Virginia. Freshman year, I came in believing God had a plan for me, but I didn’t know what that plan looked like. I...

I Am Freed From A diverse group of nine students huddled together last Friday night, sprawled out with hands extended over an old map, heads bowed and singing freedom. We laid and sat, circled around a laminated campus map of...

What an exciting week to be Roman Catholic, or for that matter, anyone who was created in the image of God! Oh wait, that’s everyone! Something I ALWAYS have to remind myself of! Anyway, the Pope just hit the United...

There was no head-chair and no speaker to carry the floor; we were equals in a collaborative circle. The only sign of guiding was the girl who sat at the piano bench, strumming her guitar as she sang the first...

Rivers require two things: water and banks.  Without banks, rivers will turn into swamps. When banks get close, the water’s flow becomes more intense. Forming the Banks Two years ago, a group of audacious dreamers at Appalachian State University in...

“He ministered in me by giving me a firm conviction to follow through with something that was on my heart for a while – to start a missional community within my major.” This was a response I received when I...

When I began my tenure with Campus Christians one year ago, my heart was filled with hope.  I hoped to make a positive impact in the lives of students at The University of Kansas.  I hoped to see Campus Christians...

On Wednesday, September 2nd, Campus Renewal hosted a Ministry Fair at Kennesaw State University.  The purpose of the fair was to bring several ministries and local churches together to table and promote themselves, giving students an opportunity to walk around, meet...

Thursday nights at MIT House of Prayer, we have been praying John 17, Jesus’ high priestly prayer for His church:  “…that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they may...

A man with an iron suit, a fallen son born of royalty, an assassin, an archer, a solider, a giant green monster, a telekinetic girl, a speedster and a humanoid android form a dysfunctional ticking time bomb called upon to...

Every week students are coming to Christ at the University of Texas at Dallas!  The spiritual climate around campus has shifted this spring as if a warm, refreshing breeze had blown through to drive out the winter, and there is an excited...

One of my co-workers has pointed out that I’ve caught the “unity bug”.  I caught it as a senior at Cornell University, sitting beside my Jewish friend along with 600 Christians and non-Christians in the arts quad for an inter-fellowship...

It’s a real pleasure when you’re talking to someone who does not know you, who then proceeds to compliment you on something you created.  You know for certain that they are not just being nice, because they have no idea...

I realize this article may be controversial.  I do not write it in order to start an argument, but in hopes that it creates a much-needed discussion about how campus ministries should/could work together.  At The University of Texas and...

I recently heard someone say that there are thirty-three thousand different denominations of Christianity across the world. Thirty-three thousand. Coming so soon after a friend informed me that he had been this close to accepting Jesus before a conversation about...

The Campus Renewal Ministry mission excites me: “to create and catalyze united movements that transform college campuses for Christ. By bringing students, campus ministries, and local churches together in prayer and evangelism, we strengthen the influence of the Body of...

When I started college, I only had experiences in the moderately charismatic, nondenominational, megachurch scene.  I thought I knew what Christianity looked like and thought that was the only way. Now, being on the post-college side of things, I am...

I just attended the funeral of Dean Smith, arguably the greatest college basketball coach of all time. I was blessed to serve as a team manager under him, and the life lessons I learned through basketball (some 30 years ago)...

I have been in the “unity” business for a long, long time, ever since I first started gathering Christian students from different churches and ministries to pray together as a freshman at the University of Texas in 1991.  Over the...

“Blue forty-two…watch number 53!” yells the quarterback as he motions his hand to the right. The wide receiver moves to the left of the quarterback as he sets in motion the play. With the slight move of his hand like...

I’m a white, American, female doing ministry with Epic Movement, the ministry of Cru that focuses on reaching people with the Gospel through an Asian American context. I’ve had to do some heavy thinking about who I am and what...

Right now the time of year when campus ministries are gearing up for the start of a new school year. There is excitement in the air with the anticipation of returning student leaders and arrival of a freshman class. Before...

One of the things unique about studying revival, is that people see revival  through so many lenses.  The end is the same: God being fully glorified on  campus.  The means, however, are very different depending on which lens  you see...

  Last week 85 campus ministers from 48 campus ministries united for five hours of prayer, testimonies, and discussion.  It is an annual event where we discuss the state of the campus.  We ask: What is God doing?  What is...

Campus Access Issues Most of us in campus ministries are well aware of what’s happening in the arena of campus access. The decision brought down by the University of California system is triggering many cases in other universities where Christian...

I had the opportunity to travel to my home of Pennsylvania this summer.  One of the joys I indulge myself when I travel is to explore other expressions of the vast Christian faith.  Having grown up a Catholic and a...

One of the things unique about studying revival, is that people see revival  through so many lenses.  The end is the same: God being fully glorified on  campus.  The means, however, are very different depending on which lens  you see...

As I was walking to my car that evening I felt guilty and depressed. “Maybe I’m not cut out for campus ministry…” I thought to myself. When I was a student, I loved getting to know everyone in the room....

One of the things unique about studying revival, is that people see revival  through so many lenses.  The end is the same: God being fully glorified on  campus.  The means, however, are very different depending on which lens  you see...

The first movie I remember watching in theatre was Pixar’s Toy Story on a elementary school field trip. Still one of my favorite films growing up, it taught me many life lessons, in what it means to take care of...

As I sat on the grass in the beautiful weather this Monday with one dozen UT Dallas students – praising Him for all He has done for us, asking for His kingdom to come and His will to be done...

I’m one of those people who sees a life lesson in a lot of different things, and movies are definitely one of them.  A favorite of late has been the Avengers. It’s great, I love the plot, the script, just...

I recently moved to a college town in the Northeast that is full of intellectuals and hippies. These are my people. I get weirdly giddy around free spirits and the bookish. I may have lived most of my life around...

Karen was a wealth of information.  It was only my second day on the job, and she was exactly the person I wanted to talk to.  She had been the director of KU’s chapter of a national student ministry organization...

Yesterday was September 11th, or 9/11 as it will be most likely referred to for many years until memory and events move us to more blessed memories.  In reflecting upon what to share that is significant to Christian ministry, but...

What would you do if you lived in a country where children are taken from their family, husbands are murdered and the wives raped?  What would you do if you lived in a region where up to 9 out of...

Competition versus relationship Perhaps you’ve observed this trend on your campus as well … the majority of campus ministry leaders on the Colorado State University (CSU) campus agree that there is oftentimes a bit of competition amongst Christian student groups....

Everybody benefits when there is a growing culture of men and women practicing biblical conflict resolution. Yelling, pushing, and slamming doors, were some of the sad trademarks of my childhood and teenage years. I didn’t know how to deal with...

Why is it so difficult to delegate? There is a principle in Real Estate called best intended use.  This principle evaluates real estate based on whether it is utilized to achieve it’s maximum value.  There are real estate investors who...

Every year about this time I start the daunting process of distributing our year-end survey to all 66 campus ministry leaders at the University of Texas.  It’s the most difficult thing I do all year, but it results in one...

There is a whole lot of discussion right now about how to tell if Christians are in fact Christians. The alternative is I guess that they would be people who profess Christ, but are deceived. If you’ve read my posts...

I don’t know if it’s all the testosterone and endorphins that are released this time of year or what, but lately I’ve begun to feel the tensions of “us versus them” dynamics hitting the church. Clearly this is not a...

The thing about coffee is that you need to know how to pick the beans.  Damage the stem and you kill the plant.  That’s what my wife, Johanna, tells me with grave sobriety.  It was a lesson seared into her...

Over the past few weeks, we have been examining the values of one of the most influential churches in the history of the Christian movement – the church at Antioch. We find the beginning of their story in Acts 11:...

I have been following Christ for a long while now. I became a Christian when I was 5-years-old, reading a storybook Bible with my mom. I asked her how to get to heaven, she explained to me who Jesus was...

I feel like blogs are supposed to be light and fluffy and 3 quick points on how to do something better. I don’t write that way. All I can share with you is my real life experience in college ministry...

This week we entered into the Lenten season once again. One of the practices within the Christian tradition I have grown to appreciate as I have gotten older is the liturgical calendar and the pace it sets for me as...

College is one of the greatest times to discover who we are and find our place in this world. As the students in our ministries spend their time with their studies, clubs, and friendships, they certainly make some progress in...

One of my favorite elements about the yearly luncheon hosted by CRM in the fall, is the opportunity to sit in the room with ministries that represent the diversity that exists in the body of Christ along lines of culture,...

One of the most intriguing aspects of working in college ministry is listening to Christian students talk about why they chose the church they attend.  If you think about it, for college students this may be the first time in...

I’ve been writing this semester on “killing competition” between campus ministries. If you have been in campus ministry very long, you know there is a subtle (or perhaps not so subtle) temptation to compare your ministry with another, even a...

The War Between the Sexes The “war between the sexes” is a common motif, idea, and joke amongst both Christian and non-Christian circles. Think of all the classic episodes of your favorite sitcoms that put the men vs. the women...

Today, 2000 years after Jesus’s resurrection, there are more than 40,000 Christian denominations of churches. I guess it is not too surprising when we consider 20 years have Jesus’s resurrection there were already 4 “denominations.” My brothers and sisters, some...

The Problem I grew up in a charismatic worldview. I was praying for people to be healed at the age of 7. I was exposed to people speaking in tongues, being “slain” in the spirit, and a variety of other...

In John 17, in the high priestly prayer of Jesus, Christ prays that He would be glorified that He might glorify the Father. In verses 20 and 21, Jesus makes a point that is necessary for is to take seriously:...

The essence of unity is humility. Campus Renewal Ministries is not so much trying to unify the Body of Christ as we are trying to build an atmosphere of genuine humility among ministry leaders because humility changes the spiritual climate...

“Stand clear of the closing door please…the next station is 14th Street Union Square…Stand clear of the closing door please.” As the robotic voice echo in the halls of the hollow steel chambers of the subway car, people push, shove...

In 1996, religious life at the University of Arkansas was pretty much like it is in many other places in the Bible Belt – lots of Christian groups each doing their own thing without regard for the other groups on...

Have you ever been in an argument where you were right in your opinion but wrong in the way you treated the other person? It’s like the proverbial “win the battle but lose the war.” What’s more important: Being right...

This review is part of a series of book reviews of nine books and manuals on international student ministry written between 1974 and 2008 by both leaders within national ministries and church denominations as well as former international students. Each...

I’ll never forget the day a sorrowful college pastor asked for prayer at one of our gatherings. He described how he had just come from his church’s staff  meeting where they directly asked him, “Why isn’t our college group as...

What is it about the word unity that has campus ministries scrambling? In Missouri, unity is not often sought after although we have good intentions of seeing it happen. It seems when talking to other campus leaders at Missouri State,...

It’s the start of a new year in campus ministry. This weekend 8000 freshman moved into their dorms at the University of Texas. You know what that means, right? It’s time for Christian Rush! All 65 campus ministries at UT...

This summer, as I have been working with some of our new CRM staff on other campuses, I have been reminded of the simple truth that big things start small and small things should not be despised by those who...

The issue of Christian unity is really a question of spiritual maturity. Simply put: Christians who are unable to work together amidst their differences prove that they are spiritual immature.  Unity and spiritual maturity go hand in hand. Want proof?...

I’ve been reading II Corinthians each morning this summer. Recently, I was studying chapters 8 and 9, where Paul gives instruction on giving and receiving. He has several meaningful things to say to both the giver and the receiver. Since I...

I’ve been reading II Corinthians each morning this summer. Last week, I was studying chapters 8 and 9, where Paul gives instruction on giving and receiving. He has several meaningful things to say to both the giver and the receiver....

This is the time of year when many campus missionaries are developing their partnership teams, so I have spent the month of June writing about a number of important things to keep in mind when developing partnership teams.  I wrote...

Last week I wrote about the incredibly important need for missionaries to communicate with their partners (donors). I argued that communicating with partners is part of the job of a missionary and that those who do not communicate often with...

At least once a year, I try to meet with the missions pastor, missions committee, or key contact of every one of our partnering churches. I was put in an awkward position last week when I met with the missions...

The Tragedy The bombing at the Boston Marathon last week was, of course, a tragedy. As Christians, we mourn with those who are hurting. But, as Christians, we also need to mourn with those who, despite having nothing to do...

I was eavesdropping on a conversation yesterday that made me smile and caused me to think about three scriptures I love. Yesterday we pulled the Rez Week supplies out of storage and had a team of people helping repaint all...

If you have been in campus ministry (or any ministry for that matter) very long you’re sure to have experienced “sheep stealing.” Whether students left your church to join another or your church benefitted from having students leave another church,...

First Impressions Let me tell you about my friend Claire. She’s a senior in high school at Jenks in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is the co-captain of her Pom squad. She loves Britney Spears and often refers to the pop singer...

I always had a great time going to college football games. I loved the floods of people all decked out in the same colors, the fight song, the kick-off, the halftime performance, the whole experience. Generally, watching sports has always...

God Speaks God often speaks to me through literature. I’m an English major and I spend a lot of time reading. The books I read, obviously the ones in my courses at UT, are rarely Christian books. They are neither...

One of the most important things I learned from my former mentor, Jim Herrington, is how to lead a conversation that allows people with different opinions to understand each other. I often watched him lead conversations with pastors that allowed...

This week Campus Renewal Ministries released its first app. Pray UT is a 31-day prayer guide for the University of Texas. It is written by 31 different college pastors who serve the University of Texas. Each day includes three components....

Grieving the Church You know that verse that tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit? Sometimes, I think we need to be be reminded not to grieve Christian community. The notion of “community” is something most Christians are familiar...

Now that all of the hype from the election has gone down, I think it’s safe for me to talk about politics without being pummeled into submission (maybe). I just hope nobody comes to burn my house down after reading...

Have you ever disagreed with a Christian friend about meaningful things such as theology, worship style, ministry philosophy, politics, ethics, or how to educate your children? Outside of the central common beliefs Christians share, there is so much room for...

My wife Brenda and I have a great tradition. Every year we take an anniversary trip where one person plans the trip and keeps it a secret from the other one. Yep, she’s quite a sport! I planned the 11th...

This past week I was reminded again how prideful students can be. Though they just have 18-22 years of experience under their belt, they often think they are wiser and more Godly than their college pastors. Get campus ministers together,...

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” -Psalm 133:1 I haven’t written a lot on this topic, but I wanted to talk about unity among student ministries on campus and churches in the city....

Usually I share on how to avoid conflict or overcome conflict, but David Arcos from Mosaic gave me a new framework to consider as he invited me to speak at Terra Nova, a retreat for creatives in Los Angeles. This...

Campus Renewal Ministries has a very unique role on the campuses where we serve. As a ministry that serves to partner other ministries in prayer and mission, much of our time is spent trying to get ministry leaders together in...

I hate this time of year. As the election nears, the possibility for division in the Christian community grows. I remember being at a friend’s dinner party shortly after the 2008 election. Of course politics came up, and one angry...

Last week I wrote about why unity is important. I looked at several scriptures in first Corinthians that described the price of division. I explained how division stunts our growth, ruins our witness, and causes God to resist us. Basically,...

Given that Campus Renewal Ministries works to unite campus ministries in prayer and mission, we’re often asked to explain why we believe ministries should work together and what we mean by “unity.” For the next few weeks I will share...

Last week at the University of Texas we had our first campus minister Fusion Group, a weekly time of prayer for college pastors at UT. Thirty-nine pastors from twenty-one ministries attended. What a way to start the school year! We’ve...

There’s no busier time in campus ministry than the first month of classes. The first month is filled with leadership retreats, welcome events, outreach events, tabling, and countless hours on campus meeting new students. With all this activity, some things...

Last week I finished my whirlwind tour around Texas, meeting with ministry partners individually over coffee or a meal and in small groups in several partners’ homes. It really is one of my favorite weeks of the year. I love...

The past few weeks Austin Stone Community Church has been teaching a series on the sovereignty of God in suffering.  While I’ve enjoyed the series and agree with most of their theology on this difficult subject, I have also been...

This last week fourteen CRM staff gathered for our annual conference. Yep, that’s it… just fourteen of us working on about six different campuses. Even with a group that small our differences are profound. We all have different gifts, different...

Every year about this time we ask all of the 67 campus ministries at the University of Texas to complete a year-end survey. We compile the data each year and create a resource known as the  Longhorn Chronicles. It’s all...

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have...

Last week I wrote about the difficulty many students face this time of year, as they are being asked to consider positions of leadership in campus ministries. It has been my observation that this process causes a lot of tension...

It’s that time of year again guys. It’s recruiting time! At the start of the school year ministries “compete” for all of the new students. At the end of the school year ministries “compete” for new leaders. Some recruit new...

Last week at the University of Texas we hosted our 18th annual Rez Week. If you were there, you heard me say something from the stage every night. I kept saying, “Rez Week is a celebration of our unity.  It...

One of the most common irritants of the college student’s spiritual life seems to be the threat of marriage. Being twenty years old (and unmarried) myself, I don’t have any wisdom on the issue, but I think it may be...

Last week I wrote about the joyful weekend I had with some of my friends from college. It’s a joy to be with them because we are all still walking with the Lord. We’ve had ups and downs for sure, but...

I just returned from a wonderful weekend with the best friends of my life. The occasion: “Spring Owners Meetings” for our fantasy football league. Actually, it’s just an excuse to get together every spring break to share life with old...

If you’ve studied the history of revivals for any length of time, at some point you should arrive at an interesting fact: many of them were birthed through students on college campuses! I suppose that fact shouldn’t be too surprising...

What does it really look like to partner in mission? A long time ago, 1999 to be exact, I suggested to college pastors that we share a common database and connect our students across ministry lines to be missionaries in...

Campus Renewal Ministries forges partnerships in prayer to build missional communities that transform college campuses with the gospel of Jesus. We partner campus ministries in prayer and mission. The last few weeks I have been writing a little about some...

“The gospel isn’t one class among many that you’ll attend during your life as a Christian—the gospel is the whole building that all the classes take place in! Rightly approached, all the topics you’ll study and focus on as a...

When we first began our work at the University of Texas back in 1996, the college pastors at UT were not very interested in working together.  This was mostly due to the discouraging experiences they had working together previously at...

The last few weeks I have been writing about some of the challenges facing the campus-reaching movement at the University of Texas as we have grown. I wrote about the difficulties of leadership turnover and the changes in how Campus...

I mentioned last week that I have recently been more aware of some challenges facing the campus-reaching movement at the University of Texas. Last week I shared specifically about the challenges that come with the constant turnover and addition of...

We’re in a bit of a transition, if you can call it that.  It has been a slow transition over several years, but it has made an enormous impact on how we function.  Truthfully, it has been really difficult for...

Twenty-one days ago a dozen college pastors stood on stage before 150-200 of their students to explain why we felt God was calling us to unite in a 21-day fast.  You may be thinking, “Twelve pastors!  How long did they...

Last week 77 campus ministers from 43 different campus ministries met for half the day get to know each other, discuss what God is doing on campus, and consider what God has for us in the future.  The day consisted...

Naturally Automatic Have you noticed that just about everything in our world can be automated for us? Automatic transmissions are the norm and most of us never learn to drive standard. It seems almost awkward to me to have to...

This is my fifth year in full-time campus ministry. Seeing that statement makes me shake my head because 1) I can’t believe I’ve been out of college for that long, and 2) I’m wondering where all the time went. It...

Back in 1997 campus ministers at the University of Texas met to talk about what it meant to work together to see the University of Texas transformed by the gospel. We, Campus Renewal Ministries, had been asking them to consider...

Back in 1997 campus ministers at the University of Texas met to talk about what it meant to work together to see the University of Texas transformed by the gospel.  We, Campus Renewal Ministries, had been asking them to consider...

Back in 1997 campus ministers at the University of Texas met to talk about what it meant to work together to see the University of Texas transformed by the gospel.  We, Campus Renewal Ministries, had been asking them to consider...

The following is an excerpt from my book Campus Renewal – A Practical Plan to Unite Campus Ministries in Prayer and Evangelism. Last week I down the first half of the definition of campus reaching.  This week you can read about...

The following is an excerpt from my book Campus Renewal – A Practical Plan to Unite Campus Ministries in Prayer and Evangelism. Campus Reaching: “The long-term, relational, and strategic process of partnering campus ministries in united prayer to build missional communities...

Last week was the first week of class at the University of Texas. As I’m sure it is on other campuses, campus ministries are tabling, hosting parties, bringing in bands, passing out flyers, helping with move-in, and more. Campus ministers...

The following is an excerpt from my book Campus Renewal – A Practical Plan to Unite Campus Ministries in Prayer and Evangelism.   On Our Way to Revival? I will be the first to say that we’re not there yet. We’ve...

In a recent post I shared some ideas about Serving Christ as a Summer Intern. What I didn’t say in that article is that I am currently working in the co-op program (basically an extended internship) at a NASA contractor...

God has a mission: He “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:4). God has called all believers to join in His mission by becoming Christ’s ambassadors to the world...

For many of us in full-time college ministry, raising financial support isn’t just a consideration, it’s part of our lifestyle. This is how we sustain our ministries, and also how we cover basic personal needs like food and rent. Some...

The following is an excerpt from my book Campus Renewal – A Practical Plan to Unite Campus Ministries in Prayer and Evangelism. College Ministries Before For a long time campus ministries competed with one another. Students would talk among themselves about...

Summer time at the Campus House of Prayer (CHOP) is always fairly quiet. With a majority of the 50,000 students at The University of Texas gone on vacations, mission trips, internships or just home for the break, it means less...

This past week Campus Renewal Ministries staff spent several days together in New York City praying and planning toward the year to come. We are a small team compared to many campus ministries, but God is using us to create...

Last week I found myself with my best friend Andre walking down memory lane, so to speak. 4 years ago if you had asked us what we thought we’d be doing after college, he’d have said full-time ministry, and I’d...

This morning I had a great conversation with my friend Colby May.  We met to discuss something awesome that God is doing on campuses across Texas and other states.  Many campuses now have Christian retreats for incoming freshman just weeks...

Recently I was talking with a mentor who is familiar with our work at the University of Texas and some of the difficulty we were having maintaining vision due to turnover in leadership.  He shared a great illustration with me...

The following is an excerpt from my book Campus Renewal – A Practical Plan to Unite Campus Ministries in Prayer and Evangelism. One Church on Campus In God’s eyes, there is one church on our campus. All who confess the name...

Recently I was having dinner with a couple of friends when the conversation topic turned towards churches and ministries. More specifically, we were talking about things we liked, and things that we sometimes didn’t entirely agree with or had questions...

Last Thursday, 22 college pastors from the University of Texas spent the entire day together in prayer and planning. Just as most churches pull their staff away one day a year to spend time talking about their vision and plans...

Recently I came to a stunning realization about myself – I am a judgemental person. For someone who’s been in full-time ministry for over 4 years, you can imagine why this would have hit hard. As campus ministers, we’re supposed...

Ten years ago, campus ministry leaders at the University of Texas began asking that question.  It wasn’t that it had never been asked.  It was that ministries had never really worked together to in a systematic way to measure the...

When it comes to campus ministry, one of the best ways to effectively reach an entire campus is by partnering and collaborating with other campus ministries. Guest blogger Brian Barela gives his perspective on this topic, and how the latest...

The following is an excerpt from my book Campus Renewal – A Practical Plan to Unite Campus Ministries in Prayer and Evangelism. The Importance of an Outside Voice One way to be sure an event is a catalytic one is to...

I am driving to Houston in about thirty minutes to meet with my friend and advisor, Jim Herrington.  Back in 1999, when campus ministers at the University of Texas were just beginning to pray together and seek God for transformation...

The following is an excerpt from my book Campus Renewal – A Practical Plan to Unite Campus  Ministries in Prayer and Evangelism. When Leaders Call the Body To Unite Throughout scripture there are many times when God called His people together...

Like I’ve said before, Spring at The University of Texas is pretty much my favorite time of the year. Why? Because getting to celebrate Rez Week (Resurrection Week) on campus is like nothing else. Not for me anyway. One of...

Last week I wrote about how I believe God wants the Body of Christ in geographic regions (meaning who share the same mission field) to plan united events – calendared events where they come together for prayer, worship, and vision...

The following is an excerpt from my book Campus Renewal – A Practical Plan to Unite Campus  Ministries in Prayer and Evangelism. The Importance of United Events We cannot grow in the Lord apart from developing our personal relationship with God...

It’s no secret that when it comes to campus life, my favorite time of the year is Spring. Not because the flowers are blooming again or it’s getting warm out (I actually prefer cold weather), but because Spring at The...

Every spring at the University of Texas campus ministries come together for a week of united worship, prayer, and evangelism.  We call it Rez Week – short for Resurrection Week since it takes place near Easter each year.  We, Campus...

The following is an excerpt from my book Campus Renewal – A Practical Plan to Unite Campus  Ministries in Prayer and Evangelism. Campus Renewal Ministries is often invited by students or campus pastors to come to a campus to share how...

The following is an excerpt from my book Campus Renewal – A Practical Plan to Unite Campus  Ministries in Prayer and Evangelism. One Church On Campus In God’s eyes, there is one church on our campus. All who confess the name...

Discipleship. What exactly is this? An appointment between two people?  A time where two study scripture? Is it a relationship where two pray for one another? The fact is that it is all of the above and so much more....

The following is an excerpt from my book Campus Renewal – A Practical Plan to Unite Campus  Ministries in Prayer and Evangelism. A number of years ago I had the privilege of sharing a meal with Jackson Senyonga, a man featured...

The following is an excerpt from my book Campus Renewal – A Practical Plan to Unite Campus  Ministries in Prayer and Evangelism. The University of Texas The University of Texas is thought by many to be the most liberal campus...

“This is not happening,” I thought to myself. 10 feet up and plastered against the side of a rock, I listened to the roar of the water as it cascaded down the falls. The sound took me back to that...

“When you’re down and troubled And you need a helping hand And nothing, whoa nothing is going right. Close your eyes and think of me And soon I will be there To brighten up even your darkest nights. Chorus You...

Once you have established the mission of your movement this will determine what goals you set, what activities you engage in, and how you manage yourself and your ministry. Your Mission, plus Momentum, Multiplication, and Management make up the essential...

Once you have established the mission of your movement this will determine what goals you set, what activities you engage in, and how you manage yourself and your ministry. Your Mission, plus Momentum, Multiplication, and Management make up the essential...

Your Mission, plus Momentum, Multiplication, and Management make up the essential components of ministry. Regardless of which of these areas you are strongest in, make sure you give adequate attention to each of them if you want to have a...

If a fire broke out on the roof of your dorm or apartment right now, you would have some choices. One option may be to immediately scream, run outside to turn on the garden hose and begin squirting the blaze....

TREES IN THE AUTUMN One of the great blessings of living in Tennessee about 30 minutes from the Appalachian Mountains is to view the trees in Autumn. I went to partake today in this glorious transformation of the trees. Beautiful!...

I don’t know about you, but my Mondays are always hectic. Mornings begin with a 9am conference call to pray with all our staff around the country, followed by organizing and planning for the week. Before I know it, it’s...

One of the difficult aspects of campus ministry is the high turnover of students.  It seems that just when you get some forward momentum, you lose leaders to graduation.  It’s not just true of students.  There is also a high...

This September, each Monday I have written about  the topic of unity.  I hope to help bring clarity to what it actually means to be united in campus ministry. There are many misconceptions about unity, and there are even harmful...

This September, each Monday I will write about the topic of unity.  I hope to help bring clarity to what it actually means to be united in campus ministry. There are many misconceptions about unity, and there are even harmful...

This semester, Wednesdays have seen me showing up to campus by about 8.30am. Usually armed with music sheets and my guitar (though I switch it up and play the piano every now and then), I wait for the clock to...

This September, each Monday I will write about the topic of unity.  I hope to help bring clarity to what it actually means to be united in campus ministry. There are many misconceptions about unity, and there are even harmful...

This September, each Monday I will write about the topic of unity.  I hope to help bring clarity to what it actually means to be united in campus ministry. There are many misconceptions about unity, and there are even harmful...

Saturday was supposed to be another ordinary day. In celebration of his birthday, my best friend Andre had invited myself, a couple of friends, his sister and her husband to go tubing down the Blanco river in San Marcos. An...

I like being upside down. Strange, I know, but it’s something my friends have discovered that happens to me if I’m a) tired, or b) it’s late at night. I’m not quite sure why I usually end up with my...

On college campuses, it’s easy for groups of Jesus-followers to feel like they are alone in a vast sea of people who could care less about God. Many Christian students aren’t even aware that God is moving in incredible ways...

On August 25th, forty to fifty campus ministers at the University of Texas will unite in prayer to kickoff the 2010 school year.  It’s the first of our weekly campus minister prayer gatherings, which I have led since 1997.  We...

Humility is key to any successful partnership, whether one on one or with the multitude of ministries on a college campus. Here are a few things I’ve learned are helpful when partnering to reach a whole campus. Pray for the...

The other day I was thinking about how much easier it was for me to make friends when I was kid. You like coloring? Disney cartoons? Great! Let’s be friends! Of course, the flip side to this is that it...