Saturday, February 18, 2017

Shippensburg Freshmen gave up an entire weekend... why?

Highlights from ministry at Shippensburg

Shippensburg Freshmen gave up an entire weekend... why?

Why a Weekend of Service?

For those of you who have received our newsletters for more than a year, it may feel like old news that every February we take students on a weekend service trip where we help with kitchen and grounds work at a YoungLife camp. Every February we take students. Every February we take the same pictures that look almost identical year to year. Every February we tell you about it. Why do we do it? And why is it exciting?

Let me tell you! Each year our vision has been to specifically recruit freshmen for this weekend and to use it and the car ride there as an extended time of spiritual investment and community building. There are unique open doors into a person's heart that arise when you labor, sweat, and freeze alongside someone all to serve campers that we don't even know! Students often leave with a deeper sense of community and we staff have more knowledge and opportunity to speak into a students heart. Exciting! But that is not what excited us most...

What is most significant is that students choose to come at all! For many this weekend is symbolic of deep sacrifice and a growing commitment to the gospel. Not actually because they are serving at YoungLife... but rather because they are giving up a weekend at Shippensburg. The life of most college students is one consumed by chasing after different things that vie for their attention. Grades, friends, acceptance, family, prestige. These are all good things, but when elevated above God the Scriptures would call these things idols. They are things that students find their identity and worth in. Things that they worship instead of the Lord. To leave Ship for a weekend means that these students are choosing God over idols that they may struggle with worshipping. It means that they will not have any time to do homework. it means they will not have any free time for comfort and fun. It means no parties and no drinking. It means no visiting family. And it means saying no to many opportunities with friends. It means missing out. But when they miss out on those things, they get something better. Jesus.

So please join us in praising God that these students gave up the things they hold dear in order to spend some time growing in the Lord. Please pray that God continues to soften their hearts and that they continue to pursue Him over all other things.

Watch the above video to see some silly highlights of the service weekend!

Spring Teaching

This semester our regional DiscipleMakers staff team is teaching through the book of Exodus at our campus large groups. Visit our DiscipleMakers Shippensburg website to listen and learn how God sets us free.

Superbowl Party

Each year the Superbowl provides an excellent opportunity to build relationships with students, especially those who are not Christians and are cautious about attending a Bible study or large group. We were so thankful this year that a couple from our church were willing to host a party for our entire fellowship in their home. Not only did they give up their evening and other opportunities to open their home for a large number of students, but they sacrificed time and energy and finances to provide delicious food for everyone to eat. Students were extremely thankful and we got the opportunity to reach out to fringe students and some students from another campus. Praise God.

~Andy & Melissa

Please Pray:

-For the students who came on the service trip, that they would continue to deepen their commitment to the Lord despite the cost.
-For the students who did NOT come on the service trip. While obviously some students had very good reasons for staying behind... others most likely did not. Please pray for those students that they would choose to put their hope in Christ instead of the things of this world. Pray also that their "idols" would disappoint them, turning them towards God.
-For our entire DiscipleMakers staff. That we would serve, work, and rest wisely this semester and that the Lord would use us on campus for His glory.

Highlights from ministry at Shippensburg

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