“Most men are not satisfied with the permanent output of their lives. Nothing can wholly satisfy the life of Christ within his followers except the adoption of Christ’s purpose toward the world he came to redeem. Fame, pleasure and riches are but husks and ashes in contrast with the boundless and abiding joy of working with God for the fulfillment of his eternal plans. The men who are putting everything into Christ’s undertaking are getting out of life its sweetest and most priceless rewards.” - J. Campbell White
There are many ways you can spend a summer in college. Jobs and internships, time with friends and family, or even summer classes are options that cross the minds of most students. At the expense of these possibilities, Campus Outreach Minneapolis has a team of six students who have committed to leveraging their time this summer for the sake of the Gospel going forward in a different country. This annual Campus Outreach trip offers a unique experience that tests the truth of the quote above: is there really more joy in completely giving ourselves over to Christ’s undertaking to reach all peoples with the news that he died for us?
The 2016 Cross-Cultural Project (CCP) to Sheffield, U.K. is an 8-week mission trip with an emphasis on evangelistic ministry on university campuses. Our team will be partnering with the Campus Outreach staff at The Crowded House church in Sheffield, immersing ourselves in English culture and receiving ministry training. An exciting component of this summer’s CCP is that our U.S.-American team will be joined by university students from the U.K. in ministry and training throughout the entire summer. We will be living, serving, and enjoying all aspects of life together as we hold out the hope of Jesus Christ to students. In addition to campus ministry, we will seek to serve The Crowded House in other ways, including a week-long trip to a like-minded church in Copenhagen, Denmark. Our main aims with the summer are to share the Gospel with university students, both from the U.K. and other places in the world, as well as gaining exposure to a lifestyle of ministry in a foreign context.
With our trip this summer, we are trusting that God will deliver on his promise to provide abundant life through Jesus. We are praying that God would further convince us that a life lived for Him is better than any other. We are praying that God would change the hearts of students in Sheffield so that they would experience fullness of life. And we are praying that a passion for reaching the nations would sweep across Campus Outreach students back in the Twin Cities. Would you join us in these prayers and this undertaking?
- Devin Smith