Building Leaders!

Ravi Zacharias was speaking to Prince Ra'ad from Iraq in Jordan some time in the past and asked him - "What is the greatest need in this part of the world?"  His response was:

"It's the same as any part of the world:Leadership and Youth. The world is desperately in need of leaders and the youth are desperately in need of watching good models of leadership. If we fail in those two areas, there is no great hope for the future of this world."

What are we looking forward to in our ministry with Cru?  Lots of things!  But one in particular - We build leaders.  We take students, by the leadership of the Father, the grace of Christ and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, and we turn students into Christ-centered laborers.  Leaders on their campuses, leaders in their churches, leaders in their homes, leaders in the workplaces.  Leaders who know and follow Jesus Christ.

Day in and day out we model biblical leadership to students on college campuses.  We equip them to be leaders themselves.  We encourage them.  We pray for them.  We give them confidence.  And then - we give them opportunity.  We challenge them to actually step up and lead.  Our campus ministries are student led, with our staff members leading and mentoring the student leaders.

On our summer mission trip to San Diego, Tiffany and I were discipled, we were invested in.  We were put on leadership teams.  I was on the campus movement team.  I was trained in how to lead.  I was prayed over.  I was mentored and discipled.  And then most importantly, I was challenged and given the opportunity to lead!  The staff and interns LEFT.  We were there only 4-6 weeks after arriving in San Diego to lead ourselves.  So as a student I was in charge (with 2-3 other students) of leading some others on our trip (20-25) to do outreaches at San Diego State University.  Each student was on some team and did the same thing.

I am excited to have the privilege of performing this critical role of raising up the next generation of leaders.  Transforming ordinary students into Christ-centered laborers and LEADERS.

2 Timothy 2:  1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.