Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ… (Colossians 4:2-3)
“The university is a clear-cut fulcrum with which to move the world. Change the university and you change the world.”
"Local Campus Ministries"
I was as a college student when God grabbed ahold of my heart and changed the course of my life. An impressionable nineteen-year-old sophomore, I met Jesus in a life-altering way and committed to serve Him the best I knew how. In His graciousness, God provided a group of other students who loved God and loved me well.
Through a ministry on my campus, I learned how to pray, how to study the Bible, and how to live a life empowered by God’s Spirit. I received training on how to share my faith with others. My experience through a collegiate ministry impacted me so profoundly that upon graduation, I wanted to spend the best hours of my day helping college students who were coming into a relationship with Christ. Now over twenty years later, I’m still committed to this same mission.
The college experience is a critical time for those in their late teens and early twenties. It is during this season of life that so many of the future leaders of our world are wrestling with many potentially transformative questions: What kind of work will I do? Where will I live? Who will I marry? What will I believe? What will I live for?
In the midst of all the learning, searching and questioning, we are grateful that there are a number of campus ministries that reach out to the college students of central Florida and beyond. When we look at the world around us, imagine the difference a generation of Christ-centered, Spirit-filled, and gospel-driven young people could make in our city, nation, and world. God is at work among these future leaders and we have the opportunity to make a difference in their lives through our prayers.
How to pray...
- For Intervarsity Christian Fellowship at Rollins College, and for Zack Baldwin as he leads the ministry. Pray for “open doors” for the gospel to go forth.
- For Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) at UCF, and for Lee Wright as he directs the work. Pray for students to be grounded in the Word and in love for God and others.
- For Cru at UCF as they engage in evangelism and discipleship, and for Jeremy Reddy as he leads the work. Pray for reliance on the Spirit’s power in their lives.
- For all the staff and students from Campus Outreach who were part of LBC this summer. Pray that their experiences and growth from this summer will deepen throughout the fall and that they will be strong witnesses on their campuses and in their families.
- For the college students who attend LBC. Thank God for their presence and their participation in the life of our church. Pray that their college years would be a time of spiritual growth and transformation.
For the Family
The season of late teens/early twenties is such a unique time in life full of change and choice. Share with your children some of the impactful things that happened to you during that time of your life. Each of our lives is a journey and we can’t predict what is going to be on that road, but it is amazing to look back at where that road took us. God not only knows our entire journey—he is on each road with us.
Ask your children: what is important to them right now and why? Maybe it is a friendship, an extracurricular activity, or family time. This part of their journey is preparing them for what is ahead. Find ways to be present in their journey and to look for God’s guiding hand in their lives.
Contributors
"Local Campus Ministries" - Scott Crocker
Scott Crocker is the Chief of Staff for Ethnic Field Ministry, a ministry of Cru committed to seeing spiritual movements launched among ethnic minority students and faculty throughout the world. His family attends Lake Baldwin Church, where Scott serves as a deacon and leads the church’s mercy ministry to those in need. In his free time, he is a diehard fan of the Michigan Wolverines & Detroit Tigers and has coached youth basketball and football since high school. An avid reader, he particularly enjoys biographies and books about culture and American history. Scott and his wife, Lori, have four children and live in Orlando, Florida
"For the Family" - Michelle Crouse
Michelle Crouse has served as the director of LBC's children's ministry—SPLASH Kids—since the end of 2011. She and her husband Joshua were married in 2002 and have 2 children. Michelle grew up outside of Boston and graduated from James Madison University in Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She loves being with kids and loves the opportunity to be a part of teaching children how much they are loved by God, and helping them grow in their understanding of what that means.