Lessons and Stories from GS: #1 - The Fortress of Family

18 students. 14 staff.  1 family. 

It's amazing how quickly a group can grow together.  In just 2 1/2 weeks in Breckenridge, we witnessed the unity of the body to which Paul so often challenged the Ephesians.  Paul reminds us that unity in the body and maturity in our faith go hand in hand (Eph. 4:11-16).  It's not a coincidence that staff and students leave summer projects missing the fellowship that existed during their experience.  We long for it when we leave because that is how God created us to live.  He created us to be in community with one another.  Sharing our lives, praying for one another, encouraging each other, studying the Word together and, ultimately, pointing one another toward Christ. 

As we sat around tables at our end-of-project banquet, it is what each student mentioned they would miss the most.  The fellowship is unparalleled.  Most of these students will be returning to sororities and fraternities in the fall where they will have little or no Christian fellowship.  Starting a Bible study, initiating spiritual conversations, sharing their testimonies - these may all be tasks conquered by just them and the Holy Spirit.  

It almost makes it seem unfair to have experienced what I did in college.  The incredible body of believers that existed in my house and in my life.  It is so easy to take for granted and so easy to stay within.  It's comfortable and satisfying and effortless.  But how could I have been satisfied with the knowledge that beyond my family, my comfort zone, my community, there were girls suffering and searching.  In a place where there are so many who are lost, it is incredible how our own body of believers can stand between us and them, building a wall that prevents us from living out the Great Commission.  We are stuck in a fortress of family.

"Break our hearts for what breaks Yours."

walking in a winter(?) wonderland

Today was my third day in Breckenridge, CO at Greek Summit.  Now, this is meant to be a "summer" project, but let me just show you how good ole Breck greeted the students...

Yes, that's right.  The staff woke up our second morning here in Breckenridge to snow...in May.  So, as you can imagine, the students arriving in flip flops, shorts and t-shirts were a bit shocked.  Yet, they all arrived safe and sound!

Even though it came as a shock, what a beautiful way to begin 2 1/2 weeks spent in God's beautiful creation.  As the staff spent time in prayer for the students the morning before they arrived, we praised God for what a magnificent creator He is and how every bit of His creation points to Christ.  Even the snow in May reminded us of Jesus' death on the cross washing away our sins so that we could be white as snow.

Just a few hours later, the students started showing up.  We have students all the way from the West Coast to the East Coast and it is so amazing to think how God has each of them here for a specific purpose.

Now, as a summary of the past day and a half since they arrived, let me just tell you a few of the reasons why I love working with Greek students by explaining a some of the things that have occurred so far (keeping in mind the students have only known each other for a little over 24 hours):

Cool Runnings viewing,

picnic in the courtyard,

hundreds of pictures (with plenty of sorority squatting),

lots of eating,

multiple coffee trips,

and my favorite...

spontaneous DANCE PARTIES (with plenty of Miley, Usher, Journey and TSwift).

It is amazing to already see such a tight community forming among the students after just a day and a half together.  And as they bond together, they will have a unique opportunity to learn from one another, build vision for the Greeks on their campus together and encourage each other to stand firm in their faith in their houses.

As I sit and watch and interact with each of the students, I have never felt more confident that this is exactly where God wants me right now.  My heart is at peace and I just can't wait to see them experience Jesus more and more through each other, the talks, reflection time, outreach and discussion.  Amidst the dance parties, food and fun, God is going to break their hearts for the lost, give them a vision for reaching their brothers and sisters and return them to their campuses as changed people who refuse to settle for complacency.

the bigger picture

I could get used to life on the road...good music playlists, sleeping on mounds of pillowsand air mattresses, surviving on fruit roll-ups, apples and trail mix (really just the peanuts and m&ms because I pick everything else out) and spending the days and nights with amazing people.  But really, the one reason I would love it the most is the opportunity to get a glimpse of the bigger picture - a picture of what God is doing outside of the USC bubble, even the LA bubble. 

This past week, I spent 6 days traveling up the California coast to visit campuses and meet with staff and students about their Greek system/ministry.  The destinations included UCSB, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal.  Each campus is experiencing a different phase in their Greek movement, but each campus has evidence of God's desire to see the Greek system reached.  My hope was to be there to encourage them, learn from them, pray for them and be a resource in any way I could.  This depiction will not give the experience justice or explain in enough detail what happened, but I wanted to share the glimpse of the bigger picture.

The journey began in Santa Barbara.  We (Heather, a fellow USC staff member, and I) arrived in Santa Barbara around 10am to meet up with Angelica, a senior in Alpha Delta Chi (the Christian sorority at UCSB).  Over a cup of coffee, we talked about the Greek life at UCSB, the difficulties of reaching out to Greek students, the need to reach out to Greek students and ways to reach out to Greek students.  After gathering prayer requests, brainstorming ideas, sharing resources and offering as much encouragement as we could, we finished up talking and prayed for Angelica and UCSB and the Greek students and the future of a Greek movement there.

Then on to San Luis Obispo.  I was already amazed at the beauty of the area of Santa Barbara (which is probably why I almost went to school there), but I had no idea how much I would love San Luis Obispo.  After discussions with many of my fellow Trojans, we decided that USC would be pretty much the perfect school if you picked it up and dropped it in San Luis Obispo.  Mountains, beaches, farms, amazing coffee shops, the best tri-tip sandwiches and WONDERFUL people!  Not only did I get the opportunity to meet with the student leaders and staff that were helping out with Greek ministry, but I was greeted by 8 students at a gathering that had been arranged for students interested in Greek ministry!  I was so blessed by the opportunity to get to know them, hear about their Greek system, learn from them, tell them from my own mistakes, encourage them and pray for them.  As I was talking to one of the students after, I couldn't help but thinking about how sovereign God is.  As a confession, its easy to fall into the mindset of thinking that I will have something to offer people being on staff.  After all, didn't God put me there for a reason?  What a silly thought!  I would hope that I would move out of the way enough for the Holy Spirit to speak through me, but without Him, I have nothing to offer!  So as I listened to the ways God has been moving with Greeks at SLO and the hopes for Greek students to experience Jesus continuing into the future, I was thankful for the things I was learning and the ways I was being challenged to take steps of faith!  Leaving SLO, I felt blessed with encouragement, new challenges, new friendships and a renewed passion to see Greek students everywhere experience a relationship with Jesus.

Moving further north, we made our way to Berkeley.  I have never felt more out of place surrounded by earth-toned clothing as I walked into a coffee shop in a bright green and white striped shirt on St. Patrick's Day!  I hope this doesn't come off as a negative comment at all, but it is definitely a different culture there!  I got to spend some great time with Arijaan (staff at Cal working with Greeks) and spend some time in prayer with her about Cal, Greeks at Cal and Greek Summit, the summer project we will both be on this summer geared specifically for Greek students.  I then had the opportunity to join Arijaan and three Greek girls at Cal for a "dinner and discussion" time.  The girls shared their hearts, their fears and their desire to see more Greek students get to have the relationship with God that they have.  Again, my hope was to encourage them, pray for them, learn from them and share what I had learned from our mistakes and successes at USC. 

We are not all in the same phase, but we all have the same heart.  We are united in Christ wherever we are.  That is the bigger picture. God has bigger plans than we can ever imagine, we just have to trust Him.  We have to believe that He is bigger than the box we tend to put Him in.  Jesus increased my vision of Him and of what He wants to see happen in the lives of Greek students.  My prayer is that He continues to do the same for all of the staff and students I had the opportunity to meet and even those that I didn't.  Join me in praying for this as well!

an outsider's approach

Just last week, I had the privilege of spending an afternoon on the Cal State Long Beach campus during a week of new staff on-the-field training.  Every intern and new staff member with Campus Crusade continues to be developed as we take part in a 2-year training program.  This is what brought me and about 30 other new staff and interns to our on-the-field training last week.  On Thursday, we were split in half.  Half of us went to Cal State Fullerton and the other half to Cal State Long Beach.  The purpose of the day was to try two tools to share our faith that we had never used before.  Eager to see the atmosphere on a different campus, my excitement grew even more when the regional directors and staff on Cal State Long Beach told me that I would be able to go into the Greek office there and talk to some of the Greek leaders on the campus.  I couldn't wait to get in and talk to them! 

A group of us were pointed in the direction of the Greek office and we walked in.  We did not hide why we were there or try to disguise it.  We told them that we were with Campus Crusade for Christ and were interested in seeing if there was a need for a Greek ministry on the campus.  We then asked if anyone would be willing to tell us a bit about their Greek system and possibly go through a leadership interview with us.  One of the members of IFC (Interfraternity Council) began talking to me and telling me all about their Greek system.  If I was asking these same questions to someone at USC, they would look at me like I was crazy - being in the Greek system there, I should already know all of that, right?  That's when I realized how incredibly advantageous it is to come in as an outsider.  I knew all of the Greek language and general information about the Greek system, but I didn't know how they functioned specifically at CSULB.  I just asked questions.  And let me tell you, Greeks LOVE talking about the Greek system.  Part of me thinks this is because they are always being questioned about their purpose, their reason for event existing, that they are almost trained to explain what exactly they are and why they exist.  So many people come at Greek students attacking them for their way of life, their exclusivity, their "silly" traditions, that we (Greeks) have had to develop a defense.  So I asked questions - not with any other motivation than to simply learn.  In Doug Pollock's book, God Space, he states that his "whole ministry changed for the better when [he] began to seek to understand before [he] sought to be understood."  Seek to understand them!  They want to be understood!

After nearly 20 minutes of just asking him about the Greek system there at CSULB and his experience in it, I asked permission to go through a leadership interview with him.  This is an amazing tool that just asks about their experience and opinions about leadership and then transitions into their thoughts about Jesus and how he led.  I couldn't believe I had never used this tool before!  It is the perfect thing to use with Greek leaders and it is such a great way to get to know them.  One of the questions even asks, "If you were in our shoes trying to expose students to Christ in a positive way, what would you do?"  What was his answer?  He said, "Exactly what you're doing.  Ask me questions.  Be genuine.  Get to know me before you share this with me." 

By the time we both had to leave, he had given me contact information for everyone I would need to get ahold of, told me when IFC, PHC and all of the other Greek Councils met and even offered the option of coming to speak at their meetings to publicize this new Greek ministry.  This student was not even a Christian!  Yet, he was willing to do anything to help us out, all because we had taken the time to get to know him, to come from an outside approach and become an insider.

Currently there is not a Greek movement with Campus Crusade at CSULB.  I was filled with joy and yet also sadness when he began offering all of the opportunities for connections in the Greek system - joy because of the doors God seemed to be opening and sadness because the need is there but there are not enough laborers for the harvest. 

As Greek movements begin to pop up on campuses all over our region, I'm reminded of Paul's words to the Corinthians: "To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.  To those under the law I became like on under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law.  To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.  I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings" (1 Cor. 9:20-23).  Don't let fear hold you back from reaching out to a group of people where you feel like an "outsider."  Ask questions, develop friendships, be genuine, love them and let the Spirit use you.

Gathering Greeks at Winter Conference!

Over the next few posts, I'll attempt to do some catch-up on what has been going on in the past month or so.  One of the most exciting things is something that happened at Winter Conference in San Diego.  This was a time when nearly 800 college students from California, Arizona, Hawaii and Las Vegas gathered in between Christmas and New Years to worship, fellowship, serve, share their faith and learn more about our God through speakers, seminars and discussions. 

During this time, my friend Arijaan (who is on staff at Cal working with Greeks) and I were able to organize a gathering for any Greek students or students who were interested in Greek ministry on their campuses.  We were expecting a maximum of about 15-20 students, so we were SHOCKED when more and more students kept pouring in so that we ended up having almost 50 students in the room!  Each of the students were passionate about seeing Greeks on their campus get to experience a personal relationship with God, whether they are Greek themselves or not.  In fact, almost half of the students there were non-Greeks who saw a need on their campus for Greeks to hear the Gospel!  We got to cast some vision about hopes for the future with a possible Greek Conference in the Pacific Southwest in spring 2011 and also the possibility for Greek students to attend Greek Summit, a 2-week summer project in Breckenridge, CO that is focused on equipping Greek students in how to do ministry within their houses.

What evidence that there is a need!  Students are seeing it on all different campuses!  Let's keep the campuses in the Pacific Southwest in our prayers.  That God would raise up students to begin and lead Greek movements on the campuses and that these students would have the chance to hear the Gospel!

stepping out of the bubble

Here is an article you need to read: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1056294-1,00.html.


If you have ever wondered what it looks like to try to live out faith in college and specifically in the Greek system, this will give you a picture of that.  It touches on the challenges of living within the Greek system and other difficult environments in college but also the importance of it.  Christians in the Greek system will not be perfect - they face the same temptations and trials as their brothers and sisters - but they see a need.  And they are willing to step out of the comfort and protection of the "Christian bubble" in order to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. 


Remember this: "On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners'" (Mark 2:17).  He said this in response to being chastised by the Pharisees for dining with "many tax collectors and 'sinners.'"  Are you following Jesus' example in this?  Or are you asking the same question the Pharisees did?

the most important...

What is the most important thing you've ever heard?  The most important decision you've ever made?  This was it for me, and I have good reason to believe that it will be it for you as well.  It is referred to as the Gospel.  In Greek, Gospel means "good news."  And that's just what it is, especially for you and me.  So what does this Gospel tell us that is so important?  This is a summary of the Gospel with some help from Bill Bright.


God loves you and created you to know Him personally and He has a wonderful plan for your life!  And His love is not a conditional love that our world shows us, but an unconditional love. A love that would sacrifice anything to be displayed (John 3:16). And yes, it is a wonderful plan!  Not a mediocre plan.  Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10).  His plan for us is to know Him personally (John 17:3).  So what keeps us from living this full life?  What keeps us from knowing Him personally?


Its because people are sinful and separated from God, so we cannot know Him personally or experience His love and plan.  So what exactly is sin?  Sin was an ancient archery term used to describe when an arrow fired that missed the target.  God created us to have fellowship with Him, but because of our stubborn self-will, we chose to go our own independent way and our fellowship with God was broken.  This is what sin is: this self-will, characterized by an attitude of active rebellion and passive indifference.  As Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death" [spiritual separation from God].  So if God is holy and people are sinful, it is impossible for us to establish a personal relationship with Him through our own efforts, such as a good life, philosophy or religion.  But God bridged that gap that existed between us and Him.


God's response was Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ is God's only provision for our sin.  Through Him alone we can know God personally and experience God's love and plan.  Jesus died in our place, He paid the wage of death that Romans talks about.  And He rose from the dead: "...Christ died for our sins...He was buried, He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4).  He is the only way to God and He bridged that gap so that we could have a personal relationship with God.  But it's not enough just to know these truths.


We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know God personally and experience His love and plan.  We receive Christ through faith by personal invitation.  You may have heard it in Sunday school as "asking Jesus into your heart."  Receiving Christ involves this: turning to Him from ourself, which is referred to as repentance, and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive us of our sins and make us what He wants us to be.  Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins or to have an emotional experience is not enough.  We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will. 


God is not concerned with the right words but with the attitude of your heart.  You can respond in faith through prayer, with one such as this:


Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally.  Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins.  I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord.  Thank You for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life.  Take control of my life.  Make me the kind of person You want me to be.


It's simple, it expresses faith and it acknowledges truth.  If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, please don't hesitate to pray it!  It is the most important thing I've ever heard.  The most important decision I've ever made.  It is also the most important thing we can ever tell someone else, especially your brothers and sisters in your houses.  Consider that, pray about it and feel free to ask me questions about it (cchogue@gmail.com).