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SVM2 (Student Volunteer Movement 2)
www.svm2.net |
November 2005 |
SVM2 is a grassroots student mission movement calling new message bearers to a life of abandoned devotion
to Jesus Christ and the urgent global proclamation of His gospel.
IN BRIEF
1. Abandoned Devotion Reflection bs Steve Haack
2. Global Proclamation Reflection by Alan Bushnell
3. Coming in 2006: The Year of the Haystack
4. Global Ministry Bytes Next Month
* Muslim Evangelism
* Reaching Unreached University Campuses for Christ
5. A Global Prayer Movement...
6. Recommended Books of the Month
7. More Info about SVM2
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Abandoned Devotion Reflection |
WHAT DO YOU WANT OUT OF LIFE?
By Steve Haack
Steve is a student leader at Hope College in Holland, Michigan
“What do you want out of your life?” This question was asked to me last night by a close friend. I sat and considered it, knowing that a question of this magnitude merited a deep and sincere response. It didn’t catch me off guard, because we had already been discussing critical issues, specifically war and how it relates to God’s sixth commandment as well as Jesus’ teaching about loving your enemies. In other words, we were just solving the world’s problems one matter at a time. So finally, I answered...
“I want to be able to look back on my life and know through faith that I, by both word and deed, was personally responsible in bringing the Kingdom of God to earth. That my life spoke with such certainty, that Jesus Christ is Lord of heaven and earth and came to redeem all people. I want to be able to say that I desired God more than anything else. Not His blessings, nor His mercies, nor even His trials which lead to personal growth, but that I desired Him.”
Right then and there God revealed something to me, so I continued... “I believe that if I am able to say that-that I desired Him more than anything else- then bringing the Kingdom of God to earth will take care of itself.”
Because, you see, that is how it works. Jesus WAS the Kingdom for us and to us; and so, we need to strive towards that same end. Be the Kingdom to your fellow brother and sister, to your best of friends and worst of enemies. Do not forget, however, where it must start. For it will not begin with good works or deeds, or ministry to your fellow man. Instead, it will start with a deep hunger for God Himself. Jesus understood this, and constantly drew on His relationship to the Father through prayer and submission, knowing full well that would be the only way His purposes on earth would be accomplished. Even in his most desperate hour, the Son of God cried out, “Father...not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Only through this radical obedience, of Jesus’ heart being set on God Himself, was the miracle of Jesus’ death and resurrection accomplished.
The writer of Hebrews puts it this way, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith...” (Hebrews 12:2). If we are committed to this as believers, desiring God above all else, and therefore, radically obeying His every mandate for our lives regardless of the ensuing uncertainties, then I fervently believe that He will use each of us to bring His Kingdom to earth. The amazing part will be to see the infinite number of ways this will manifest itself in His followers.
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Global Proclamation Reflection |
ARE WE TAKING THE CALL SERIOUSLY?
By Allan Bushnell
Allan is a student leader in the Campus Crusade for Christ fellowship at the University of Arizona
Brothers and sisters, have you found how easy it is to get caught up in our daily lives and in our concerns about our own well-being day by day? I find that most of us tend to have good intentions about reaching others for Christ, at least those who are directly around us. Great, but what about those who are elsewhere in the world! The issue of sacrificing our own comforts and our own needs for the sake of others is our primary hindrance. We don't seem willing to do this in our generation! It’s time to step up and begin the process most important in catching a heart for the Great Commission….we need to DIE TO OURSELVES!!
What does it mean to die to yourself? That is a question we all ask ourselves. To die to one's self begins with a complete surrendering of our concerns and our will to God, releasing our plans, and being willing to step out in faith toward His plan! That means that you are going to have to stop allowing things to get in the way. Begin praying that the Lord would strengthen you, tell Him that you want to release your will (and I mean release it! That doesn't mean just once, but everyday release it), and be willing to follow Him!
I was asked just last semester by somebody a very thought provoking question: "Allan, what would you do if God told you to drop everything, and to just pack up and head out internationally to reach others for Christ?" Had they asked me a year before, my answer would have been, "I would have told God to hold on, let me finish my schooling, and then in return, I would go abroad and preach the Gospel for a while." What was my answer then? For the first time in my life I answered: "I would drop everything, I would pack up, and I would head out. I wouldn't think twice, I would just go." That may seem radical, but that is a portion of what surrendering one's self to Christ will do for your life. You will begin to value His call and His mission more than your own. If you were asked the same question, and you couldn't answer "I would go...", then you need to evaluate if you really have died to yourself. This may be hard, but it is the most necessary step to beginning to live a life surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus and to share this hope that we have with others around the world who presently have no way to hear the gospel.
I hope brothers and sisters, that in the coming months you will be praying and seeing what God is calling you to. Don't hesitate if He leads you to drop everything and to go abroad as a message bearer, or for that matter if He leads you to share with those around you locally. That hesitation is a dedication to self, not to Christ. Please surrender to Christ with me, listen for His calling as I am right now, and if you find yourself called, GO!
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Coming in 2006: The Year of the Haystack |
Almost 200 years ago, 5 college students at Williams College in northwest Massachusetts gathered twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, for prayer. On one particular August day in 1806 while they prayed by the river near campus they had to take refuge under a large haystack due to a severe thunderstorm that had blown through. Their specific prayer focus that day was for an awakening of missionary interest among their fellow peers. At this point the missions movement from North America had not begun. There were no agencies or organizations that facilitated missionaries being sent into the world. These five didn’t let the storm deter them from prayer and they continued to cry out to God while underneath the haystack. They committed among themselves that they personally would become involved in global ministry and that they would seek to influence as many of their classmates with this same vision as possible. A few years later it was through the influence and urgings of these same students that the first ever foreign missionary board was developed and the first American missionaries sent out. This was the beginning of the missionary movement in North America.
2006 is the 200th anniversary of this prayer movement. What we see taking place today around the world from North America has as its legacy five college students who sought the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers and He answered. It is imperative to tell the story of how college students launched the missionary movement in North America and that God has always used the emerging generation, that took Him at His word, to be involved in accomplishing His global purpose. Time and time again historically, He has used young adults to spark spiritual revivals or new movements. It is time again to see the emerging generation rise up and respond to the global call of God in their day.
SVM2 is partnering with various organizations and ministries to see the story of the haystack told throughout 2006 and a new challenge and burden given to today’s student generation at multitudes of Christian colleges and universities across the US and Canada. We are highlighting close to 120 different campuses to host an all-campus “Haystack Night” to tell the story in a compelling way and to call this generation to action.
For more information on the “Year of the Haystack” or to inquire about your campus hosting a “Haystack Night”, contact Paul at paul@svm2.net. For more information about the history of student mission movements including the Haystack movement see http://www.svm2.net/page/page/1931236.htm and download “This Generation for the Forgotten” by Ryan Shaw.
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Global Ministry Bytes Next Month |
Next month we will highlight two areas of potential ministry for the emerging generation to consider practical involvement with when they graduate. The two writings will surround practical information about Muslim Evangelism and Reaching Unreached University Campuses for Christ
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A Global Prayer Movement... |
In the 1990’s the Holy Spirit raised up a worldwide prayer movement fixated on saturating the nations and particularly the 10/40 window that came to be called “Pray Through the Window” under the auspices of the AD2000 movement. Millions of believers around the world were mobilized to seek God on behalf of this region of the world and we have seen tremendous fruit in the last few years as a result of this prayer and intercession. This movement primarily involved the body of Christ at large but generally missed the student generation’s involvement.
Today, God is raising up a prayer movement specifically among the student generation focused on seeking His face on behalf of those all over the world who are outside of a relevant hearing of the gospel message. Many ministries and organizations are involving themselves as they are recognizing the critical nature of prayer in the global ministry movement. SVM2 is seeking to serve this movement by calling on students from all backgrounds and organizations to raise the bar of prayer for the nations in their communities by launching Global Prayer Teams on their campus or in their churches. These teams are focused small groups that meet weekly together to seek God’s face on behalf of people’s around the world who have no access to the gospel. Simultaneously, they cry out for today’s generation to catch His heartbeat and go into all the world following graduation.
If you have a small group praying for these things, join the Global Prayer Team Network by registering your group at http://www.svm2.citymaker.com/page/page/1931220.htm.
Pick up a Global Prayer Team guide to assist you with teaching on prayer and facilitating a small group fixated on saturating prayer for the nations at http://www.svm2.citymaker.com/page/page/1931236.htm.
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Recommended Books of the Month |
Abandoned Devotion (Book for Spiritual Growth)
Christian spiritual practices are the subject of this abridgment of Foster's 1978 book. The inward disciplines are meditation, prayer, fasting, and study; the outward disciplines are simplicity, solitude, submission, and service; and the community disciplines are confession, worship, guidance, and celebration. With intellectual clarity on par with that of C.S. Lewis, Foster is a wonderful teacher who is accessible as a speaker and in touch with the aimlessness of the modern era.
Global Proclamation (Book about Reaching the World for Christ)
The urban poor now constitute an unreached people group that is the third largest in the world—one that is doubling every decade and among the most responsive to the gospel. The most strategic and needed actions to reach this growing population with the gospel relate to breaking the bonds of injustice-sin, oppression, and poverty-and modeling Jesus' approach for social change by establishing movements of disciples among the poor.
* Both of these titles are available at www.Amazon.com
Abandoned Devotion Gatherings – Find out more info about these catalytic gatherings and how to receive all the materials necessary to host one on your campus at http://www.svm2.citymaker.com/page/page/1931221.htm
Are You A Message Bearer? – See what the buzz is surrounding this commitment and join hundreds of others that are making it at http://www.svm2.citymaker.com/signthemessagebearercreed
A Movement in Your Community? – Get your hands on the Movement Manual for tons of practical ideas and strategies for seeing a student mission movement catalyzed on your campus community at http://www.svm2.citymaker.com/signthemessagebearercreed
SVM2 Abandoned Times
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