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Changed Lives :: So. Idaho, From High School To College

Over the last couple of years, Student Venture and the Campus Ministry (Crusade’s ministry to college students, a.k.a. Cru) have focused a great deal on the partnership between us, which God is using to mightily increase our abilities and opportunities to reach high school students. It is a natural partnership and a win-win situation.

Another focus for Student Venture is connecting our graduated SV students with their college’s Cru to continue their spiritual growth, training and influence.

Today’s story represents both priorities:
• The O’Briens, who wrote this story, work with Boise State students and with high schools in that area;
• Jared, who is now in college and involved with Cru, was involved with SV in high school.
We look forward to what God will do through our partnership!

As Thanksgiving approaches, we remember you with sincere thanks to God for your partnership.  We pray that God will fill your heart with all He is and all He does for you, His cherished child.

From High School to College

by Matt and Kim O’Brien, Senior staff reaching HS and College students in So. Idaho


Jared first got involved with Student Venture before coming to Boise State.  Last month, Ryan, after wrestling through his objections to Christianity, placed his faith in Jesus after two years of being influenced by his friend, Jared.  
 
In September, Ryan (pictured at right) came to our fall retreat. One of the realities that kept him from surrendering to Jesus was the realization that the decision would result in significant life changes. A couple days after the retreat Ryan sat in his parked car and talked with God. After 45 minutes, he eventually surrendered his life to Jesus!
 
Since placing his trust in Jesus, Ryan has said: “It’s been awesome! I really needed this. I feel like I need to tell people about this. . . I believe my purpose is to talk with people that others won’t approach.
 
A few weeks ago Ryan stood in front of 50+ students at our weekly meeting and said, “If you just accepted Christ, you might not feel like you have the ability to spread the Word and share with people. I just want to urge you guys to do it.”

2010-11 Ministry Update

November 2010 Ministry Update - inludes:
1. Cooper getting baptized by daddy. Congrats to and from Dwight Howard.
2. Howard turning 40, Laura turning 35.
3. 67,000 schools, 25 million students

Side 1

Side 2

Cooper Was Baptized By His Daddy At The Beach (with NBA Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard)

Cooper placed his faith in Christ back in January. We’ve read all the way through the bible several times with our boys during our nightly bedtime routine. Every time we’d get to the passages about John The Baptist, Cooper would ask all sorts of questions about baptism. He’s learned that baptism is a public, outward expression of the inward, personal decision to follow Christ. He’s been asking if he could get baptized for some time now, and we believe he was ready. Cooper even asked if I would baptize him!
On the morning of the big day, he and I had a special time together at McDonalds talking again through the significance of his decision. Then that afternoon, our family along with 1000 others from our church, drove the 1.5 hours out to the Atlantic Ocean. The weather was perfect and the waves were big.
After walking out into the ocean, we knelt in the frigid water with our pastor (Isaac Hunter) at our side. I asked him, “Cooper, do you believe Jesus Christ is God’s Son?” and “Do you believe He died on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins?” and lastly, “Is it your desire to follow Christ all the days of your life?” After saying, “Yes,” I said, “Cooper, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” I leaned him backward into the water as the waves came crashing in.
Baptizing Cooper in the presence of our church (Summit Church of Orlando) was one of my greatest honors! Cooper was one of about 100 who got baptized that day!

NBA All star, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic got Baptized, too

The final person baptized by our 5’ 9” pastor, was 6’ 11” NBA All star, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic. Dwight made a profession of faith in Jesus years ago, but only now committed to be baptized. Afterward, Cooper went up to Dwight to congratulate him.
You can see video and pictures from the day on our gallery website: http://gallery.me.com/crutsinger

Howard Turning 40, Laura 35!

November 12 is the day Laura and I both share for our birthday. Neither of us like the sound of these pivotal ages. 39 and 34 was much more palatable. Being “a couple in our thirties” is no longer a description I can use! I guess it is time to grow up... Naaa...

67,000 schools, 25 million students...

The goal is to give every student at every school the chance to hear about and see God’s love and forgiveness in action.
Humanly speaking, it seems impossible. In America alone there are 67,000 schools with nearly 25 million high school and middle school students. Around the world there are millions more. It may be seem zealous to have such a lofty scope, but the mission of reaching out to every person in every part of the world is God’s idea.

Moments before His departure Jesus gave his followers this specific directive: “Go into the whole world and preach the good news to everyone, everywhere.” Mark 16:15 (TLB), and in Matthew 28:18-20: “Go and make disciples in every nation.” This charge, given by Jesus to all Christians for all time, is called the Great Commission.

I represented Student Venture at the Campus Alliance Summit in Kansas City, MO, a partnership of youth leaders, students, organizations and church denominations. Every few years, SV does an analysis of where the body of Christ stands on reaching youth around the United States. We pool stats from Youth for Christ, Young Life, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Youth Alive (Assemblies of God), Southern Baptists, Student Venture, and Moms in Touch to show where God is at work in the local middle and high schools in America. It is exciting to see that there are 21,000 ministry locations targeting young people for Christ. Please pray the Campus Alliance can help foster partnerships between campus based ministries and strategize how to reach almost 10,000 middle and high schools that still do not currently have an effective outreach.

Appreciating Your Partnership

This is not an easy journey leading in ministry. Your prayers and support help sustain us. Please pray Isaiah 40:29-31 over us: ”He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

It is a joy for us to serve along side you,

Changed Lives :: Carrollton Discipleship Chain Continues

Multiplication is in the forefront of our minds as we go about God's work. In fact, it is one of our three critical path steps (along with Launch and Involve) in reaching students. If staff were solely responsible for sharing Christ, then some students would hear. But when staff multiply themselves through students and the students multiply themselves through other students, then we have many more students hearing about the love and grace of Christ – that's multiplication.

Example of multiplication: we see students sharing their faith with other students, who share their faith with other students, and so on. God knew about "pyramid strategies" long before "pyramid schemes" came along!

While you probably will never meet these girls, you have played a role in their salvation - and multiplication - by your obedience to God and your partnership with us. We thank you.

One Reaches Two; Two Reach Four
by Tom and Bea Ann Bridges, staff serving in Dallas, TX

At the heart of this ministry, we are trusting God, by His Spirit, for spiritual multiplication among high school students.

Through your prayers and partnership, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord is raising up discipleship chains at Newman Smith High School. For example . . .

Sasha (volleyball captain and NSHS class of 2007), became a SV student leader and began to disciple Rani, who shared her testimony at an outreach.
. . Rani (volleyball captain and class of 2010), began to disciple Hanna.
. . . Hanna (varsity basketball player, class of 2011), began to mentor her younger sister Maddie
. . . . Maddie (varsity volleyball player, class of 2013) had an opportunity to lead her friend Kathryn to Christ at Fastbreak 2010
. . . . . Jenna (current volleyball captain and class of 2011), discipled by Sasha, is planning a volleyball outreach this semester.

Through sharing their faith individually and at group outreaches, these girls have seen many students give their lives to Christ in the past three years, and then have been actively involved in mentoring these young Christians.

All it takes is one student who leads another to Christ and disciples them for a year, and then the next year those two students each lead another to Christ and disciples them. Soon, thousands of students have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior and are discipling others to do the same.

Please pray that this budding multiplication chain would continue to grow and bear much fruit and give great glory to God!

Changed Lives :: Coaching Center

The SV Coaching Center is comprised of staff who work via long distance with volunteers who wish to begin Student Venture in their area.  The Coaches train these volunteers, teaching them how to do ministry with high school students, and walking through the challenges, joys and “how-tos”.  These staff offer years of experience to help guide and teach those who have no experience but who do have a heart for high school students. This strategy is a way for ministry to happen in areas where Student Venture does not have staff.

Once again, we delight is God’s creativity in reaching people’s hearts.

Your support is important in reaching teenagers in whatever way God leads us.  You are a vital part of this ministry, and we value your involvement.      


And the Beat goes On
by Scott Livermore, SV Coaching Center
The heartbeat is a sign of life.  It can also be used as a metaphor for passion.  In Melissa’s case, I think it captures both of these ideas.

“All I have thought about since my seventh grade year was to do what Lindsey did with us.”  The heart of Melissa was captured not as much by the solid biblical interaction she received from her high school-aged spiritual mentor, but more that a peer cared enough about her and her friends to invest their life in them.  Move forward to her sophomore year in high school, Melissa began to meet with 2 seventh grade girls who would be the core of what now consists of more than 10 girls.  When she told her story to the girls, about how a high school student invested in her, the girls said that they too want to lead younger women when they get to high school.  Recently, one of the girls took a first step in that direction.

Kacy, an eighth grader and a basketball player, invited the team to her house.  They had food and interacted with one another after practice and then Kacy shared how she trusted Christ as her Savior and encouraged her friends to do the same.  Afterwards, Melissa stood up and shared how the girls could place their faith in Christ.  Eight of the girls who attended indicated that they trusted Christ and several others have asked to get together and talk more about the content of the meeting!

Melissa’s heartbeat for discipleship was fostered by the heart of her teenage mentor.  And it is Melissa’s heartbeat that has placed some of those seeds in the heart of Kacy and the rest of her girls.  It appears those seeds are being nurtured and will soon bloom into a new generation of spiritual laborers.

And the beat goes on.

Changed Lives :: Indianapolis

Over the years we have been sharing these stories, you may realize we take all opportunities to get in front of students so they know who our staff are and hopefully become interested in Student Venture. Holding an event with a “Love” focus is right down a high schooler’s alley – especially the girls!  So staff around the country use Valentines to gather students and share the Gospel. Today’s story is about a Valentine’s event and the students who attended.  God will use any method to draw students to Himself, and our staff try to listen and be obedient to His leading. Thank you for your obedience to partner with Student Venture.  We are blessed by you!  

Jesus is Love  - - -
by Mark and Dawn Michal, staff serving in Indianapolis
Love. It's a topic that everyone is interested in, and it is a great topic to bridge to the gospel.  In February, we held our annual Amazing Date outreach where we played our version of the Newlywed game and gave a $50 date package to the winner.  There were 50 to 60 people who came to play the game or watch their friends play it.
   
Mr. Johnson (the school choir director) shared a little about how God designed our romantic relationships to be and how to carefully navigate the treacherous roads of dating.  He is a well respected teacher at the school, so his genuine vulnerability on this topic was very much appreciated by the students About half of the people that came were new; ten said they wanted to get more involved and three said they wanted to start a relationship with Christ! Please be praying for these people as we follow them up, and get them plugged in with our meetings and small groups. Thank you so much for helping us reach these teens who desperately need Jesus!

Changed Lives :: Lake Tahoe Summer project

When Jesus called His disciples to faith in Him, He then spent three years “building them in their faith and sending them to reach others”. We strive to do the same; in fact, Campus Crusade for Christ’s mission is to “win-build-send”. This is an example of the building and sending part of what we do. We rejoice to see the work that Jesus has done (and is doing) in the life of Jared, and the work Jesus is doing in the lives of others through him. We echo Robert Frazier’s statement that appeared at the end of his story, and we sincerely thank you: Your investment has given Jared a place and opportunity to grow and develop and multiply himself in ministry.

Jesus grows his Children
by Robert and Malia Frazier, staff serving in Boise, ID
When Jared was a freshman in high school, his father pressed him to be involved in a confirmation process with his church. Jared was very interested in the true meaning of life and how spirituality and religion could be a part of his life. As he went through confirmation Jared started to read the Bible on his own and got to the book of Romans. Reading Romans 10 Jared gave his life to Jesus on his own and sought out a church where he could grow in faith.

Jared’s senior year of high school he showed up at a Student Venture meeting. We started to meet regularly to pray and study and train him to lead at his school. Over the fall semester he went from young believer to student leader. He was driven to share his faith with his friends and peers at school and started to lead small groups at our SV meetings.

As Jared graduated from high school in May of 2008, he headed off to college. Over the course of the year, he taught an evangelism course to a group of students on campus, shared his faith with a few dozen peers and helped as an adult leader for SV.

This summer Jared went to the Lake Tahoe Summer project with the college ministry of Campus Crusade. While at the project God gave Jared a heart to reach the homeless that hang out on the beach during the week—so he rallied other students on the project and raised money to bring lunch to 25+ people every day. While he fed them and their physical need, he also took initiative to share his faith with dozens of men on the beach. Several received Christ, he helped find jobs for a few and plugged some of them into discipleship groups at local churches.

Most recently, Jared has been accepted and is working as a SV intern. God has worked in Jared’s life to draw him in, raise him up, and heal him in Christ’s redemptive power.

Changed Lives :: exchange students

As we work with students, our prayer is that they will influence their family and friends in their community as Christ changes their lives. Now, let’s add the international possibilities to that! When we work internationally through our Global Venture ministries or with exchange students as in today’s story, God can use what we do to reach other countries for him. Not only can His influence be felt with friends and family locally, but His message and Gospel can be spread globally --- what a mighty God we serve! Thank you for ministering alongside us locally and internationally.

Jesus working around the globe!
by Mike and Laurel Riley, staff serving in Michigan
We've written before about the large number of exchange students who come to Suttons Bay High School each year, for such a small school. We've enjoyed having a number of those students become involved in our weekly Bible studies. This year we have three exchange students who attend regularly. Yeo-min came to us from Germany, though she's originally from South Korea. While I believe Yeo-min originally came to Bible study for friendship, she seems to have found much more than that! Jordan and I have had some terrific conversations with her outside of the group, answering her questions and offering insight and pertinent reading materials. Yeo-min is leaving soon, and the other day offered the following commentary on her time here as it relates to faith: "Before I went to Student Venture I was skeptical about Christianity and God. My parents are Christians and they tried to help me understand God's word, but a lot of people I know say that God doesn't exist, and for me it was also hard to believe there is a God. But I always wondered why there are people who believe in God. I thought there must be something I don't know of why they have faith in God. During my stay in the US, a friend and I talked about religion and as a result I went to Student Venture. I learned and changed in Student Venture. I realized God's love for the first time just recently. He showed me his love by showing me these new friends who share the time with me and help me to understand and gain faith in God. I appreciate this gift because it is good for me and that was what I needed. I learned that God forgives no matter what we do, when we express regret and ask for forgiveness, because he loves us so much. For this love and mercy we should be grateful and the least we could do in return is to love God. I like that I'm changing because it means I am starting to understand the reason to have faith in God." Please pray for Yeo-min and our other exchange students– that God will cause the seeds of faith planted in their hearts here to grow into a deep commitment to Him even after they go home. Pray for spiritual support and encouragement for these young women.

Crutsinger 2009_05 Prayer Letter

Here is our prayer letter for this month featuring:

• Discipleship Project Beta
  
• Houston Fastbreak Workshop
  
• SLI Module 4: El Salvador
  
• Leadership Conference
  
• Dad’s Cancer
  
• Baby Boy #3, Due date
  
• Thank You
  

click on the images below to enlarge them to a size where you can read them:

click on the images above to enlarge them to a size where you can read them...

Here's the text:
May 2009 Crutsinger Prayer Update

Emerging Strategies = "The Cutting Edge of Strategic Learning, Innovation and Resource Development to Accelerate the Ministry of Turning Lost Students into Christ-Centered Laborers"

“Essentials” Discipleship Project Update

OVERVIEW:  The Essentials of Spiritual Growth and Multiplication has now become a proven tool that has been used effectively in multiple contexts.  The purpose of the Assessment and Expansion Project is to fine tune the resource itself (assessment) and then seek to significantly increase its worldwide usage (expansion).  We have completed the first eight lessons.  I have about 75 staff around the country being beta testers.  The initial feedback is very encouraging!  Even the high school students using them as they disciple their peers have communicated their excitement.

    Have you made intensive efforts towards spiritual growth and multiplication with limited results?  We have observed that the lack of success is not due to a lack of effort.  The secret is to make it easy.

     Steve Douglass, Campus Crusade President, invested significant personal time to help us craft a single innovative resource that encapsulates many of the best practices seen globally. Essentials is very unique. It is not like other discipleship resources.

     Since 2005, hundreds of field staff and students have wrestled with the Essentials content resulting in significant modifications.  It has been revised over and over again, maximized to the point where you will quickly see your small group participants experience, first-hand, the core DNA of Win, Build, and Send.  It is new, yet you can have complete confidence in proven results.

     I guarantee that you and other small group leaders will easily grasp the Essentials strategy in this intuitive framework.  In the redesign, I’ve strived to make the discipleship process extremely easy to understand, experience, and replicate.

     Few resources are able to bridge multiple people groups like Essentials. Essentials has proven to be effective with a variety of ethnic, international, high school, university and adult audiences.  At it’s core, Essentials is about experiences and discussions – two universal ways to connect with anyone.

     I now want to invite you to test it out!  Because of your partnership with our family, I want to resource you, but I also want to listen to you.  Being a digital resource, I will still continue to make ongoing improvements in response to your personal expertise and advice.

     To show our appreciation for you, I want to give you a free beta copy of Essentials of Spiritual Growth and Multiplication.  If Essentials does not live up to your standards, you can always resort to other options for discipleship materials.

To download your free copy, visit

http://essentials.ccci.org

Houston Fastbreak

   The current Houston director, Barry Bowling, was the SV staffer who started SV in my high school when I was still a student in 1985.  Many things I learned when he discipled me shaped my passion for student multiplication.  Over this past Winter break, I flew to Texas to visit the 2009 Houston Fastbreak Student Conference.  I was able to help Barry with a student leader workshop focusing on multiplying discipleship.  What an encouragement to see students of multiple ethnicities being raised up to directly impact their own campuses.  Some of these students were already using the Essentials discipleship strategy!  Pray these students and those from all our conferences nationwide remain connected to the Father and committed to His plans.

Senior Leadership Module 4 - El Salvador

   I am in the final stretch of my two year Senior Leadership Initiative.  We met in El Salvador where our theme was “the relationships of the leader.”   One assignment involved us interviewing 5 highly influential business leaders in their country, inquiring about the importance of relationships to their effectiveness as leaders.  Also during the week we covered volumes of very practical content: Leadership Derailers, Coaching Over Distance, Leading with Questions, Five Components of a Healthy Team, Developing Trust as a Leader, Feedback Culture, Managing Conflict, and Importance of Self Awareness.  The highlight for me was hearing from three global Campus Crusade leaders who each shared openly about their “Leadership Journey.”

SV National Leadership Conference

   What percentage of your time are you working IN your organization, and what percentage of your time are you working ON it? In our National Team role, we find that in order to build Student Venture into a stronger and healthier ministry for the long run, we need to pull back from being immersed in the work that needs to be done.  We have the responsibility to make whatever necessary changes organizationally to accomplish our mission through short term and long term strategies.

   Last week, we returned from our annual SV National Leadership Conference where we hosted all of our SV city directors.  This is only our second opportunity to meet together since the transition to our current National Team.  We went to great effort to roll out our new National Strategic Planning Process and align our directors with it.  Based on the evaluations, it looks like we achieved our goal that the directors would leave the conference empowered, encouraged, aligned and informed.

Dad’s Cancer

   My father (Howard) has another scheduled biopsy May 20 on an enlarging spot seen on his latest CT scan of his lungs.  Please continue to pray.  He’s been off chemo and radiation for a few months which has helped him recover quite a bit.

Homefront - Baby on the Way!

   Laura is counting the days until the birth of our third little boy!  We’re due around June 26.  With just a few weeks left, we are scurrying around trying to get ready.  Cooper and Ben can’t wait to meet their baby brother.  We still can’t believe we’re going to have three boys!

   Yesterday we decided the time had arrived for Benjamin to have his first haircut.  It was hard for us to depart with his long bright blond curls.  Howard believes all our kids are destined for future baldness, so he wanted Ben to cherish these days with hair!

   Benjamin is obsessed with any sports “ball” and Cooper is our social butterfly who loves to be at preschool with his friends.

Thank You

   Knowing that you are partnering with and praying for our ministry and our family is so encouraging.  We are grateful and humbled.  You are making an impact in students everywhere!

Grateful for your Partnership,
Howard & Laura Crutsinger

Changed Lives :: Carrollton

Our staff always enjoy sharing the Gospel and seeing students come to Christ.  It is doubly enjoyable to see the “student chain” which results when students share Christ with students who share Christ with students, and so on.
 
The story below is just such a chain: one student led a friend to Christ, who led a friend to Christ, who led... That’s the core of Win-Build-Send!

When Christ awakens a heart, other hearts are awakened and new souls enter into the family of God. Thank you for helping bring those souls into the family!

The Student Chain
by Tom and Bea Ann Bridges, SV staff in Dallas

On April 22, we held a Newman Smith HS, student-led volleyball outreach! We partnered with Prince of Peace Lutheran to provide the food, and with First Baptist for the volleyball courts.  About 100 students attended the event and had great fun, met new friends, ate hot dogs, chips, chili, drinks and dessert for FREE, and best of all, heard the Gospel from their peers. Six students indicated they had placed their faith and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, and several others requested more information or want to get involved with Student Venture!
 
Marvin and Jose, although nervous beforehand, spoke calmly, boldly and clearly when sharing their testimony in Christ. Marvin became a Christian 15 months ago at our Fastbreak conference as a result of his friend and SV student leader, Jordan. Jordan became a Christian through the influence of his friend and SV student leader RJ. RJ became a Christian through the influence of his friend and SV student leader Jared, who was discipled in 2001 by Howard Crutsinger. Marvin is continuing the spiritual multiplication chain as he invited Jose to our Fastbreak conference three months ago, and Jose gave his life to Christ! The change in their lives are evident to their friends, and both he and Marvin are currently in a SV Bible study, and are getting their friends to go with them to the summer conference in June.

Changed Lives :: Venezuela

We love hearing about students whose lives are changed by the Gospel, and rejoice greatly over those who follow Him into ministry.  The story below is the story of a student who came to Christ in high school and continues to serve Him in a mighty way. Praise God!   Oscar Avalos, the staff who wrote the story below, beautifully expresses our gratitude for you --- I am so excited about K.O.’s story because in many ways you are part of similar stories. You make it possible for us to go on high school campuses and help future “K.O.” know Christ. Students who will one day impact entire nations and continents! Who knows what path God has for the students we work with, but I believe whatever great things He has in store for them is made possible by your partnership with us. You are appreciated. Help impact one teenager ~ you impact an entire continent by Oscar and Candis Avalos, SV staff in Peoria, AZ Our mission was clear: go to Maracaibo, Venezuela to pioneer a ministry among young people in the high schools. In the end, I believe God accomplished that mission through us, but the story leading up to this mission was something only a sovereign God could design. Nearly 30 years ago, K.O. was a high school student in Houston, TX. He was introduced to a group at his high school called Student Venture and soon was introduced to the person of Jesus Christ through Mike Crandall, one of the SV staff members on his campus. When it was time for K.O. to go to college, Mike personally went with him to UT Austin and introduced K.O. to staff members with Campus Crusade for Christ. K.O. flourished in his faith, caught CCC’s vision and joined staff after college. For years he would move through the ranks of CCC as he served in various schools in the U.S. Eight years ago, God called K.O., his wife, and their three kids to move to Maracaibo to be the national directors for the college ministry with CCC. Because of the affect SV had on K.O.’s life, in the last couple of years God gave them a vision to pioneer a Student Venture ministry in the city, with hopes of the ministry growing and spreading all over Venezuela. God provided two girls through their college ministry who are now graduated and have a passion for reaching teenagers in Venezuela with the gospel K.O. was recently named the national director of all South America and his passion to pioneer college AND high school ministries with CCC/SV, will now become more of a reality for an entire continent!  Only God can do that!

Changed Lives :: Cincinnati

One of the joys and goals of our ministry is to have our involved students share their testimonies with their peers.  It is a great step of faith for them and they grow in their walk with God as they see Him use their stories to touch hearts.  Students are also inclined to listen to their peers, so it is a “win” for everyone.

Thank you, thank you for partnering with us to give these students opportunities to see God at work!

God at work
by Chris McClelland with SV Cincinnati, OH

On Wednesdays I’ve been meeting with a group of freshmen at Talawanda High. Most of these guys played football this fall and are now coming to a weekly Bible Study / Follow-up Group.

Last week I took the freshmen guys to a cemetery. We found the youngest person to die (2 months old) and oldest (102 years) and then I asked the guys how long they expect to live. Alex said 50 years; Drew said at least 100. We talked about how our lives are a mist that appears for a while then vanishes. I challenged the guys to make their days on earth count by investing their time in things that are going to last for eternity.

Later, some of the freshmen students involved in SV hosted a Pizza Party Outreach (with a 29 inch pizza!) for the Freshmen Basketball team. Eleven of the 13 guys on the team came and had a blast as they played “knockout”, answered trivia questions for prizes, and ate a huge pizza. Sam & Alex told the guys why they like Student Venture, and Drew explained how to begin a relationship with God.  Two of the basketball players, Sam H and Trevor, indicated on their comment cards that they asked Jesus to come into their lives after Drew shared the gospel. Pretty cool!

Pray for Sam H. & Trevor as well as the other freshmen. We’ll be getting together every Wednesday after school.

Changed Lives :: XBox

Just as technology is impacting every area of our lives, it is also impacting methods for sharing the gospel. Through various websites we have developed, we are seeing hundreds of students touched by the gospel.  We know this strategy has incredible potential and are working toward developing these opportunities even more.  As technology continues to evolve, the potential is limitless!
 
Below is the story of a young man who opened his heart to Christ through technology. While some of us older folks aren’t technologically savvy, it is second nature to young people. It is so exciting to see God reach students using a method that is a major influence in their lives!
 
Thank you, thank you for being obedient to God’s direction in your life and for your support of Student Venture.  You are appreciated!


God is even in technology
by Kevin Bowers, SV staff in Greater Oklahoma
I have been a technology guru of sorts for all my life - looking for ways to maximize and leverage technology to spread the Gospel. This past week God did something I never could have expected with what started as a video game chat with one of our high school students. The XBox video system allows people across the world to play games with others they don't even know. It's really a fascinating way to meet others and interact over time with even the same people, if you so desire. I'm not a gamer, but this is definitely unique.

Recently Brian (pictured above) began a discussion with a 19-year-old student, Adam, at the University of North Dakota.

Over time, they began to build rapport by playing online games together, and Brian took the initiative to share some personal things which led Adam to do the same. Later, Adam shared about some personal struggles and Brian took the opportunity to share Christ with Adam! Ironically, we had literally just gone over a specific training on how to share your faith! It was good that Brian listened.

During that conversation, Adam prayed and invited Christ into his life!

I took the chance to look up Adam on FaceBook, and we have also become friends. Here is an unsolicited response Adam sent me:

"Hey there Kevin! Yeah, I am amazed at the person that I found over a video game! (Brian) He is an amazing, intelligent guy who has been nothing but nice to me. It has been nice to connect with people who really do care about you and I am continuously surprised." Adam ended with this, "I hope to grow and learn much more through you, Brian, and Him! Thank you!"

Who would have ever guessed that a younger student could lead someone to Jesus over a video game?

Changed Lives :: NY Giants, David Tyree wide receiver :: New York

One of the most effective ways for Student Venture staff members to reach lost students is to use a “Team Talk” strategy.

At a recent football “team talk” in NYC, David Tyree (wide receiver for 2008 Super Bowl champs, the NYC Giants) spoke of his life with Christ.

Because these kinds of outreach meetings are held in the school, we can’t have an open invitation to receive Christ.  However, our local Student Venture staff member, Kevin Young, had the opportunity to tell the students about Student Venture and invited the students to get involved.  Kevin and the NYC staff members will follow up with the students in the coming weeks. At these follow up meetings a clear gospel presentation is usually given with an opportunity for the students to respond.
Kevin also reported that one of the coaches said that God spoke to him during the meeting.  Students are our focus when we hold these outreaches, but God can - and does - reach anyone hearing His message!

Your partnership helps make talks like this possible all across the country – we thank you!

God uses a football hero
by Kevin and Janette Young, SV staff in New York City
The room was stuffed tight with over 100 Grand Street Wolves Football players, and as we stepped into the room, it erupted.  David Tryee is the home town hero, the guy involved in the catch of the century, as some have called it.  It led to the Giants’ Super Bowl victory.  David said his favorite part of the whole season was the parade down Hero’s Canyon in downtown Manhattan where over a million jubilant fans skipped school and work to roar for their team!  
I’ve been to many outreaches over the years, but none has compared to what David did in the 45 minutes he spoke.  He talked their language, having himself grown up in the hood.  The first words out of his mouth were that he loved Jesus Christ, and everything about his life was now centered in Him.  He talked about the low points, and the high points, about mistakes and how Christ brought him out of the lowest hell he could possibly imagine.  The young men in that room were riveted, not a word by anyone. He brought the gospel to them in all its simplicity and all its glory.  Wow!  The coach was ecstatic.  The young men who have been tracking with us in our meetings---you could see their chests swell.  It was the depth of the impact that was so apparent.  Only the Holy Spirit could have fashioned that evening.  He did it by indwelling a young man, sold out to His purposes.  Your prayers make the difference!

Changed Life Story :: 31 years later

Many times in student ministry we don’t get to see the full impact of what God is doing with those we work with.  The following letter from a former student named Don reminds and encourages us to reach out to teenagers with the life changing message of Christ.  The whole course of this man’s life was changed.

Just think – your partnership with Student Venture may be touching a student, just like Don, who will still be following Christ in a great way 30 years from now.  God is using you to make a lasting, significant difference in the lives of others!  How exciting is that!

Down through the years
by Gary Wood, SV staff on international assignment

From Gary ----
You might wonder if this winning, building and sending works.  It is an important question to ask. When I was in the States, a few people asked me if I knew what had happened with some of the first students I worked with when I joined the staff.  I said I knew of a few who were doing very well and still having an impact for the Savior, but I had lost track of too many over the last 34 years.  
 
Recently, I unexpectedly heard from one of those guys from my first few years in Cincinnati – one I really enjoyed working with, but had lost contact with soon after I left there 31 years ago.

 
Hello Gary -
Wow, it has been a long time (30+ years?).  I finally found a way to reach you.  I hope you don't mind.

On Friday, October 8, 1976, my freshman year of high school, you took me to a football game and shared the 4 (Spiritual) Laws with me, and Jesus changed my life - for eternity.  Do you remember I bawled my eyes out in the front seat?  I do...and with great joy as I look back.  No doubt your famous penetrating follow-up questions drove home the significance of a decision that had brought me to the arms of a loving, forgiving God for whom I had been searching.  I have no repayment plan to you, but only to say, "thank you."

From those first days of faith, you laid the foundation of the importance of evangelism and the Great Commission.  You inquired if I thought any of my friends needed to know about Christ (it was a set up, and I knew it!). You had me make a list of those who needed to know, and prayed with me over it.  You trained me how to set up an appointment and how to go through the booklet.  And so, that's how we ended up on my friend, Bob's, front porch.  I was so nervous, but you graciously and firmly nudged me on.

Bob's life might not have been changed that day, but mine was - once again.  You infected me with a heart for the lost, for evangelism and for the Great Commission.  You made me actually think that God could use me to communicate the glorious gospel of grace found in Christ.  You gave me a passion - a conviction - that I must be about this work.  
 
I have never thought myself very "good" at the work, and have a list of those I "should have" shared with and regret that I did not.  But here I find myself today - 33 years later - taking high school students up and down Route 38 in DeKalb, IL to find groups with whom we may ask if anyone has ever taken the time to share with them the message of the Bible, etc.  I have no greater joy than seeing a teenager share their faith for the first time, and rejoicing in their reaction as they see God use them.  Last summer, while debriefing with a small group of our teens after an amazing evangelism moment, one 15 year old boy exclaimed, "Wow! God used me and it was so easy."  I remember thinking the same thing after walking off Bob's front porch.  
 
I have seen God open doors to share the gospel in jails, prisons, a university president's office, and various places in between...and yes, even other front porches.  It has never ceased to be scary, but it always amazes me how God takes our simple step of faith in a fearful moment, and blesses it so much so that we say in hindsight, "Wow, that was easy."  With God all things are possible!
Again, thanks for having such a profound influence in my life.  I hope God continues to give you opportunities to serve and train others.
 
Sincerely,
Don

Urban Changed Life Story :: Indianapolis

One of the ministries under the Campus Crusade for Christ umbrella is a ministry to African American students called “Impact”. This is a ministry that partners with us, and other ministries, to build spiritual movements within the African-American community and among people of African descent worldwide. While our FastBreak and Getaway conferences are designed for students of all nationalities, Impact conferences are able to focus on the unique needs of African Americans.

In December, some of our Student Venture staff took their African American students to an Impact conference. The story below is from one of the students who is involved in Student Venture in Indianapolis and attended the conference. We are always amazed at the various avenues God uses to turn hearts to Himself. We are thrilled and humbled that God, in His grace, will use us to do His work.

While we are on the frontlines with these students on a daily basis, you are the much appreciated, behind-the-scenes support that is vital for God’s work to be done. Your partnership is never taken for granted!

A Family Affair
by C.J and Anika Neal, SV staff in Indianapolis, IN

A letter from Lindsae - -

On December 27th, 2008, (the first night of the conference) I rededicated my life to Christ. Having done that, I called my mom ’cause I was so excited! Like, I was in shock! Then I had a chance to talk to all my family, and one of my aunts re-dedicated her life; she said that listening to me talk about how I’d changed and the personal relationship that I wanted to have with God made her want to change her ways. When I got back home, it was put on my heart that I needed to start something with my family. So, I started a Bible study with my family that Saturday at 10am. That day, I did everything — breakfast, the lesson plan, praise and worship, and I taught my first lesson!!!! (I’m so excited about that!!!) We now meet every Saturday with my whole family (aunts, uncles and cousins included)! I’m studying my Bible and learning to teach others, and I owe it all to God!
-Lindsae H.

Music Video of Family

Here is a short music video showing life with our kids, Cooper and Benjamin.

Changed Life Story :: Kalamazoo

I imagine that many of you are feeling the ill effects of the snow and ice; we pray that God will work in your circumstances for your good and His glory.

A very integral part of our FastBreak and Getaway conferences is the well-planned outreach opportunities for all the students to share their faith with people in the local community, such as sharing on the beach, at a mall, in neighborhoods.  This is a great step of faith for many students, and they are greatly encouraged when they see God work in the hearts of people they talk to.  They are also encouraged to hear the victory stories shared by their peers at the conference’s evening session.

Below is a story about students meeting people’s physical needs and also being used by God to meet their spiritual needs.  Thankfully, God uses our plans and the willing hearts of students to do His good work.

Thank you for being part of God’s good work!

God is the One at Work
by brian and erin clark, SV staff Indianapolis, IN

On the Sunday afternoon of our FastBreak in Kalamazoo, MI while half the group went skiing, the other half visited homes to give out our Boxes of Love (food and gifts) and to pray for people.  I was so proud of the three girls I went with! Carly shared her testimony and God's love with Jessica (in brown).  Julie and Grace prayed for Sarah, who is still displaced from Hurricane Katrina and going home next month!  Then at the last apartment we went to, Bernard opened more than just the front door—he also opened the door of his heart to Christ as well!  God is the one who does everything in a person’s heart, yet it was easy to see that the girls were awed that God could use them as they stepped out in faith.  What is more exciting in life?!

Changed Life Stories :: Dallas

Last week we shared with you a changed life story from our San Diego FastBreak Conference.  Below is another story, this time from Dallas. Both conferences were held over Martin Luther King weekend.

Our conferences are very special and strategic times for all of Student Venture.  It is an opportunity for our students to get away from their hectic lives to focus on God.  For those who are already Believers, our prayer is for them to deepen their walk with God.  For those who are lost, our prayer is that God would capture their hearts for all eternity.  As you will see in the story below, God did just that in the heart of Yesenia!

Thank you, thank you for your part in bringing Yesenia to Jesus.  May many more come!

Another Changed life
by Benton and Susie Hall, SV staff in Dallas, TX

Yesenia thought she came to FastBreak because it was an opportunity for her to spend time with her older brother, whom she admires. But God had a bigger, eternally significant purpose in mind. On the second night of the conference, as she heard the speaker describe the work of Christ on the cross, and the implications of His sacrifice, Yesenia was struck by a sudden, unprecedented awareness of God’s love for her. After the evening session was over, Jacquelynn, an adult volunteer, found Yesenia crying in the cabin. Jacquelynn found out that Yesenia had surrendered her life to Christ that evening.

“You know that feeling you get when you’re high [on drugs]?” Yesenia asked, desperately grasping for words to describe what was going on inside of her. “I feel that way right now! I can’t believe I’ve missed out on something so great for so long.”

As Jacquelynn celebrated with her, Yesenia disclosed that she had been making a lot of unhealthy choices in life, and she recognized a need to leave those things behind. Since she returned from FastBreak, Yesenia has asked her mother for forgiveness for wrongs done in the past, and their relationship has taken a turn for the better. Yesenia has also shared her testimony with her non-Christian friends. “They don’t understand. I really want them to experience what I’ve experienced.” Yesenia has joined a girls’ Bible study and has committed to praying for the salvation of her lost friends.

Changed Life Stories :: San Diego

One of Student Venture’s crucial evangelistic strategies is conferences. Each January across the country, Student Venture holds Winter Conferences/FastBreaks to gather students for a “fast break” from their normal lives.  At the conferences, the students benefit from Bible teaching, worship, and evangelism, plus fun and fellowship.  Most importantly, God always works in the hearts of students to make Himself known to them.
 
Below is a report from one of those conferences.  As the story states, the San Diego Conference was a combination of high school and college students.  God is working through these partnerships, and we are excited to see Him fulfilling the partnership vision He gave us!
 
God is so creative in the ways He reaches down to us. Over the next few weeks, we look forward to sharing more of His ways with you, our Treasured Ministry Partners.


SAN DIEGO WINTER CONFERENCE
by Oscar and Candis Avalos, SV staff in Peoria, AZ

What do you get when you take 60 high school students, 650+ college students and a really cool city? Pure chaos, you say? Yes! But it was wonderful chaos which helped transform the lives of many students we work with during our time at the SDWC.
 
It was especially exciting because, for the first time, we did a conference with both college and high school students. Both parties were able to see each other worship the Lord and be inspired to live a life fully committed to Christ. It was also great for college students to catch the vision of reaching high school students and for high school students to see that being a college student doesn’t mean you ditch your faith, but can actually get excited about following Jesus.
 
One of the conference highlights were our “chat rooms”. Every night, after our main session, our students would break up into small groups and discuss what they were learning. It was so exciting to hear from guys who, just 3 months ago, didn’t know who Jesus was or how to read the Bible, but are now excited about growing in their faith and about sharing it with others. That’s the kind of life-change we long to see, and it’s happening in powerful ways!