Saved People, Serve People--Missionary Partners develop fully devoted followers of Christ

Kevin and Jill Kane (Encompass, Cambodia)

All around the world, Grace Church values people.  We believe that a relationship with Jesus is life's most important relationship. Therefore, we are committed to sharing the Good News about Jesus in this community and around the world. 

People matter to God. People matter to us.  

As Jesus said of the lost sheep and applied it to all people, "In the same way your Father in Heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost (Matthew 18:14)."   

Lisa, Jonathan, and Bruce Triplehorn (Encompass, Brazil/Chad)

The Bible challenges us to pray. Join us today to pray for our missionary partners around the world as they prepare for reaching out to develop fully devoted followers of Christ in North America, South America, Europe, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa.  I am highlighting our missionary partners who have come from Grace Church. Grace Church partners with over 75 different organizations, families and individuals.

Dave and Susie Hobert (Encompass, France)

Pastor Tom Peters (VisionTrust)

Andy and Sara Royer (New Tribes, Braziil)

Ben and Sandie Dyke (Cru)

Mark and Roxanne Johnson (Cru)

If you would like a list of Grace Church Missionary Partners, then email Pastor Daron, dbutler[at]woostergrace[.]org.  

Saved People Serve People--sharing Christ on university campuses is a challenge

Email mark.johnson@cru.org
Location of Ministry: Bloomington, IN USA @ Indiana University
Sending Agency: Cru

Our Missionary Partner: Wooster Grace partners with Mark and Roxanne Johnson.  The Johnson's serve with Cru on the University of Indiana campus in Bloomington, IN. 

Roxanne grew up in Wayne County, OH, in Apple Creek.  She knew about the Lord but made a commitment to Christ in her freshmen year at Ohio Northern University.  Roxanne wanted to serve God in a significant way.  She served with Student Venture, the high school ministry focus of Cru. She and Mark are now serving college students with Cru.

Mark grew up in North Carolina. He came to Christ while studying music at Indiana University (Bloomington, IN).  God challenged him to join the staff of Cru even taking the Gospel to an unreached city in Asia.  Mark's desire is best captured on his Facebook page under employers, "I get to tell people about Jesus for a living." 

Their Mission: Mark & Roxanne serve with Cru in Bloomington, IN on the campus of Indiana University.  Mark serves as one of the Campus directors.  Cru is an on-campus interdenominational ministry that helps students in their walk with God.  God has called Mark & Roxanne to challenge university students from all around the world to be fully devoted followers of Christ.  

Cru is an inter-denominational ministry on campus that is here to help students grow in their walk with the Lord - See more at: http://iucru.com/about/#sthash.bZg1XKg4.dpuf

Cru is an inter-denominational ministry on campus that is here to help students grow in their walk with the Lord - See more at: http://iucru.com/about/#sthash.bZg1XKg4.dpuf

Cru is an inter-denominational ministry on campus that is here to help students grow in their walk with the Lord - See more at: http://iucru.com/about/#sthash.bZg1XKg4.dpuf

How to Be Involved

PRAY:

• Please pray for consistency & perseverance in their walk with the Lord.
• Please pray that Mark & Roxanne will navigate the new school year challenges as they equip staff and student leaders to impact the campus for Christ.
• Please pray that as the Gospel is presented, not only will it touch people individually to turn to God for salvation, but that it would also influence the city of Bloomington, IN.
• Please pray for an effective, fruitful ministry (John 15:16). May God empower Mark & Roxanne to lead the campus ministries faithfully towards effective, fruitful ministry.
  
• We praise God for His grace in our marriage!  Pray that we continually keep that grace in view so that we keep short accounts with the Lord, and with each other.
  
  

ENCOURAGE: Mark's birthday is April 9.  Roxanne's birthday is August 20.  Anniversary is in August 22, 2009. 

CONNECT--You can read more about the Johnson's from these links:

• Learn more about Cru
• Check out Mark's FB profile
• View the testimonies of life change at IU-Before-And-After on YouTube 
• Send email to Mark Johnson to get their prayer newsletter.

GIVE--Give a gift online here

Pray for God to bring positive lifechange to college campuses and universities

Today is the Collegiate Day of Prayer!

Praying for the College of Wooster and Indiana University. We partner with and pray for Michael Greer, Julie Marie Longacre, Mark Johnson, and Roxanne Johnson. Please say a short prayer for them as they serve university students on their campuses. 

The blog for the Collegiate Day of Prayer offers one way to pray for college campuses.  Jim Hester, Jr. shares how to pray in a large group for God to work on university college campuses.   

Mike with College of Wooster students

Mike Greer and Julie Longacre serve at the College of Wooster. They help facilitate the Wooster Christian Fellowship with InterVarsity.  InterVarsity has several chapters on many campuses in Ohio.  Grace Church partners with them to pray for fully devoted followers of Christ to emerge from their ministry. 

Julie with university students

Mark & Roxanne Johnson serve students at Indiana University.  They minister with Cru on campus.  God has called them to develop fully devoted followers of Christ in Bloomington, IN.  Grace Church is proud to partner with the Johnson's.  This week of February 23-26 IU Cru share perspectives on how Christ brought positive lifechange in student lives.  View the first of many personal stories below. The first video is from Grace who confesses that she was cynical. 

Mark & Roxanne with students

Students' personal stories of life change:

Sharing life change around the world, pray for missionaries today

Kevin & Jill Kane (Cambodia)

All around the world, Grace Church values people.  We believe that a relationship with Jesus is life's most important relationship. Therefore, we are committed to sharing the Good News about Jesus in this community and around the world. 

People matter to God. People matter to us.  

As Jesus said of the lost sheep and applied it to all people, "In the same way your Father in Heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost (Matthew 18:14)."   

Lisa, Jonathan, & Bruce Triplehorn (Brazil/Chad)

The Bible challenges us to pray. Join us today to pray for our missionary partners around the world as they prepare for reaching out this Christmas season in North America, South America, Europe, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa.  I am highlighting our missionary partners who have come from Grace Church. Grace Church partners with over 75 different organizations, families and individuals.

Dave & Susie Hobert (France)

Pastor Tom Peters (Central Africa)

Andy & Sara Royer (Brazil)

Ben & Sandie Dyke

Mark & Roxanne Johnson

I am thankful for these people who are also my heroes

Grace Church partners with a group of people who serve on the university and college campuses. We praise God for our team--Ben & Sandie Dyke, Mark & Roxanne Johnson, & Michael Greer. Please pray for them as they develop fully devoted followers of Christ on the university campuses.  Read more below.

Ben & Sandie Dyke with Cru

Mark & Roxanne Johnson with Cru

 Mike Greer with InterVarsity

 

Ben & Sandie Dyke with Cru

Ben & Sandie serve with Cru. Ben is the Director of Operations, Great Lakes Region.   Their family lives in Fishers, IN.

Please pray fervently for Ben & Sandie. Sandie is a cancer survivor!  You can follow her journey on the CaringBridge website: SandieDyke. You will need to log in. So, please add the family to your prayers.

You can read more about the ministry of Ben & Sandie from these links:

• Send a friend request more about them by visiting their ministry webpage.
• Learn more about Cru
• Check out Ben's FB profile

Mark & Roxanne Johnson with Cru

Grace Church partners with Mark & Roxanne Johnson.  The Johnson's serve with Cru at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. 

Roxanne grew up in Wayne County, OH, in Apple Creek.  She knew about the Lord but made a commitment to Christ in her freshmen year at Ohio Northern University.  Roxanne wanted to serve God in a significant way.  She served with Student Venture, the high school ministry focus of Cru. She and Mark are now serving college students with Cru.

Mark grew up in North Carolina. He came to Christ while studying music at Indiana University (Bloomington, IN).  God challenged him to join the staff of Cru even taking the Gospel to an unreached city in Asia.  Mark's desire is best captured on his Facebook page under employers, "I get to tell people about Jesus for a living."
You can read more about the Johnson's from these links:

• Learn more about Cru
• Check out Mark's FB profile 
• Send email to Mark Johnson to get their prayer newsletter.

Mike Greer with InterVarsity

Grace Church partners with InterVarsity at the College of Wooster.  Michael Greer serves the College of Wooster campus. Mike serves with Julie Longacre (Jon). 

Mike Greer helps to mobilize the Wooster chapter to share Christ in different venues all school year. He loves building friendships and establishing relationships with students.  Thus, Grace Church praises God that we partner with those who are equipping students to be on-mission. We pray for fully devoted followers of Christ who are willing to take risks to challenge their friends to come to know Jesus.  

You can get more information from these links:

• Send Mike Greer an email to receive updates and prayer requests at mgreer@wooster.edu. 
• Learn more about Intervarsity at their website.

Back to School means Back to Prayers

When I see back to school promotions on radio, tv, or internet, I now consider those returning to school to be a witness--to make more and better disciples on campus. We partner with four campus ministries to share the Gospel in elementary schools, in middle & high school, and in secondary campuses.

Ms Linda Kline

Release Time Religious Education is the heart of Linda Kline. She faithfully prepares each year to share God's Word with students in Northwestern & NorWayne School districts.  Please ask God to provide chaperones to walk children from the schools to the off-campus Religious Ed buildings. If you live in either school district, then please consider being a "walker" for your school. Call Linda at (330) 262-6787 to volunteer.

Ms Mary

Mary Swartzentruber helps with Breakaway where students in fifth through twelfth grade get an opportunity to take as an elective a Bible Class.  Green Local Schools abides by the ruling that schools may release students for a time of religious training off-campus.  Parents give permission for their student(s) to be excused from study hall to attend. Breakaway's mission is to offer Christian, spiritual and moral training to young people. If you are in or near Green Local School District please consider volunteering. Please contact Breakaway at (330) 669-2056.

Ben & Sandie Dyke

Two missionary partner families serve with Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ). Ben & Sandie Dyke live in Indianapolis, IN where they help facilitate the ministries in the Great Lakes Region for Cru. Many campus ministry teams receive training and equipping to share Christ, to start bible studies, and to disciple new believers in Christ, as well as establish growing believers in their faith.  Please share your prayer for the Dyke's on the Indycc facebook page. "Like," then post a prayer for the team.

Mark & Roxanne Johnson

Mark & Roxanne Johnson serve with Cru at Indiana University-Bloomington. Mark & Rox minister on campus with many students. They help with outreach, bible studies, contacting students, facilitating new student connections with Cru, as well as lead the leaders on campus. Please ask Mark & Roxanne Johnson to add you to their friends and post a word of encouragement.

The College of Wooster has the Wooster Christian Fellowship on campus. Julie Longacre coordinates the Fellowship. You can read about her prayer request from an earlier blog post.

Please pray for these servants of the Lord who prepare to go back to school.  Then offer to help or send a word of encouragement today. 

Campus Crusdae for Christ changes name to 'Cru' [guest post]

New logo

Mark & Roxanne serve on staff with Cru.  Wooster Grace partners with them as they seek to share Christ with university students at Indiana University--Bloomington.  I asked Mark to share about the recent name change from Campus Crusade for Christ to Cru on this blog.

Over the past weeks there have been stories posted by Glenn Beck and FoxNews (and other secular and religious media outlets) criticizing the name change.  Some of the stories posted in major media outlets have been less than accurate.  There has been growing concern in both traditional and social media that we have lost our way and are seeking to make a politically correct name change.  These concerns stem mainly from the fact that "Christ" is no longer in our name.

If you would like to hear from our organization itself, our vice president, Steve Sellers, explained the name change on Fox and Friends Saturday morning, August 27.

Rox and I want you to know from the bottom of our hearts that the name change is not the result of a shift in our mission to fulfill the Great Commission.  On the contrary, we made the name change because we want to be more effective in bringing the gospel of Christ to the lost and broken of this world.  Research showed that 20% of nonbelievers who were interested in hearing more about Jesus would not want to talk with someone from Campus Crusade for Christ.  Another interesting find from the same study was that 9% of believers would not want to be a part of our ministry because of our name.  For clarity's sake, the off-putting part of our name was "Crusade", not Christ.  Through a process of diligent prayer and fasting over the last two years, the leaders of our ministry decided to take a risk instead of allowing 1 in 5 people to miss an opportunity to talk about Christ.

Here is also a great blog post that links to many different articles and blogs about the name change.