Missionary Summer Living

It's officially over 100 degrees right now in Saint Louis. I'm not normally a shorts-wearer but today is one of those days where you just have to make an exception. But despite the heat, I do love Saint Louis in the summer. It's a great summer city. There are lots of free things to do, plenty of green space, and several walkable neighborhoods that make summer not only fun but fast. It's hard to believe, but the summer is already more than half over for SLU students. In exactly seven weeks, they will begin the first classes of the 2011-2012 school year, my fourth year on staff with InterVarsity (wow!). Several friends have been asking what the typical summer looks like for an InterVarsity staff. Here are a few things that I've been up to so far this summer:

Training/Traveling
I've had the pleasure this summer of spending a few days here and there with some close friends who also happen to be some of the most gifted college ministers I know. Back in early June, I spent four days in Pella, IA with other second- and third-year staff from the Central Region (Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas). We are all part of a new staff training curriculum for which we receive a couple of transferable seminary credits (bonus!). In late June, I spent another four days in Madison, WI (InterVarsity HQ and a beautiful city!) with staff from all over the country (see above picture). Each of us had been selected to serve as Regional Trainers in Chapter Building and were receiving training in training, as it was. One of the new responsibilities I'll have this upcoming year will be to facilitate training in my region for staff of established chapters as they think about how to achieve lasting growth (numerically and spiritually) in their chapters over the long haul. It was a blast and I'm excited to see what God does in our region as have these conversations.

Fund-raising
As you know, one of the primary responsibilities of any InterVarsity staff is to put together a team of people who financially support and prayerfully intercede for the ministry. I have to give God praise because it feels like there has been a lot of momentum in this area for me this summer. I am currently around 75% of the way toward raising the $54,000 needed to encourage and empower student missionaries this year at SLU. I've gotten to meet with several new and returning supporters and friends this summer who have been so encouraging for my soul after a long year of ministry. Thanks so much for your continued support - honestly, I would have thrown in the towel a long time ago if you weren't constantly praying for and encouraging me.

Preaching
One of the fun opportunities that seems to come my way every summer is preaching at local churches. I actually love getting the chance to preach anytime that I can. Ever since I've been a Christian, I've felt most connected to Jesus through the reading of his Word. Preaching gives me the chance to immerse myself in a single passage of Scripture for at least a week and I love it! This Sunday, I'll be preaching on Joshua 22 at Rooftop Community Church in Saint Louis. I'll also be preaching on the evening of August 7th at Third Baptist Church in my hometown of Marion, IL.

RELAXING :)
Ahh...yes - I have also been doing this. As I said, Saint Louis is a great city to be in during the summer, as long as you can get past the oppressive humidity. As a native Midwesterner, I've learned to manage. I've really treasured having a bit more time this summer to see family, be around friends, read some great books (see below for recommendations!), and spend time outside. I'm looking to take a vacation to the great state of North Carolina at the end of July. I've always wanted to go and see the mountains, so I'm finally going to do it this summer!

I'll keep you posted as we get closer to time for the students to return. For now, please be praying for our upcoming Leader's Retreat, happening August 24--25 in Saint Louis. Thanks and have a great week!

If you're curious, here is my summer reading list thus far:

• Unchristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity and Why It Matters by David Kinnaman with Gabe Lyons - a thought-provoking and incredibly well-researched look at faith trends in 18-29 year-olds
  
  
• Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears - a helpful, popular overview of major Christian doctrines and their Scriptural bases
  
  
• The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton - my first novel by one of my favorite thinkers, this was a strange ride all the way until the last page when everything came together beautifully
  
  
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - a classic and one of my favorite all-time books, it was fun to see the movie for the first time immediately after finishing it again. On a related note, I have a major literary crush on Elizabeth Bennet
  
  
• A Separate Peace by John Knowles - the first "classic" novel I ever read, dating way back to freshman year of high school. The second time around, I was able to appreciate even more how perfectly Knowles captures the darker side of being a competitive teenage boy.
  
  
• The Monster in the Hollows by Andrew Peterson - Peterson is my all-time favorite songwriter and his fiction series, The Wingfeather Saga, of which this is the third installment, is way up there in my list of children's fiction. On a side note, this is the second time in a row that I've cried at least once in finishing one of his novels but I will point out that they were quite manly tears both times.
  
  
• High Fidelity by Nick Hornby - Hornby is a guilty-pleasure read for me. His work is always a bit crude but spot-on to the experience of being a neurotic male (of which I have some...okay lots of experience). For added fun, check out the John Cusack movie of the same name.
  
  
• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - I just started this one but I'm already impressed by Card's character development, unique literary structure, and addictive writing style. I read 60 pages last night before realizing it was past 1am.