My speech to the UNESCO conference

The Inherent Dignity and Value of People UNESCO Conference I am grateful for the opportunity to take a few minutes to address this assembly because the work you’re involved with here is important and, for many people, life-changing. I have been involved in the Area Association of Religious Communities here at UConn for more than 16 years now, and the people there come from a variety of religious and philosophical backgrounds. And I imagine if we were to conduct a quick poll of everyone here, we’d have a sizeable diversity of religious and philosophical perspectives present. And different religious and philosophical perspectives mean different worldviews. But if we all come from different worldviews, why are we here? Because we all care about people around the world who struggle to obtain the basic needs of life. In this particular case, we’re talking about people who are in need of food…something many of us may take for granted, but for millions of people it is a daily concern. I come from a Christian perspective, and I’d like to advocate the notion that, at the end of the day, we don’t join in alleviating hunger because we want to thump our chests or win prizes or feel good about ourselves. Rather, we do this because we care about people and we know that there are millions of hurting men, women, and children around the world. I believe strongly that, ultimately, we do this because we recognize that each and every person – no matter their race, their gender, their sexual orientation, their language, or their station in life – every person is inherently valuable and possesses dignity and worth. When a male lion takes control of a pride, he will kill all the cubs sired by the previous dominant male. He does so because all he cares about is his own survival and the survival of his own genes (though he wouldn’t, obviously, think of it in those terms). In a Darwinian world, we act in our own self-interest, and the ideas of altruism and self-sacrifice for the good of those who are not our own kin are foreign concepts. Richard Dawkins wrote, “We are survival machines – robot vehicles blindly programmed to preserve the selfish molecules known as genes. This is a truth which still fills me with astonishment.” If that is true, words and concepts such as justice and goodness have no meaning at all. It is, as Tennyson said, “nature red in tooth and claw.” And thus, there would be nothing wrong with some people having a lot and others having nothing. But we know we are not simply animals. The Darwinian story, though it offers considerable help to us in understanding the biological world, is woefully incomplete. There is something fundamentally different about us that separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. The great faiths of the world speak of the uniqueness of human beings. • Taoism says that each human has a “divine spark”. • The Koran says that Allah “created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape.” • The Hebrew text of Genesis says that on the sixth day of creation, God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness…and so God created man in His own image, male and female He created them.” The great faiths of the world remind us that all human beings, from the moment they are conceived, have a special something that gives them worth. It is this inherent dignity and worth that ultimately will give this effort staying power. People who give or help out of guilt do not stay with it for long. Neither do people who are simply looking to feel good about themselves. There has to be some deeper reality that drives us to sacrifice on behalf of others. I believe it is this: Every single person, from the moment of conception, has inherent and eternal value. Because of this value and dignity, they deserve at least the basic necessities of life. From the unborn to the aged, from the healthy to the handicapped, from the rich to the poor, every person on earth deserves to live, deserves to eat, and deserves the basic care they need to survive in this world. Now let me bring this full-circle. Each of us is made with the divine spark, or in the image of God. What are we doing when we take the time and effort to help the most needy among us? Are we merely engaging in charity? Are we just engaging in a public service? No, it is much more than that. Jesus said in the gospel according to Matthew, “to the extent that you fed and clothed one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'” When we mobilize to feed the hungry, we are living out the very essence of what it means to be human. We are reflecting the heart of the One who gave us life, whether we know it or not. I want to finish by encouraging you to continue the good work in which you are already engaged. Ralph Nader has said, “A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity.” And I agree. But concepts of justice and goodness can only exist in a world where such values are rooted in something deeper than the laws of men. We may not be able to fix everything that’s broken; we may not be able to right every wrong; we may not be able to cure what ills a sick world. But we can bring a ray of light into a dark place. We can bring a little hope to people who suffer. We can bring tangible goods to those who desperately need it. Let me encourage you to continue to see the image of God in others and, by helping them in very real ways, live out the image of God in yourselves as well. May God bless your work here and around the world.

Summer Plans

This is 2011 and that means that it’s a year for our National Staff Conference in Ft. Collins, CO. We’ll spend two-plus weeks in July at Colorado State University as a large group of staff, as our national leadership builds into us, gives us direction, and prepares us for the future. We love being at CSU for the Staff Conference, as it’s a wonderful time to be with our staff family.

We also have another unique opportunity. Athletes in Action sponsors a team in the Alaska Baseball League, a top level amateur league similar to the Cape Cod League in Massachusetts. Many of the best college players will be there. I will be taking Steven with me, and I will be serving as a chaplain for the team and the league for two-plus weeks, and Steven will serve the team in numerous ways. This will be a step of faith for Steven especially, and we’re excited that he spent time praying and seeking God’s will about this opportunity. We’ll be in Alaska from the end of June through the 2^nd week of July. Please pray for us as we need to raise $3,000 for the AIA trip, and another $8,000 for the Staff Conference.

Connecticut Sun!

March Madness is always a great time in our home, not just because we love to follow UConn through both the men’s and women’s brackets, but because it also serves to remind me that the WNBA season is right around the corner. This will mark my 7^th season serving as a chaplain for the Connecticut Sun, and as usual, I am looking forward to see what God has in store for us this year. While we had an unprecedented turnout for last year’s pre-game chapels – and many of those players are projected to return to the Sun this season – I would love to see our role as chaplains expand this year to include more one-on-one discipleship of the returning players as well as to have an opportunity to lead a team Bible study. Please pray with me towards these ends, as well as for the players during this time:

- for safety and good health as many return from overseas to play here in CT;

- for wisdom for all the chaplains as we consider how we can serve this season;

- and for God to give us opportunities to connect well, early on, with the players He would have us minister to this year.

Free Byrd!

Every now and then we get to do something on campus that is out of the ordinary. Several weeks ago, we had the privilege of hosting Paul Byrd, former major league all-star pitcher, and his wife Kym. They came and spoke with our students at UConn, with both Paul and Kym sharing about their lives in and out of baseball, and how their faith in Christ has been a key to their success in sports and as a family.

We also brought them to E.O. Smith High School to speak with the varsity, JV, and freshman baseball teams. There, Paul told many funny and poignant stories about life in the big leagues, and he helped the kids gain a perspective on what it takes to be successful. It was a blessing to UConn and to E.O. Smith to have the Byrds in hand.

How God Works in a Student's Life

John 3:8 says, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Jesus spoke these words describing the activity of God’s Holy Spirit at work in the hearts of people. We are often asked, “How does God work on campus?” It’s tempting to outline our strategies or our plans or our events, but the bottom line is this: God has always done His thing in His own way, and it’s no different here. Let me tell you the story of Kenny (pictured on the right).

One of our ministries, reGeneration, meets on Thursday nights. The first two meetings of this semester, however, were cancelled – one to a Student Union scheduling mistake, and the other to the weather – so we were really late getting that ministry off the ground. At that first meeting, I spoke on Nicodemus and outlined his faith journey as seen in John 3, 7, and 19.

One of the students that showed up was Kenny, a sophomore from Taiwan. He had heard about reGen by meeting some students at the activities fair the previous week. We had a table set up and we handed out information (and candy…can’t forget about the candy!). Curious, he decided to come to the first meeting.

Kenny heard the gospel that night as I told the story of Nicodemus. We talked afterward and he shared with me his background – he’s from a Taiwanese family with a very mixed religious upbringing. He said he was interested in basketball so we agreed to play the next week. So for two days that week we played ball together and just hit it off. A couple of weeks later, and Kenny decided to come to our men’s small group.

Even though he doesn’t know much about Christianity, he has a million questions. We’re studying the life of Jesus from various vignettes in the gospels and he is diving in headfirst. His testimony, should he eventually come to faith, will be phenomenal. But who would have imagined that a kid from Taiwan with no Christian upbringing whatsoever would end up in a small group Bible study looking at the life of Jesus! Please pray for Kenny as his journey continues!

WNBA Chaplaincy Coming Soon!

Soon, March Madness will be upon us, which reminds me anew to begin to think and pray in earnest for our upcoming WNBA season. The 2011 game schedule has already been put on my calendar and I am so looking forward to seeing what the Lord will do this season. More to follow in later prayer letters, but please be praying with me that the Lord would raise up another chaplain to join me in ministering to the women. My co-chaplain of 6 years has to cut back on her commitments and so we are looking for another woman to join our team as chaplains.

Student Venture Update

While we have spent most of this school year walking through the book of Proverbs with the kids, we decided to take a break and underscore the basics of Christianity with a 4-week series that explained the gospel. We also changed the set-up of our Friday times: we found that we had so many girls coming that the boys were less apt to show up (that will change soon enough!), so now we essentially have separate times for the boys and girls.

I was just reminded this past week that Student Venture’s presence at the middle school has a greater influence as well. While the kids were engaged with our college volunteers, two different teachers unexpectedly dropped by. I had a wonderful opportunity to encourage each one of them - one was overwhelmed by the demands of balancing work with his young family and the other is taking steps towards recovering the faith she enjoyed as a child. What a blessing to see God at work in a place that does not, at first glance, seem to be open to His presence.

Please pray:

- On Fridays, between 2:45-4:00pm, for kids to remember to come! And for God's peace to reign and that distractions would be minimal.

- For each child that comes to grow in his or her knowledge of God and His love for them.

- For the Lord to continue to work throughout the middle school community - adults and students alike.

Basketball and the gospel

One of the neat opportunities I've had over the years is to play basketball on campus a couple of times a week with students, faculty, and staff. Two weeks ago a new guy came to reGeneration, named Kenny. He comes from a Buddhist home, but he's not particularly religious. He is, however, interested, which is why he checked out reGen. Turns out he's a good basketball player, and I invited him to our weekday noon hoops.

Last week we got to play together twice, which was a blast. It has enabled Kenny and I to get to know each other better. He's even considering going to Milan, Italy, for spring break with us on a mission trip! Basketball not only has provided me with a way to stay in shape, but also a way to connect with so many people over the years!

Winter Wonderland at UConn

“4 Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. ²² “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail" - Job 38:4, 22

I haven't seen the storehouses of snow, to be sure, but I sure have seen where the snow is deposited after it's been taken out of those storehouses! We have had a record-setting amount of snowfall this year in Connecticut and it's both beautiful and frustrating. I'm not talking about removing the snow...we have a snowblower and two teenage boys with shovels. I'm talking about UConn canceling classes! The students are happy with that, of course, but whenever classes are canceled for the day, all student activities are canceled as well. Within the past 9 days we have had two of our key weekly meetings - last Tuesday's UConn Students for Christ meeting, and tonight's reGeneration meeting - canceled due to the snow.

I like the snow, especially when I'm skiing downhill on it, but it's wreaking a bit of havoc with our ministry activities to start the semester.

Well, everything in stride...it's all in God's hands.

AIA restart

Last night we had our first Athletes in Action meeting. It was terrific, with two of our students leading the way. We had a very creative way of expressing the reality of sin in our lives. Three groups took turns acting out different scenarios that these students regularly deal with, and the idea is that the element of sin shows itself in different ways in each of these scenarios. Each group did a great job! My group was the ultra competitive group (perfect for AIA), and we simulated a ping-pong game, where the winners were full of braggadocio, and the losers were poor sports and whiners. It really highlighted how a godly attitude can and should manifest itself, but instead we see sin rear its ugly head.

That led to a really good discussion about sin and God's solution for our sin: Jesus Christ. One of the students then took time to talk about how to grow closer to God in a relationship of trust, using Proverbs 3:5 as the key text: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." For such talented individuals, these men and women are growing in their dependence upon the One who gifted them so much.

Overall, a very encouraging start to the semester with Athletes in Action!

UConn Alumni Making a Difference

For the last year or two we've had a little "Where Are They Now?" blurb in our prayer letter, keeping people up to date with some folks that have been involved with Campus Crusade for Christ at UConn and perhaps even have been highlighted in our prayer letter at one time or another. Well, one of the great blessings of being in campus ministry is that we graduate students who then go into the world and live out the very principles we seek to build into them while they're in school.

One weekend in December, four alumni and their respective spouses came to visit for dinner: Brandi Coburn, Cynthia Risch, Jason Mitchell, and Mindy Carter. It was a blast catching up with them all, talking about marriage, kids, the future, and reminiscing about life "back in the day" at UConn.

Brandi and her husband Matt serve on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ at Yale University, Mindy graduated and went into ministry in Vietnam for years, returned, and became a pharmacist. She got married this summer. Jason has worked for Pratt & Whitney as an engineer, and Cynthia is a high school chemistry teacher. All of them were there when we first arrived at UConn in the spring of 1996, back when the ministry had about 15 students involved. They were so faithful and their prayers and labor built the foundation for what we have today. They have been encouraged to see the growth of the UConn ministry over the years.

We thank God for friendships that last far beyond the few years that we get to spend with them here!

Visit from an Italian friend

In the summer of 2006, we took our first vision trip to Milan, Italy. There, we met a student at the University of Milan named Davide (on the right). Through the wonders of facebook, we stayed in touch, and every subsequent trip we made to Milan we would spend time with him, introducing him to the latest batch of students we took there. Well, this past month, Davide and a friend came to visit the United States. He is a Civil War fanatic (really!) and toured Gettysburg and other Civil War sites, and we got to spend several days with him. We gave him a tour of UConn, which is completely different from his university back home. What a blessing to have Davide on our side of the Atlantic, and we hope to see him again soon!

Aslan and Samaritan's Purse

Exciting Developments with Student Venture and FCA

When people ask me about what God is doing at UConn, and what gets me fired up, it’s a very easy question to answer these days. I know we’ve shared a lot the past year about our work with middle school students here in Mansfield, and some of you may be wondering why we – who work at UConn with college students – have invested so much in a ministry to kids.

We launched SV at Mansfield Middle School because God opened a door for us through our existing relationships, and the new organizational structure within campus Crusade for Christ (high school and middle school ministry now falls under the Campus Ministry) allowed it to fit within our UConn campus ministry scope.

So here we are, working with middle school kids (and now high school kids under the name of Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and having a blast. During the past few weeks, we’ve had a fun Christmas Party, a guys’ night out to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and raised money to support underprivileged families in Africa and Latin America, through the ministry of Samaritan’s Purse.

Talking with the kids through the process of raising money for Samaritan’s Purse and purchasing things like books, blankets, shoes, and Bibles for kids, was incredible. The kids were excited to think about the impact we they were making in the lives of kids who have next to nothing (materially speaking). The kids were eager to help and be involved in such an important ministry.

In This Letter

The guys’ outing to see the latest installment in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia provided some outstanding discussion. At the end of the movie, Lucy asks Aslan if she will ever see him in her own world. Aslan says yes, and when she asks how, he replies, “Because there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”

After the movie, we talked about who Aslan is in this world, and I reminded the kids about Aslan’s sacrifice for Edmund in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, where he gave his life for another, only to rise again. I asked the kids who that sounds like, and they answered, “Jesus!” To have these conversations with the kids is absolutely priceless.