Prayer for the New School Year

The school year is right around the corner, and I can already see God at work, lining things up for a great start. Our pastoral team is so excited to get things underway, and I’m incredibly thankful to be on campus this year—thanks to your generosity.

I truly believe this ministry is a team effort. My entire team of partners plays just as vital a role in reaching these campuses for Jesus as I or any of our other pastors do. Your support and prayers are what make this ministry possible.

With that in mind, I wanted to spend this update highlighting some specific things you can be praying for as we head into the semester. More than anything, I want this year to be covered in prayer.

Some Prayer Points:

• Freshmen Arriving: Over 7,500 freshmen are coming to campus this year. Most of them have no faith community here, so please pray that their hearts would be open to encountering Jesus and connecting with a Christian community in these crucial first weeks of school.

• First Weeks of Outreach: The first couple of weeks are some of the most pivotal. Pray that our leaders and pastors would be faithful in evangelism and outreach, and that students would not only be receptive—but excited—about what God is doing. Pray they would be eager to join in.

• Student Leaders: We’ll have 48 student leaders this year. Please pray that they are filled with the Holy Spirit and guided by Him as we begin. Ask for excitement, energy, and a “get to,” not “have to,” mindset. Pray that they would grow closer to the Lord throughout the year, and through that, help others do the same.

• NCTC Campus: NCTC is always a wild ride, largely due to the fast-paced nature of community colleges. Pray that God would move in big ways on this campus. Specifically, ask Him to bring students into our ministry who have been prepared by Him to lead and help advance His Kingdom here.

• Campus Pastors: Please pray for our campus pastors as we head into the new year. We have some new teammates joining us, and we’re asking the Lord to help them feel loved and welcomed. Also pray for wisdom and guidance as we seek to lead this ministry well and love our students faithfully.

I’m so thankful for you and your partnership in this mission. In the next update, I’ll be sharing how the first weeks of outreach went—I can’t wait!