This new ministry

Doing ministry at boarding schools is SO different than campus ministry. Of course, it carries many of the same principles: meeting with students one-on-one or in groups, starting up Bible studies, leading Bible studies, recruiting to camps, staff meetings.... However, boarding schools have big restrictions on who can come to their campuses and when.

Also, our purpose is to make school fellowships sustainable. So, for instance, there is a fellowship already going at a school about an hour and half from here that is run primarily by a physics teacher who is a Christian. This is great! However, we want to help him lead it and support him so that he is not burnt out. Also, since he's a dude, he can't really minister to girls.

Another thing unique about boarding school ministry is that boarding schools in the New England region are very godless (I mentioned this in another blog entry). It reminds me a ton of my school experience. I only had one Christian friend - and oftentimes it was not only peers but teachers which would try to quelch my faith!! So, it can be tough for these students, not only to hear the Gospel, but also to maintain any kind of strong faith in the face of such opposition.

Although the socio-economic atmosphere of boarding school ministry is something which contrasts greatly with where I've been for the past four years - God is teaching me a lot about adminstering the Gospel to a group of people that are starved for faith, and longing to be loved. In many unexpected ways, a similarity exists here between New England boarding schools and my experiences in South Africa (University of Johannesburg) and the West Bank (Birzeit University).

Finally, instead of one campus at which I minister - the four of us on our staff team (Rob, Liz, Kendra, and me) are spread out (or go two-by-two), ministering to the following schools which have existing fellowships:
Avon Old Farms
Deerfield
Emma Willard
Groton
Loomis Chaffee
Middlesex
Miss Porter's
Northfield Mt. Hermon
Pomfret
Salisbury
Taft
Westover

The following four schools do not have existing fellowships, although we have contact with students:
Choate
Ethel Walker
Hotchkiss
Kent
St. Mark's

In addition, we are praying that this year a couple more schools, from a list of about 30 would begin school fellowships or start having contact with FOCUS.

This coming weekend we have an event called Infocus - gathering a bunch of students we know through our contacts or through the fellowships, for an afternoon and evening of fun and fellowship. We are expected at least 20 students to attend!

That's all for now. Please pray that our staff team would find our "rhythm," and that we would follow God's lead according to where He is working.

sent from a faculty member at Emma Willard

This email concerns a student at one of the camps I volunteered at this summer. This particular faculty member helps lead a fellowship group at one of the boarding schools we reach out to, Emma Willard. Exciting stuff!!

...she is a different young woman this year. She has led our first devotional (we asked the kids to read Colossians this summer, and so she was especially excited that you all looked at Colossians this summer at camp:). She is dynamic, mature, clear, purposeful, TACTFUL and SENSITIVE to others' needs, and simply wonderful. I had no doubts about the importance of Focus summers on the Vineyard, but am now even more convinced of what can happen in a few short weeks. May God continue to bless you and your work abundantly. Please know that we are benefiting this year from some of your fruit:)

Isaiah 51:7, 12

Hear me, you who know what is right,
you people who have my law in your hearts:
Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults...

I, even I, am he who comforts you.
Who are you that you fear mortal men,
the sons of men, who are but grass.



Driving back from the Deerfield Academy fellowship meeting on Wednesday night, my staff mates Liz, Kendra and I began talking about the major changes that must happen for a student to take Christ seriously. Boarding school in New England is a radically godless place. I have heard that teachers will openly ridicule students for having "faith." Christian faith, that is.

Even more intimidating is the peer pressure that these students face. I remember what it was like: Trying to not play the part of the outsider. Trying not to drink but desperately falling into compromising situations all the time. Trying to keep up appearances with the latest fashion from J. Crew or Banana Republic. Trying to excel in the classroom and the sports field. Trying to get into the best college.

For boarding school students, these pressures are incredibly intense because there are not many escapes from it.

My prayer for these students is that they would strive to taste the freedom of living without fear of reproach of men. Even as I pray that I myself may strive towards this freedom and this taste!