Tom Lin

A few weeks ago, Kansas University won the NCAA basketball championship, giving my Central Region a tremendous source of celebration. Go Jayhawks! It certainly has also been March (and April) Madness in InterVarsity’s ministry here, as we’ve seen God do some utterly amazing things on our campuses. One verse I’ve been reflecting on is Habakkuk 1:5: “Look at the nations and watch – and BE UTTERLY AMAZED. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told…”

UTTERLY AMAZING: PROVISION OF LABORERS.
The Central Region began this year in a culture of scarcity, wondering if we would ever have the laborers needed to reap the harvest here. But God has done utterly amazing things during our March staff recruitment and hiring process! We have hired at least 16 new staff and interns, almost double the number of new hires last year! And there are still a few more prospective staff interviewing and making final decisions!

More importantly, we are utterly amazed at where these new staff are being called to – “unreached” areas of my region. We have staff wanting to move to Southern Missouri, Central Missouri, and Kansas City, areas where no InterVarsity work currently exists. As we continue to depend on Him and praying Luke 10:2b, “Lord, send out laborers into Your harvest”, may the Lord give us all that we need for the growth we desire to see in the region.

UTTERLY AMAZING: PROVISION OF FUNDS.
On March 26th, the Drake University InterVarsity chapter came together for their usual Wednesday night meeting, after several consecutive weeks of “standing room” only crowds. It was a critical meeting for staffworkers Amy and Steph, who would cast vision for the planting of a 2nd Drake chapter focused on international students. As the day’s events unfolded, they were utterly amazed… Together, Amy and Steph were about $30,000 under-pledged in their financial support. But that afternoon, they received a $10,000 check from Christian Foundation that they had never heard of until early March when the foundation initiated contact and asked for some basic information. Amy ended her sermon to students that night with this: “God is so invested in his work here on campus, that he sent us $10,000 on the very day we were announcing our vision to see more students reached!” Students responded with clapping, cheering, and many with tears!

A week later, another one of our staff in Iowa received a $10,000 check from that very same “mysterious” foundation. In the midst of feeling scarcity, God’s doing amazing things to provide finances needed to reap the harvest! Let’s hope it continues!

UTTERLY AMAZING: RECORD NUMBERS AT URBAN PROJECT
Thanks for your prayers for our CityLights Spring Break Urban Project in St. Louis. It was InterVarsity’s largest CityLights program ever, with 319 students from across the country, incl. NY, GA, TX, AZ, and more, participated in four one-week plunges in March. Students were impacted at the reality of injustice and God’s love for the poor in the city. We also had record numbers of international students and non-Christian students participating. And many heard the gospel message for the first time!

My staff Gerry Chappeau, Director of CityLights, reflected on God’s unbelievable work in students’ hearts to bring them here during Spring break : “God is clearly doing something in this generation of students, which is making them long for 3-D, authentic Christianity, and to become authentic followers of Jesus.”

Lastly, please do pray for us to continue seeing utterly amazing things from God in our ministry to university students in this region!

Blessings,
Tom