Blog

Summer Leaders Retreat

By CO Staff on 02 May 2012

This past weekend we took 80 people to Camp Shamineau in Minnesota for our summer leaders retreat. The weekend was packed full of talks and workshops to help prepare our student leaders for their different roles for the summer. We heard talks from staff guys on the heart of a leader, the head of a leader, and the hands of a leader. Reid Jilek shared with us about the importance of our leaders really owning everything at the training project. As a leader of the project, we are called to think that we are hosts of the project, not just guests.

Exposing Personal Sin

By Steve Discher on 17 Apr 2012

I am studying through the book of Ephesians with my group of five sophomore guys. Tonight we are studying Ephesians 5:1-20. A couple verses that stuck out to me were verses 8 and 11, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light… Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” Paul is talking about them actively walking in the light and exposing the unfruitful deeds of darkness.

Much could be said about confessing and exposing sin but I just want to point out one principle and give some thoughts on it:

Principle: A Christian walks in the light and exposes their personal sin.

Holy Week

By Ann Nelson on 09 Apr 2012

This week, an old family friend wrote me this note: "After the resurrection people began to meet the risen Christ. Millions have done so over the last 2000 years. Today is a good day to introduce someone to him."

This week we celebrated Holy Week; the week that contains the most important events of human history. And my friend is right, for 2,000 years, hundreds, then thousands, then millions of Christians all over the world have gathered to remember and worship the one who died and rose again on their behalf. This celebration of the events of Holy Week will continue until Christ returns and then on into eternity where we will forever worship the Lamb who was slain.

The Denial of Death

By Matt Reagan on 03 Apr 2012

I sat down on the gym floor next to a U of M freshman after a game of pickup basketball the other day and struck up a conversation. We had met on the court a couple weeks before and had briefly conversed. This time, after broaching a few standard topics, I asked about his church background. I learned that he had never really attended church, so I thought what logically followed would be to ask what he believed and how he knew to believe those things. We arrived at the fact that he was "a pretty easygoing guy" and "didn't really think about it." I was a little incredulous. How was that an option? With the exception of taxes, I was sure that he knew death to be the only certainty in life.

A Demon's Theology

By Andrew Knight on 26 Mar 2012

Evangelism to college students may not always be introducing Jesus to someone for the first time, but it is diving into their interpretations about Him (whether they are biblical or not). Like, "why did Jesus come? Who is Jesus for me? What does he want from me?" And more importantly, "What am I believing him for?"

New Staff on Campus

By CO Staff on 21 Mar 2012

Some of the most exciting news from our ministry at Northwestern College is that we added a staff guy this week. Larry Martini got his support raised and is now spending time ministering to students at Northwestern. He is attending Bible studies and meeting up with some of the older students in our ministry to begin to get a feel for life on Northwestern's campus. We are excited to think about how God is going to use Larry on this campus.

James way of getting us convicted

By Elliot Stokes on 16 Mar 2012

Our discipleship group at St. Thomas is studying the book of James. This week we were reading James 3 and came across verses 14-15 which say this, "But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic."

In verse 15 James wants to drive home how ugly these two sins (bitter jealousy and selfish ambition) are and so he describes them with these three words: earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. To which my initial response was: Earthly, yes. Unspiritual, of course. But demonic?

An Occasion For Repentance

By Matt Reagan on 13 Mar 2012

We are studying the Bible with students constantly. That practice is the foundation of our ministry to them, and, in turn, their ability to "self-feed" from the Bible will be foundational in their post-college lives. It is paramount, then, that they don't derail themselves from God's primary purposes for them in the study of His word. Or, to put it another, way, it is imperative that they know how to handle His imperatives.

Paul's Pleasant Call to Timothy, "Share in Suffering"

By Eric Lonergan on 28 Feb 2012

I have been reading 2 Timothy, and have studied up until the beginning of chapter 2. Paul has told Timothy twice thus far to "share in suffering". He says in 2 Timothy 1:8, "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God." Then, in 2:3 he says, "Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus." There is actually a third instance where Paul gives a similar charge in 4:5, "As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

Gospel Centered Life

By Reid Jilek on 22 Feb 2012

Many of our staff and student at Bethel University have been going through “The Gospel-Centered Life” by World Harvest Mission. It has been very helpful and insightful. The importance of the Gospel in lesson one says,

“it is not just the door, but the path we are to walk everyday of the Christian life. It is not just the means of our salvation, but the means of our transformation.”

Growing up in the church I thought the Gospel, Jesus dieing on the cross for our sin, was a one time thing. I thought it was the door/entryway. The Gospel is the door, but is also how we walk everyday.

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