Category: Encourage Service (Page 10 of 10)

Encourage Service to God’s Purposes in the World

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Harvest

November 5, 2015 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

Have you experienced a season of Harvest in your life? Where everything around you seems to be producing fruit? I was so blessed today to talk with a close partner in ministry, my sister Mugs. After years of faithfulness their church is experiencing a significant harvest season: people coming when invited and continuing to come, successful summer program for kids, new youth group members, and much more.

Most encouraging was a powerful women’s retreat weekend headlined by a featured speaker and another close ministry partner, my mom. What a blessing to see God’s faithfulness and my sister and mom continuing to say yes to Jesus. They are an example and encouragement to me as I walk this journey.

I am grateful in the work with InterVarsity that I do not walk alone but get to partner with others, encouraging them to say yes to Jesus as they do the same for me.

My conversation today also makes me wonder, where are you being invited to say yes to Jesus?

Mustard Seed

October 16, 2015 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

Is it possible to change the atmosphere of a place?

We are seeing this type of change at Longview Community College in Kansas City.
I had the chance to reflect on the parable of the mustard seed in Matthew 13 with a group of 15 students from Longview. One student reflecting on “the tree” that grew in the passage said, “we’re supposed to effect the whole atmosphere of this place” just like the tree changes the habitat for those in its vicinity.

This group at Longview that started with one staff taking a risk to visit another campus once a week now is the largest student group on campus. Its presence is already changing the atmosphere on campus as a diverse group of students are building community and inviting others to join them.

Pray for this small seed to continue to grow and bring renewal to this beautiful place.

Perspective

September 8, 2015 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

Reflecting this morning after watching this video: What I am giving my life to? Taking the long term view that Francis Chan describes is what we are inviting students into as we engage on campus this month.

Students empowered

August 14, 2015 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

We care about students empowered to lead in mission on their campus, in their families, and in their communities. As a region we are working to deepen the student empowerment on campus and I had the chance last week to see that we have a long way to go.

I was blessed to meet with the George Ogalo Country Director for IFES – Kenya, a sister movement of InterVarsity/USA. We met at Florissant Valley Community College, a campus where we are doing new work.

While on campus George talked about the students that lead fellowships of 3,000 on campus and elect student boards that oversee the work in Kenya. It challenges me to think what other elements of the ministry can we put in our students hands and how to create an atmosphere where staff invite their students to ownership in this way.

Pray for us as we go about the work of empowering students as they arrive back on campus.