Kevin Pike Ministry Blog #16

 September Update

    Hello everyone! This is post-Welcome Week month, time flies by when you are having fun! Let's all pray that the weather gets cooler and actually Fall-like! 

    Small Group Update

    Wednesday night's small group has been so fun and encouraging. We have a consistent group of young men who come to fellowship and learn about Jesus. A recurring theme that I have noticed among the guys is that they are curious and thirst for more information about who God and Jesus are. This is incredible! Compared to last year, this is a huge difference. I think God has been preparing many of these students' hearts for learning more about Him and we have been lucky enough to be the ones who can help them along their journey. 

    This week we have started a series called, "Understanding the Bible as a Whole". We realized that our guys in the small group have very broad and nonspecific knowledge about the Bible. They know who Jesus is and that he died for our sins, but they could not pinpoint the foundational stories in the OT or the New Testament. So we are going through Romans first, this book gives a great overview of God's plan for us, then we are going to hit the foundational books like Genesis, Exodus, Joshua, etc. I am super excited to get these guys more knowledgeable about the Bible! 

    I've been leading the small group with a guy named Cedric, one of our student leaders, which has been a blessing. He is so patient, and kind, and he has a heart that really loves God. Here is a picture of Cedric and I and also our Core!

    Outreach Update 

    Tuesday morning outreach at the Wylie campus has been going great! We have developed a system for the types of outreach we do which switches from intentional, biblical outreach to positive, everyone can do it outreach. For example, two weeks ago we held up signs that said, "Can We Pray for You?", this past week we did, "Drop an Anxiety and Take an Affirmation" with the affirmations being Biblical in nature. This next week we are going to do "Paint a Mini Pumpkin". This will give the opportunity for anyone to show up not only students who are currently religious. During the pumpkin outreach, we will have intentional questions to ask them about their faith which will lead us to invite them to TNF or our small groups. 

    Here are some pictures of our outreach during the "Drop an Anxiety and Take an Affirmation":

     TNF Update 

    TNF (Thursday Night Fellowship) has been booming since school started! We have been having more than 100 students show up regularly which has been the first this has happened consistently since COVID! We are having a sermon series on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5-7) which has been such a blessing for not only me to hear but also for the students to hear. Here is a picture of TNF recently:

   Class Update 

    This year, I am taking a Christian History Class that FOCUS themselves puts on. It is the audio of a  class from the Regent University, School of Divinity and Theology taught by Dr. Sarah Williams. So far, we have been learning about how Christianity spread and developed right after Jesus's death to 500 A.D. One thing that I have been learning/thinking about recently was the persecution that the early Christians went through. We focused specifically on the story of Perpetua and Felicity, as they were thrown into the lions' den for their love of Christ. I would highly recommend reading about it. It certainly challenged the way I thought about suffering and uncomfortability in our modern time. Here's a link to a brief overview of the story: 

https://www.nationalshrine.org/blog/joy-in-the-face-of-suffering-saints-perpetua-and-felicity/#:~:text=Who%20are%20Saints%20Perpetua%20and,son%2C%20and%20Felicity%20was%20pregnant.

    Thank You

 Thank y'all so much! Your donation is truly appreciated and has had a significant impact on the students we serve. Your contribution allows us to continue our mission of providing a safe and welcoming space for students to explore and deepen their faith, connect with others, and grow in their spiritual journeys. I am honored to have your trust and support, and we will work diligently to use your gift wisely and effectively. On behalf of the students, staff, and volunteers of our college campus ministry, I offer my sincere thanks and appreciation for your generous support. Your investment in our ministry will make a lasting difference in the lives of many.

    Prayer Requests 

    If y'all could pray for the students as midterms are coming up. Most years students get more stressed with school and tend to shy away from community and meeting up during our consistent times. Pray that they remember that Jesus and the community are priorities for them to stick with as well. I also ask for prayers regarding Fall Retreat this year. I will have more info but pray that lots of students come and that they are able to get close to God during that time. Thank you! 

P.S. Here is a student from the Richland campus, your donations help young women like her seek and find God. Your gifts have a real impact on the students here.