Austin's FOCUS Ministry Blog

 There are 40,000 college students at UT Arlington. Historically, since I've been on this campus, each one of the 6 or so college ministries have maintained an average of around 100 members. That's at any given point, only 600 out of 40,000 college students on this campus consistently encountering the good news of Jesus. Obviously that doesn't account for the students who may not be involved in a college ministry but are rooted in a church, but it remains true, the percentage of students on this campus potentially not hearing about Jesus is undeniably sizable. And honestly, sometimes that really breaks my heart. I'm so grateful for the opportunity each of you have given me over the last 10 years to personally impact and share Jesus with as many of those students as I can, but I always have been and remain, only one person, with the same 24 hours a day that you have. Now God has continued to work in and through all that time and faithfulness, and I imagine that our gospe...

This weekend I got to see 830 college students spend their weekend together worshiping God, learning deeply from the scriptures, enjoying fellowship, ministering to one another, and being ministered to by college pastors, and ultimately encountering the presence of Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit. The degree to which a weekend like this can be a catalyst for personal change in these students lives is immeasurable. And I am confident that we will see the impact that that transformation will have on DFW college campuses as the gospel message spreads through each one of them. Many of these students will be our student leaders next year, sharing Jesus with their peers. Real spiritual friendship grew as these students reflected on their lives with God together. During the session these students from UTA would sit right by the stage, not just for worship, but for teachings from the book of genesis, led by biblical scholar Marty Solomon, host of the BEMA podcast. If you would like t...

 Just wanted to share with y'all a video from our recent Christmas devotional service. I realized that while I get to watch college students spending their evening to learn about and worship our Lord, and it's always encouraging to me, there are many of you who would be equally encouraged but aren't able to attend these devices and watch it in person. Praying this video of our students singing joy to the world lifts your spirits and gets you excited to remember Jesus more this Christmas season. https://photos.app.goo.gl/cTkgYT2ipWByx1NU9

 This year has been one full of gratitude for me. From the guys that I'm getting to spend weekly time with reading scripture together, seeing our whole community gathered in worship of our Lord, or seeing the friendships forming between them. It's all been such a gift. I first thank God for all of this, but I also want to say thank you! Here's a couple of highlights from recent weeks. Men's Friendsgiving One of several Ladie's Friendgivings A goofy scavenger hunt we went on with a couple of our student leaders A one on one bible study happening right in the middle of campus. This one is being facilitated by Kamaal, one of our brightest and most loving student leaders, reading the scriptures alongside his peer, inviting a younger student to follow Jesus more fully. I've also been so grateful to God for these two. Lucy turns two years old in just a couple of weeks. She remains one of the chief joys of Hayli and I's life. Thank you for helping to provide a home...

 Last weekend was our annual fall camp, and it was so encouraging! 140 students came, listened to sermons on Jesus' "I am" statement, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." And spent the rest of the weekend playing games, having meals, spending solo time with God, and enjoying fellowship with each other. Here are some pictures from fall camp below. Every year that we go into fall camp, God uses this time to help our ministry become a more unified and solidified community that is more clear about, and compelled to accomplish the mission to make and mature disciples of Jesus on the college campus. The fruit of this weekend we will be seeing for the rest of the year, but God was definitely at work, as I've heard so many students already express how meaningful their time was. One student told me that God used it to break down some walls in his heart, and another said it convinced him that he wanted to go do our pastoral apprenticeship next year and give a year...

 What an exciting last month it's been. We passed out hundreds of water bottles, hosted petting zoo's, played capture the flag, and imitated bob ross at a painting night, all for the purpose of meeting new students and inviting them to come to get to know Jesus in a Christian community.  All of these invites culminating in the largest turnout of spiritually hungry college students we've ever had for our Thursday Night Fellowships and our core groups that we have ever had since the beginning of our ministry here at UT Arlington. With over 220 students in attendance. I'll let the pictures tell the stories. These were just some of the events we did to meet people during move in/welcome week! And then here are all the pictures from our ministry events, including our worship, sermons, and small groups called core.                                                ...