Austin's FOCUS Ministry Blog

Hey friends, I just wanted to send a mid month update as I'm sure many of you are wondering how everything happening with Covid-19 has affected ministry and the lives of the students involved. I'm going to share with you a letter sent by our director Brandon Worsham. As well as update you on what specifically we are doing here at UT Arlington to protect the students and their loved ones ,while still being faithful to the call that we have to make and mature disciples of Jesus. I'm going to start with the letter and then transition into giving you UTA specifics. " To the FOCUS Community: I want to update you on how FOCUS is responding to COVID-19, especially in light of so many of our campuses extending spring break and moving to online instruction only afterward. A s a community , we need to be praying diligently for our world during this concerning time. We don’t need to panic, because we know our hope is secure in Christ, b ut we do need to take action i...

As any person with sight can see below, I'm not a great photographer. At least definitely not when it comes to selfies! But God is really good, and over the last month, I've been reminded more and more about how everything I get to do is for a specific mission that I believe God has called me and the rest of our campus pastors to. To make and mature disciples of Jesus on the college campus for the glory of God. Being reminded of this mission has reignited in me an excitement for the day in day out activities of ministry. This poor quality picture is of a high-quality group of guys. This last week I got to go visit one of our core groups! This core group consists of from left to right, Charles, Taylor, Marcos, Travis, Alan, Thomas and Jessie. Every week these neat guys get together to catch up on each others lives, read scripture together, and have a discussion on how to live in a way that honors God in their daily lives. It was so encouraging to be there and watch them...

I hope you can make it to Spring Showcase this year. It is an evening you won't want to miss! Not only is it a fun filled night of incredible musical performances but all of the proceeds from the event go directly to sending students to Bellingham, Washington to attend the Student Institute of Campus Ministry. At SICM the students will learn how to be witnesses to their college campus for Jesus. For me SICM was a life changing, week long conference where I decided that for the rest of my life not only was I going to be a disciple of Jesus but that I was going to make disciples of Jesus. If you want to further help support raising up the next generation of missionaries to the world than buying your ticket for spring showcase is one of the best ways to do that. I'll be there as well so it will be a great opportunity to catch each other. I will even introduce you to several of the students that your gift has been so positively impacting! If you buy the VIP package you will get ...

We recently returned from our annual Winter Camp retreat at Sky Ranch in Van, Texas. Over 60 students from UT Arlington came with us to join the over 600 college students from across our FOCUS Campuses to join for one 4 day weekend of worship, games, sermons, and friendship! It can be hard to explain just exactly what happens every year at winter camp. But every year students' lives are changed as they make decisions to follow Jesus, to commit to Christian community, and gain a vision to share the good news of the gospel with their friends, families, and peers. This year during the sermons we taught through many of the psalms, and students gained new perspectives on how we are able to worship God in whatever season of life we find ourselves. It is often this event that causes students to catch a vision of what God wants to do during the rest of their time in college. I have already gotten to have some great conversations with some of our young male leaders about how the...

Dear Friends, Thank you for taking the time to read this ministry update. This winter season has been particularly encouraging and I am excited to tell you about what is coming up soon! The month of December began with a celebration. The school semester was coming to a close quickly so we threw our annual Focus Christmas party in the first week of the month. Talk about Christmas come early. The event was filled with sweet memories, worship, and funny skits put on by the various weekly core groups. Watching those skits is always a highlight of the year as everyone in the core often participates and everyone gets to see each others silly sides. A couple of guys at the UTA Focus Christmas Party. In the bottom picture, one of the roommates couldn't make the event so the rest of the guys thoughtfully chose to find a way to include him in the picture, no matter what.  Once the semester was over and the students went home for the holidays, I had a lot of time to read. Over the ...

Hello Friends and Family, I pray that your Thanksgiving was special and that you were reminded of all that God has done and is doing for those that he loves.  Today I have some really exciting news. Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday and Focus is holding their annual Keep Focus Growing Fundraiser. All donations given tomorrow up to a total of $36,000 will be matched. So while you have already been so generous to give to and support college ministry, f you would be willing to give a special gift tomorrow, then that gift could be doubled and the impact of your gift could be doubled as well. I just wanted to share some pictures from this last month of some of our students spending time together. I know each one of them by name, and it has been so neat to see God working in their lives. I can't thank you enough for your investment in them up to this point! If you would like to continue to see these students and those that will come after them have a place on the college campus to know Jesu...

Hey friends! Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. I pray that reading some of the stories will encourage your hearts and minds as you see how Jesus is at work on the college campus. Featured here is just a few of the guys involved in the ministry in our most recent halloween party. Some dressed up in costume, others didn't, but everyone had a great time, and it was encouraging to see so many young men and women together celebrating life together after one of our Thursday Night Fellowships. A lot of these pictures are pictures of guys who are all in the same core together. Cores are our gender specific small groups where college students go to each week to read scripture, make friendships, and grow in their relationship with God. Over the last month I've gone to go visit all of the men's core groups and I have been so encouraged! Not only are men responding to the good news of the gospel, they are growing and maturing as disciples as they respond...