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LOVE WINS--A Response to Campus Tradegy
      By David Kyncl

      My heart was moved as I watched the news unfolding from the tragedy on the Virginia Polytechnic and State University campus. I can only imagine the disbelief and utter hopelessness of those members of the Virginia Tech community.

As I listened to the news reports and the questions from the reporters, I also began to realize how many of the reporters just didn’t understand the campus community. I also felt compelled to pray for the campus ministries and local churches represented in Blacksburg.

How should we respond to such a tragedy? How can a local church reach out to a campus community to demonstrate Christ’s love in the aftermath of such an event? How will this impact students and campuses around the country?

I know that at the University of Oklahoma, the president ordered the residence halls to be locked 24 hours a day for the next few weeks until the Spring semester is finished.

The tragedy is real. The questions from students around the country are real. The opportunity to demonstrate Christ’s love is real.

Through my involvement with Nazarene Secular Campus Mission, I know that we have more than 800 churches located within five miles of a college campus. Here are a few ways local congregations can reach out to their local campus communities.

1)      Encourage your congregation to PRAY for the Virginia Tech community. Whenever you see a person interviewed on television, write down their name and keep them in prayer.

2)      Pray for the college campuses represented in your community, your city and your state. Ask God to reveal ways that you and your church can reach out to students, faculty and staff in need.

3)      Pray for college students represented in your congregation. This is a stressful time of year with semesters drawing to a close and final exams in the coming weeks. You may want to encourage your church to send notes of encouragement or a finals care package to each of the students in your church.

4)      Go to the campus. Read the student newspaper. Attend a prayer vigil. Eat lunch in the Student Union. Be available and listen.

5)      Contact the Student Affairs office and ask for the names of the Religious groups on campus. Adopt a Christian group and ask how you and your church can be involved.

6)      Don’t delay.

 

We know the world is represented on every major college campus.

We know that God is in the process of drawing people to himself.

We know that LOVE WINS.

As we seek to engage the local campus with the Gospel of Christ, ask God to reveal opportunities for long-term relationships with those on campus. Rather than responding to a time of need and then retreating, let’s seek to demonstrate God’s love on an ongoing basis.

In his book The Weight of Glory, C. S. Lewis reminds us “there are no ordinary people.  You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts civilizations—those are mortal and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors and everlasting splendours…Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, our neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”

Encourage your church to pray for and reach out to the “everlasting splendours” on your local college campus. The truth of the Gospel and His love demonstrated through us will make the difference. LOVE WINS.

 

 

(David Kyncl serves as the director of Nazarene Secular Campus Mission. He and his wife, Rhonda, also direct the 2:8 House and the Nazarene Student Center at the University of Oklahoma. He can be reached at kyncl@28house.org or (405)447-7027. Information about Nazarene Secular Campus Mission is available online at www.nazscm.org.)

 

New ministry launched at University of Nebraska, Lincoln, campus.

Lincoln, Nebraska-Nebraska District Superintendent, Rev. Larry White, announced the launch of a new district-sponsored ministry initiative to the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, campus. The Rev. Wes and Judy Meisner have been appointed as the "campus missionaries" to launch the ministry initiative.

On July 15, 2006, the District took possession of a large brick building adjacent to the UNL campus. The property, 1219 N. 14th Street, is located halfway between the Devaney Sports Center and Memorial Stadium. The building was built in 1915 as a site for the fire department and is located across the street from one of the high-rise dormitory complexes on the campus.

The Meisners have begun the process of forming the non-profit corporation, and the project has been named a "10 percent missions giving" ministry and is registered as an official site for Work and Witness projects.

Fund raising for the $150,000 remodeling project began this fall.

The Meisners most recently served as the senior pastors for Norman, Oklahoma, First Church of the Nazarene. While at Norman First, they were instrumental in establishing the Nazarene Student Center for the University of Oklahoma, Inc., which is now known as the 2:8 House at OU. The Meisners also served as campus ministers at the ministry at Oklahoma State University.

For additional information, contact Wes Meisner at wdmeisner@cox.net.

Secular Campus Initiative receives generous gift via Nazarene Foundation

Norman, Oklahoma-The Church of the Nazarene Foundation recently received a donation of real estate valued at more than $400,000 (U.S.) to be used as a ministry center at the University of Oklahoma (OU). Foundation President Mel McCullough announced the donation from a private foundation affiliated with the Hobby Lobby Corporation at the Southwest Oklahoma District Assembly, held June 7 to 8. According to David Kyncl, the director of the OU Nazarene Student Center and Nazarene Secular Campus Mission, this marks the largest donation received to date to help support the Nazarene Secular Campus Initiative. This generous gift represents recognition of the secular campus as a strategic mission field in the U.S.

Currently, there are students from all 50 states and more than 100 other countries who attend OU. Kyncl stated, "That is our mission field, and reason this ministry exists."

Co-director Rhonda Kyncl said, "The opportunity to become friends with people from around the world is amazing. Many times we are able to begin these friendships while sharing a meal around our dining room table."

Students from 15 countries, including Kazakhstan, China, Taiwan, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the U.S., have participated in various types of ministry activities while living with the Kyncl family in the center's history.

McCullough highlighted the fact that the OU Nazarene Student Center offers a variety of outreach and discipleship opportunities not only for OU students, but others in the Norman, Oklahoma community.

Nazarene Secular Campus Mission boasts approximately 25 ministries registered on its web site, www.nazscm.org. These include ministries in several states and the first ministry forming in Canada.

For more information, contact David Kyncl at kyncl@ounsc.org or visit www.nazscm.org. For information on the Church of the Nazarene Foundation, see www.nazarenefoundation.org.
--Church of the Nazarene Foundation