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Greetings!
The college students in CCN are truly being changed by the Word of God and the opportunities provided for them to proclaim Christ. We are praying and laboring to help mature these young hungry souls, and we are seeing it happen! " I've always had a passion to evangelize and share what God has done in my life, but I was always scared to speak in front of people. It scared me so much that once I even hid at an open-air preaching service in Philadelphia, where I was supposed to share [in the open-air]. Instead, I took tracts and went out to evangelize [one-to-one]. But this Tuesday, God gave me the boldness to preach and share my testimony in the open-air for the first time on my campus, Montclair State University at a CCN outreach." - Sam Matthews (pictured above)
CCN Member at Montclair State University, NJ
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CCN eNews Video Update.
John Chisham, Campus Leader
Southwest Minnesota State University
 | | November 2010 CCN Ministry Update |
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Article: Mankato State University Students Protest Church Service
 | | Mankato State University Students Protesting at River of Life Alliance Church |
On Sunday, October 19th, Southwest Minnesota State University Campus Leader, Pastor John Chisham had some surprise visitors show up at his fellowship, River of Life Alliance Church. Angry students and one professor from Mankato State University unlawfully protested inside his church by interrupting services and holding up large signs between the pulpit and the congregation - all who sat quietly during the incident. Some signs read: "Would Jesus Preach Hate?" and hypocritically, "I 'love' acceptance". Since the students were members of the Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual Transgender (LGBT) community at Mankato, many of them held up signs about homosexual suicides and bullying, believing that those who preach the biblical view of homosexuality contribute to these unfortunate and devastating incidents.
Why did the professor and students drive two hours to this service from Makato State University? It was offense at the gospel of Jesus Christ. "Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed" (1 Peter 2:7-8). The students heard the gospel during the recent Minnesota Campus Missions Tour with Shawn Holes from Luke Ten Two ministries when they stopped to lawfully preach on their campus. During the unlawful student in-church protest, Pastor Chisham chose not to order the police to remove the offenders. Instead, he continued to preach on his planned sermon about the mockery and physical abuse that Jesus Christ endured for the sake of sinners.
"Truth be told, this was a God-ordained moment," Pastor John said. "Yes, it was uncomfortable and an inappropriate assault on the congregation, and God was being blasphemed by these students. Some that we could see were visibly shaken. But God was glorified... He gave the message for the people that were there that day in His loving kindness and grace so that they could hear the Gospel once again. They saw nothing but love from our tiny congregation, even being offered tracts by my 10 year old son. Unfortunately,this free offer of grace was judgment for some, that they might hear, but not understand or receive the free offer of grace they were given by God." The members of the congregation also witnessed in love to the students outside after the fellowship.
This event is more evidence that the campus is a mission field for Christians. "We need CCN Campus Leadership more than ever," says John Chisham. "The very fact that this professor did this is evidence of the worldview that he is teaching his students. We need the Biblical worldview taught and exemplified on campus through Campus Leadership."
Please pray for the salvation of the Mankato students and their professor. Also, pray for Pastor Chisham and the River of Life Alliance Church as they look for a new place of worship. Although they showed love to the law-breaking protesters, the YMCA has chosen to non-renew the church's rental agreement.
You can hear Pastor John Chisham on Crosstalk Radio discussing the incident. http://www.crosstalkamerica.com/
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May God bless you as you continue to fulfill His Great Comission.
Sincerely,
The CHANGE Collegian Network Family
CHANGE Collegian Network |
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