Friend to Friend
by Rebecca K. Grosenbach, staff writer
One
of the cornerstones of Navigator ministry is one-to-one discipleship,
one person nurturing the spiritual life of another. Don and Janet Lenze
have seen that kind of multiplication in their work among college
students at the University of Massachusetts (UMass).
One example is the story of Rhea and Kim. Rhea says, "I had been walking with Christ for a year before I came to UMass. I am convinced God led me to The Navigators. It is amazing how over the past three years God has been pursuing me, revealing more to me about my identity as His daughter and His identity as my Father.
He has brought amazing people into my life to encourage me, challenge me, and serve alongside me. From God-given friends and shepherds like Don and Janet, I am learning to live out of Christ's love for me rather than to live out of fear. And I am able to point others to this God who loves me.
My friend Kim was my co-worker when we were Resident Assistants. When I
first met Kim two years ago, she rejected Christ and His love. But now?
Now not only is Kim zealously seeking Christ, but she too is sharing
Christ's love with the excitement of someone who knows she is deeply
loved. I am so overjoyed when I think about my friend who is now my
sister in Christ."
Kim talks about her new life in Christ. "I have been walking with Christ for about a year now. Rhea is one of the people who has walked alongside of me over the past two years of my spiritual journey. As I searched, she has answered my questions and patiently listened to me. She was, and is, my encouraging and very fun friend and roommate. As a matter of fact, she is not only my friend and roommate, she is my sister in Christ."
Don says, "We have a
deep concern for people engaged with the eight-year window that
comprises college life and life after college. Every year it seems we
are learning new things about our friends, the culture, the
opportunities, and the hurdles our friends face during this window of
life.
"We ask ourselves, What will they face over the next 60 years of life? What impact might that have in the lives of others? How can we help now to prepare them for the future?"
These kinds of questions fuel the ministry at UMass and are no doubt echoed across every college campus where Navigators work to impact young people for Christ.
More information about The Navigators Collegiate Ministries.
One
of the cornerstones of Navigator ministry is one-to-one discipleship,
one person nurturing the spiritual life of another. Don and Janet Lenze
have seen that kind of multiplication in their work among college
students at the University of Massachusetts (UMass).One example is the story of Rhea and Kim. Rhea says, "I had been walking with Christ for a year before I came to UMass. I am convinced God led me to The Navigators. It is amazing how over the past three years God has been pursuing me, revealing more to me about my identity as His daughter and His identity as my Father.
He has brought amazing people into my life to encourage me, challenge me, and serve alongside me. From God-given friends and shepherds like Don and Janet, I am learning to live out of Christ's love for me rather than to live out of fear. And I am able to point others to this God who loves me.
My friend Kim was my co-worker when we were Resident Assistants. When I
first met Kim two years ago, she rejected Christ and His love. But now?
Now not only is Kim zealously seeking Christ, but she too is sharing
Christ's love with the excitement of someone who knows she is deeply
loved. I am so overjoyed when I think about my friend who is now my
sister in Christ."Kim talks about her new life in Christ. "I have been walking with Christ for about a year now. Rhea is one of the people who has walked alongside of me over the past two years of my spiritual journey. As I searched, she has answered my questions and patiently listened to me. She was, and is, my encouraging and very fun friend and roommate. As a matter of fact, she is not only my friend and roommate, she is my sister in Christ."
Don says, "We have a
deep concern for people engaged with the eight-year window that
comprises college life and life after college. Every year it seems we
are learning new things about our friends, the culture, the
opportunities, and the hurdles our friends face during this window of
life."We ask ourselves, What will they face over the next 60 years of life? What impact might that have in the lives of others? How can we help now to prepare them for the future?"
These kinds of questions fuel the ministry at UMass and are no doubt echoed across every college campus where Navigators work to impact young people for Christ.
More information about The Navigators Collegiate Ministries.
