Membership in the Phoenix International Christian Church Campus Ministry:

God has already begun to move in the hearts of college men and women as there are currently ten studying the Bible! That is about one for one in our ministry. Coming off the heels of the City of Angels Winter Workshop we are boldly offering up a faith goal of 7 baptisms this Spring Semester. Last semester God added 4 to our number. Friday night was a refreshing time, as we came together for campus devotional. The night started off on a scary note, as we played Sardines in the Speckman’s house (hide & seek on steroids!). It was exciting to see visitors at our devotional which has traditionally only been for members of the congregation, as well as two kingdom kids from the Phoenix Valley ICOC church join us as well for fellowship. The Lord put on my heart a message on what it takes to be a part of this campus ministry:

1. World Vision (Matthew 28:18-20)

Someone once said, “act locally, think globally.” To Jesus, there was no such thing as foreign missions, it was all world evangelism. So many who once had this world vision mindset have settled to be content with just evangelizing their cities. The Bible is clear that a disciple of Jesus Christ has the world on his or her heart. With this mindset, you are not only thinking of yourself or your own little ministry, yet you are aware that we are apart of a movement that is so much bigger than our own little church. As a campus ministry we need to be ready to go wherever the Spirit calls us to spread the gospel and only having a mind-set of world vision will allow this.

2. Daily Sharing

“Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” Acts 5:42

Jesus was focused on preaching the message of the Kingdom of God no matter where he was, he was involved with people every day. This is what propelled the first century church. There are no secrets or gimmicks. Fancy programs won’t accomplish the task of world evangelism. It is the conviction that every disciple is sharing their faith every day. I have been so encouraged by the disciples in our campus ministry here. When I call disciples on the phone it seems as if they always just got done sharing their faith, or are about to go meet someone to go sharing. Every single disciple in our ministry realized how much Jesus did for them, and can’t help but speak about it to our campuses at ASU and SCC. If we want Bible results we need to put forth Bible effort. Daily sharing is a must to be a part of this ministry.

3. Daily Discipling (Acts 19:8-10)

The above passage contains the “first campus ministry” of the early church movement at the Lecture Hall of Tyrannus. Paul was not afraid to be persuasive in his evangelism and went about it with great boldness. I shared how we must put aside our fears of what people will think of us and be prepared for those who are “obstinate.” The world is resolved to be selfish, that is their conviction. Our resolve and forcefulness must be stronger than theirs if we are going to win them over to faith. In two years time the whole province of Asia (modern day Turkey) was evangelized (heard the true gospel). This happens because of daily sharing, but also daily discipling. In verse 9, Paul says he took the disciples with him daily. One of the great things that has begun to happen in our ministry is that our leaders will take the disciples with them daily to share so that discipling may occur. Only by daily discipling, and dealing with our hearts can our “province” be evangelized. To be a part of this ministry, you must have a disicpling relationship.

4. Must take risk (1 Samuel 14:1-14)

The above story is an inspiring tale of how being in God’s kingdom should be an adventure! Christianity is to be exciting and involve taking risk. Saul was God’s anointed leader at the time and his army which included Jonathan his son was camped out waiting to attack the Philistines. Jonathan grabs the young man bearing his armor and decides to leave the camp without telling Saul to attack the Philistines. God blesses his faith for taking a risk, and him and his armor-bearer kill some twenty Philistines! God loves men and women who take risk of faith. I picture Jonathan grabbing his right hand man (armor-bearer) saying, “lets not tell Saul, but lets go do something radical that will blow Saul away.” It has been amazing to hear the stories in our ministry of disciples going out taking risk this week in sharing their faith without me (the leader) even knowing! This is the heart it takes to be in this ministry, one of an adventurous spirit.

5. Loyalty to the point of death (1 Samuel 14:1-14)

Jesus’ disciples felt an intense loyalty to their leader. At one point when Jesus was being persecuted they wanted to call down fire on his opponents and Jesus had to hold them back. David and his might men were loyal to each other to the point of death. In fact at one point, his men risk their lives to get David a drink of water! In the story above, we see how Jonathan’s loyalty as well as his armor-bearer’s to each other caused an incredible victory. The armor-bearer grabbed on to Jonathan’s dream and was loyal risking his life to be with him. See the intensity of this passage:

“Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.” “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”

To be a part of this ministry you must believe that nothing can hinder God from saving, and be devoted to one-another heart and soul till death.

6. Submission to Leadership (Hebrews 13:7-8; 17)

In our American thinking we sometimes think the Kingdom of God is the “democracy of God”, yet the Bible teaches something different. That in the church, leadership is clearly defined and there is an expectation to obedience and submission to their lead. Now if they call for us to follow something that contradicts the scriptures, “we must obey God rather than men.” Though, it is clear we are to submit to their authority and obey them when they do call upon us. It was sad to me to hear Friday at our devo from a sister in another fellowship that there is no longer clearly defined leadership. That a board runs the church, and they go through interview processes to hire new leaders. How far have some drifted from what the scriptures teach. Can you imagine a Bible Talk that didn’t have a leader, or if the father didn’t lead a family? I am so proud of Anthony and Millie raising up and leading a Bible Talk. Our campus ministry has multiplied from one bible talk to now three. Clearly defined leadership is a must and there is an expectation in this ministry that we are all unified to the vision the leadership lays out before the congregation.

7. Must be a House of Prayer and Faith (Matthew 17:14-21)

How sad it must have been for the disciples who couldn’t drive out the evil spirit in a man that day. I think of the countless people who are lost and enslaved to the demons of sex, drugs, and other various sins. When people stop getting saved, it is because a lack of faith. Jesus had to come and admonish his disciples for their little faith and heal the man from the demon himself. It is here Jesus tells us that all we need is a mustard seed of faith. Interestingly, if you look at verse 21 which is hidden at the bottom of the page in most bibles it says, “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” To be a part of this ministry there can be no doubt in the power of God! To start off the semester we are fasting together as a ministry to call upon God to act on our behalf and the miracles are already beginning.

Ultimately, these aren’t requirements to just be a part of the Phoenix International Christian Church’s Campus Ministry, but are requirements for membership in Jesus’ church universal. Let us marvel at the work of God in our generation as countless numbers begin to be saved in Arizona.

Love,

Mike Patterson