Mobilize: NYC

Today, I'm reflecting back on about 3 months ago the day when I boarded a plane to New York City. I was blessed with the opportunity to go with the Austin Stone/North American Mission Board on a trip with about 70 of our college students to learn about church planting and to have our hearts' affections increased for missional living. Having family in the area, I had been to the city several times, but never with this point of view. Just a few things we were blessed to be a part of:

• We sat under the teaching of Apostles' Church in NYC on topics of mission and church planting.
• Visited Redeemer Presbyterian's Center for Faith & Work for a workshop on how to process and use faith in the context of whatever work environment we are called to.
• Participated at the studio of International Arts Movement to dialogue with college students all over the nation about how to use creativity and the arts as a mission field. 
• Groups visited various organizations and gained hands-on experience in the business, sports and mentoring, fitness, and youth development arenas. 
• Prayer walked through the United Nations, NY Stock Exchange, Grand Central Station, and others. 
• Had dinner with a families of Apostles' to share and hear more of what it is realistically like to live in NYC. 
• Saw many of the sites of NYC including 5th Ave, Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, the 9/11 Memorial, Brooklyn Tabernacle prayer night, Central Park, Queens, and Apollo Theater in Brooklyn. 
• Joined in for a Sunday night church service with Apostles' church. 
• Got lost on the subway. 
• Survived freezing cold temperatures. 
• Took lots of pictures.
• Filled a small hotel with a bunch of loud college students and somehow managed to not get kicked out. 
• Made lots of new friends. 
• Had nights of sharpening questions and conversation, tears, and laughter that I wouldn't trade for the world.
• Saw God open the door for many trips to take place this year, mobilizing hundreds of college students across this country.
• Witnessed God move in the hearts and lives of our students as well as those we came in contact with. There is story after story of His marks He's left here.

International Arts Movement

The United Nations

Grand Central Station

9/11 Memorial

Apostles' church

Brooklyn Bridge

Teaching under Logan Gentry

Harlem RBI. RBI Austin is in partnership with this organization.

Center for Faith & Work

Apostles' church

Our small group

 

 

This trip would not have been possible without my partners in this ministry. Thank you for all your prayers and support this year. You may not have even known about this trip, but He did and He used your prayers to work in so many lives. You have shown me the love of God, as well as opened the door for God to use me and show me how to love others more fully as He does, and for that I am grateful.