CrossTraining!!!

Well, we all survived the weekend. 10 students from Hamline and 8 from St. Olaf joined a group of 345 students that descended on Lake Geneva Christian Camp in Alexandria, MN, for some very intense training and some good community building. Most of my students spent the weekend in On Campus, On Purpose, a teaching track dedicated to deepening their understanding of how God is at work on campus and how they might join in with that work. The hope is that students coming out of that track will recognize that they are missionaries called to their campuses and that God has given each of them unique gifts and abilities to be used to share the Gospel with those around them. As I've gotten feedback from students about the weekend, their excitement about returning to campus is energizing. They were all challenged in their understanding of what opportunities for sharing the Gospel they have around them and they left with a much deeper understanding of InterVarsity's vision of seeing students' lives transformed by God.

Personally, I spent the weekend teaching 14 older students about healthy ways to transition out of college while still investing in InterVarsity. Many of these students came in with questions about purpose, relationships, vocation, and God's will. Anticipating this, we led them through an exploration of their expectations, values, and relationships, while emphasizing the importance of spiritual disciplines and staying engaged in communities. Much of our teaching was based on Paul's teachings in 2 Timothy and encouragements he provides to Timothy as he reflects back on his ministry. While we didn't answer all of their questions, we gave them many tools that will be helpful as they take their next steps.

One of the other tracks from the weekend invited students with little or no exposure to Jesus to come and explore what the Bible really has to say about him. While I don't know the overall content of the weekend, I do know that 11 students made commitments to faith as a result of the teaching. This opportunity is always one of the highlights of CrossTraining as year after year God blesses many students who take the faithful step of being open to exploring scripture.

Thank you all for your prayers and support throughout the weekend. It is such a blessing to be surrounded by so many who are excited about partnering with God's work on campus (and at conferences).

Deron

Want to Partner?  Click Here!

Greetings all...

Just wanted to post a quick note.  I'm currently in Alexandria, MN, prepping for CrossTraining, a regional weekend student training conference.  Friday afternoon, 10 students from Hamline and 8 from  St. Olaf will join approximately 350 other students from Minnesota, the Dakotas, and Wisconsin for training, worship, and catching a vision for God's work on campus.  Please be in prayer this weekend for God to show up in spectacular ways.  I will specifically be working with students approaching graduation, helping them prepare for the many transitions ahead.

I'll have some updates next week.

First off, thank you for your prayers these past few weeks.  They have been some of the busiest of my life, and I really appreciate how so many people have joined in prayer for the students and for my responsibilities.

Students from Hamline at Cedar Campus

To recap, I spent May 19-June 1 at Cedar Campus in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  Over the course of those 2 weeks, students from all over the Midwest went through a week of training in one of several areas.  I helped train 57 potential small group leaders along with leading worship in different contexts.  It was an exhausting and invigorating time.  I know that's a paradox, but there's something exciting about seeing hundreds of young women and men growing in their understanding of how God is calling them to serve the Kingdom, especially when it's students I get to work with weekly.  3 students from Hamline and 1 from St. Olaf took part in this training, and hearing their reflections on how they were challenged for returning to campus in the Fall builds a great sense of anticipation for a stronger community and greater effectiveness in engaging the campus through outreach and relationships.

 And now my summer is officially here...but that doesn't mean things slow down.  I won't be on campus as much, but there is still a great deal of planning that needs to happen between now and the end of July.  I also have a bit more time to focus on developing new partnerships for prayer and financial support.   There is always a need for more people to partner with God's work at Hamline and St. Olaf, so if you or anybody you know would like to know more about what I do, please contact me.  Lisa and I are also continuing the chaotic pace of trying to get ready for the baby that's coming in August.  It seems like there's always more things that get added to our list, but we're making good progress and it's looking like our house will barely resemble a construction site by the end of August.

Teaching a group of future Small Group Leaders

Things to be praying for:

• Summer Planning - clarity and organization
• Developing new partnerships for prayer and financial support
• Summer house projects that need to get done before the baby comes in  August

 As always, thank you so much for joining in with this ministry.  Your support is very much appreciated.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Deron

deron.vaupel@gmail.com
Want to Partner?  Click Here!

Greetings to you...

I just wanted to toss up a quick post to fill you in one the past few days and the next few weeks.  In the midst of saying goodbye to several graduating seniors (always a bittersweet experience), I've also been preparing for our annual Chapter Focus Week...although now that I'm on 2 campuses, it should be Chapter Focus Weeks.  On Saturday, I leave for the north shores of Lake Huron for 2 weeks of training students to lead small group Bible Studies and to lead them in some praise and worship.  Students from Hamline and St. Olaf will be attending, and I ask that you be in prayer for them as God prepares them for amazing ministry on campus and beyond. 

Over the next few days, there is still a lot that needs to happen.  I have several components of teaching and worship to prepare and there's several small projects to get done around the house.  Prayers for all of that preparation are also appreciated. 

As always, thanks so much for your prayers and support.  God has been doing amazing things on campus, and I look forward to sharing all about Chapter Focus Weeks when I return in early June.

Deron
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Want to partner with God's work at St. Olaf and Hamline?  Click Here!

Driving almost 1,000 miles, putting in several 15 hour work days, investing in 44 students for 6 days, and coming home with a head cold.  Sounds like a pretty dreadful Spring Break, right?

Daily Bible Study from Acts

In actuality, it was one of the most spectacular weeks of ministry in my life.  Through our time in Milwaukee, God opened the eyes of many students to his love for all creation and how he’s at work around the world.  There’s a great deal I could say about all I was a part of, but instead I thought you might like to hear a bit from one of the students that was there and a brief story from another.

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First, an excerpt from Nick’s (Hamline) blog:

From this week, I've remembered something so obvious and necessary yet something I had neglected.  God's City isn't only white.  Revelation 7:9 - "After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb."  From every TONGUE, TRIBE, PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE.  Not a bunch of White Americans.  Not just the upper middle-class.  Not just men.  From EVERY people.  Hallelujah, God's vision is for EVERYONE!  In Acts 2 we see the church frightened as Phillip preaches not to their friendly neighborhood Jews but to their ANCIENT ENEMIES.  And even as he baptizes them in Christ, the church questions.  Can THESE people really be Christian?  Do they HAVE to be, can't we just have it easy and accept ONLY our friends? 

The Holy Spirit did not settle for any less than a miraculous, echoing NO.  The Holy Spirit came down in the presence of the church leaders, Peter and John, affirming for all eternity that the gift of salvation is open to all. 

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Hamline and St. Olaf students in Milwaukee

My pride, my arrogance got in the way.  My way was right, none other could be.  My way or Hell.  I sanctified my traditions over the Gospel.  But God is a God of mercy, of grace, and of reconciliation.  You see, our cultures are important, our differences are pivotal.  Can I really be so prideful to believe God won't be playing Gospel Music in Heaven?  Or hip-hop?  Not anymore!  Imagine dancing in Heaven as Jesus rocks the DJ's booth!  Or the choir of angels is movin' and groovin' with claps and shouts!

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As one of the staff workers on site, one of my roles during the week was to work with students who were volunteering at St. Marcus Lutheran School.  For most of these students, it was their first experience in an inner-city school.  Nathan, one of the students serving there, was actually hoping to be at a different site, but because he had a car, we needed him to come to the school since we wouldn’t have enough drivers otherwise.  When I first asked him how he was feeling about this experience, he was hesitant…it definitely wasn’t his first choice and he would admit that he didn’t have the greatest attitude.  After 2 days of tutoring (actually, trying to remember math and English lessons long forgotten), Nathan shared that he was starting to realize that God had given him the capacity to be investing in the lives of young men, specifically those without a strong male role model.  He knew from experience what life can be like without that influence, and God was calling him to use that experience to make a different in someone else’s life.  It was amazing to see God work through our time at the school, and I can say without a doubt that the other 6 students who were serving there came home with a deeper understanding of how God is calling them to be a part of his work in the world.

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Weeks like this remind me time and again that I have the greatest job in the world.  God is at work in lives all around me, and I get to be used in the process of developing new leaders and world changers.  And I thank you for the role you play in supporting this work, whether it’s through prayer, financial support, or the random encouragements, it is all a huge blessing.  Thank you so much.  

If you would like to do more to partner with this ministry, you can be praying for students as we begin to prepare for next school year, specifically when it comes to identifying new leaders.  There is also a financial need, especially if you know of any good fundraising ideas for students looking for help in paying for our upcoming Chapter Focus Week.  Please contact me if you have any ideas or questions regarding this.  Thanks

Deron

deron.vaupel@gmail.com

The semester is in full swing, the seniors are anxiously counting down to graduation, and everybody is itching to spend as much time outside as possible...yep, it's Spring on Minnesota campuses.  Hard to believe the school year will be over so soon, but over these last 2 months there are still plenty of opportunities for reaching the campus and for new leaders to step up and get experience.

Next week, I will be accompanying students from St. Olaf and Hamline to InterVarsity's Milwaukee Urban Program.  There we will join with students from several other schools to partner with ministries at 7 different sites.  We will also spend a significant amount of time studying what the book of Acts has to say about service.  Please be praying for strength for students and for God to be at work transforming lives...at the Milwaukee Program this past week, 3 students made decisions to follow Christ.

Over these next several weeks I will be working with students to prepare for next school year.  This means a lot of brainstorming about new ways to reach out the campus and talking with students about potentially leading various aspects of the ministry.  Please be in prayer for wisdom as these discussions happen and for next year's leaders.

Thank you so much for your partnership with the ministries at Hamline and St. Olaf.  God is clearly at work in the lives of students, and that has been especially evident in the lives of several 1st year students I've talked with over the past few weeks.  There is a growing sense of purpose when it comes to life on campus, and that bodes well for ministry in the coming years.  Your prayers and support are a huge part of that work.  Thanks so much.

Hamline students at the Leadership Conference

The past few weeks have been quite busy, but also quite exciting. The start of the Spring semester brings anticipation of new opportunities for ministry, new students getting involved, and the mixture of challenge and excitement of coming along side seniors who are preparing to graduate.

The semester started with 6 students from Hamline attending a weekend leadership conference.  During the weekend, they developed a deeper vision for ministry on campus and for how God is using them at Hamline.  It has been exciting to hear from them how God is challenging them to be more intentional about their relationships on campus and to take more time to seek God's guidance in their lives.

The leaders at St. Olaf and I have been learning more and more this year how important involvement in and affiliation with a community is for spiritual development and effective outreach.  Because of that, we are discussing more and more how to provide opportunities for students to connect.  Please be praying for this as we invite students in to deeper relationships in the midst of their busy schedules.

Aside from building new relationships with students, 2 of my main priorities over the next few months are recruiting and preparing students for a Spring Break service project and for Chapter Focus Week in May.  These are both amazing opportunities for students to grow, and I am currently on the look-out for any fundraising and scholarship opportunities that would assist students to take part in these programs.  If you have any ideas, interest, or ability to help with this, please let me know.

It is such a blessing to have your prayers, support, and encouragement.  Without all of that, I would not be able to do this job.  Seeing God transform lives is one of the most exciting things in the world to me, and you are a huge part of that.  Thank you so much.
-Deron

Greetings from the (finally) snowy Twin Cities.  As students are wrapping up their January intensives, I wanted to offer a quick update on what God’s been doing and what lies ahead.

My time in Northfield at St. Olaf has been exciting so far.  I have been able to meet many new students and work closely with the student leaders of the chapter.  Moving in to the Spring semester, the leaders and I are prayerfully considering how to have a greater presence on campus thorough service opportunities and studying Scripture.  At Hamline, there has been an ongoing discussion about evangelism and outreach on campus.  It is exciting to see students unpack what it means to be a light to campus and how to engage the community around them. 

At both of these schools, I have the honor of coming along side students to serve and support them.  Whether that means serving as a sounding board when it comes to major life decisions or giving someone the Mohawk they’ve always wanted, I love being a part of their process of growing closer to God and of building deeper relationships with other Christians. 

If you could please be in prayer for these 2 things:

-This weekend, 6 students from Hamline (St. Olaf has exams) will be attending a Winter Leadership Conference.  The training focuses on our vision for ministry on campus and God’s call for us to serve.

-Spring semester starts next week.  At both schools that means new opportunities for connection and outreach.  Please be praying for all students coming back to campus, that God would be moving in their hearts and preparing for amazing transformation on campus.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support.