The following was posted on CruPress Green 

The new Paramount film NOAH, starring Russell Crowe, can be a great conversation starter with your questioning or non-believing friends. This film has a big budget and intends to make a big statement. You may well want to see it for its modern-day cultural influence. So, invite someone to attend the film with you or find folks who’ve already seen it, and initiate some meaningful spiritual discussions over “a cup of tea.”

But we need to warn you, this is not your little sister’s Sunday School story about animals on a boat! Anytime Hollywood takes on a biblical theme it is usually a mixed blessing. This time is no different.

If you wanted to capture the movie NOAH in a single word, the word would be dark. Anyone familiar with the film credits of director and co-writer Darren Aronofsky would expect nothing less. Black Swan is about a prima ballerina’s descent into madness and suicide. The Wrestler is about trying (and failing) to pick up the pieces of fading glory in the ring.Requiem for a Dream is considered by many to be the most authentic (and depressing) view of what it’s like to live with a drug addict. And The Fountain tackles terminal illness and loss.

So it should come as no surprise that Aronofsky’s NOAH is a relentlessly dark, conflicted, imaginatively provocative Hollywood work of fiction, inspired by the biblical story of Noah. The good news is, the movie powerfully explores themes of sin, righteousness, judgment, mercy and redemption. The film poses a number of worthwhile questions: Is mankind worth saving? Is God worth worshiping? Does God speak, and if so, how can we discern His voice? That’s why it can work as a great conversation opener you can use to talk about the heart of the gospel with believers and non-believers alike.

Below we’ve prepared a series of questions you may want to use with those who’ve seen the film. In brackets after each main question are some potential follow-up questions or other helpful information. (But you should know, there are also a number of plot spoilers!)

Dr. Alan Scholes
Dr. Gary Stanley

A final suggestion: You may want to read the story of Noah in The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones. Although this was written for children, the book is a simple, Christ-honoring retelling of many Bible stories, which a surprising number have used for Bible-study discussion groups!

Check out this great story of how God works in our movement when we pray!

Eric Dellaire is a distance ministry specialist with Cru, meaning he helps students launch and build movements on their own campuses. Recently he told how prayer caused a significant breakthrough on Hussen University in Bangor, Maine.
 
Eric has been coaching leaders at Hussen from Orlando since 2006. He explained that the ministry had gone well and that there was a promising senior, Tiffany, leading the ministry. Through various reasons, the ministry declined, so that by December, there was just Tiffany and a freshman, Noelle.
 
In January, Eric decided that they should put ministry efforts on hold. Rather, he and Tiffany would just pray for the campus. For 15-20 minutes every week they prayed. He said they prayed for breakthroughs and for “all stars” to get involved as freshmen next year.  
 
Then in April, there was a brief period of silence while they were praying. They both felt something in their spirits. “Did you feel that?” Tiffany asked. Eric felt it. They both knew that God had moved in that moment and He was going to do something.
 
Tiffany began to get excited. She wanted to try some things. But it really was too late in the semester and she was graduating.
 
In September, Eric asked Noel, now a sophomore, to conduct surveys. She was hesitant, but did it anyway. About 10 students signed up. Four turned out to be “all stars”. By December, 30 students were coming regularly.
 
Here is the rest of the story.

• Since then, 20-25 students have put together and attended their state-wide fall conference.
• Over 30 have attended Big Break.
• Six have gone on summer projects.
• Two have applied to staff.
• Noel, who had been hesitant at first became a willing leader her last two years.

At the risk of being obvious, let me summarize. Eric coaches from a distance. He never visited the campus to try to re-launch it. No other staff helped in the re-launch. All they did on their weekly phone call was pray. And God used a hesitant sophomore and four freshmen to spark a significant work of the Holy Spirit on their campus.
 
So, how do you view prayer?

• Where are you laboring and just need to see God breakthrough?
• In what communities on your current campuses do you need God to open doors and raise up leaders?
• Who carries the prayer banner in your movements?
• Could it be that you have exhausted other means and prayer is the only option left?
• Might God do something beyond our abilities?

On the day I wrote this, someone led a devotion. I was given Acts 18:9-11 to read. 
   "One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: 'Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.  So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.' "
I like knowing that God has many people in our cities (campuses).  Let's trust God to be a spiritual movement that prays and expects God to do big things!

In Luke 4:17-21, we find Jesus in Nazareth in the synagogue on the Sabbath reading from Isaiah:
 
17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
 
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
 
20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
 
Jesus was an amazing messenger for God. His message from beginning to end was that He was the Messiah, fulfilling the mission that God the Father had given Him to do. Jesus was the Messiah who had the power of the Holy Spirit and would proclaim the good news. Also see Deut.18:18; Isa. 40:9; 41:27; 52:7.
 
What was that mission and who really was Christ? Listen to how pastor Tim Keller explains this in this two minute video.
 
As we continually understand who Jesus is and what He has done in our lives, we should be about Proclaiming Him Everywhere – our school situation, living and work environment and wherever we go. Only Jesus can truly change lives. People are looking for ways to fill their lives, they just don’t know that it is Jesus that can truly fill and satisfy them from within.

Many of us will spend the holidays with family and friends who don't know Christ, and sometimes, it's really challenging to imagine how we might enter into their stories and share the hope of the Gospel. The following is an email we received from Gilbert Kingsley, who helps lead Cru's Coaching Center about just this topic!

Most of us learned to share our faith with strangers. We survey hundreds of students and follow up those most interested in hearing the Gospel. We got practice in sharing Christ with those we did not know.
 
I have been thinking a lot recently about how to share the Good News with those we do know.
 
Many of us intuitively know those in our circle of friends who are warm to spiritual things and those who aren’t. But we don’t know what is going on in hearts. Might God be doing something that we have no idea about?
 
Here are four simple ideas for you and your students to try when you are home over the holidays. They are not original with me.
 
1. Make a Top 10 list of those you would like to have a spiritual conversation with during your break. Put the list in your Bible. Pray everyday for God to open the door to a conversation. Here are some things to pray for the lost.
 
2. Ask “How can I pray for you?” If appropriate, follow up with “Can I pray for you right now?” I was having lunch with a friend one day. We had been talking about ministry. After saying good-by in the parking lot, a complete stranger, who had been sitting near enough to us to hear our conversation, came up to me and told me some struggles he was going through. I asked if I could pray for him right there in that parking lot. He was so appreciative. We have no idea how much others appreciate hearing prayers on their behalf.
 
3. Ask a “Sometime” question. For example,“Sometime, I’d like to hear about your spiritual journey…Would you be up for that?” (From “Sometime—An Overview and Guide")
 
4. When you do have a spiritual conversation, here are some questions. (From "Explorer: Discovering Spiritual Journeys.")

• What would you say is most important to you in life right now?
• How important is the spiritual area of life to you currently?
• What have you tried in your spiritual journey?
• What has your search left you feeling?
• On a scale of 1-10 (1-low and 10-high), how strong is your desire to know God in a personal way?

I hope these open up doors of conversation. I would also like to hear what you find useful in training others in evangelism in a high relational, small audience context. Feel free to write me and let me know what’s helpful.

Again, we wanted to share with you some recent words from one of the Cru national directors, Mark Gauthier.  We hope this encourages you during your summer!

As I've sought to experience Jesus more fully this year - seeing, touching, hearing from Him - it's been interesting to consider the ways He enters into our lives, calling and recalling us to that life of surrender.

Recently, I was reading through John 21 again. John is bringing his telling of the gospel to a close: Peter had denied Jesus, Jesus had risen from the dead and now was revealing Himself to disciples for the third time.  

One of my first observations is that the disciples have gone back to fishing, and not for fun. They were returning to something they knew, something they could do well.  They had spent the entire evening fishing, and John tells us they had caught nothing.  I don’t think they liked that!  A night’s work without a night’s wage-  this certainly isn’t a fun or welcomed place to be.  I don’t like to “catch nothing” in my life.  To end a season with a big “zero”  is most definitely not a happy place.  The word “stuck” comes to mind.

Then in the early morning hours, a man called out from the shore. They hadn't seen him, standing just beyond their focus on the nets and the boat.  Feeling ragged and tired, this man's instructions must have sounded ridiculous.   In the midst of their struggling night, completely unrecognized, Jesus, the great Initiator reaches out to them.  

I find this interesting.  The disciples are stuck, they aren’t thinking about Jesus, they don’t even see that He is right there in their current reality.  Yet, Jesus speaks, initiates, and invites these fishermen to Him.  

Just like these disciples I find God works in a similar way.  In fact, the ragged edges, struggles, and challenges of my life are often the greatest places God wants to demonstrate His work - in the midst of the darkness, feelings of inadequacy, pain, and struggle. He is there even while I am trying to do it all on my own, leaning on my own understanding or living in my own power.  

This has been a very busy season.  The To Do list is long, with lots of details to check off, especially as we got ready to leave for the summer.  My pattern is to get in task mode and just lower my head and get it done.  My level of awareness of God's presence and power is lowered; my experience of joy can be muted. Most of all, my eyes aren't opened to what God is doing or may want me to be doing beyond my own list.  I can get stuck in my ways

This is where God calls out to us, just like Jesus called out to Peter and the disciples.  He moves into our weakness, changing our hearts. God reveals himself through our weakness and our failures. After all, we can't claim the credit when our own hard work and talent net us nothing. 

Jesus first called Peter away from the boats and nets to show him the crowds of people who needed to know God.  That didn't make any more sense than throwing empty nets out on the other side of a boat.  But Christ revealed himself as the Messiah in word and deed, in His resurrection, and in His appearance there on the beach.  

Where are you stuck?  Where are you counting on your strength, returning to rhythms that are known and comfortable, even if unfruitful?  Look again at those places, then look to the edges, the ragged places, the places you feel most vulnerable. Perhaps this  is where God will do something spectacular!

Jesus asked Peter "Do you love me more than these?"  More than the fishing nets, the boat, the smell of sea?  More than the men who had become closer than family, the ones who experienced the joys and hardships of following Jesus together?  More than a life where you provide for yourself? 

Like Peter, we can trust that God is moving us to a deeper place of surrender.  God is asking us to set it all aside (again) and be the people He's called you and I to be.  

When I was a sophomore in college I responded to an opportunity to surrender my life to the Lord completely.  It was a defining moment for me.  At the same time, I regularly find myself in need of again surrendering my life to Jesus.    

John 21 encourages me to notice the way Jesus appeared to the disciples and gives me hope that God wants to reveal Himself to me in real and tangible ways – all with the purpose of bringing me to a deeper place of surrender to Him.   How about you?

Praying for Jesus to show Himself to be alive in your life this summer!

We wanted to share with you some recent words from one of our Cru national directors, Mark Gauthier.  We hope this encourages you to find your strength in the Lord as you begin your summer!

The past several weeks have been filled with hard news. Starting with the bombs that shocked everyone at the Boston Marathon and the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, then the earthquakes in Iran and China and now flooding and snow in the Midwest.


News like this gets added to the reality that friends and coworkers are enduring challenging and painful circumstances. And of course, sometimes my own reality feels pretty difficult too. 


These past few weeks have served as a vivid reminder of the evil, pain, and suffering that exists continuously in this world, along with a clear sense that we all are very vulnerable. I have been reminded again of the challenge of living on this side of heaven and the ever-present need to experience hope.

For me, there are moments - and sometimes seasons - where feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious lead to a great sense of dread. Sometimes I even feel it physically, it starts in my chest and moves up into my throat. This vague ominous feeling can cause me to turn inward, my hope waning and my perspective skewed

In these circumstances I find myself crying out to God and pleading with Him to release me of the vulnerability I feel. I just want “it” whatever the “it” is to stop, to end. Sometimes it does and sometimes it continues on.  But regardless, the vulnerability clearly reminds me that I really can’t make it on my own, that only God is the anchor for my soul and the source of strength to take another step of faith.  So in these moments it is God and His presence with me that keeps me going.

God has made that promise to all of us. When you come to the end of yourself... When you come to the end of what we can understand about this world... He is right there. He is the Light that darkness did not (and will not!) overcome.

In 1 Samuel 30:1-5, David and his men return to Ziklag to find their women and children have been captured. His own men turn on him and threaten to stone him. David’s response is outstanding. He could have hidden, shrinking away in fear. Or he could have attempted to carry on under his own power. But the Bible tells us that Davidstrengthened himself in the Lord.  David chose to lean into the Lord for His sustenance in his great need. I love this – this is my great need and challenge always, and especially when I am faced with overwhelming odds, circumstances, discouragement, and pain.  

This missionary life means you and I are always out there on the edge. We live by faith in God's provision. We deal with the hard stuff in our own lives and in the lives of the people we coach and disciple. And on top of this is the daily drumbeat of heartbreaking news from across the country and around the world.  I need to be strengthened in the Lord and I would imagine you do, too.  

This is my prayer for all of us – that we would find ourselves going to God the source of life and finding our strength in Him.

What does it look like to strengthen yourself in the Lord?  For me, it is talking with Him, listening to Him through His Word.  It is sharing my realities honestly with friends and involving them in my journey. And reflecting on my life through journaling.  It means opening my ears, mind, and heart to pay close attention to what the Lord is saying to me.  It means applying the Spirit–filled life in this context and depending on Him to give me what I need to take the next step of faith.  

The past weeks have been a constant reminder that God is my refuge and that He alone can change my life, provide for me, and be my ultimate hope in a world filled with hard and painful news.  I pray that you too would find this same reality.  Let me know how you find hope in the midst of challenging times.

"Summers can pose a major challenge to our faith and obedience to Christ. It can be a very spiritually isolating time because you are away from the environment and friends that have helped you grow spiritually this past school year. But it also can be a great opportunity to see your faith tested and increase and an opportunity to make some key steps on your own. You can make some decisions now that will put you in a position of advantage and strength as you go into the summer. As a Christian, we can embrace challenges because we recognize the opportunity to trust God in new ways and see our faith grow in ways that we would have never seen otherwise." - Dave Cover

We want to see you more than just survive this summer. Our desire for you is that you would grow in your love of Christ, and see Him work through you in others' lives this summer! Download this summer survival guide to your computer, iPhone, or print it out, and share it with anyone else you think would also benefit!

 "I know of no other way to effectively build a campus movement apart from reaching the freshman class year-after-year. Just as the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, the way to get the gospel to the whole campus is through the freshman class.

Here’s the apologetic: Freshmen are more open to new relationships and ideas than their hardened upperclassmen friends, freshmen will be there for four years to be built into, freshmen are typically easy to access, especially if most of them are living on campus, and you’ve reached the whole campus if you’ve reached four freshman classes in a row." -Bob Fuhs


Come join us the first weekend of April for ALL IN FOR AUGUST! We'll have lots of fun together, grow in our knowledge of God and His Word, and spend a lot of time praying and planning for next fall and the arrival of a whole new class of freshmen and transfers. You can register RIGHT NOW here!

If you want to help reach students for Christ at your University, join us for ALL IN FOR AUGUST. If you want to grow as a leader in Cru, join us for ALL IN FOR AUGUST. If you just have lots of ideas for Cru that you want to share, join us for ALL IN FOR AUGUST!

April 5-7 at the Clemson Outdoor Lab. We'll carpool up to Clemson, and housing is provided. Cost will be somewhere around $30 and will cover your meals, snacks, housing, and any other materials.

So, what are you waiting for? Register here (don't worry-you can pay later!)

By Jason Carlson and Ron Carlson , 5/25/11
 
During a question and answer session at a  recent speaking engagement, a university student asked me, "Why do you believe  that the Bible is the inspired word of God?"
 
Now this is a very interesting question,  and probably one of the most important questions any Christian could ask  themselves.  What is so special, so unique about the Bible that Christians  believe it is literally the inspired word of God?
 
In answering this student's question, I  encouraged him to consider the following facts about the Bible.  First, the  Bible is not just one single book.  This is a more common misconception  than many people realize, especially with people who do not come from a  Judeo-Christian background.  Rather than being a single book, the Bible is  actually a collection of 66 books, which is called the canon of  scriptures.  These 66 books contain a variety of genres:  history,  poetry, prophecy, wisdom literature, letters, and apocalyptic, just to name a  few.
 
Second, these 66 books were written by 40  different authors.  These authors came from a variety of backgrounds:  shepherds, fishermen, doctors, kings, prophets, and others.  And most of  these authors never knew one another personally.
 
Third, these 66 books were written over a  period of 1,500 years.  Yet again, this is another reminder that many of  these authors never knew or collaborated with one another in writing these  books.
 
Fourth, the 66 books of the Bible were  written in 3 different languages.  In the Bible we have books that were  written in the ancient languages of Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic; a reflection of  the historical and cultural circumstances in which each of these books were  written.
 
And finally, these 66 books were written  on 3 different continents:  Africa , Asia , and Europe .  Once again,  this is a testament to the varied historical  and cultural circumstances of  God's people.
 
Think about the above realities:  66  books, written by 40 different authors, over 1,500 years, in 3 different  languages, on 3 different continents.  What's more, this collection of  books shares a common storyline - the creation, fall, and redemption of God's  people; a common theme - God's universal love for all of humanity; and a common  message - salvation is available to all who repent of their sins and commit to  following God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength.
 
In addition to sharing these  commonalities, these 66 books contain no historical errors or  contradictions.  God's word truly is an amazing collection of writings!
 
After I had shared the above facts with  this student, I offered him the following challenge.  "If you do not  believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, if you do not believe that  the Bible is of a supernatural origin, then I challenge you to a test, I  challenge you to go to any library in the world, you can choose any library you  like, and find 66 books which match the characteristics of the 66 books in the  Bible.  You must choose 66 books, written by 40 different authors, over  1,500 years, in 3 different languages, written on 3 different continents.   However, they must share a common storyline, a common theme, and a common  message, with no historical errors or contradictions."  I went on to say,  "If you can produce such a collection of books, I will admit that the Bible is  not the inspired word of  God."
 
The student's reply was almost  instantaneous, he emphatically stated, "But that's impossible!"
 
It truly is impossible, for any collection  of human writings.  However, the Bible passes this test.  The Bible  contains 66 books, written by 40 different authors, over 1,500 years, in 3  different languages, on 3 different continents, with no historical errors or  contradictions.  The entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, bears the  mark of Divine inspiration.
 
The next time you encounter someone who  asks you why you believe the Bible is the inspired word of God, try sharing this  challenge with them.  Better yet, don't wait until you're asked, just go  ahead and share this challenge with a friend today.  You don't even have to  mention the Bible up front, just ask them if they think it would be realistic to  assemble such a collection of books.  After they say, "But that's  impossible!" you've got a ready-made opportunity for sharing the truth of God's  word with somebody!

It is the season of gift giving. Currently, my tree is bursting with presents beneath it. I love considering just the right gifts for neighbors, friends, and family, especially my husband and children. Each person's name under the tree is special to me in some way.

The part of gift giving I enjoy has little to do with money and everything to do with expression. Each type of gift communicates something from the giver to the receiver.

A gift that fulfills a need of some sort says, "I notice and care about you."

A gift that is a complete surprise says, "I know what you need, even if you didn't know you needed it."

A gift that brings beauty communicates, "I want to surround you with reflections of the best this world can offer."

A gift that makes a person feel special says, "I know you and I know just what you love."

A gift that makes life more enjoyable says, "I rejoice to see you enjoying life."

A gift can be enjoyed for years to come says "I want to bless you with future joy."

A gift comes with great personal cost or sacrifice of some sort (time, energy, money) says, "I love you more than I love myself."

Even though I love gift giving, as I face the hustle and bustle of shopping and see the materialism abounding in our culture, I find myself questioning, What does any of this have to do with Jesus? Is the way we celebrate Christmas just an excuse to overspend, overindulge, and focus too much on temporal pleasures? Should I run from the stores, remove the presents from the tree, and find other ways to celebrate? Is gift giving by definition rooted in the material world because it is usually an exchange of earthly treasures?

Reflection of Our CreatorAs I discussed my internal struggle with my husband, he kindly reminded me that gift giving does not so much reflect worldly materialism as our Creator, who delights to give gifts to his people. I bear within my humanity the stamp of his image. There is something of the divine nature in yearning to give to others.

He also reminded me that while we bear the image of our Creator, it is marred and broken by the Fall. A good desire becomes twisted and results in sin. Rather than glorify the Creator, gift giving is often rooted in the desire for self-glory. My internal wrestling exhibits the war between what I was created to be and the effects of sin.

Our car ride conversation prompted me to ponder anew the glory of the gift that God freely gave on that night in Bethlehem. These reflections have filled my heart with a deep joy and thanksgiving. Reveling in the wonder of the true and lovely fills the shadows of earthly gift giving with substance.

Truly special gifts usually involve preparation and waiting. From the exit of Eden, a promise of redemption and a hope was given. The divine whisper continued speaking through all the prophets: Something special is coming. Wait for it. Watch for it. Hope in it.

And then, at just the right moment in time, God sent angels and a star in the heavens to declare, "The gift is here." Glory wrapped in flesh made his dwelling among us in the form of a baby. It was unexpected. It was surprising. It was exactly what we needed.

The second Adam, born of a virgin, born far from the paradise of Eden, came and lived a perfect life. He resisted temptation. He walked in and dealt with all the brokenness of this world. He wept. He rejoiced. He went to weddings. He made intimate friendships. He experienced betrayal. He healed. He taught. He loved. He lived a perfect life, so that he could die a wrongful death. His people wanted an earthly kingdom, and he ushered in a heavenly one.

All of it was part of the gift.

He Fulfills Them All