This is how you kickstart a semester!
In the last blog, we still had a feeling of being in a bit of vacation mood. However, now - a month later - it feels completely opposite. We have kickstarted this semester in the most wonderful and beautiful everyday life way.
The way, the truth and the life
One scripture has grown in the mind and heart lately. It is provocative in regarding to the way we, as christians, undestand and talk about our own faith in Jesus Christ. It is from John. 14,6:
One perspectives in this connects the first and the second part of the verse: "... No one comes to the Father except through me." Many people - christians as well as non-christians - have experienced that religion and faith can be overwhelming big, so overwhelming that neither heart or head can grasp what it is all about. It can be very difficult to understand that we need God; someone from outside that created us and can save us from the evil of this world. That we can't save ourselves but need someone from outside of this world - that is bigger than the world - to save us. That there is a life - that is more true than any of us will ever do; without sin, evilness and a broken relationship to God the Father. He - Jesus - could live the true life, that no one else can, to create a way for us to the eternal life with him where neither sin or death have any power.
If we receive this life, we can worship with the same words that the now deceased pastor Billy Graham used:
This is how you kickstart a semester
We wanted to enter this semester by inviting to a social event at Danijel's (the general secretary) and Martina's (his wife) house with homemade pizza and delicious cake. Through the years we have realised than nothing is better for students than being social and eating together. It gives us a unique way of sharing life and faith with them.
We wanted to use the opportunity of this evening to invite some of the students, who is not yet attending our activities yet. We want to connect what we do in our everyday life; meeting up with the students one-to-one to share lives and faith with them, with our christian activities. In the same time we just wanted to have a good time together.
It was a wonderful evening!
Student meetings
The first weeks with student meetings, we have finished "Uncover"; a bible study material, made by the English student movement, UCCF! Going through this material have created some good and interesting reflections and questions between the students. And we look forward to work with some of those in the next couple of months.
This week, we had a visit from France. David and Mary Brown, originally from England, had on their hearts to visit us and share the good news with us. David is the former General Secretary of the French student movement and works as a pastor in Paris.
David shared some thoughts an ideas about the topic og "identity". We looked on the idea through different historical perspectives to end up looking on the grown breaking thoughts on the topic, that christianity presents to us. It was very encouraging and interesting.
A visit from Denmark
A couple of weeks ago, we had a visit from Denmark. Karen, who was here last year with a team from Denmark, had on her heart to come back and see some of the students she had stayed in contact with. It was very nice and uplifting to have her here. She really spend her time well here and we were happy to meet her again.
Women meetings
Even though it is not a direct part of our work in EUS, we want to point on a new event, the local church have started. Every month, we have a meeting for women connected with the church directly or through their husbands.
It makes good sense. When women are together, there is a special freedom to share lives and faiths. We want to use the time together to encourage, share from the bible and pray for on another.
The future months
In the next months, many exiting things are going to happened. Every week, we are still spending time with students, playing football, practising English and playing board games beside the student meetings and other bible study groups. However, Rebekka will bring Martina and Marina on a conference for students in Denmark, we will have a visit from the Danish EUS-movement, have Balkan Staff Consultation, a couple of visits from outsiders and then staring to plan the summer's activities.
We are full of excitement.
The way, the truth and the life
One scripture has grown in the mind and heart lately. It is provocative in regarding to the way we, as christians, undestand and talk about our own faith in Jesus Christ. It is from John. 14,6:
"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."Sometimes, when we talked with people, who don't live with Christ, about Jesus, we can have a tendency to say something like: "I believe that Jesus is true, therefore, I am a christian." In theory, there is nothing wrong about saying and explaining your faith like that. However, this verse points on something even bigger. By saying the before mentioned sentence, we limits the truth about Jesus. Being a christian is not about us thinking or feeling that Jesus is the truth. Jesus is God and he describes himself as THE way, THE truth and THE way. This is a fact about Jesus - and it is not depending on us. He is the only solution on finding the life. The only one. And it is not depending on anyone else than him.
One perspectives in this connects the first and the second part of the verse: "... No one comes to the Father except through me." Many people - christians as well as non-christians - have experienced that religion and faith can be overwhelming big, so overwhelming that neither heart or head can grasp what it is all about. It can be very difficult to understand that we need God; someone from outside that created us and can save us from the evil of this world. That we can't save ourselves but need someone from outside of this world - that is bigger than the world - to save us. That there is a life - that is more true than any of us will ever do; without sin, evilness and a broken relationship to God the Father. He - Jesus - could live the true life, that no one else can, to create a way for us to the eternal life with him where neither sin or death have any power.
If we receive this life, we can worship with the same words that the now deceased pastor Billy Graham used:
"Some day you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I have gone into the presence of God."The challenge in all this is (even though it might both radical and provoking) than when people ask, why we are christians there can only be one answer: Because Jesus if THE TRUE!
This is how you kickstart a semester
We wanted to enter this semester by inviting to a social event at Danijel's (the general secretary) and Martina's (his wife) house with homemade pizza and delicious cake. Through the years we have realised than nothing is better for students than being social and eating together. It gives us a unique way of sharing life and faith with them.
 |
| Okay, the truth is that the picture is old (taking years ago!), but the evening was approximately looking the same in the kitchen. |
It was a wonderful evening!
 |
| We were all gathered for the traditional group photo. |
 |
| Even though the general's face is looking serious, we promise it was a good evening. |
The first weeks with student meetings, we have finished "Uncover"; a bible study material, made by the English student movement, UCCF! Going through this material have created some good and interesting reflections and questions between the students. And we look forward to work with some of those in the next couple of months.
This week, we had a visit from France. David and Mary Brown, originally from England, had on their hearts to visit us and share the good news with us. David is the former General Secretary of the French student movement and works as a pastor in Paris.
 |
| A general secretary and a former general secretary with wives. Spending time together, encouraging each other. |
A visit from Denmark
A couple of weeks ago, we had a visit from Denmark. Karen, who was here last year with a team from Denmark, had on her heart to come back and see some of the students she had stayed in contact with. It was very nice and uplifting to have her here. She really spend her time well here and we were happy to meet her again.
 |
| This was how we celebrated Valentines day. After our normal students meeting, we went to a local cafe and listen to jazz. |
Even though it is not a direct part of our work in EUS, we want to point on a new event, the local church have started. Every month, we have a meeting for women connected with the church directly or through their husbands.
It makes good sense. When women are together, there is a special freedom to share lives and faiths. We want to use the time together to encourage, share from the bible and pray for on another.
The future months
In the next months, many exiting things are going to happened. Every week, we are still spending time with students, playing football, practising English and playing board games beside the student meetings and other bible study groups. However, Rebekka will bring Martina and Marina on a conference for students in Denmark, we will have a visit from the Danish EUS-movement, have Balkan Staff Consultation, a couple of visits from outsiders and then staring to plan the summer's activities.
We are full of excitement.
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