Misconceptions/Trip to So Cal

Well, I recently got back from California early Sunday morning. It was a fantastic trip. We spent most of our time in San Diego and the last day or so in Los Angeles. It blew my mind how different the culture is from what we're used to here in the South. The people were great. We were able to partner with Harbor Church to help clean up the city by picking up trash in the alleys and painting over gang graffiti. Our whole team was absolutely broken over seeing the state of the people who live there. It's about a 15 minute drive between some of the poorest and richest people in the US. The poverty gap is extreme. We spent the majority of our time on the campus of San Diego State University. It's a school with about 35-40,000 students. We had students take interactive surveys that had questions about what they did for free time, where they planned to go after graduation, and who they thought God was. It was a very eye opening experience. Most of the students were very open to talk about surface level things like where to hang out, or what restaurants were good; however, the spiritual conversations were difficult, few, and far between. People would listen to what we had to say, but most just had the attitude that "that's great for you, but I'm just gonna do my own thing."

Through this trip God really showed me how much of a need there is to reach these people. There is such a plentiful harvest in areas like California, but the laborers are so few. I pray that God will convict the hearts of those able to go there. The gospel is needed all over the world, not just in the South, or Alabama, or our quiet neighborhoods. Most of the people we talked to had no idea of who Jesus really is, other than what they read on hateful signs that people carry on campus. When we were there, a guy was standing on the steps of a busy building with a sign that said "drunks, whores, fornicators, liars, and thieves will not enter the kingdom of God! Repent and turn from your wicked ways!" This is such a one sided picture of the gospel. The truth is, we're all equally wicked, and are in need of a savior just as badly. Outside of God's grace, none of us could enter the Kingdom. Christ came to save sinners like the ones in California, and Australia, and Florence, Alabama! This lack of truth has lead to negative feelings toward Christ and his people. Those people are in dire need of truth, and it's up to us, Christ's ambassadors, to show them what truth really is...

Wait, who's in charge here?

Luke 12:22-30

The heading to this scripture is “Do Not Be Anxious.” It’s funny how God puts things in our path that we need. I’ve been so anxious today. This passage wasn’t in my normal TWG plan, I just saw it in my support raising notebook and decided to look at it but, had no idea what it said. It’s about 11:30 pm and I haven’t stopped going all day long. Today is Wednesday and I’m getting ready to leave for Birmingham Friday then San Diego Saturday morning at 5 am. I’ve been so anxious about completing an online test, and making it to D group tomorrow, and getting packed, and getting support raised, and coming to the chairs meeting, and going to work tomorrow, and making it to the bank to get some things straightened out. Why can I not just trust God? I read this passage and see my sin so clearly. Jesus says “do not be anxious about your life.” He wouldn’t tell me that if he didn’t have it under control. My God feeds the ravens, and keeps the lilies standing up gracefully even after the storm. Every person in the world has their problems, stressors and struggles; but my Father in heaven knows about each and every one (v.30). He will provide and take care of me, even though so many times I try to take care of myself. I must only seek his kingdom first, and all these other things will be added to me. As long as my relationship with Christ is #1, everything will work out (Rom. 8:28-29). I still feel the pressure, but now I remember who’s holding me up…

The reason...

Over the last two weeks, I've been praying that God would send $3,000 by tuesday. It hasn't happened yet. He did, however, provide in miraculous ways. I'm now at $2500 in support. God doesn't work off my timeline, he's got everything under his control, and I'm seeing that now more than ever. As difficult as this support raising process is, I'm so thankful that I've been given the opportunity to experience it. I'm actually glad that it is working this way and not coming more easily, because through it God is breaking my desires for control. He's showing me once again "who" this is all about.

This week, I've also seen the reason WHY we're going more clearly than ever. If you have wondered why we're going to Australia instead of a completely unreached people group, I would encourage you to check this article out. My team leader emailed this article to us to provide fuel for our prayer life and vision, I hope it does the same for you:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8555953.stm

Australia needs the gospel as bad as any other nation. I'm praying that God would work in miraculous ways to overcome doubts that people have. I'm praying that he would begin a good work there this summer that would carry on for years to come and have eternal ramifications. I truly believe that he will. It may not look like what we're expecting, and we may not initially see the benefit or the fruit; but God's word doesn't come back void. He will bring the good work he's started in Australia to completion, and I firmly believe that he will allow our team to play a part in that. I can't wait. Thanks for your prayers

CCP Weekend Retreat

I just got back from Chelsea, AL where we had our CCP retreat. It was a great opportunity to get to know the team better and further develop relationships that were already there. All three teams met together and talked about what the trip would look like, what our roles would be, Aussie culture, and things like that. It was great because I was able to get a lot of questions answered about what we're actually going to be doing.

It really got me pumped about getting down there and seeing what God does in my life, and in the life of the Aussies. Campus Outreach has never taken a group to Sydney, so we have the opportunity to build a foundation for a successful college ministry where there isn't one now. This is unchartered ministry territory! Not everyone gets to do that! I'm extremely excited. I can't wait to look back 20 years from now and see what God did with the start he made in the summer of 2010 through CCP. We only have a short amount of time to build relationships with people while we're there, but if something can just get started I can't imagine the work that God will do through it. It won't be anything that WE do, but what GOD does. He is the one who provides growth and starts movements on college campuses. I'm just extremely glad that He's chosen to allow me to be a small part of that. I want so bad to see lasting effects from this trip. Australia is a great country with an amazing culture. It is just relatively unexposed to the true gospel. Statistically less that 1% of college students are Christians. In Australia, the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. That's why we're going.

I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me;
I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.
I said, “Here am I, here am I,”
to a nation that was not called by my name.

Isaiah 65:1

I also left the retreat with things that I really have to trust God for. We have a goal to have $3000 raised by next Tuesday. We need funding to reserve lodging, plane tickets etc. I'm at about $1800 right now, so I'm really praying that God will open up doors and provide. Please email me (brandonwhite224@gmail.com) if you have any questions about getting involved either in prayer or financial support. Hopefully this time next week there will be marked evidence of God's provision and I can give a good update! If you're following this, I really appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

Who knew..

Thanks for checking out my blog. This summer I'm planning to go to Sydney, Australia through an interdenominational campus ministry called "Campus Outreach." I'll be living in Sydney for eight weeks, hoping to have to opportunity to share the gospel with college students that live there, and see God work in miraculous ways. I'll be a part of a team of about 12 students from Samford, Montevallo, and UNA. Right now I'm in the process of raising prayer and financial support from the US. Each person on the team has a personal goal to raise $6,000. If you would like to help me out, send me an email and I'll give you my contact information.

I never thought that I would be at this point. As a kid in church, I was always terrified that if I surrendered to my life to Christ that he would call me to be a missionary. I was appalled by the thought of packing my bags, and leaving my comfortable situation. But right now, I'm extremely excited about it. It was a little over a year ago when I finally started my walk with the Lord. I went to a conference that Campus Outreach does called "New Years Conference." That's where it hit me that God's grace was what would save me. God used Luke 15 to show me that like the prodigal son, I had nothing to offer God, no righteousness to bring to the table, but that in spite of my sin, I was unconditionally loved and accepted by him. This was a truth that I had heard my entire life. I grew up in church and have a great family that taught me who Jesus is, and what he did for us. These things were great, but it took the Holy Spirit's conviction to show me the magnitude of my sin, and my need for grace. This was the realization that made it all worth it. I think of Isaiah 6, when he sees the vision of the Lord. It didn't take much persuading on Isaiah's part, he just said: "Here I am, send me." I want my life to be characterized by this sort of obedience to God's will. I'm still trying to see God's will in my life, but I know that this summer I've been given an opportunity that doesn't need to be taken for granted. God has opened up a door, and I can't see any reason not to jump through it..