Summer ministry testimonies Summer ministry at the Bible Institute looked a little different in 2020, but students were still able to apply what they learned during the year, and the gospel still went out! Read on for two testimonies from Bible Institute students who were able to share the love of Christ in unique ways this summer.
I can’t stop thanking the Lord for the incredible summer He has provided! He orchestrated things so perfectly. By teaching me about the spiritual ignorance of children in the modern-day church, He stirred up my heart to share His truth with them. With their questions, He taught me that I must carefully take into consideration their sharp minds to find out how to best challenge them with His Word. By bringing me teens who were missing a mentor, He brought me into a greater awareness of the impactful life change that occurs from a discipling relationship and has impressed me with the need to live an exemplary life for others. By allowing me to struggle, God taught me of my need for a firm foundation in Him and provided me with a tool for telling others about the amazing victory that comes from Christ Jesus. By teaching me how to be a follower, God enabled me to identify with those who I am leading this fall. By giving me the opportunity to lead this summer, He enabled me to lead them better for His glory. The knowledge that only God can create a changed heart frees me from the pressure and the guilt that comes from the responsibility of trying to do so myself. By showing me His ability to use my failure for His glory, He has enabled me to walk through life with confidence.
During my summer ministry, I was privileged to lead a weekly Zoom Bible study and prayer meeting for Christian freshmen entering the Stanford Class of 2024. When summer began, I was incredibly optimistic. That is, I was eager to focus on the teenagers in my church. However, I quickly realized that interest within the teen group at my church was dwindling, and, because of this, I was left discouraged and disheartened. God taught me through this experience that although people will fail you, He will remain faithful. When God closes one door, He opens another. In this situation, God closed the door to in-person teen ministry and provided me with an online ministry I never could have imagined. Back in May, I was introduced to a group chat specifically for Christian freshmen at Stanford University. I will be attending Stanford in the fall, so discovering like-minded Christians in my class has blessed me tremendously. By early June, I began leading a virtual Bible study which covered the book of James, and it was a wonderful success. Together, we have walked through James, 1 Peter, and Galatians. This week, we are about to begin a study on 1 Corinthians together, and we have become exceptionally close. This virtual outreach has proved to be very fruitful, and I have personally witnessed abundant spiritual growth take place in the lives of many Stanford students as a result.
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