January 2012
1 post
Prayer Update - February 2012 →
I know I haven’t been blogging lately, but check out my most recent update. I hope you’ll get a chance to see all the excitement we’ve been up to at I-Life lately.
November 2011
1 post
November '11 Update →
Hey everybody,
Click the link to read my update letter for November. It was an exciting month and I’m blessed to be able to share it with you.
-Alan
October 2011
5 posts
Why is Grey Goose More Powerful than the Gospel?
I was talking to a student recently that is a Christian but really wrestles with the idea that the Gospel just isn’t fun. Being a Christian doesn’t have the spark that the party lifestyle does to many.
We decided that we need to find a way to show that the Gospel is more powerful than Grey Goose or any other type of alcohol, sexual addiction, or escape from life.
How do you show...
The Importance of the Generations
Way back in the summer, I was a counselor for a week of summer camp. There, I started to realize how much these kids were teaching me. I learned how important the generations were.
Children offer youth and vitality. They keep us young. They remind us of the scale of problems. They keep life simple. They help us to have high energy levels.
Our peers offer deep friendship. They offer...
Best ______ Ever
Don’t you think we live in a hyperbole culture?
Everything is the best ____ ever. When will we reach the peak? When will we have to look back and say “actually, that was better?” What happens when we encounter something truly spectacular? How do we describe that?
October Update →
Hey friends! I know the blog hasn’t been as highly trafficked on my end in the past two months. I hope the update letter that you can download helps you to see why I haven’t been on here much. Lots to do and what an exciting time this has been on campus so far!
September 2011
4 posts
A Quote to Sum up the Retreat
I was watching a movie a while back (Unknown) and this quote came up:
It’s like a war between being told who you are and knowing who you are.
I was looking forward to blogging about it and sure enough, the Fall Retreat with Illini Life gave me an opportunity. We talked a lot about spiritual warfare and how God’s truth needs to be implanted in us. There are so many lies we can...
A Quick Update (Pizza Diversity)
Hey friends,
I know it’s been some time since I last wrote. I want you to know that things are going well here at the U of I. I’ve been busy meeting with student leaders and new students as well as my co-workers to help to have the best ministry to campus that we can. On top of all of that, I’ve been trying to maintain relationships with my close friends here and find some time...
It's More Important Than I Want It To Be
I said that to a student I was meeting this week. We were talking about personal devotion and I realized that I had revealed my heart. Time spent with God is more important to me than I want it to be. I don’t want to do it, but it is key to how I desire and need to function.
Are there things for you that are more important for you than you want them to be?
Blobs
I’d mentioned yesterday that we talked about serving God or ourselves at SNG this past week.
One concept that struck me in particular is the idea of being a blob. Wayne at first mentioned the idea that we could be a blob that comes home and sits in front of the tv or computer all day. But then he talked about other blobs. He said we could be athletic blobs that make our whole lives about...
August 2011
15 posts
Wednesday Update
I suspected this day would come. I’m so busy that time for updating you all on ministry has become a lower priority. That’s a good thing though, because I’m doing it!
This past week, after Connect Groups on Wednesday and Thursday, we kept going in our outreach to campus.
On Friday night, we had our anual Adventure Race. This event is a huge hit among students. Think Amazing...
New Student Week - Connect Groups!
While the first two met yesterday, today is when 6 of our small discussion groups meet up for the first time in the semester. These are our Connect Groups (CGs).
Many students have been invited through our website, Facebook page, Quad Day, and personal interactions. I’m really excited to see who will show up. There were 15 people new to Illini Life just at the Grad CG that met last night.
...
New Student Week - The Fall Preview
Today is another big day for Illini Life!
We have our kickoff event for the Fall semester. It’s in the Activities and Recreations Center (ARC) at 8pm. There, we’ll have worship, some information about who Illini Life is, a short sermonette (homily, anybody?) on following God in college.
I’m super excited for the time and have been hard at work helping to make it happen. Please...
New Student Week - First Day of Classes
Well, after a very successful Quad Day (more on that in my next major update), we got a chance to meet a lot of students at our post-Quad Day party last night.
Now, after a long night of frisbee, cookies, and talking under the stars, classes are kicking into gear.
In between and after classes, our students are getting together to follow-up more of their friends and invite them to different...
New Student Week - Quad Day
This is the day. This is my second Christmas. It’s when we get a chance to meet hundreds of new students and share with them about Illini Life Christian Fellowship and who we are as a Christian ministry on campus.
It’s Quad Day! This is an event put on by the University and we want to take advantage of this blessed opportunity to share about who we are. The event is officially from...
New Student Week - CG + HF Kickoffs
Today, is my series on NSW, I wanna share with you about two kickoff events we’re having.
The first is for our Connect Groups. If you recall, these are our dorm and campus oriented small groups. This kickoff is for the leaders of the groups this coming year. We will envision them, pray for them, and give them instructions for their first meeting later in the week.
The second is for our...
New Student Week - Trailhead
Alright guys, here it is! It’s what I’ve raised support for. I’m so excited to be on this campus, at this time, to reach out to these students, for a God bigger than we can imagine.
Over the next few days, I want to highlight a few events we will have as a church and the college ministry that we support in it.
Trailhead
This happens tonight. It’s a regathering time for...
Move In Day!
Please be praying for the thousands of new students and returning students who are moving in to their campus housing today. There are students moving into dorms, apartments, and houses all over Champaign and Urbana.
The whole purpose of what we’re doing falls under this very purpose. We are here to see reconciliation, renewal, and revival on our campus. As these new students come, pray that...
Tuesday Update - Fall Planning Meetings
Hey friends,
I’m gonna be pretty busy this week with planning meetings for our Fall semester this week. Please pray that we would follow God’s direction and His plans as we move forward and prepare.
Church & Culture Blog :: Getting Ready for College →
This is a fantastic article about the climate students are being sent into. Please pray for them as they step out into new dorms, classes, and friendships. Pray that they would meet people like Illini Life on their campus and that the Holy Spirit would be active and heard in their hearts.
Further Reading:
Hicks: College Students Need Help To Keep Their Faith
Study: Education Liberalizes...
Tuesday Update - Leadership Summit
Hey friends,
This week, the staff from Illini Life Christian Fellowship are headed to Willow Creek in the Chicago area to attend their annual leadership summit. This will be the first time we’ve all been in the same place since May. Over the summer, many scattered to raise funds, explore short term missions, rest, recuperate, and have some fun elsewhere.
I’m very excited to be back...
Missional Living Was Easier When I Didn't Know...
It’s as simple as finding interest in others and loving them. It’s loving your neighbors. It’s surrounding yourself with neighbors to love. It’s the lifestyle of a Christian. Why do you have so many techniques and books?
Me at 25 is Not Who God Wants Me To Be. It's Who I...
Are you willing to let God shape you beyond today? Can you admit you’re not finished? Can you allow God to shape you in ways you wouldn’t expect? Would you allow Him to alter your value system and what you see as important?
August Update Letter →
Happy August! It’s finally here. In 2 weeks, students will start flooding campus and in 3 weeks, classes will start. The letter that I’ve linked to is an update on the past month and a great reminder about how to pray for us this month.
July 2011
15 posts
On Celebration - The Message →
Go ahead. Click the link. You’ll be able to experience 30 minutes of me sharing on celebration.
On Celebration - It's Corporate
We must celebrate together.
If we are to enjoy something, it’s done with others. This is why weddings are celebrated with friends (or why sex is meant for a couple at all). This is why we gather with others to watch the big game. We don’t want to be cheering alone.
We need to celebrate with others. It’s a discipline that comes alive in the presence of a trusting community. All...
On Celebration - A Release of Tension
After I spoke last Wednesday, one of my pastors pulled me aside and told me that he thought celebration was the release of tension. When we truly celebrate, it comes from a place of a tension being released and things being reconciled.
As I spoke with friends on that thought, I recognized tension in 3 realms of our lives.
Physical tension - This is that tension that says things are hard. It is a...
On Celebration - A Discipline
This summer, as Illini Life has been doing a series of messages on the Spiritual Disciplines, I got a chance to speak on the discipline of celebration.
Now, that’s quite different from your typical disciplines of fasting, prayer, memorization, etc. It seems like it could be fun.
As I read Richard Foster’s thoughts on celebration, I became convinced that it’s something God asks...
Monday Update - On Celebration
This week, I’ll be sharing with you about Celebration. As I mentioned last week, I’d be teaching at our Summer Church worship service. I was blessed by this opportunity and hope to in this week share with you
Thoughts from my teaching
A paradigm for celebration
The audio from my message
Next Monday, I should have my August update letter for you to read. Until then, enjoy this week...
Monday Update - Sharing The Ministry
Hey friends,
I wanted to give you a quick insight into my past weekend. I got a chance on Sunday to share with the Christian Church in Assumption, IL about what we do at the U of I. The day started with a drive to Assumption to visit them for their morning worship service. With classic hymns and a sermon on repentance, I was excited to worship with them.
After an afternoon of watching the...
On Boredom
OK, so this is a new message that I feel like God is putting on my heart and mind.
I think we’re really bored. Our decadence has created free time. We don’t have to spend time doing basic tasks and as a result, have more to explore.
The entertainment industry is constantly exploding. For being a tool to make life easier, computers sure take up a lot of our time. We have YouTube,...
Choosing a Path
Those of you close enough to me have surely picked up on a resurged love for soccer and a new love for the English Premier League. My friend, Nathan, helped me dig deeper and Evan, Marcus, and Bill have helped to carry it along. When I was picking a team to follow the league through, Aston Villa was suggested to me. I stuck with it and as best I can tell, am in love. The only thing I take issue...
What's Broken About Romance: Pt. 2
A few months ago, I wrote a post about romance and what I think we do to break it.
While on the road to Miami, I heard it described in the best way yet. It comes down to two simple works that, fortunately, are alliterated.
Women fantasize
Think about it. We all have seen at least one romantic movie. A woman, who is desperately emotionally in need (whether she realized it or not), is swept up by...
Monday Update - A Full Week of Campus Work
Well, here it is.
This is my first full week of campus work. No more major trips to raise support (still a few now and then, though). No transporting of a BUV to Miami.
I am here, now. My schedule is all normal and ready to go.
This summer, a lot of my focus is on catching up to some of the media and arts work we do as a church. as well, my hope is to build up a stock archive of media and think...
The Rest of the Story
We live in a time and place that loves part of the story. We live for the exciting moments. We crave the juicy part. We don’t care for the day to day. We want happy endings.
The problem with this is how incomplete it is.
Well duh, Alan, we know that…
But what, I ask, is it teaching us? There are lots of examples of partial stories. Here are a few:
When does Jack Bauer go to the...
Catching Up
So, first things first.
The BUV made it to Miami! Our team got it there and returned safely. The journey was arduous, but we arrived in Champaign with enough time to rest and watch some fireworks.
Secondly, after a long amount of working for this mission, I got a chance to rest yesterday and take care of some personal care items. Now, I’m catching up and trying to meet the speed of the...
WatchThe BUV has been delivered to Miami. This is a quick video of it being driven off of our trailer into the warehouse we dropped it of at.
June 2011
23 posts
We're taking our talents to South Beach
Yep. Lebron did it first and we’re following suit. Not exactly, but I will be in Miami by tomorrow evening.
Illini Life, while a college church, with primarily students, definitely wants to use the resources we have to help and support other ministries. It’s a great chance to communicate that giving is important.
One of these ministries is called Casa Hogar Vida. This is an AIDS...
Missions Focus
As I’ve mentioned, I was at a week of camp. This was a week at Little Galilee Christian Camp outside of Clinton, IL (my hometown!!!). I was invited by the Dean of the camp to be the Missions Focus and a counselor for the camp.
Each week at camp, there is a missionary that the kids get to hear from about a specific ministry as well as give small offerings to support them. It was such a...
Released to Assignment! →
Well friends, the day has come. Attached, you will find my most recent prayer letter with more information, but essentially, I have been released to my missions assignment at the University of Illinois. I will be transitioning to campus and preparing for the Fall semester. I just spent a couple hours talking about all the things I can look to do in the next few months.
Thank you for your...
A ( Quick ) Update
I’m headed to Chicago today help move my sister our of her apartment.
Tomorrow, I have exciting news for you and in the coming weeks, I have a lot to say about my week of camp and the rest of the summer.
Watch¡Hoy Viernes! - Here’s a quick video I took this morning to share about the week.
EDIT: Not sure why I’m upside down, but hey, it’s crazy, just like Friday should be.
Campfire Devotionals
Last night, I spoke to the kids about The Body of Christ. It was an excellent time that I felt God inspired.
Tonight’s campfire devotional speaker talked about four major issues for us as people, all from a country song: Faster horses (life going by too busy and too quickly. We make decisions to worship things other than God before we know it), younger women (sex. Boys: be careful what you...
WatchWorship at Little Galilee with Jr. High Main Camp. It’s interesting to see kids at these ages worship. Some seem too awkward. Others seems truly surrendered. It’s a phase I’m growing to appreciate.
As well, their energy levels truly match those of us, the faculty. We are in many ways responsible for instilling a heart for the Lord that they will have to discern as they grow...