How many times have you been told to do the right thing? I think I can safely say that, for most of us, this was something that was engrained into our heads at an early age. Consciously and unconsciously, it has been one of the driving factors behind most of the decisions we’ve made in our lives.

I am a doer. I like to be constantly busy completing some kind of project or task, and I don’t sit still well. I never have. In accordance with my personality, I’ve always found ways to keep myself occupied with, what I considered to be, meaningful activities. Coming to college, I was floored by the number of service organizations and campus ministries, and I continued to do what I have always done—I dove in headfirst. (Admittedly, I am one of those people who is on just about every listserv on campus.) It was fun the first year when my classes were a bit less challenging, but this past school year, all of the good stuff that I was doing quickly became draining. I thought I was doing the right thing, and I just couldn’t understand why I was feeling so overwhelmed.

In the story of Mary and Martha, I have always empathized with Martha. A lot of my own qualities are very Martha-esque, so I understand her thoughts and can imagine her feelings.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

Picturing myself in Martha’s position, my jaw would just about be hitting the floor. I am doing the right thing. What do you mean that Mary’s choice was better? Lord, all of these things that I am busy doing are for you. Aren’t they?

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered…I feel like He has answered me this same way time and time again. And time and time again, as the stubborn human that I am, I have tried to justify that these were the right things to do. In reality though, I was busy getting the house ready, just like Martha.

I 100% believe that we are called to do the right thing and be of service to others, but I also believe that, beyond the volunteering and giving of ourselves, sometimes God just wants to be with us—wholly and entirely (without our minds racing about the million and one other things that we need to get done that day).

I call myself a Christian (Christ-like), which is a really bold statement. In doing so, shouldn’t it be obvious that I would be spending as much time as possible learning and being with the One whom I am claiming to be like? The more time I spend meditating on His word, the more unbelievable I find it that our awesome God chooses to use me to do His work here on earth. I cannot begin to fathom the wisdom of the Lord. So when I try to do the right thing, my actions align with the limits of my own good judgment. Spending more time with Jesus though allows me to discover that there is something better than simply doing the right thing. In my futile attempts to be a good person, I am often bogged down by the accompanying worry and anxiety of earthly works. But, when we take Christ’s yoke upon us, our burdens become light. (That’s because He has already done all of the heavy lifting.) 

No matter the pace of my life, when I stop to take enough time to listen to God’s word and to realize its implications in my life, the activities that I am engaging in take on a new meaning. For me, it’s about never forgetting the who behind what I do.

Johnna Belkiewitz, Member of Impact Christian Fellowship

Freshman year in college is incredibly challenging. New faces. New buildings. New routine. The transition can be difficult for some to overcome because the new obstacles push people out of their comfort zones. It can be a scary time. I can attest to that as can many others. College is the time where you really learn about yourself and how you interpret certain situations when they are thrown at you. A lack of confidence and belief in oneself can begin to shake when failure occurs. No one likes to fail. The most important thing to have though is everlasting and constant faith.

I will be fully honest; I am a fairly new follower of Jesus Christ, as I was not raised to believe a specific way. My mother was raised as a Christian so I do understand the basics of Christianity but other than that I’m still learning. And I am learning a lot especially being in the Impact Christian Fellowship at IUPUI worship nights and in the Bible study group every Tuesday morning with Andrew. It is something that is continually opening up my heart, mind and soul too and the people in it make the experience so much more enjoyable. So with that little background about me, I thought I’d share a little story about my journey so far at IUPUI.

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” Hebrews 11:1

When I first arrived on campus over the summer I knew I was going to tested. But boy, I did not realize how much my body and mind would be put to the test. Coming in the summer and leaving my close friends and family behind was extremely difficult. Three hours away from home sounded good before I left but I told myself when I committed to this school that I wanted something different. The city would definitely be different. Since no one was on campus yet, I got to know my teammates more through each day of being together and through our weight trainings, conditionings, and open gyms. As a determined freshman, I wanted to prove myself in anyway I possibly could. Things seemed to be working out well until an injury happened. Being raised to just power through and “suck it up”, I played through the injury and thought it would pass. I was very wrong. My decision only made it worse.

A couple weeks into dealing with it I went to the doctors. Achilles Tendonitis they told me. An extreme case. No one ever wants to hear this.  A million thoughts started running through my head at once. How long will I be out? What can I do to speed up my recovery? I’m going to gain weight if I don’t workout, what will I do? What will me teammates and coaches think of me? The list goes on. I’ve never dealt with an injury like this before and I didn’t know how to handle it.

To go along with this, the transition from high school workload to college workload was heavily different. I was in the top of my high school class and excelled at doing my work but what I lacked in understanding was how to study. I had to learn quickly if I wished to be a great student-athlete I wanted to be. So now with the injury, my mental stability took a major hit. I did not know what to do and felt so lost and confused on why this happened. I just wanted to prove myself and gain respect from my coaches, teammates, peers and professors and I felt like my chance was being taken away from me.

My confidence was waning greatly. My energy was falling behind. My attitude turned from positive and cheerful to quiet and negative. I just felt like falling apart. I can’t say it was one dawning moment one day where it hit me and I though “Oh I can do this”, but it was a series of events that led up to me following God and his path destined for me. I believed, after talking with some family and close friends, that He was challenging me with something I’ve never experienced before but He knew I would be able to grow stronger from it. I gave into His word to help me build up from were I was. Others who followed Him deeply, gave me words of wisdom and courage to believe in Him and what He has in store for me. To never lose faith because once you lose faith in him, you will never be able to come back to yourself.

I took this to heart and this is when I really wanted to start learning about God and the glorious power He has. I never really understood before what Christian life was like and I’m still learning more today. But I do know that I would not be the same person I am today if I did not fall into His grace. I found strength within Him and found it within myself. I learned my role as a basketball player for my team this season. I may not be the go-to player right now, I may not be the best rebounder right now, but I can be the loudest supporter for the ones who do play. I can be the advice giver when someone desperately needs it. I can be there for anyone who wants to put up extra shots. I can be someone who puts in extra work to get back into the game I love. I fought back and my questions about myself soon disappeared. The smallest things can become the biggest impacts. He taught me a lot about myself and about Him.

Sometimes in life when things don’t go your way or when they seem like everything is falling apart, I say to you, always have faith in Him. For he will guide you with His glory and His word. He wants to challenge you. And from within those challenges you cannot see, He wants you to grow and find something better.

Think about the times you’ve spent countless hours studying for an exam and you sleep through your alarm. You are rushing to your class and your car doesn’t start or run into someone and your drink spills all over you. Think about a time you were just having a normal day and you get a phone call that makes your heart and stomach drop. Think about a time you prepared so long and hard for an interview you really wanted and they ended up not wanting you. You think to yourself why is this happening to me? I prepared. I worked hard. What did I do wrong? Well I say, change your perspective. You may have thought these ways or choices were the best for you but God has different plans. He wants you to learn and grow from decisions you make. So for the exam, He wanted you to rest and maybe take the bus to class so you could meet someone new. For the phone call, He wants you to find strength in Him and look to Him when things seem so confusing. For the interview, He wants you to accept failure in one area and then grow from that and find success in something you may have never imagined.

He works in wondrous ways. I was starting to play more towards the end of the season. My confidence started to come back and I learned a lot about how strong I was through it all. I’m still learning each day in our Bible study group and through the word of God in the Bible. Although I may not be a true Christian at heart, I have faith in God that he will show me his ways each day so I can continue to share them with others. He helped me in more than just basketball this season but in myself as a person and I am forever grateful of Him and his glory.

Allex Brown, IUPUI Lady Jags Basketball Freshman/Member of Impact Christian Fellowhsip

“What is your biggest fear?” I’ve been asked that question countless times, and I never know how to answer it. “Do they want the honest answer or the lighthearted one? I don’t want to give them a cheap answer, if they’re asking seriously. But I also don’t want to kill the mood with something way deeper than they were intending.”

(For the record, here’s my shallow answer: spiders. They’re gross… Especially hairy ones. To all those who pretend to like them, stop lying to yourself.)

Here’s my serious answer: letting people down. I care about people thinking well of me… A lot. I’m a people-pleaser, and too often I set relational goals with others, while stopping short of, or even at the expense of, my relationship with the God of the universe, to whom I’ve been graciously granted access. It’s messed up. That aside, my people-pleasing nature makes being a leader scary. I think it’s scary for everyone at times. However, there’s a much higher risk of letting people down when we allow ourselves to take positions of leadership, because we’re responsible for people; people are counting on us. It’s much safer to simply avoid those positions. But God never called us to live safely. In fact, He’s asked us to live boldly, to step outside of our comfort zones (because how else will we grow?), and to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit through the comfort and discomfort alike.

But what does being a leader mean? What defines a leader?

Before I try to answer that, here’s a disclaimer: My leadership experience is limited, I have much to learn in the leadership positions I hold, and I’m only just about to leave my teens. That being said, I have read a book that provides an excellent, even perfect, example of a leader. That book is the Bible, and that example is Jesus. He’s a pretty trustworthy guy to follow.

I believe being a leader, at its core, is being a servant. As Christ-followers, we cannot separate the two. Removing service from leadership would be denying Christ’s example, contradicting His instruction, and living for personal gain, not divine glory.

One of the most whole-hearted servants I know is the cleaning lady at my church, Ms. Doreen. She faithfully sweeps our sanctuary [gym] floor several times a week, takes out the trash when no one is looking, mops the hallway when she won’t be in anyone’s way, sometimes leaves candy in the church office, and is barely known by the majority of our congregation… She is a leader. She sacrifices much of her life to provide a functional space of refuge to worship, to rejoice, to learn, and to grow. Guys, Ms. Doreen rocks. People probably don’t tell her that.

But why do we need to be “servant leaders”? Why can’t we just avoid both, and get our participation ribbons after crossing the finish line?

I believe we can; but if we do, we’re missing out. We have the privilege of participating in the living God’s work while on this earth. That is grace. That is our means for worship. That is service. That is leadership. That is sacrifice with a greater, more majestic, more weighty, more beautiful reward than we could ever imagine, and certainly than we deserve.

Our perfect example, Jesus, had an established reputation of being a friend to sinners. He hung out with the people who knew they needed Him, and endured ridicule, questioning, and eventually death from those who didn’t recognize their need. “…When the teachers of the religious law, who were Pharisees, saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with such scum?’ When Jesus heard this, he told them, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.’” (Mark 2:16-17) He loved the unlovable and gave his time to those who wanted to learn. He invited Himself over to a short (not that being short is inherently bad – it better not be, because I’m 5’1’’), bitter, hated thief’s house, simply because Jesus thought that thief was worth His time, when no one else was giving theirs (Luke 19:1-10). If Thief Zacchaeus was worth Jesus’ time, isn’t your awkward, lonely, or “sinful” classmate worth your time?

Jesus’ example is worth following, regardless of the confusion or mockery it may solicit from others. We can rest in the knowledge that God recognizes our sacrifice, our service, and our leadership even when people do not. When the rubber meets the road, God’s recognition is better than people’s. He deserves so much more than we could give, but HE WANTS US, yes, literally died so he could have relationship with us. He walked to the Cross knowing we would fail him. Through his death, he gets a disobedient child; an unfaithful servant. We get a perfect Father; a gracious Master; a loving Friend; a redeemed soul; a new life.

Now, all that may be true, but this whole servant leader thing is easier said than done. I’m still scared of being a servant leader, because it sounds kind of miserable. I’m scared of being a servant leader, because it feels like a lot of pressure. I’m scared of being a servant leader because that means humility - not the kind of humility that prompts people to say, “OMG, they are just so humble!” but the kind where people don’t say anything at all, because they don’t notice. A dear friend once said, “Humility is scary, because humility is close to invisibility.” However, God’s promises remove the fear in servant leadership. “Humble yourself before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.” (James 4:10) “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)

May we, the Church, join together in servant leadership to each other and the world around us, in the peace-giving knowledge that we are not alone (Deuteronomy 31:6), our God is worthy (Revelation 4:11), and our reward is great (2 Corinthians 9:6; Matthew 5:12).

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:3-11)

Eliza Kosobucki, VP of Worship, Impact Christian Fellowship

“And after the fire, there was the sound of a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:12b

Many times, we long for God to smack us in the face with opportunity. Many times, we fall short of doing what he asks when opportunity does smack us in the face. And many times still, when opportunity arises and God speaks in a way that doesn’t necessarily smack us in the face, we are quick to brush it away and take it for granted – even ignore it altogether. The truth is, God doesn’t always come to us in the form of a fantastical production. God seeks us out in the gentlest of ways in times when we need it most. And the best part about this? He never gives up on us.

Look at Elijah’s story. After one of the greatest successes of his career in ministry, Elijah hit his greatest bout of inner turmoil. He felt helpless. He had proven the glory of God to an entire population of people only to find out that there was a price for his head as a result. Needless to say, he fled the scene, knowing his life was sure to be over. God presented him with several messengers along the way. (Note: The messengers used to speak to Elijah were not necessarily paranormal – God often used human beings to provide words of encouragement. Sound familiar?) Even when Elijah had given up on God, God did not give up on Elijah. God had sought Elijah out several times in the gentlest of ways. Though Elijah responded negatively to several of God’s initial acts, he was ultimately brought to faith in the gentlest of ways.

“As Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.” – 1 Kings 19:11b-13

God didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. He was not present in any of the natural disasters. He didn’t show off. There was no production, no extraordinary miracle. There was simply a quiet sound. All Elijah had to do was listen, and he came to God with his heart open.

I currently have an internship in which I work with a medical doctor from Ghana to perform surgeries on animal models. (The end goal is to essentially develop research that finds improved treatment for ALS patients.) Typically, he goes to work on the rats, and I observe and monitor the surgeries while documenting important information throughout the process; very few non-work-related conversations are exchanged between us. During one workday, I felt particularly stressed and disgruntled about the general hassles that we all encounter in life. I felt like I needed to break the barrier with the doctor. Small talk eventually turned into conversation about the experience of how he came to America. I noticed that he used the word “blessing” to describe this. He asked about my faith, and I told him I was a Christian. Immediately, my heart sang. How wonderful to find a coworker who shares faith in God! He went on to share simple, encouraging aspects of his faith that really spoke to my heart. A messenger. God gently intervened when I needed it most.

“Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him." – 1 Kings 19:18

God wants us to know that we can each become one of the messengers. All of us are capable of showing the grace of God to those around us through everyday miracles.

We sometimes expect or hope that our all-powerful God will do showy things to prove himself or part the oceans weekly as we ask for miracles. I mean, he’s that powerful, right? He could easily do something like this to get the attention of doubters. But he wants us to come to him with hearts longing. He wants our voluntary love. (What good is forced worship?) And oftentimes, the most powerful experiences happen so subtly.

Who have been the messengers in your life? Have you missed out on subtle interventions? Has God used you as a messenger for someone else? If not, how can you become a messenger? By tuning our hearts to the presence of small miracles, we begin to comprehend how active God is in each of our lives, each and every day, unconditionally walking alongside us.

Haley Welch, Student President of Impact at IUPUI

Throughout our study of the book of Acts we saw countless examples of God using some very unique individuals to further His Kingdom. Through these stories it is easy to see God carries out his plan in such a different way. Unlike other areas in our life God does not wait for us to decide we are ready or that we have enough time to take on something else. See God has His own perfect plan, and I am reminded daily that his plan is far better than anything I could assemble on my own.  

Now this lesson is something much easier said than done, and I am as guilty of this as anyone. We constantly make excuses and find reasons to overlook some of the opportunities God is presenting to us. We let selfishness and pride get in the way and become our own biggest obstacle to spiritual growth. However the feeling that in my opinion is the biggest obstacle to growth is FEAR.

Over this past summer I had time to do some reflection and truly decide what goals I wanted to set for myself for my last year in college and determine what was truly going to be the most important to me. During my first three years I had become involved in more campus organizations and events than just about anyone. I was very proud of some of the things I have been able to accomplish, but I could not help to feel a little guilty. While there was great value and benefit from all the activities I had been involved in, I did not feel any of them were helping further God's Kingdom.

This feeling along with the fact my younger sister, Alexa, was getting ready to start at IUPUI in the fall started a fire within myself to lead a Bible Study to help freshmen with their spiritual transition in college. Prior to this point I had never led a Bible Study and had absolutely zero qualifications to lead a group. The great thing about our God though is He does not call us to be qualified, he simply calls us to trust in His plan. 

I learned a lot in my first time leading a Life Group. Something that was very uncomfortable for me at the beginning of the semester, slowly became something I feel is going to be an important part of my life for years to come. It was truly an escape from the craziness of the rest of my semester and a happy place I would not have wanted to go through the semester without. What I was most surprised by in leading a small group is that in leading a group you grow even more than those you are leading. During the semester I was able to strengthen my relationship with my sister and help her make God a part of her college experience. I was able to become the man I wanted to be, which helped me build a relationship with a girl who loved her savior even more than I did. Most of all this group helped to humble me and really keep my focus on God during my last year of college, and for that I am incredible grateful I was given this opportunity. 

In closing, do not ever let the fear of failure or lack of preparedness ever stop you from doing something to further God's Kingdom. I assure God will give you everything you need if you make yourself available to him. So whatever the next step is for you, I encourage you to do whatever it takes to go forward and to not look back. The reward will be far greater than that initial risk you are afraid of.

Zach Treon, VP of Fellowship

'Twas the week before finals, and all throughout campus,

Not a student was sleeping, not even a nap.

The coffee was brewed before studying with care,

In hopes that hard efforts would cause grades to repair.

All throughout the semester, we’ve been learning that big things happen in the midst of turmoil.  An egotistic King was struck down; the church grew.  A man named Barnabas went against the norm and traveled to a foreign land to spread the grace of God; the church grew.  A man named Saul, who was comfortably celebrated by Jews, went outside of his comfort zone, even in the midst of death threats, to share what he believed; still, the church grew.

Who’s to say you can’t do the same?

On first glance, this task may seem impossible, especially at this point in the semester.  It’s finals week.  How in the world am I supposed to shake my surroundings when my surroundings are shaking me?  Contrary to popular belief, these kinds of times are when you can make the most difference.

We learned during the semester that there are countless people in the Bible that were chosen, despite how unprepared they felt, to go forth and share the love of God with those who really didn’t want anything to do with it – but this proved to be the best strategy in terms of expansion of the church.

If you couldn’t make our last Night of Worship on Tuesday, you missed a powerful message by Keith Comp (Pastor at White River Christian Church).  After some good laughs and tips for finals week, he touched on a very important issue about the perception of Christianity today.  He reflected that if some people were to walk by the room we were worshipping in and find out the reason for the event, they would think to themselves, “All of these people hate me.”

Ridiculous, right?  But sadly, true.  Hearing that statement woke me up.  There are some twisted views of a belief system that is intended to bring light to the world, not take it away.  Every single person can sway the way another person views Christianity.  And that’s why it’s so important to take action.

During a week that so many people are being pushed to their limits, what better time to model God’s unconditional love to those you’re surrounded with?  As college students, all of us are out of time and resources, but God will provide when you least expect it.  Buy someone a snack.  Bring dinner to a study group.  Compliment a stranger on their smile.  Offer to run errands for a roommate.  Write a short, encouraging note to a worker at Starbucks.  Wouldn’t you be so happy if someone did the same for you?  A small gesture showing basic kindness in the midst of such a stressful week will strike curiosity in the minds of those you act upon.  The real meaning of Christianity can be revealed to more people.  And slowly but surely, we can expand the church by reminding ourselves and others to accomplish one of the most life-giving commands – love one another as the Lord has loved you.

Haley Welch, Impact Christian Fellowship at IUPUI President

What if I told you that you don’t have to have all the answers to tell someone about Jesus, or that you don’t have to have the Bible memorized to share His light?

Our second worship night of the semester consisted of heartwarming worship tunes performed by the newly formed worship team, the wonderful presence of each and every one of our attendees, a message so powerful and eye-opening that two people delivered it, and of course, free pizza.

If you happened to miss our second Night of Worship, we covered some Christian feel-good material in Acts Chapter 8.  Have you ever found it difficult to start a conversation with someone about his or her faith?

One: You’re not alone.

Two: Luke’s got some good news for you.

The term “evangelist” can seem pretty daunting at first glance. However, one’s job as an evangelist on Earth is actually much simpler than what you may have originally thought. Believe it or not, God will provide you with the right time and place and person to share his love with. And when this situation arises? You don’t need to go into a deep theological lecture. You don’t even need to quote the Bible. The best plan of action is to share why you believe what you believe; what God has done for you; why it has been a fruitful experience for you to live by faith. The best words (and more importantly, actions) come from the heart – and if your heart is full, then your words and actions will show it.

If you’re in need of some spiritual encouragement, advice, or you’re just trying to get through the semester, we invite you to experience what we’re all about and take refuge in Jesus. We’d love to have you! Interested in joining a life group? Follow this link to find a group that fits your schedule: http://www.impactatiupui.com/lifegroups 

May God’s peace be with you as the going gets tough!

Haley Welch, Impact Christian Fellowship at IUPUI Student President

Slow music... Dimmed lights... Just the right amount of fog…

If we’re honest, these are a few things that come to mind when we think of worship today.

But what if I told you worship was created to be SO much more? Not just a place to be, but a state of being?

“All places are a place of worship to a Christian.  Wherever he is, he ought to be in a worshipping frame of mind.” [Charles Spurgeon]

Music or no music, worship is a way of life. It’s an act and an attitude.

So why is worship important for a college student? Well, the importance is found in the very essence of its meaning.

Worship is…

Beautiful.

According to Webster, Worship is “excessive admiration for someone; the act of expressing such reverence/respect.”

There are multiple ways to express such admiration for God. It could be through song, as it commonly is, or it could simply be by giving God praise, honor, and glory for every good thing in your life through your daily words and actions.

Worship has always been important to me, but it was at the age of 17 that I discovered what true worship was. It was during a Sunday morning service, at a time in worship when the instruments began playing a little harder, the congregation began to sing a little louder, and the presence of God was evident. As the music began to build, with a microphone in hand, I looked down at the front row from the stage. All of a sudden, I couldn’t get a single word to come out of my mouth. I was speechless at what I saw.

There in the front row was a man standing with his arms stretched high, as if He were trying to touch Heaven. He was singing the words to the song with such passion in his face… and he couldn’t hear a single note being sung or a chord being played because he was deaf. 

It was then that God dealt with me about true worship.  To this man, the music didn’t matter; all that mattered was God, and giving Him the admiration He deserves. In that moment of worship, he simply offered himself. And that’s what worship should be; an act of surrendering yourself out of trust in who God is and His will for your life.

It’s the art of knowing that in every situation life throws your way, God’s got you. 

It’s living beautifully abandoned, in awe of the One who sacrificed His only Son to save you, because He loves you that much.

Being able to lift God up out of revelation of who He is… that’s beautiful. And that’s worship.

A matter of the heart.

John 4:23-24 – “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The man I talked about in the previous point, to me, is a visual representation of the worshipper God is referring to in this passage. Worshipping God “in spirit and truth” has to do with the heart.

It has to be more than a song; it has to be an internal attitude before it can be an external act, and that begins with time in prayer and in God’s word.

“I believe worship is an expression of honesty between our hearts and God’s. It’s an exchange of pure love. We receive and experience His love for us and cannot help but give it back to Him.” [Kari Jobe]

Worship is rooted in the knowledge of God and His love. When you begin to realize who He is and reflect on all that He has done for you, it’s hard NOT to be in awe and express love towards Him through worship.

Vital.

How easy is it to worry about things in college? REALLY EASY!

But fact: You can’t worry and worship at the same time.

Worry is failing to trust who God is and what He has promised.

Worship is acting out of an attitude of knowing and believing in who God is and what He has promised.

Between exams, papers, clubs, and group projects, college can take a toll. That’s not including work and everything else life entails. It can be really easy to worry about these things and allow them to take hold of your thoughts.

As a senior, this is something I struggle with daily. I mean, if I had a dime for every time someone’s asked me if I’ve got my future figured out yet, I would’ve had my student loans paid off three months ago (not really, but pretty close).

It’s easy to allow the unknown of tomorrow to weigh on your mind, but you have to rest in God and take Him at His word. You have to take the time to meditate on His promises and remind yourself of them daily; especially when you start to worry.

Matthew 6:34 -- “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

This is why worship is important for a college student. It is the act of surrendering your heart, mind, troubles, and future plans to God; acknowledging that He knows best. Worship welcomes the presence of God into our lives, and there is no peace like being in His presence. All the cares of this world don’t seem like such a big deal when you live your life in the presence of the One who created it.

So my challenge to you…

Dedicate time to spend in worship. Talk to God and allow Him to talk back. It may seem hard to find time in your busy schedule, but trust me; you don’t have time to NOT spend time with God.

He’s worthy of the admiration.

Taylor Sidwell, Student in Impact at IUPUI/Worship Team Member

Photo cred: Taylor Sidwell

team - a group of players forming one side in a competitive game or sport; two or more people working together.

At our first night of worship this semester, we heard teaching on the importance of teams in our lives, a lesson I have struggled to learn these past three years at IUPUI. No Christian is meant to serve God in isolation. As I reflected on my own journey, I considered why it was so hard for me to identify my team. I realized that, until recently, I didn’t know what a team was meant to look like. Fortunately, the founding Christians had to learn this valuable lesson, too.

“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” Acts 1:14

After Jesus ascended, the disciples gathered in Jerusalem to pray. They had no idea what lay in store for them, so they did what preparation they could: intense prayer.

When I identify the teams in my life, they are most certainly the groups of people I pray with: my husband, my close friends, and my mentors. I have been blessed to be part of a tight-knit group of Christians for the last three years, and they have prayed me through some of the most challenging moments of college. We frequently message one another offering to pray, and for a semester we met weekly in the halls between classes to pray for our classmates.

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.” Acts 2:1

At the very moment of the coming of the Spirit of God, all of the apostles were together.

To me, this is the most obvious mark of a team. I have a few close friends left from high school, and I still get a lot of joy from keeping up with them. But as much as I enjoy their company, they are not my team. Why?

My team is the group of believers I meet with regularly. I have prioritized my life groups in my weeks. As much as I can, I try and meet with them every week. They have been with me, and I with them, in the most profound moments of God working in our lives. They have seen me laugh, and cry, and fall asleep during conversations. They have been able to tell, without my saying a word, those moments I am struggling inside. These relationships did not appear out of thin air.

By God’s grace, my team has grown together through regular, intentional gathering.

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers… And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42, 46-47

The end of Acts 2 gives a beautiful model of a church community - eating together, gathering in homes, worshiping, teaching, learning. What happened when this community gathered? They had favor with non-believers around them, and the Lord increased the number of those saved daily.

In my life, I have seen my team grow and shrink. Some of my friends have graduated, moved away, or transitioned to a new phase in life. Others have brought new Christians into our life group, and they have quickly become as much a team member as those before. Don’t be afraid to let go of those who are leaving. They will soon get the chance to form new teams of Christians and build the body of believers wherever they end up! Don’t be afraid to welcome new people into your team. They may soon become your most trusted friend.

The church as God intended it is a collection of believers who “stir up one another to love and good works” (Heb. 10:24). How can you be stirred up if you are alone? More importantly, how can you stir others if you have not chosen to gather, pray, and grow?

A team will not happen by chance. If you look at any sports team with any amount of success you will find at least two common characteristics: first, that they all have the same goal in mind; second, that they all meet regularly to plan and perfect the methods needed to reach this goal. Our goal is laid out by the gospels: to reach everyone in the world with the good news of salvation. We must intentionally devote our time to the lives of those around us to pray, meet, and grow. I pray that you will find a team as you seek God and his goal during your college career.