May Update!! Rest and Release :)

My Friends!

The month of May has been crazy! When I say 'crazy' - I don't mean hectic, I mean fully inspired by the heart and mind of Christ! In the month of may our students finished up the spring semester of classes, headed to SICM in Washington state, and were released to be campus missionaries on their college campuses :) I can't stress just how important SICM is to our ministry and I want to start by saying thank you to you who all who have prayed for our students leading into this week.

The official school year is over so many of our students have headed back home to be with their families for the summer. We have a lot of local students stay in the DFW area so we put on Summer FOCUS on Thursday nights @ 7:00pm at Lifepoint Church in Plano, TX. I want to invite any of you who are interested to come on down, I'd love to see you!

Throughout every school year our student leaders disciple and build spiritual friendships with the students that attend their small groups. We have a week-long campus ministry training event called SICM (Student Institute of Campus Ministry) in Bellingham, WA that is put on my CCF (Campus Christian Fellowship). God has built such a strong relationship between our two campus ministries that when we go up there it's like seeing old friends :)

My peer-team for the year. All of these guys were student leaders in our ministry this year and were faithful servants of the Gospel! Front row: Charles, me (Sirak), JD, and Austin. Back row: Morgan, Stephen, Ryan, and Marcus. (photo taken at our end-of-the-year party)

James Junior (middle) is one of the main worship pastors at CCF in Bellingham, WA. Whenever we go up to SICM he and I try to set up time to share our ministries with one another and hear what God has been up to in each other's lives.

All of our UTD students we sent up to SICM this May! Many of these students will end up being small group leaders beginning in the fall 

At the end of the week our students attended the SICM graduation ceremony. You can see them all out relaxing on the grass enjoying their weeks.

I got the opportunity to attend Regent College in Vancouver, B.C. (Canada) for two weeks (May. 24th - June. 6th) to take theology classes with several of the other FOCUS staff. This has been such an enriching experience and joy to learn from some of the most wise minds in their respective studies. God has been teaching me how important it is to read and hear what some of the most brilliant minds of our faith have to offer in regards to scripture and God's creation. (see pictures below)

Every Monday/Thursday we have been attending the chapel services that Regent college offers to the students. They have been leading the congregation in open corporate prayers and I took a quick picture of one called "Prayer of Commitment". I hope it finds you well and it is an encouragement to you wherever you are.

I took a course called More Than Music: Reimagining Worship and here is a group of the students we had together. Our instructor, Christine Longhurst (back row, third from the right), did such a great job 

I went for a walk around my neighborhood and was in awe at God's creation. Enjoy!

Summer is here and I'm so happy to get in contact with you all :) Thank you so much for your continual support and belief in the mission. It is always an encouragement to know you're all behind me through the power of the holy spirit. Your support this year has paved the way for spiritual friendships, baptisms, and lifelong changes through God's holy spirit.

You'll be hearing from me soon!

Your campus missionary,

Sirak

The End of a Great Year!

Wow, I can't believe that we have arrived at finals week on campus - which means - the end of the semester is near. I had lunch with a couple of our student leaders this week and asked them what they've learned from God through their leadership experience, and one said that he learned not to have confidence in himself but to put all of his confidence in Christ. What a powerful lesson to learn! I think that as disciples, God teaches us this same lesson on and on throughout our entire life and I have been honored to have been a part of the journey with our students.

This is now my third year of campus ministry and each year God has blown my expectations out of the water regarding what to expect out of myself and others. When we place our confidence and trust fully in Christ we make ourselves more available than we ever have before for him to work in and through - I have learned this firsthand throughout the year.

Top row: Ryan, myself, Austin, and Morgan; Bottom row: JD, Charles, Stephen, and Marcus.
I had the precious opportunity to meet with these students weekly and help them serve the students attending their small groups. They all grew tremendously in their faith and helped raise another generation of disciples!

During April we had a few of our last Friday Night FOCUS's of the year. Our attendance has traditionally dropped at the beginning of each spring semester, however, this semester our attendance has stayed strong!

Our last FOCUS leader meeting of the year!

I began playing the board game, Avalon. Have you heard of it? It's very intense and causes very heated discussions to happen, however, it's been a great way to spend time with students and laugh together. 

Our students during our last Friday Night FOCUS of the year!

The UTD FOCUS staff that worked together this year. Every year the team has changed a bit but nonetheless it has been a honor to work with such God pleasing men and women.

I wish you were all here to see first-hand what your support has contributed to this year. I am overwhelmed with joy and thankfulness as I look back on the last three years of serving in campus ministry because of the partnership I have received in you all :)

Last night at FOCUS we had an open-mic sharing time and the prompt was: how have you seen God work in yourself and others this year in our community? I was very encouraged by one of our freshmen students named Tim, who said that after transferring to UT Dallas from Florida he was so anxious and worried about not having any sort of a Christian community to get involved with on campus. However, God opened the door for him to get involved with FOCUS, study the bible with other students, get involved in the worship team, and now he's pumped for his Sophomore year this fall where he can be ready for all the upcoming freshmen walking onto campus that need discipleship - so encouraging!

Thank you again for all of your partnership and prayers - it's been a continued journey of praise and thanksgiving that I'm forever grateful for. I plan on getting in touch with all of you this summer to catch up and share how God has been working, you'll be hearing from me soon :)

Your campus missionary,

Sirak

March Campus Missions Update!

My friends, my people!

I had lunch today with a campus pastor who ministers to international students in a ministry called Bridges International. We were talking and encouraging one another when he stopped, looked at me, and said, "You know how to gain absolute confidence? In absolute surrender and trust in God." We were both sharing our challenges, successes and some of the things we could pray for one another in ministry when he said that. It encouraged me greatly to hear that and it is such an important reminder as we go through our days. When we are completely resolved to God's will and his direction - it fills us with confidence and boldness as we serve him - I hope this encouraged you! (see picture below)

I got to have lunch with a campus pastor with Bridges International named John. He is a man who is committed to reaching international students and sharing the love of Christ with them. His heart for students and UTD overflows into every conversation he has - I was so grateful to have met him and got to hear his experiences.

This month has been intense, but we had a lot going on that I'd love to share with you. First, we flew in students from Bellingham, WA who were willing to spend their entire spring break with us doing evangelism on our campuses (see group photo below). They were so sweet to be around and blessed our community tremendously. Second, we had our first ever Spring Showcase to raise money for students attending SICM, our week-long campus ministry training conference in Washington state (see photo below). And third, we had a student named Alphonse decide to commit his life to the Lord (see photo toward the end).

Group photo of our hosts and performers for the Spring Showcase! It was such a beautiful evening of showcasing the talents of our ministry all to raise money for students attending SICM. We had over 400 people show up to the event to support the showcase!

Our SSI students posing in front of UT Arlington, a campus that we will be planting this fall semester 2015. Please be in prayer that God would be preparing the minds and hearts of students who will walk onto that campus.

Laurence, showing our SSI students the evangelism boards/props that we will have set up for the day on campus. We had different conversation-starter boards set up throughout the campus for students walking by so we could engage them in conversation. 

Our evangelism board(s) set up on campus for students to see! We go to meet so many students this week and engage them with spiritual conversations; it is amazing what can be done through just asking people what their story is.

Alphonse, one of our students at UTD FOCUS, getting baptized by Grant. Alphonse is someone who is a light to all who meet him. He is the fruit of your support and prayers. This is an example of what campus ministry can do to change a life at UTD. Through friendship, discipleship, and the message of Jesus, Alphonse decided to commit his life to Jesus for the rest of his life.

During SSI week we had a student-led worship night and it was one of the most encouraging evenings for me - we even had a lot of students we met during the day through evangelism show up, eat s'mores, and worship together!

I can't thank you enough for your partnership and consistent prayers. God has been faithful all year long. Even though we've got a couple months left, I know that Satan will still be scheming to tempt our student leaders to slow down, give up, and be discouraged. Please pray that our students would finish well. I think that as we look to Jesus as our example, we see a God who finished in a way that empowered, encouraged, and equipped his disciples to carry on the mission. Please pray that our student leaders would do the same for those they are mentoring.

I wish you were all here next to me everyday I walk on campus, meet students, and partake in God's will at UTD - but I know that through your partnership that you are there every step of the way!

Please let me know if there's anything I could do to be praying for you as we move into the later part of spring!

Your campus missionary,

Sirak

February Update!

My friends!

I hope our short month of February left you feeling blessed and in awe of the many blessings we receive from our Lord. March is officially here so you know what that means: spring break, SSI week (students from Washington state coming down for a week of evangelism!), SICM preparations, and mid-terms for our students.

This month I have had some time to really be thankful for how God has blessed the UTD FOCUS leader team. Our students who serve on our team are so servant-minded and in tune with the needs of our campus. I remember back when our ministry was much smaller and wondering: how are we going to reach this campus with only 20 leaders? Then God gave us 30 leaders...then 40...and now as SICM approaches we may have even more this fall.

The way we select leaders is based on our F.A.I.T.H acronym (Faithful Available Initiating Teachable & Heart for God and others). When we select student leaders each year we ask ourselves if these students possess the said qualities. God continues to use the student-leaders in our ministry to impact and raise up future generations of students ready to impact God's campus for his mission. Please pray for our current student leaders; that they (and the staff) finish the year well!

Glenn, me, Jalen, and Ryan. These are just some of our student leaders (Jalen & Ryan. Glenn is on staff) who help impact our campus as UTD. 

We have had a little bit of difficult reserving rooms on campus this semester but we build a friendship with a woman named Betsy, who is a priest at a local Episcopalian church down the street from UTD and they said that we would meet there whenever we'd like to! Praise God!

We have been reading scripture together as a community on a consistent basis. Here is a shot of one of our Friday Night FOCUS gatherings.

Last week at FOCUS I got to preach on dating! It's such an important topic to cover with college students in making sure that we are constantly asking ourselves what it looks like to be like Jesus when the world has so many messages for us.

"Feed My Starving Children" is an non-profit christian organization that packages and sends meals to hungry children in third-world countries. As a UTD community, we got to attend one of their Saturday morning packing sessions and serve our brothers and sisters across the globe.

None of this would be possible without your support through monthly donations and prayers. I am blown away that I wake up every morning and get to serve Jesus on his college campuses. I promise that I will never take it for granted. I wish that you were all here with me every day ministering with the students, however, I know that through your support you are right alongside me as we are co-missionaries with and through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Please pray that God would continue to raise up his student leaders moving forward into the summer and next year - he's got big things planned!

Your campus missionary,

Sirak

2015, Winter Camp, and More!

My friends, my people -

We're already a month into 2015 and I cannot be more thankful for where God has us and the work he has us all involved in through his mission. We had our annual winter camp for all our FOCUS campus ministries and it was such an encouraging time to be with everyone. Iain Provan, a professor of the Old Testament from Regent College (Vancouver, BC), came to speak to us for the weekend.

It was our biggest winter camp yet and I am beginning to see how your support (along with the hundreds of other mission supporters) is making a difference on parts of our ministry that I don't even see. Students from small community colleges throughout the metroplex where there aren't any other campus ministries are hearing the gospel and experiencing spiritual friendships for the first time! Praise God!

In my next few blogs I'm going to add testimonies from students on our UTD FOCUS leader team. They are in the process of discipling countless students on campus and are having the time of their lives doing it, however, I think it's important to remember how they have been impacted by campus missions. Here, first, is Marcus:

"Having come from a church where I was the only college-aged member between a chasm of high schoolers and young married couples with kids, campus ministry has been my main community to serve God and make disciples. Godly men like JD and Sirak have poured into my life and have painted the vision for me and have been spiritual leaders in my life-setting young adult life. I have been equipped to go and teach and invest is others to show them the love and gift I have received from campus ministry and will continue to take what I have learned with me wherever God takes me." 

Marcus and I meet weekly with his small group partner and I think that it is awesome to think about how he has grown and been shaped my campus ministry. I met Marcus for the first time last year but he was a leader at one of our community colleges and had transferred to UT Dallas and jumped into leadership because the Lord called him to impact people. He's such a great guy - I hope his testimony encouraged you.

Enjoy all the pictures below!

Our first Friday Night FOCUS @ UTD after Winter Camp. Our students were so excited to get back together!

The view from the top balcony at winter camp - Brandon is seen on the stage delivering his talk on theology of vocation.

I had the privilege of leading worship on Saturday morning at camp, this was a picture of our students gathering inside and finding their seats.

Our UT Dallas FOCUS ministry! These are the students that I get to be with and serve on a daily basis - Thank you for your support and vision for what we're doing on God's college campuses - this camp experience really grew our students and ministry together!

I wish every one of you could've been with me at camp over MLK weekend to see what God is up to on his college campuses. It was a reminder that HE IS FAITHFUL. I am constantly trying to understand how to get into a good rhythm with life, work, and studies so I can be effective for the Lord but when I go to camp and see just how consistent and omnipotent God is I am blown away and can only respond in worship. He is capable of more than we can ever ask or imagine - may we meditate on this and remember that he is Lord!

Thank you for your belief in the mission and willingness to be active participants in the gospel with us!

Your campus missionary,

Sirak

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year :)

I can't believe it's 2015 now! I remember on December 31st, 1999 I had just moved to the Untied States from Toronto, Ontario and I celebrated New Years with my older brother while my parents went to a family party. I remember praying, "God, wherever you lead me - I will follow." As a 10 year old at the time I was not sure the implications for what I prayed but looking at it 15 years later I am blown away at God's faithfulness and hand in my life as he has continued to lead me.

The month of December was so eventful (it was also very EVENT-FULL!). I was blown away at how quickly the semester had flown by & also at how great of a job all of our student leaders have done this year (see pictures below). My peer team is getting ready to prepare themselves for another great semester of ministry and serving college students - please pray for them and the work they are doing. They have been so consistent and faithful in their pursuit of discipleship.

I had the opportunity in mid-December to serve in a mission trip headed for Hollygrove, New Orleans. This was a city that flooded terribly in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit. I posted pictures below for you all to see. It was such a challenging week because I spend a lot of my time meeting and ministering to college students who are from a mostly upper-middle class background and have some academic idea of who Jesus is. When we got to Holly Grove we were spending time throughout the week with kids aged 4 years to 14 years old and their only experience with Jesus was this little after-school ministry called "Jesus Project Ministry".

God still moved and showed us a lot about himself in Holly Grove - he showed us that his gospel is extremely adaptable and always moves to the darkest of places, regardless if his people follow or not. We got to put on a Christmas party for all the kids in the neighborhood, hand out gifts, play basketball with the older kids, share about Jesus, and build lasting relationships (I definitely plan on going next year)! Enjoy the pictures below!

My peer team that I meet up with weekly. Top row: Charles, Morgan, JD, Austin, and Stephen. Bottom row: Marcus, Me, Ryan, and Zack. These guys are paving the way for countless students to know and experience the grace of God.

Panorama shot of our UTD 2015 Christmas party. Our theme was "Christmas Morning", so a lot of our students came dressed in their pj's. We had breakfast casseroles and sang christmas morning-ish songs with each other :)

Debra, one of the two leaders of Jesus Project Ministries. God called her down to New Orleans after Katrina hit and she hasn't left since. She is a strong, strong, strong woman of God and she knows her stuff. I used to work in after-school car when I was in college but I've got nothing compared to what she has done in New Orleans - I was so blessed to have met her.

Our group standing alongside with members of the neighborhood praying at the end of the day. 

Our team-lead Matt helping put up decorations with one of the kids from the neighborhood. 

I got to become friends with lots of the kids throughout the week. I was blown away at how 'mature' these young people were. Seven, eight, and nine year olds were thinking and talking at a very high level; they were able to talk about challenging things, joke around, and be themselves around us immediately. It was such a joy to serve them throughout the week.

Our end-of-the-week Christmas party! The kids put on a hip-hop dance routine that the people loved!

In the end, this is the group we went with! Our last photo before we headed out to Dallas!

It's a sad thing to realize that 2014 is over (these years fly by faster and faster, huh) but we can look forward with our eyes and hearts because we know that we serve a faithful God who is always with us scanning the horizon beckoning us home. I wish you were all here alongside me on campus with the students but I know that through your partnership we are one together in mission and we are co-laborers with Christ. This all wouldn't be possible without you!

Your campus missionary,

Sirak

November Update! Be Thankful!

God has been up to so much at UTD over the last month. He is really preparing our students hearts for our annual winter camp this January! (Also) SOMETHING EXCITING: If you haven't heard about our #FOCUS140 campaign please watch the video below!

We've had students impacted tremendously through campus ministry and wanted to invite you to take part in our campaign to keep FOCUS growing as we move to new campuses and follow God where he leads us. Campus ministry has challenged me to expand my vision for God's kingdom and has humbled me to understand and trust him. He is so good! As we prepare for finals and Christmas break, please pray that our students would finish the semester strong and that God's will would be made known to those who are still unsure about what God wants from them. 

Enjoy the pictures below!:

Thanksgiving potluck that FOCUS hosted for our students who stayed in town over the holiday. We had some great Turkey and got to know lots of international students.

My peer team I meet up with every week! (Bottom: Marcus, me (Sirak), Ryan, and Zack. Top: Charles, Morgan, JD, Austin, and Stephen) These students have been such a joy to meet up with and spend time with. They all have volunteered to spend this year serving our students and being involved in disciple-making relationships; please pray for them as they impact UTD!

                                         

One of our students, Kimberly, getting baptized by our UTD FOCUS intern, Ana!

After Kimberly's baptism we all took a group photo - we are so happy to have her a part of our ministry and are so thankful for God's grace in calling her towards him!

None of this would be possible without your support and commitment to partnering with us on God's college campuses. I hope you all had a blessed thanksgiving and are moving closer and closer to Jesus everyday. I wish you were all here with me walking the campus and being involved in conversations with these students, but I know through your support that you are just as near in your partnership.

Your campus missionary,

Sirak