“Seton Hall University does not like us,” our state director, Mark Scott, explained. “I’m not sure why. We like them, after all. (Also: we’re very nice.) Still, the officials at this large and well-respected Catholic university have made it their business to ensure that no Cru group takes root at their school.”

This is the response I got from our NJ directors of Cru after a Seton Hall student and senior named Josh Rodriguez  “happened” to be at a Cru event at NJCU. He shared with me his love for Christ and his desire to see his university turned upside down with the power of the gospel.

I immediately was encouraged! Here was the Holy Spirit divinely scheduling this meeting! Our heart is to establish as many Christ-centered movements as laborers would allow, so as to reach as many as possible. So when Josh told me he would pioneer a Cru movement at Seton Hall, I was ecstatic.

So we set up a prayer meeting (below). We always start in prayer. Josh, another student named Dan, four other staff members and I got together at the university to pray about how Jesus would want to lead this initiative.

In fact, one of my specific assignments this summer is to regularly meet, pray with and mentor Josh, since he is the student pioneer that Christ will use within the university.

Of course there’s the above problem our director Mark Scott has experienced several times in the past. On different occasions, Seton Hall students attempted and failed at establishing movements. This is apparently because of a “High Priest” who wants nothing to do with Cru, or, I suppose–any “evangelical” movement.

One student was so shaken up after an encounter with this “High Priest” that he dropped out of Seton Hall and transferred to Nyack College. Yikes!

Thankfully, we serve a Greater High Priest, whose name is Jesus and who has commissioned us to get his gospel proclaimed everywhere. That includes Seton Hall University.

Please pray that God would go before us. Pray that my time with Josh is a true time of prayerful preparation and growth, so once we attempt this launch in the fall semester, we’re ready.

Other summer assignments include discipling Samir, the student leader at NJCU, as well as a new believer named Efrain, whose story we shared with you in April. I am also taking on the task of honing my Photoshop and cinematography skills, so that we could use these on campus. Additionally, Cru has required I take a church history course this summer, which is super intensive and demands almost 30 hours per week in study; it is fun though!

Jenn, the boys and I are also preparing for our national staff conference in Colorado. It is from July 14-20, but we’ll be driving and leaving a few days earlier.

Pray we balance all of these assignments well! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for your continued and faithful and sacrificial prayer and financial support. We love you all, and Christ most certainly is using you in our calling to see lost college students become Christ-centered laborers.