The Diversity Project

It wasn't long after I finally decided to truly be a Jesus follower, at 16, that I began to feel the 'call' to ministry. I didn't know what this would look like, only that I should go to Bible college and prepare to do some form of Christian ministry as my primary vocation. The 'call' took on a bit more shape as time progressed, and I found a definite direction during my first year at NCU. If you would have asked me what I was going to do, I would have told you that I was going to train missionaries. Of course, I realized that I should probably do some missionary work myself, first, and still didn't know what I would actually be doing...

Skipping ahead a few years: here Jen and I are as Chi Alpha missionaries to the campuses of New Orleans. We have been teaching and mentoring students to be ambassadors of the Good News on their campuses, but I sensed that there was more to the call to 'train missionaries'.

One of the most influential experiences for both Jen and I was the Campus Missionary in Training (CMiT) internship that we participated in the year after graduation (2002-3). At UL-Lafayette we learned much of the how of being a campus missionary, as well as growing in character and knowledge.

The CMiT program at UL has long been widely respected as one of the best Chi Alpha internships in the nation. On an average year there are about a dozen nationally approved, active internship programs. Louisiana decided to take what was great at UL and expand it to be even better state-wide.

Enter the Diversity Project.

With this program, CMiTs continue to receive the excellent teaching in theology, Bible interpretation, and much more, and are able to participate in their practical ministry experience and mentoring at different campuses around Louisiana. This is the first year of the project, and we have 9 interns total: 4 at UL-Lafayette, 1 at LSU, 1 at LA Tech, and 3 in New Orleans.

I have the great opportunity to oversee the theology and Bible interpretation classes (I love teaching, especially teaching about Jesus!). And, Jen and I are working with and mentoring three interns here: Marshal and Stephanie Pilgreen (recent LA Tech grads), and Laura Adkins (recent UL-Lafayette grad). They are learning and growing as missionaries, and also making a difference here in New Orleans.

I am blessed to see this opportunity to fulfill God's call on my life so early in life, and to have some extra help in reaching the university students in this amazing city.

This is the first ever Diversity Project class. Our New Orleans interns are on the right: Laura Adkins is in front, in red; Stephanie Pilgreen is next to her on the end, in pink, and her husband, Marshal, stands behind her.

Please pray for them, as they learn and grow, and minister to students, and trust God for their financial support.