Praying to Reach Every Campus in Montana

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 14:34:16 +0000

Gordon Govier

Praying to Reach Every Campus in Montana

Montana is not Alaska or Texas, but it's still a pretty big state. A 3,290-mile road trip is not long enough to visit every campus in the state although it’s a good start.

Kristin Wright's 3,290-mile road trip last June took her to 12 campuses as part of the EveryCampus initiative, a partnership between ��ñ�� and other ministries, which has a goal of seeing every campus in every state prayer walked in 2019. All but one of the other eight Montana campuses have been prayer walked, and the final campus is scheduled for a visit later this month.

Almost two thirds of the 4,948 US campuses have been prayer walked since the beginning of the year, and the number grows daily. Kristin, ��ñ��'s Area Director for Montana, has had her imagination captivated by ��ñ��'s 2030 Calling of catalyzing Christian community on every US college campus by the year 2030.

“I don't want to miss out on being a part of something only God can do,” she said. “We are committed to empowering and equipping whoever is in these places to reach these campuses.”

Kristin partnered with other staff, students, volunteers, and faculty as she prayer walked each of the 12 campuses. She debriefed the prayer walk afterwards, especially with students. "They often start out feeling like this is something they can't do but they come back with a lot of joy," she said. "We're building an infrastructure of faith."

Three of the campuses that Kristin walked were tribal colleges without any apparent current ministry. That included Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, which has a reputation for training future tribal presidents. "As we prayed, I had a sense of what God might do when birthing a native witnessing community on this campus," Kristin said.

For others who might also be captivated by the 2030 Calling and want to prayer walk a campus, Kristin has three recommendations:

Start with worship. “On college campuses so many things get worshiped. However, only Jesus deserves our worship so exalt him and lift his name on campus as you pray.”
Listen to the Holy Spirit. "As you walk, pay attention to what God might be saying. As something comes to mind, trust that God is inviting you to pray for these people and things.”
Pray blessings on the campus, particularly for the Fruits of the Spirit to be manifest.

Kristin was a University of Arizona student when she first discovered ��ñ�� and then discovered that it was a good fit for helping her grow as a Christian. “I fell in love with Jesus even more as a student,” she said. “As I have been exposed to other faith traditions through ��ñ�� my picture of God has gotten bigger.”

Kristin has been on staff with ��ñ�� for 20 years. Celebrating two decades of student ministry sparked the idea of going on the six-day road trip to pray for Montana’s unreached campuses. "I have the best job," she said. "A 3,000-mile road trip doesn't feel like much when your heart is full of gratitude."

If you feel called to prayer walk a campus (or campuses) near you like Kristin and thousands of others have, go to EveryCampus.com to help reach the goal of every campus being prayer walked by the end of 2019.

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Ministry along Montana’s Interstate

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 21:57:32 +0000

News

Gordon Govier

Ministry along Montana’s Interstate

The number of international students on college campuses across the country is growing, and ��ñ�� students in Montana have noticed. Montana Area Director Dave Oberly says the amount of student-initiated international student ministry is one of the most exciting developments in his area.

“More than anything it’s God,” Dave said. “He is moving and students are responding. It’s been fun to watch staff and students work together to develop outreach to international students.”

International student ministry starts with making friends. Those friendships often lead to invitations to Bible study. But friendships can lead to many different activities. “It’s important to be flexible and open to new things,” Dave said. Friendships can lead to lives that are permanently changed when international students are introduced to Jesus Christ, as illustrated by the story of Wai Wai, a pharmacy student from Myanmar who attended the University of Montana.

Dave supervises staff on three campuses: the University of Montana in Missoula, and Montana State at Bozeman and Billings. From Bozeman, where Dave lives, Missoula is three hours one way, and Billings is two hours in the opposite direction. That can lead to some long drives, but Dave doesn’t mind. It’s an asset to ministry.

“Montana is beautiful,” he said. “And it’s a good time to think and pray.” Dave meditates on Scripture and prays for his staff team and his family as he drives. Without distractions, other than the scenery, he finds it easy to listen to God’s guidance for his ministry.

Dave didn’t have much interest in Christianity as a student at the University of Montana. At least not until the girl he wanted to date let him know how important it was to her, and invited him to ��ñ��. There he met students who were willing to let him ask some tough questions about the Christian faith. “I found a lot of hope and love, and that really helped turn me toward a relationship with Christ,” he said.

His new faith was challenged by his teammates on the rugby team, but they eventually noticed a change in his attitude and lifestyle as he grew in his faith and invited them to study the Bible together. Having another believer on the team to mentor him was helpful.

His faith grew through several other leadership experiences as well as participation in a Global Project one summer in Kenya. Montana students have been involved in ��ñ��’s Kenya Global Project for almost 20 years. They have the opportunity to live with Kenyan families and work with a variety of local ministries. The experience gives them a new global perspective on the Christian faith. “I see a dramatic difference in the students who go, when they come back, compared to the students who don’t go. It’s huge,” he said.

Dave now supervises Brian Lee, the staff person who invited Dave to go on that first Kenya Global Project. While Dave finds that just a bit strange, Regional Director Scott Anderson says Dave’s leadership has been just what the Montana schools have needed.

“Dave is sensitive to the Spirit, principled in his leadership, mature in his faith, sensible in his decisions, and compassionate towards people,” Scott said. “He does an excellent job anticipating what might be needed in his area and providing for that before it is even known that it is needed. He is good at thinking ahead and making a plan for the future. Dave’s team appreciates the family feel of the area, but also the way that he helps them with their job responsibilities. They feel like he is available to them and encouraging. They know him to be laid back, yet efficient—quite a combination.”

Dave graduated in 1999 with a degree in marketing and management, and began working as a stockbroker. He liked working with numbers and helping people meet their financial goals. Dave volunteered with ��ñ��’s ministry in his spare time. The more he thought about it, though, the more he realized that he could help people best by devoting more time to campus ministry. So four years after graduation, he joined ��ñ�� as a full-time Campus Staff Member.

“I love working with students,” Dave said. “I love hearing their stories and talking with them. Staying connected with students is what keeps me motivated.” Even after becoming Area Director five years ago, Dave finds time to mentor a small group of male students at Montana State in Bozeman.

In particular Dave enjoys seeing students follow the call of God to reach out to new groups on campus. “I’ve been getting a sense through students and staff of the desire to serve Native American students,” he said. Noting that there are 13 tribes in Montana, many of whom are represented in the college student body, he expects to see Native American student ministry grow significantly in the years ahead in Montana.

Campus ministry has a bright future in Montana, thanks to committed staff and students under the leadership of Dave Oberly.

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Montana

International Student Ministry