Had to post this just because it is worth watching!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Campus Crusade changes name!
Many of you have probably heard that Campus Crusade for Christ has decided to change its name. Here is the official release!
5,000 Staff Renew Commitment to Mission: Proclaiming Jesus Christ
ORLANDO, Fla., July 22, 2011 – Staff members gathered in Ft. Collins, Colorado, this week for the biennial U.S. Staff Conference of Campus Crusade for Christ were introduced to a new name for the U.S. – Cru – and at the same time reaffirmed their commitment to proclaiming the name and love of Jesus Christ around the world. Since the mid-1990s Cru has been used as the organization’s name for many of our U.S. campus ministries, and is now used on the majority of our campuses.
The ministry also introduced a new logo, dominated by a cross above the name Cru. Steve Sellers, vice president for the U.S. explained that the inclusion of the symbol of the cross was critical to accepting the new name. “Just as our new name, Cru, visually points to the cross, everything we do as a ministry is intended to point others to the cross of Jesus Christ.”
“Anyone who knows anything about Campus Crusade for Christ knows we are passionate about one thing – connecting people to Jesus Christ,” noted president Steve Douglass. “In fact, we only exist for the purpose of helping people everywhere experience the transforming grace and forgiveness of the gospel through God’s Son, Jesus Christ.”
Steve Sellers, responding to a few media reports suggesting the ministry had changed its mission in the process of changing its name said “it is not our name that makes us a Christian organization – after all, a majority of well-known Christian organizations have nothing in their name identifying them as Christian. It is our mission which makes us Christian and our mission is a bold one, namely the fulfillment of Jesus Christ’s command to 'Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.’”
“Whether our ministry to Athletes, Athletes in Action, our ministry to families, FamilyLife, our JESUS film ministry or any of our 29 ministries, everything we do is intentionally designed to introduce people to the person of Jesus Christ. Consistent with Christ’s command, the JESUS film is the most translated film in history, resulting in well over 6 billion exposures to the gospel in 1,129 languages.”
The decision to expand the use of the name Cru from the campus ministries to the entire U.S. ministry is the result of a two-year study and process involving hundreds of staff members, thousands of interviews, and a list of 1,600 potential names. Sellers emphasized that the objective of the name is to “accomplish a greater level of effectiveness in ministry, and we believe Cru achieves that.” The transition to the new name will take place over the next year.
Campus Crusade for Christ is a worldwide, interdenominational Christian evangelism and discipleship organization, founded by Bill and Vonette Bright in 1951. Since its founding, Campus Crusade has become one of the largest Christian organizations in the world, served by more than 25,000 full and part-time team members in 191 countries around the world through 29 different ministries.
For more information, visit ccci.org
CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST TO BECOME: Cru
5,000 Staff Renew Commitment to Mission: Proclaiming Jesus Christ
New Logo Points to the Cross
ORLANDO, Fla., July 22, 2011 – Staff members gathered in Ft. Collins, Colorado, this week for the biennial U.S. Staff Conference of Campus Crusade for Christ were introduced to a new name for the U.S. – Cru – and at the same time reaffirmed their commitment to proclaiming the name and love of Jesus Christ around the world. Since the mid-1990s Cru has been used as the organization’s name for many of our U.S. campus ministries, and is now used on the majority of our campuses.The ministry also introduced a new logo, dominated by a cross above the name Cru. Steve Sellers, vice president for the U.S. explained that the inclusion of the symbol of the cross was critical to accepting the new name. “Just as our new name, Cru, visually points to the cross, everything we do as a ministry is intended to point others to the cross of Jesus Christ.”
“Anyone who knows anything about Campus Crusade for Christ knows we are passionate about one thing – connecting people to Jesus Christ,” noted president Steve Douglass. “In fact, we only exist for the purpose of helping people everywhere experience the transforming grace and forgiveness of the gospel through God’s Son, Jesus Christ.”
Steve Sellers, responding to a few media reports suggesting the ministry had changed its mission in the process of changing its name said “it is not our name that makes us a Christian organization – after all, a majority of well-known Christian organizations have nothing in their name identifying them as Christian. It is our mission which makes us Christian and our mission is a bold one, namely the fulfillment of Jesus Christ’s command to 'Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.’”
“Whether our ministry to Athletes, Athletes in Action, our ministry to families, FamilyLife, our JESUS film ministry or any of our 29 ministries, everything we do is intentionally designed to introduce people to the person of Jesus Christ. Consistent with Christ’s command, the JESUS film is the most translated film in history, resulting in well over 6 billion exposures to the gospel in 1,129 languages.”
The decision to expand the use of the name Cru from the campus ministries to the entire U.S. ministry is the result of a two-year study and process involving hundreds of staff members, thousands of interviews, and a list of 1,600 potential names. Sellers emphasized that the objective of the name is to “accomplish a greater level of effectiveness in ministry, and we believe Cru achieves that.” The transition to the new name will take place over the next year.
Campus Crusade for Christ is a worldwide, interdenominational Christian evangelism and discipleship organization, founded by Bill and Vonette Bright in 1951. Since its founding, Campus Crusade has become one of the largest Christian organizations in the world, served by more than 25,000 full and part-time team members in 191 countries around the world through 29 different ministries.
For more information, visit ccci.org
Saturday, July 9, 2011
The Field is ripe for the harvest!
I "Rob" just got home from Iowa. I had the opportunity to talk with people about AIA Wrestling & our ministry with them! I had so many great conversations & God orchestrated experiences during my time there, so I couldn’t pass up the chance to share them with you!I recently read an article where Iowa wrestler, Matt McDonough, talks about the wrestling culture in the state of Iowa. He says, “If you grow up in Iowa, you almost certainly know at least something about wrestling. !similar to" how you don't need to have farmed to be familiar with the crop cycles. Wrestling is just part of life around you.” So as you can probably guess, I was eager to meet with coaches, wrestlers, & anyone who wanted to talk wrestling! What I didn’t know was how God would amaze me with all He had planned.
The University of Iowa is the county’s most storied program. The Iowa Hawkeyes, under Dan Gable’s tenure as coach, won an unprecedented 21 straight Big 10 titles and 15 out of 21 NCAA titles including 9 straight. One surprise God had for me was a ticket to Coach Gable’s retirement banquet !and to think I would have totally missed it had I gone the week earlier, as planned". The opening prayer was lead by former Hawkeye Brooks Simpson now a pastor in the Iowa City Area. I was once again reminded of the amazing number of wrestlers who have a relationship with Jesus & how God is at work in & through wrestling!
While in Iowa, I was also able to take in two practices at UI. The first day Head Coach Tom Brands started the practice telling the wrestlers about a famous old “best seller” !Bible" that he had been reading that day. He included a few of the lessons that he had been
learning from reading it. The second workout I was able to watch, he gathered his wrestlers around him before practice and asked if anyone knew what the “best seller” he was referring to was. One wrestler responded that it sounded like the Bible. “You’re Right!” Coach Brands said. He went on to explain how the Bible talks about “if you have faith as small as mustard seed you can move mountains! Now lets go have a dang good practice!”
After practice, I asked him if I could talk to a few wrestlers and he said, “Talk to all of them if you’d like!” What an open door! I went to dinner with Ryan Morningstar and his girlfriend Sarah. Ryan is currently ranked 4th on the USA Olympic Ladder. In 2010 he helped lead Iowa to the NCAA title. That year he su#ered a devastating knee injury & amazed many by wrestling on a torn MCL and PCL, finishing 7th in the country. Ryan didn’t let his injuries define him or discourage him. In talking with him, he said he knew his faith would carry him through. Not only his faith in his training but his faith in the Lord. Many people would be bitter about being injured & not being able to finish their career on top, but not Ryan. The next year a teammate of his also severely injured his knee. His teammate was given an 8 month recovery. Ryan saw this as a great chance to invite his teammate to church & Iowa’s AIA Bible study. During this time his teammate committed his life to Christ. His recovery time miraculously was cut in half & he openly gives God the credit!
It is exciting to see the next generation of wrestlers strong in their faith and competing for the Lord! Please pray for Ryan and the others as they compete to represent the United States at the World Championships.
On my way out of Iowa I had the chance to stop by WIN Magazine the ‘Sports Illustrated’ of wrestling, to talk with their editor. I found out he is also a believer! Through this trip God has a!rmed, inspired, encouraged, & energized me!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
World Team Trials
Micah Burak of Athletes in Action went 2-2 at the world team trails. Micah was one of the youngest competitors in the tournament. Congrats and great job!
Also...
U.S. World Team Trials in Oklahoma City:
Friday’s first session: Ex-Hawkeye Mike Zadick’s bid for a fifth World Team Trials freestyle title came to an end in the challenge tournament 132-pound semifinals against Coleman Scott. The former national champion for Oklahoma State turned a low-level attack into a 3-point move in the third period to beat Zadick 2-0, 0-2, 3-0.
Zadick, a 2006 World silver medalist and 2008 Olympian, won trials titles four of the last five years at the weight class.
Scott beat former Cyclone Nick Fanthorpe in the quarterfinals. Zadick finished fourth.
At 163 pounds, Council Bluffs native and Iowa State 2007 NCAA champion Trent Paulson, a trials champion in 2009, fell to former Missouri all-American Nick Marable in the challenge tournament semifinals. Paulson came back to pin ex-Hawkeye Ryan Morningstar and beat veteran Kirk White for third.
After falling to 2011 NCAA runner-up Tyler Caldwell in the first round, Morningstar won three matches before running into Paulson.
Luke Lofthouse, who finished his Iowa career with an all-America season in 2011, came back to win three matches at 211 pounds after a first-round loss to Chad Hanke.
Saturday: The 2010 trials champion Brent Metcalf was set to compete Saturday. Metcalf, a two-time NCAA champion for the Hawkeyes, will participate in the challenge tournament at 1451/2 pounds. Metcalf lost to top-seeded Teyon Ware at the U.S. Open and finished third.
Also...
U.S. World Team Trials in Oklahoma City:
Friday’s first session: Ex-Hawkeye Mike Zadick’s bid for a fifth World Team Trials freestyle title came to an end in the challenge tournament 132-pound semifinals against Coleman Scott. The former national champion for Oklahoma State turned a low-level attack into a 3-point move in the third period to beat Zadick 2-0, 0-2, 3-0.
Zadick, a 2006 World silver medalist and 2008 Olympian, won trials titles four of the last five years at the weight class.
Scott beat former Cyclone Nick Fanthorpe in the quarterfinals. Zadick finished fourth.
At 163 pounds, Council Bluffs native and Iowa State 2007 NCAA champion Trent Paulson, a trials champion in 2009, fell to former Missouri all-American Nick Marable in the challenge tournament semifinals. Paulson came back to pin ex-Hawkeye Ryan Morningstar and beat veteran Kirk White for third.
After falling to 2011 NCAA runner-up Tyler Caldwell in the first round, Morningstar won three matches before running into Paulson.
Luke Lofthouse, who finished his Iowa career with an all-America season in 2011, came back to win three matches at 211 pounds after a first-round loss to Chad Hanke.
Saturday: The 2010 trials champion Brent Metcalf was set to compete Saturday. Metcalf, a two-time NCAA champion for the Hawkeyes, will participate in the challenge tournament at 1451/2 pounds. Metcalf lost to top-seeded Teyon Ware at the U.S. Open and finished third.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Catching up with Former Hawkeye Brooks Simpson
Brooks Simpson hears about his big moment in Iowa wrestling lore quite a bit. Take a recent Johnston County I-Club meeting, where the all-American-turned-preacher led a prayer.
Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz was there, too. “He turned and said, ‘I was at that wrestling match against Iowa State in 1988, and it was the single greatest sporting event I’ve seen in Iowa City,’” Simpson recalled.
In case you’re not familiar: Top-ranked Iowa State was visiting No. 4 Iowa on Jan. 16, 1988, and the Cyclones were threatening the Hawkeyes’ 43-match home winning streak. Iowa State had a big lead and defending NCAA champion Eric Voelker up against Simpson, a sophomore, at 190 pounds. Simpson fell behind 6-1 but pinned Voelker at 4:46 for a momentum-shifting win. Iowa took the match 22-15.
Simpson went on to win a Big Ten Conference title in 1990 and now is the preaching pastor at Grace Community Church in North Liberty, where he lives with his wife and two children.
How did you get into preaching?
I had never been to church in my life until my third year at Iowa. I started coming to church, the same one (three-time national champion Hawkeye wrestler) Barry Davis attended. I eventually became a Christian. Out of school, I was a teacher – taught science, chemistry and physics – and coach. ... I love to teach and coach, but the coaching I do now – I look at it this way: I teach people how to wrestle with real life issues.
Are you still involved with wrestling?
I still go to the meets when they’re in Iowa City. But this is a young man’s sport. I’d just end up getting hurt. My insurance doesn’t cover stupidity.
What do you think of current coach Tom Brands, who you went to school with?
I think Tom is doing a phenominal job. Tom has one speed, and it’s intense and it’s all the time. I’m proud of Tommy, I think he’s doing a great job. He’s a great ambassador for the sport
Do any of your parishioners remember or talk about your wrestling days?
I get that all the time. A lot of people that are my age or older, they remember back in the day. It’s a cult sport with a tight fanbase. The fans know the sport. We have wrestlers who attend the church, too. It’s a great wrestling town. They wrestle here, they stay here.
Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz was there, too. “He turned and said, ‘I was at that wrestling match against Iowa State in 1988, and it was the single greatest sporting event I’ve seen in Iowa City,’” Simpson recalled.
In case you’re not familiar: Top-ranked Iowa State was visiting No. 4 Iowa on Jan. 16, 1988, and the Cyclones were threatening the Hawkeyes’ 43-match home winning streak. Iowa State had a big lead and defending NCAA champion Eric Voelker up against Simpson, a sophomore, at 190 pounds. Simpson fell behind 6-1 but pinned Voelker at 4:46 for a momentum-shifting win. Iowa took the match 22-15.
Simpson went on to win a Big Ten Conference title in 1990 and now is the preaching pastor at Grace Community Church in North Liberty, where he lives with his wife and two children.
How did you get into preaching?
I had never been to church in my life until my third year at Iowa. I started coming to church, the same one (three-time national champion Hawkeye wrestler) Barry Davis attended. I eventually became a Christian. Out of school, I was a teacher – taught science, chemistry and physics – and coach. ... I love to teach and coach, but the coaching I do now – I look at it this way: I teach people how to wrestle with real life issues.
Are you still involved with wrestling?
I still go to the meets when they’re in Iowa City. But this is a young man’s sport. I’d just end up getting hurt. My insurance doesn’t cover stupidity.
What do you think of current coach Tom Brands, who you went to school with?
I think Tom is doing a phenominal job. Tom has one speed, and it’s intense and it’s all the time. I’m proud of Tommy, I think he’s doing a great job. He’s a great ambassador for the sport
Do any of your parishioners remember or talk about your wrestling days?
I get that all the time. A lot of people that are my age or older, they remember back in the day. It’s a cult sport with a tight fanbase. The fans know the sport. We have wrestlers who attend the church, too. It’s a great wrestling town. They wrestle here, they stay here.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Wrestling and Iran
From themat.com
It might be an understament to label relations between the U.S. and Iran as "tense." But one place the relationship is strong is in the sport of wrestling.
More evidence of the ties between the U.S. and Iran's relationship in wrestling comes from the Olympic Training Center this week, where several Iranian coaches and wrestlers are training in Colorado Springs along side the resident athletes.
Led by head coach and four-time World Medalist Gholam Mohammadi, several Iranians are making their first trip to the U.S.
Mohammadi, with Mo Kaveh as an interpreter, talks about the training in Colorado Springs while Zeke Jones adds his own personal touch.
Watch the interview below.
An exciting opportunity wrestling has to reach the people of the world!
It might be an understament to label relations between the U.S. and Iran as "tense." But one place the relationship is strong is in the sport of wrestling.
More evidence of the ties between the U.S. and Iran's relationship in wrestling comes from the Olympic Training Center this week, where several Iranian coaches and wrestlers are training in Colorado Springs along side the resident athletes.
Led by head coach and four-time World Medalist Gholam Mohammadi, several Iranians are making their first trip to the U.S.
Mohammadi, with Mo Kaveh as an interpreter, talks about the training in Colorado Springs while Zeke Jones adds his own personal touch.
Watch the interview below.
An exciting opportunity wrestling has to reach the people of the world!
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