It's a Party at the UT-K...

So yes...large group "numero uno" has come and gone. Hard to believe! It was kind of whirlwind, but you know what? It was awesome. We had a great turnout, and I was able to meet a lot of people.

As you'll see in the diagram, we have an awesome location for our large group meetings. No, unfortunately, they don't let us use Neyland Stadium. (We did have a great turnout, but 106,800-ish empty seats might have been a little discouraging.) However, we meet right next door in the Alumni Memorial Building. It's a great

venue for the meetings, and it was a packed house!

You might have been able to tell from my last post that I was a little anxious about large group. Any transition like this can be stressful, but going from a large group at Samford that averages around 70-80 to one that averages a little more than 200 was making my stomach twist itself into knots. Of course, this was me focusing more on myself and my shortcomings than on Christ and His promises and power in my weakness.

Okay...pardon the pop culture reference here...not sure if this is appropriate, but I definitely had a Miley Cyrus moment there in large group on Tuesday night. I walked in, and my "tummy was turnin'" and I was "feelin' kinda homesick." You know..."too much pressure and I'm nervous?" Then the worship team started playing the guitar, and that Indelible Grace song was on. "Come Ye Sinners," to be specific...a song we used all the time at Samford RUF. Then "the butterflies flew away," I "knew I was going to be okay," and it was a Party at the UT-K. However, lest you be concerned, I was certainly not "moving my hips like yeah."

I could continue the analogy...such as how it was "not a Nashville party" (or was it?), and how I obviously didn't get the "memo" about the Chacos. BUT...that would be pushing it.

If you have no idea what just happened...don't worry about it. Please. Don't. ;-)

Needless to say, I know it was not the familiar music that made me feel at home, but rather the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart through the worship and telling me that even though I was in a completely different setting with a lot more people, I was right where He wanted me to be. As obvious as this sounds, we were worshiping the same God, hearing the same Word, and on the same mission. I might have come in feeling lost and overwhelmed, but I left knowing I was at home.

There are still many many adjustments ahead, and I still have so much to learn and more areas needing growth and maturing than I'd care to admit. But I know the same God who brought me here to Tennessee will give me what I need these next two years. I'm not called to have all the answers or to know exactly what I'm doing...I'm called to follow Christ and point others to Him. That's our mission everywhere...Samford, UT...anywhere and everywhere.

Prayer. That's what I really need right now...and

here are some ways you can pray:

1.) Pray for the Freshmen! Classes started on Wednesday, and any of you who have been in that position know how crazy these first few days can be. Pray that God will give them peace and that they will look to Him for their strength, whether things are going great or awful.

2.) Pray for all the students at UT! In addition to freshmen, all the UT students are getting back into the swing of things. Each new year brings it's own set of new challenges...especially for the seniors as "the real world" is approaching rapidly, maybe more rapidly than they'd prefer. Goodness I know that feeling. Pray that God will continue working in the hearts of UT students and that those involved in RUF can be a light on the campus, truly demonstrating His love.

3.) Pray for the staff! Please keep campus minister Brent Harriman in your prayers as he oversees the ministry, preaches the Word, and ministers to students. Also keep his family in your prayers as well. Also pray for us interns as we begin meeting with students. Pray that I will not be tempted to give them Stephen Moss, but that I will point them to Christ, the Redeemer.

Ultimately, pray that everything that we do in Tennessee RUF will be characterized by the gospel. We don't want to be a ministry that centers on the cleverness of man or the world's strategies for success. By God's grace, we desire that everything we do (large group, small groups, 1-on-1 meetings, events, even ultimate frisbee tomorrow) will be characterized by the radical, life transforming gospel message that Christ died to save us when we were dead in our sins, and now we are called to live every moment of our lives for His glory, and we're called to do that in community.

So yes, the first weekly Ultimate Frisbee Friday will be tomorrow. I would also appreciate prayers on that front. Some of you may know that my lowest grade in college was a C in Flying Disc Sports. (you think I'm joking.) I'm not praying for some kind of miraculous skills here...but avoiding an epic failure would be nice. Ha. Of course, maybe I need a little good ol' fashioned humiliation. ;-) Kidding...sort of.

I appreciate all of your prayers, encouragement, and financial support. I also appreciate you following this blog, and again, I apologize for the Miley Cyrus reference. It was low-hanging fruit, I couldn't pass it up. ha!

Resting in Him,

Stephen