Merry Christmas from UNC!!
I hope you all have a wonderful time celebrating the birth of our Savior. I wanted to send a short update before the new year. Ministry on campus this semester had both rewards and challenges. The greatest rewards were witnessing several students that I met with weekly, understand and grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. Over the course of the semester I met weekly with two students, Mark, a junior, and Patrick, a senior. During these times, we would study a passage of scripture, pray and discuss a book together. I saw them both grasp greater understanding of the gospel, the implications of how they were to live because of the gospel.
In addition to meeting with Patrick and Mark, I also met with Griffin, a freshman guy that I met on move in day. For the first few months of the semester he studied hard and rarely had free time. I was praying for opportunities to meet with him. In early October, he picked up a copy of the book, Taking God at His Word, by Kevin DeYoung, that one of his suitemates owned. I was enabled to engage with him over the topic of this book and we met together about a week later. I was able to share the gospel with Griffin and while he did not repent at that time, he did want to meet with me twice a week for the rest of the semester and the spring semester as well to discuss the gospel and learn more about Jesus. We began meeting twice a week, studying through Mark’s Gospel. He has come to understand much about Jesus but has yet turned in faith to him. Praying for his salvation is of utmost importance.
A few of the challenges this semester have been getting to know the campus, the type of students, study habits of the typical while also doing ministry. Learning all of that while doing ministry led to long evenings and many learning experiences of the best ways in which to meet and build friendships with students in order to share the gospel with them. I often did this through meals and sporting events.
I am looking forward to the spring as I continue to lead and invest in Mark and Patrick and teach Griffin more about Jesus. Furthermore, there are several other students whom I am looking to invest in and Lord willing develop and see grow in grace. Three of those guys are Stenn, Rob and JT.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s. Please pray for these students as I continue to invest in them, that they would grow in their understanding of the grace of Christ. Pray for me that I would be able to build relationships with more students, and share the gospel more effectively through the power of the Holy Spirit.
A few of the challenges this semester have been getting to know the campus, the type of students, study habits of the typical while also doing ministry. Learning all of that while doing ministry led to long evenings and many learning experiences of the best ways in which to meet and build friendships with students in order to share the gospel with them. I often did this through meals and sporting events.
I am looking forward to the spring as I continue to lead and invest in Mark and Patrick and teach Griffin more about Jesus. Furthermore, there are several other students whom I am looking to invest in and Lord willing develop and see grow in grace. Three of those guys are Stenn, Rob and JT.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s. Please pray for these students as I continue to invest in them, that they would grow in their understanding of the grace of Christ. Pray for me that I would be able to build relationships with more students, and share the gospel more effectively through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Mason Carpenter 