2008 Staff Conference

Combatting Pharisee-ism. I'm not sure if that is a word, but it's our topic for this year's staff training. So far the talks have been good, with Dave Johnson kicking us off. I'll update you as we go along. Pray for the Spirit to speak to us and give us insight, repentance, and humility to change where we tend to be Pharisaical. We are staying at East Tennessee State University this week. The campus is nice, but I'm still glad I went to good ole' University of Georgia. ;)

Pray for us this week, if you would. This week is always significant and pivotal to our ministry. Pray for God to encourage us and direct the work of our hands. There is so much going on within WDA's ministry currently-- curriculum writing, continued ministry at our work sites, many churches and ministries asking for training- both internationally and nationally. We need divine discernment and direction. Having all of our staff together each year is a breeding site for brainstorming and decision-making, so we covet your prayers.
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I love hearing about what God is doing around the world through our tiny organization. This morning a report was given about going-ons in Africa. We have WDA associate staff in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda and a partnership-opportunity in Ethiopia that would impact 6 million believers. Kenya has been an under a heavy civil war and "ethnic cleansing", desplacing thousands upon thousands and killing many. 2,000 internally displaced persons made there way to a camp set up by Clapperton, one of a our staff members. In this camp, tribes from both sides of the conflict live in peace together and God provides for their needs daily-- both things are nothing short of a miracle. Many have become believers and are being discipled in the midst of war and devastation. We are seeing that the Lord's arm is not too short to save and provide miraculous protection and provision. (Can I get an "Amen"?)

The official message going out about Kenya is that the camps have been closed and everyone has gone home (giving the appearance that the trouble is over.) That is not true. The government camps were closed and the people were left without resources. Pray for the churches to minister in the Lord's name, in His power and ways. Pray for provision for our guys' folks, as well as a powerful work of forgiveness and reconciliation to come out of this, in the long run.

The numbers at the camps in Bungoma have not gone down much. The bill at the market, to buy food and necessities, is up to $2,000 and not as much has been given lately. Pray that those with resources to help would not suffer "compassion fatigue" and continue to be generous and ready to help. The short-term needs are still for food an clothing. The long-term needs are for resources to start micro-businesses and farming to get people back on their feet.

In other news, we are starting a new project. During lunch today we sat around discussing a booklet WDA would like to publish... "How to Live the Christian Life". We are invisioning a long research paper of sorts with lots of go-to-resources (our own and others) in the footnotes. Pray for God's direction; should be a really insightful project-- but a significant undertaking . Someone commented today that Mark Twain once said "If I had more time, would have written you a shorter letter." Sometimes it's more challenging to do a good job condensing something than writing all their is to know on a subject. I think some of our staff feel Twain's sentiment as they tackle significant doctrines and practices, putting them both in laymen terms and short length. Pray for God to lead us.
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I'll be back in Athens on Saturday and visiting supporters for about 3 weeks straight. (Then I'm off to Chicago!) I'm looking forward to visiting with many of you face-to-face before I leave. Hope you all are well!

Thanks for praying for us this week! Abundant love in Christ!

What is a head

Come back soon for details of the summer and future plans of moving to Chicago. Adventures await us!!

The last of things.

Tuesday, we gathered at a pavilion to share one more meal together-- "the end of everything" picnic. It was a sweet time.

Looking back at the last 3 years, I am overwhelmed at all God has done in our ministry and taught me personally. I highly doubt there is any experience that could compare to working with WDA the last few years-- God's ways are very wise and good. I would not have grown in some key areas if I had been anywhere else.

The thoguht of leaving the biblical fellowship and intentional discipleship found in this body, a staff team that though aren't perfect walk in integrity and love, a city of believers who pray for revival, a church that loves to proclaim the gospel, and friends that genuinely seek after Christ's rule in life is an unnerving one.

This is most certainly a bittersweet time-- I am savoring the goodness of God to place me in a ministry and church that raises the bar high in Christ-centered living and reflection. I am reviling in past events-- not to sit and dwell for contemplation sake, but to marvel at the kindness and wisdom of God. He has done great things. In the midst of a weighty sadness, I place my hope in that he is a God that will continue to do great things.

I do not know what lessons or people await me in Deerfield, but know God has given me more than I ever expected ministering in Athens... and know that he will continue to surprise me. But for now, I am pausing to praise Jesus for all that he has done, for all that he has changed in me, and for how he has prepared me for the future works he has ordained.

Admittedly, I look forward to his return when I'll no longer have to say goodbye. When we'll glory in God, together, having never to depart.

Your role, my dear reader, has not been a passive one. For that, I am thankful. You have played a significant part in all of this... supporting me with prayer, finances, and verbal encouragement. I thank you with all my heart. You've ministered with me and joined God's great cause of revealing himself to the Church and to the world. I deeply value your partnership, friendship, and love... And look forward to our journey ahead!

Spring Retreat

Hello all!

Please pray for us this weekend. The Journey is taking a local retreat this weekend to Sandy Creek Park-- going hiking, playing in boats, throwing the Frisbee around, worshiping, roasting s'mores, and learning from the Word. Should be a good time. We're bringing a friend down to teach-- we'll be studying Daniel together. Pray that it would be a fruitful time and that students would come.

Thanks!! I'll post some pics when we return!

the long lost blog...

Hello all!

Wow! It’s been a while, I know. Thanks for checking in occasionally to see if I've posted anything-- sorry if you've been disappointed the last few months. Most of you know by now there are some pretty significant shifts happening with WDA currently... after a couple of months of prayer and conversation... I can let you in on the news. Again, sorry for the long absence. But have no fear; this is where I'll continue to update you, so keep checking in. New posts are coming!

So the changes within WDA... effect me personally and our ministry in Athens. What's going on you ask? Snuggle up and let me give you a history lesson first. ;) ...and we'll work our way through the nitty-gritty details, together.

WDA started in 1974 and its calling was to be a discipleship ministry. It seemed obvious to everyone in the beginning that the best place to pursue this endeavor was on the college campus. However, collegiate ministry is not all that WDA has done. Through the years, God has grown WDA in different ways. We have a thriving international ministry: we support and train indigenous church leaders, seminary students, and lay leaders in churches located in Asia, Africa, and South America. WDA staff members help these international leaders implement biblical disciple building into the life of their churches. Ans these churches are having a great impact on their perspective communities. Stateside, we are seeing more and more American churches become interested in our philosophy of ministry and our materials. Requests for consultation with local churches who want to implement biblical disciple building are on the rise. It is an encouraging time as God is leading us into new ministry tactics and we are seeing that our philosophy of disciple building really works in the context of church life.

A year ago, our Athens team felt that one of these new strategies was to remain a campus ministry while building strategic partnerships with local churches--training their lay people in biblical discipleship and plugging students back into the fabric of local churches. Well, as you know, scripture tells us that “a man may plan his way, but God directs his steps”. Fast forward 12 months and we feel God has unfolded this plan a bit more, but the outcome has surprised us.

WDA realized several years ago that God was transitioning us into a new and different organization. We envisioned moving from a small classic campus ministry to a worldwide discipleship association focused on “serving the church by training people to disciple others”. We are now at the mid-point. We’ve come too far to turn back, but we haven’t yet fully arrived at our destination.

In the last 15 years, our ministries at FSU, Georgia Tech, Furman, and Auburn have closed their doors as WDA staff have moved into other seasons of life and ministry. Though it’s been hard, we’ve been reminded by the Lord that His calling on WDA has always been to be a discipleship ministry and not a campus ministry. And as we move into the 21^st Century, God seems to be showing us that the classic approach to campus ministry is not the calling He has for us. In May of 2008, WDA’s UGA ministry will join the ranks of those that have gone on before, and close up shop in Athens.

These developments demand asking the question: “Is God shutting the doors of WDA, or is He simply moving us to a new arena of service and employing a new methodology?” Our Athens staff team has been wrestling with this question, but we are taking a faith-stand on the goodness and sovereignty of God, and also on the calling and commission of WDA. We are certain that the task before us remains the same; however, we’re seeing a new tactic for a new season of ministry, and believe the timing is now. The Lord is certainly not shutting us down, but creating a different arena to serve within. It seems to me that God is restructuring WDA—or giving us new wine skins—releasing us from the “classic campus ministry” construct and making us a church-planting and training movement. While we aren’t ready to abandon all of our old ministry structures, God is calling each of our Athens staff members to a more strategic place of ministry within WDA and to trust him as we step out in faith.

As for me, I will be attending Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, this coming fall. I am excited about the opportunities seminary brings and about my program specifically-- Counseling Psychology. I believe this training will prepare me for the opportunities God is bringing about in WDA's ministry. My hope and plan is to return to a WDA worksite ministry once I finish up school. I'm hoping the worksite will be a WDA partnership church with a strong focus on evangelism and biblical discipleship. It'd be nice to come back with a husband too, so you can pray for all my plans! Haha! But seriously, I'd like to ask you to do 2 things:

* Pray for me! I desperately need to hear from the Lord and walk by faith with him.

* Please continue to support me financially. Please continue your normal giving or above if you feel so led! I will have even more financial responsibilities when I enroll in school. My hope is to graduate debt free or with a very minimal loan, so that I may be free to do whatever it is that God calls me to after I complete my studies. I will still be on staff with WDA throughout my enrollment with Trinity, so the mode of giving will remain the same. Give through WDA, so it's tax deductible for you!

If this news is new to you, I do not want you to be discouraged! Please know what an incredible impact you have made in Athens through your giving, prayer, and service. Your labor has not been in vain. I believe, your investment will continue to grow as God gives WDA new ministry tactics to take the message of Jesus to the world. You’ve seen the accounts of changed lives, and I want you to know that you have played a significant role in that work. You have partnered with the Spirit to call the lost to Jesus and believers to Christlike conformity. Each one of you has had a hand in bearing this fruit by the Spirit. Do not be discouraged at the news of this transition-- John 12:24-26 says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life will lose it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him also."

The past years have been a fruitful season of ministry and that makes it difficult to leave-- surrendering a great local ministry to death. But I believe as we submit to God's direction, he will create an even greater kingdom impact through WDA. And though the idea of closing our collegiate ministry in Athens has been frightening and confusing at times, we desire to be where God is and go where he says-- no matter what the cost. I trust, that is your heart as well and believe God will honor that obedience and faith.

"Thanks" does not express the level of my gratitude for all that you've sacrificed so that the Kingdom of God would grow here in Athens. But THANK YOU for all that you have done in the past and THANK YOU for committing to walk with me in what is to come. I am excited for what the Lord has for you and me in the future! Let’s not grow weary in doing good and continue to labor together.

To God be all the Glory forever and ever! Amen!

(If you have any questions or concerns because you are hearing this for the first time, please don't hesitate to email me at beccakristenbrown@gmail.com. I'd be so happy to talk with you and express all that God has done in greater detail! Thanks again and take care!)