Oklahoma Christian University’s newsletter The Good News recently profiled Vintage Christian Fellowship – an Arizona campus ministry headed up by Tyler Ellis.
I initially met Tyler at the 2008 Campus Ministry United Workshop held at Harding University, but had heard good things about him before that from my friend and former professor Flavil Yeakley.
Tyler has done good work in his ministry and the Lord has blessed it. I’ve personally benefited from his expertise surrounding the realm of international student ministry, and believe he could serve as a good resource person for others in the field.
If you’re interested at all in campus ministry, you ought to read the story profiling Vintage Christian Fellowship here: Campus Program in Arizona Reaches Many
Keep up the good work, Tyler – your heart for reaching students is encouraging!
Tags: church of christ, fred casmir, i-witness, northern arizona church of christ, terry haynie, tyler ellis, vintage fellowship
Thanks Wes,
It is an honor to have God’s power rest upon such a “weak” individual as I (2 Cor. 12:9-10).
I still have so much to learn. I think about the 45 students who have come to Christ in the last five years at NAU, and only wish they were ALL still thriving and reproducing followers of Christ. Some of them are, and it is a thrill to see. It’s especially awesome when there are “third generation” Christians being “born.”
However, each heart is different, and though I try to help students grow, inevitably there are those whose “soil” are not ones to bear the kind of fruit God desires.
I’ve been told I have the “Messiah Complex”, when I take upon myself the responsibility to save the world. On my phone, I have a note called “Students I’ve Lost,” with a growing list of students who have come and gone through our ministry who never did cross the line of faith in acknowledging the lordship of Christ and him as Savior. It reminds me to pray. It reminds me to be intentional, to live with urgency and to not give up. Oh, to live with a constant eternal perspective!
God’s Peace,
Ty
I’ve had several go their own way too, and it never gets any easier. What’s encouraging is that several have come back – many without any prompting from me. What we don’t see is what God is doing behind the scenes in people’s hearts … sometimes I feel like I’m simply planting a seed that someone else will water later, and I’ve found that’s been true with many.
Keep up the good work brother!
God bless Tyler and Jennifer and this ministry :} Wow! Sounds and looks awesome. Keep aiming to make disciples.
Campus ministry is a growing passion of mine also. God bless this work all over the US and the world.
Zack
http://zackblaisdell.wordpress.com