Jayson & Carrie Whelpley

Off and Running!

Thank God for more staff workers in DC this year, because things are happening here! After some long, sweaty afternoons manning signup tables on the quad, giving free stuff to freshman and exploring their beliefs with photo surveys, we rounded the troops for our 2008 Kickoff, a cookout at our staff bachelor pad. Thanks to rain from Hurricane Hannah, one imploding/exploding grill, and 25 students from 6 campuses, 9 states, and 9 countries, needless to say, it was a memorable evening!

In my opinion, Friday’s biggest win was the wide spectrum of beliefs represented, and the relationships that have sprouted in spite of it. I think of Lee & JuWon, two sweet South Korean students with no faith background from American U. who nodded off during the content that night, but have since then developed a curiosity about the Bible and have been huddling around our staff every Monday to study the book of John.

I also think of Emily who Jayson and I met last year through a photo survey, who brought two roommates whose faith is nominal at best. Having met them before, I couldn’t help but wonder what they thought when one of our staff shared a bit of his hopes for the year in light of what Jesus has accomplished. Before the weekend was over, though, I had an inquiry from Emily on behalf of one friend requesting details for Sunday church, which they have attended and raved about for the past 3 weekends.

And I think of Wade one of our most willing leaders from last year, a sophomore this year at George Washington U., who just this past Wednesday, after a year of praying for revival on his campus, led DC Cru’s first totally student-initiated Bible study. Involved in the discussion about the identity of Jesus were seven students, some who would call themselves Christians, some who probably wouldn’t, including Emily’s roommate.

DC Turning a Corner…

For those of you who drive, you know the feeling of turning a corner — how going into the turn requires extra caution and harder braking, and how there is a point in the middle of the turn where something shifts and even though you can’t see the straight stretch quite yet, you can accelerate again. To make a long story shorter, one of our longstanding prayers and cautions has been that God would give us the humility to be team players in this city, even servants — ones who help diffuse what can often (legitimately) be the biggest turnoff to faith: arrogance, competition, and division among the body of Christ, including his ministers.

As the year begins, I see much evidence that God is honoring this prayer in spite of us – not only among our students (whose vast differences would give them ample excuse for mistrust), but among those leading them. As God has given us with some great friendships with other ministry staff and key people, please continue to pray with us that this would be a year that the reputation of Jesus Christ is elevated in this city far about our individual “flags”, that this would be a year that we see Him bridge differences and turn the corner!

As we get back to where God has called us for this period, there are constantly ideas and possibilities for what God could be calling us to in Pray that in the mean time we would follow Him closely and trust in His wisdom and love.

Grace & Peace,
Carrie & Jayson

Please pray for:

• Bowie State University — One of the primary schools on our “prayer radar,” a historically African-American campus where we’ve partnered with another group and prayed for opportunities to serve the frat scene. God has opened some interesting doors, pray that we would continue to see things happen there!
• Our staff team – While most of us know each other already, a “honeymoon” period would be unlikely. So far, so good – pray that we would continue to keep short accounts with God and each other, communicate well, work hard, play hard, and rest!

Download the original PDF here.

Hey prayer friends. I know it’s been quite a few weeks since you all heard from us, but it’s for good reason – the semester has started and with it two (or three) 50+ hour work weeks.

Today, as the world remembers the tragedies of seven years ago, I wanted to share two things about this city – one about its culture and one brief bit about its influence on the world.

First, I wanted to share a link to an interview that our pastor, Mark Batterson, did with the magazine Leadership Journal. In it he talks aboput the culture of Washington and the ways that it affects ministry here; he also, in a single sentence captures what we’re trying to do with our ministry to the colleges and universities here:

We want… to be a safe place to hear a dangerous message.

Exactly! The message of the Gospel is a message that can turn the world upside down, it is the message of real revolution which Mark captures as well because the in next phrase he says, “and it’s not a political message.” Please pray that we would create groups, movements and communities on our campuses where people can hear the earth-shaking message of salvation through faith in Christ by grace alone!

When Carrie and I moved here to work on DC campuses we posted a list of influential people that went to school in the DC Metro area. Last night we discovered one more – L. Ron Hubbard. If you don’t know, Hubbard is the founder of the cult “church” of Scientology that has been made popular by Tom Cruise and John Trovolta. I’m not going to spend my time talking about it – you can read the Wikipedia article on it here – but I just wanted to point out that Hubbard was a George Washington University student who dropped out his Junior year – this is why we are reaching these students and this is why we focus on Freshmen. You never know who the person you’re talking to will turn out to be!

Pray for us as we spend hours and hours on campus that we would be faithful to start conversations that would be opportunities to share the dangerous message of Jesus Christ!