10 Jun Welcome to Summer LINK Clemson!
Overview of the Summer
This week, we kicked off our first week of Summer LINK Clemson! As interns at Crosspoint this summer, we have the opportunity of coming alongside the staff and helping to carry out Crosspoint?s mission of making disciples of all people for God?s glory. In doing so, each of us is interning in a specific ministry or ministries, including youth, kids, college, international, local outreach, music, administration, first impressions, graphics and media. We will work under our ministry supervisors throughout the summer to engage our church body and to reach the Clemson community with the good news of Jesus Christ.
Throughout the summer, we will be working our way through Ephesians as a group in Bible study and in one-on-one discipleship with a mentor. We will also spend time in the homes of Crosspoint staff members and discuss the book What Is A Healthy Church Member? ?Additionally, we have the unique opportunity of spending a week in Boston, serving our church partnership and the community there, and then finishing with the Send Conference in Nashville. I think I can speak on behalf of all summer linkers in saying that we are so excited for what the summer will hold!
Why I Chose Summer LINK
When considering how to spend my time this summer, the Lord inevitably led me to Summer LINK over and over. I could spend a long time talking about why I specifically chose Clemson, but I think the best way to sum it up is that it was an opportunity for me to dig in deeper where I already am, in my local church body. This is significant because the projects I work on and the relationships I make will not cease in August. As a college student, my life is already pretty transient, so serving with a church where my mission can continue throughout the year enables me to take advantage of the years I have here in Clemson for the gospel. Specifically, I have the great opportunity of working in college and international ministry, and as I meet students throughout the summer and minister to them, I can easily maintain those relationships longer term.
Another key factor in my decision was that summer LINK is a part of the church I am a member of. Therefore, I already know the mission and vision of the program as a whole. I also know that the mentoring I receive will come from members of my church, so I know that they hold to the doctrine and covenant of Crosspoint, which is based on scriptural truth. Additionally, I will be able to get to know members of our church better and continue relationships with them throughout the year. Overall, I think summer LINK Clemson offered the unique opportunity of serving in a way that would have obvious long-term effects where God has placed me, in this stage of life.
Hopes for the Summer
This summer, my ultimate desire is to grow in understanding God?s Word and living out his mission through the church. More specifically, my hopes are as follows:
– To build authentic, intentional relationships with those on my team and to practice loving and serving them well.
– To grow in my understanding of God, myself and the church through his Word
– To get a picture of what vocational ministry looks like in the church and to develop a greater appreciation for our staff ?at Crosspoint
– To take advantage of my one-on-one discipleship time to learn from a believer who has experienced and been faithful in more life than me
– To take advantage of the uniqueness of summer in the college culture and to engage those who are alone and more apt to have gospel conversations or come to events
– To get to know the members and staff at Crosspoint better
– To help build a good foundation for college and international ministry in the Fall
– To spend time in prayer and seek ways to develop a greater sense of fellowship and unity within the college ministry as a whole
Ending Thoughts
As Summer LINK begins, I can?t help but thank the Lord for his sovereignty in bringing me to Crosspoint Church, where people take the mission of making disciples seriously and continually invest in my life for the Kingdom.
Paul writes to the church at Ephesus, saying ?For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.?
That is my prayer for Crosspoint and all of my brothers and sisters serving with Summer LINK this summer. Thank you for allowing me to serve and grow through the church this summer. I?m so excited to see how the Lord will work!
By: Emily Taylor