January 2018 Winter Update

by | Jan 30, 2018 | Prayer Letters

It feels a little weird to title this our “Winter Update” when its been between 70 and 80 degrees the past two weeks! We’re learning that Florida life does have its perks, in addition to Angela having a job that is so well suited for her skills and gifts. We also feel like there is something about this warm weather that’s causing Martel to grow like a weed. He’s taller than ever and about to lose his first tooth! More on that and other personal life updates next month.   Snapshots from Mission Expansion: Prayer walking every campus, a partnership with Intervarsity Back in September, I shared about Gospel in Action, the compassion and justice arm of the campus ministry. GIA is one of the many parts of the Mission Expansion National Department and this month we’d like to share about another area of Mission Expansion, Prayer Catalysts, to help each of you get to know my team and what we do better. The Prayer Catalysts team is about engaging and mobilizing people toward revival and spiritual awakening through prayer. The Directors of Prayer are introducing #everycampus to the field ministry, which begins with an initiative in 2018 to prayer-walk every campus in the United States. Currently there are only 1200 college campuses with an active gospel presence. This leaves about 1800 campuses and 10 million students without access to a gospel community. This prayer initiative is happening in partnership with Intervarsity and together we hope to see spiritual awakening and revival happen in the lives of students all over the country. In the process, we hope to meet people who can...

December 2017 Update

by | Nov 21, 2017 | Prayer Letters

From our family to yours! It’s been a full fall and winter in Orlando is in full swing, though its still 80 degrees! We’re excited to share with you the ministry we’ve been learning, launching, and leading. This is the first of a two part series on a new strategy we’ve incorporting here in America that’s been pioneering movements all over the world. Expedition Strategy: Mobilizing Students and Staff Every day our staff all over the country go with faith-filled expectation in who God is and what he has promised to do. As we go, we encounter students at different stages of their faith journey. One thing is clearer and clearer to us each day. God is at work to build his kingdom and he graciously gives us the privilege to participate with him. He is advancing his kingdom by bringing people into relationship with him, birthing a vision and heart to reach the world in his followers and sending people like us to intersect with their lives and mobilize them to engage in the Great Commission. The Mission Expansion team is working with staff across the country, in offices and on campus, to bring the gospel to campuses with no consistent gospel presence. In partnership with other Cru Campus Teams, we are trusting the Lord to launch new student led movements so that everyone knows someone who follows Jesus. In the same way that Paul found key people, rooted and grounded them in their faith, passed on the ministry to them and moved on to new places, our expedition strategy connects with key student leaders and coaches them...

Fall 2017 Update: Irmageddon Edition

by | Oct 1, 2017 | Prayer Letters

Fall 2017 Update: Irmageddon Edition Thank you for praying for us during this time of transition to Orlando. As promised in our last communication, this prayer letter will be filled with updates from our first weeks here, including our initiation by Hurricane Irma into being Floridians and Detroit Summer Mission Snapshots from Orlando The last month has been busy for both Mission Expansion and the Knedgens here in Orlando. We arrived and moved in just in time to be initiated as Floridians by Irma! Things around town have been quite different following the storm. Trees were down, buildings missing walls, like the Doubletree Hotel ten minutes from our house, and school out for over a week. We are thankful to have retained power throughout the storm and little damage to our home, especially in light of the events surrounding Hurricane Harvey. As a 9 year Houston resident, my heart breaks for the city where I learned how to drive and walk with the Lord in deeper ways. I’m excited to share that Gospel in Action, a department within Mission Expansion is leading the efforts of the Cru Campus ministry in engaging in meeting the needs of people all over Houston following the storm. The Team Leader of the Houston Cru ministry shared this with us about their experience.   “Last Monday began an intense first week of classes, spiritual questionnaires, and outreaches at universities all over Houston. Yet only 3 to 4 days into the semester, weather forecasters began to warn of Tropical Storm Harvey hitting the Gulf Coast, with an expectation of heavy rains. Our family stocked on...