Greetings from the Golden State!
Thank you for your continued prayer and support! Your partnership makes this ministry and training possible! Here is a brief update from this past month. To find more frequent updates and stories, feel free to read my blog here.
This month, we’ve had so many great ministry opportunities and engagements! We’ve continued to develop our relationship with other healthy campus ministries, connected with student evangelists who have begun partnering with us in outreach, started new DMCs, hosted many great conversations at the whiteboard, and more. We’ve continued to see the abundance of the harvest and the desperate need for more workers! Praise God for the harvest, and may He cast His people into the work of harvesting!
In the photos attached, you can see a few pictures of ministry on campus this past month! The large group photo was from a prayer-walk we hosted on campus for various local ministries; including Friends Church Fullerton, Soon Movement, Intervarsity, Campus Revive, and other Christians who desire to see God’s work continued at CSUF. The other photos show conversations and interactions initiated by peoples’ engagement with the whiteboard. We are very blessed by the medium of the whiteboard in evangelism as it naturally draws in those who are open and seeking.
In the photos you can see a great conversation I was able to have with an LDS young man and his Catholic girlfriend. I explained why I was not a Mormon (and why he should likewise not be one), and provided him with simple and clear biblical reasons for rejecting Joseph Smith as a prophet of God. He was grateful for the conversation, and we plan to meet again after he further looks into the argument I provided him!
This month we also tried a slightly different setup with the whiteboard on a few occasions. Instead of asking people to write on the whiteboard, we invited them to sit down in a chair and to tell us why or why they aren’t a Christian. This seemed to work surprisingly well, and the setup created a nice environment for people to share their honest thoughts. We have some of these conversations recorded as they might be of some use for those looking to try similar things for themselves. You can find those videos here. It is such a blessing to be able to be on campus nearly every day as we get the opportunity to continue conversations and build relationships with people over time and repeated dialogue.
As I trust that you are aware, I have extended my NCP apprenticeship through June 2026, and will continue what I’m currently doing with a specific emphasis on engaging the established church. So much of being a disciple of Jesus is caught up in also making disciples of Jesus through evangelism and intentional community of believers. Our campus ministry is already experiencing this development as we continue to find Christian students who desire to fellowship with us and join in evangelism. Our campus ministry structure must adapt and adjust to meet the needs of those we disciple – a valuable lesson to know; an often challenging lesson to remember. The specific methods and setups that we use to engage with people are only valuable insomuch as they support the growth and formation of the individuals. When the lattice no longer supports the growth of the vine, it has lost its potency and should be adjusted or replaced so that the primary goal can be achieved. This is the primary goal: to be and make disciples of Jesus in everyday life; empowered by the Holy Spirit to obey the Great Commandments by participating in the Great Commission!
Thank you for your continued prayer and support!
May God bless you in the ministry He has prepared in advance for you to do!
With love and peace,
Ivan Penrose
There Are Four Ways to Partner With Me:
- Online: Visit the NCP Apprentice donation page by clicking the button below. Once there, scroll to find my tile and select your gift amount. You’ll have the opportunity to indicate whether you are giving monthly or as a one-time gift.
- Credit Card: You may give online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office at (303) 421-8100 to provide your information to a live representative.
- Automatic Bank Transfer: Download the form here and email it to Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10th or 25th of the month.
- Check: Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Please mark your check with “Ivan Penrose NCP Apprentice Support” and indicate if your gift will be recurring (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Make the check payable to “EFM.”
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