Consider partnering with Crossroads through financial support

We have just completed a great year at Georgia Tech. As the school year has ended we want to share the opportunity for strategic giving with those who want to partner with our ministry at Georgia Tech.

The need on campus:

Twenty-thousand students on the brink of adult life…..

Representing dozens of nations…..

At a top-ten U.S. public university…..

Most having no spiritual compass for their lives…..

An estimated 90% will not darken the door of a church during their  time here…….

Most will not have a Christian friend……

Hardly any will read the Bible…..

How will they hear? 

We are embedded in the Georgia Tech community.  We are engaged with students in a strategic mission. We are expectant of the Lord for immediate and lasting fruit.

Our Current Funding Need:

Campus Crusade for Christ's Campus Director, Trent McEntyre, is requesting mid-year donations to meet a current need of $25,000. Any donation is appreciated. You can give through our secure website at https://give.ccci.org/give/View/6206612 

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Trent

The need for compelling community

Georgia Tech specializes in training students to enhance human flourishing with technological solutions. Perhaps the tougher issue is clarity about what human flourishing really looks like.

Our senior staff woman, Becca Gartrell, recently explored the issue of community in a short article. Becca works with women both at Tech and Agnes Scott. While both of these campuses have some of the sharpest student women in the south, many of them struggle with isolation, stress, and discouragement.

Part of bringing Christ to students here is bringing students together in real community. Relationships and community are the context for all human flourishing. So, we need to develop compelling community among our staff students so we can all better know and experience the love of Christ.

Here is an excerpt from Becca's article:

   Community. It’s quite the buzz-word these days. Everyone wants it, yet no one seems to feel like they have it. Especially in a city the size and pace of Atlanta, it can be easy to feel lost in the crowd. But I hear this complaint most frequently from people who are part of wonderful communitites. So I think the question begs to be asked: What exactly is community, anyway? And how do we attain it?



Becca Gartrell and Cole Price, a volunteer with our ministry through ChristChurch, PCA.



I’m no guru on this topic, but I’ve learned a few things along the way on my life journey so far. So here’s what I think, for whatever it’s worth.

I think community has multiple levels. We all need:

  

 a) intimate relationship with God,

  

b) intimate relationship with a few close friends (which includes family and a spouse for many people), and

  

 c) relationship with a broader community of people, with varying levels of aquaintanceship. (Is that a word?)

So, when you feel like you need “community,” I think it helps address the problem if you ask youself which aspect of community you mean. Are you missing a thriving relationship with God? Do you have any people in your life with whom you share your junk? Do you have a broader community of people to whom you belong?

For the rest of Becca's thoughts on community or to read some of her other personal posts visit her blog at http://www.beccagartrell.com/.

Thanks for your interest in Crossroads at Georgia Tech.



Leadership Summit 2010

I believe that if you want to influence the culture you have to reach the leaders.

One of the most important topics we can address at Georgia Tech is leadership. Georgia Tech students are bred to be leaders, but they are given little reason and vision for leadership. They have the abilities. Most lack the clarity that comes from knowing Christ. They have the drive. Most lack the boldness to pursue their calling with both high integrity and high excellence.

Leadership Summit was event designed to energize our minsitry with a vision to reach and build leaders. Our guest speaker for the Leadership Summit was Mr. Steve Zelnak. He is a devoted GT alum who is involved in major leadership roles in the College of Management and the Athletic Department. He is also a veteran CEO who determined early on to pursue his career with extreme committment to intergrity and excellence. The results of his career speak for themself but it was fantastic to have Steve share his perspecitve with the students.



Before the event on campus we hosted Steve Zelnak, a few friends and supporters from the community, and our student leaders for dinner at our house. Pictured L-R, Trent McEntyre, Steve Zelnak, Carol Skenes (Graduation Senior in College of Mgt), Darren McKenna, Matt George, Anna Oneil, and looking the other way, Darr Smith)




This table included student leader Aaron Parkman, Heather Phillips (returned from Crusade Stint in Italy), Andy Sellman, Madeline Phillips, and Mr. Drew Johnson (distinguished GT Campus Crusade alum)

Leadership Summit was a success because the Lord used it to move us a step closer to our vision of reaching and building world class leaders for the kingdom of Christ at Georgia Tech.

The next event we have on the docket for Crossroads is called "Beast Feast." We are going from high performance business topics to a down home men's gathering with lots of grilled and smoked meats and hopefully a good turnout of fraternity leaders. We will keep you posted on the developments

GT Crossroads director presents reflection at Student honors luncheon

I believe one of the keys of effective campus ministry is being part of campus life. One way Crossroads can participate in the academic life of our campus is to give reflection speaches for events like graduation. In the past, these reflections were called invocations. It was customary to have a minister open these events with a prayer. It is understandable that most universities have replaced opening prayers with secular reflections.

Here is the text of my most recent reflection at the Georgia Tech Student honors luncheon:

Greetings, students, faculty, alumni, and friends of Georgia Tech. On behalf of the Georgia Tech campus ministries I offer this brief refection:


We live in a world where men and women strive for many different awards. What determines the kind of legacy that they leave?


I recently reflected on the story of Alfred Noble who made great success and fortune for himself with his scientific mind. His proudest invention he first called “safety powder” but later derived a new name for his powder after the Greek word for strength, “dynamite.”


Alfred’s success continued. Later, Alfred’s older brother Ludvig died, a French newspaper printed a scathing obituary, not of Ludvig, but of Alfred Nobel, who was in fact alive and well. The writer was allegedly confused about who had died, and he used the obituary to write a condemnation of Alfred's life and work. “The merchant of death is dead" the newspaper proclaimed.


Alfred Nobel read the obituary about himself and was so upset that this was to be his legacy that he rewrote his will to establish a set of prizes celebrating humankind's greatest achievements. He left 94 percent of his assets to create and endow five Nobel Prizes.


There's also now an annual ceremony at Harvard to award the IgNobel Prizes. These prizes parody the Nobel awards and are for achievements that "first make people laugh, and then make them think."


Recent Ignoble science and technology awards have gone to veterinarians in France "for discovering that the fleas that live on a dog can jump higher than the fleas that live on a cat" The Ignoble awards ceremony always concludes with the proclamation: "If you didn't win a prize — and especially if you did — better luck next year!"


You are here today because you have won a prize for your hard work and achievement. The Georgia Tech community is thankful for you and the example you have set. We are hopeful for the potential, noble legacy you will leave in the world.


We have great hope for you, the recipients of hard earned awards, because, if you can succeed here at Georgia Tech, some may say you can succeed anywhere.


Still, I encourage you to receive these rewards and set your sights on new ones with humility, courage and wisdom.


Today, we will gratefully offer you our encouragement and applause. As you celebrate today, consider how your success can be a blessing others and bring wonderful solutions to many challenges in our world.

(Pictured below - three students involved in Crossroads that were receiving awards at the luncheon.)