God gave us a great turnout!

Thanks so much for praying for our CMDA Winter Conference!  God really blessed our weekend.  In this update, I want to give you an inside look at the weekend through some “statistics”, pictures and snapshots of what God did.

Winter Conference By The Numbers

One of our group worship times.

Mere numbers can never capture the relationships they represent, but these quick “stats” may give you a unique perspective on my experience at the conference.

• 160 students, healthcare providers and other attendees from Connecticut to southern Virginia
• 53 hours from start to finish over 3 days and 2 nights
• 3 hours of driving, 10 hours of sleep and 40 hours of conversations and logistics
• conversations with 89 different people, many of which were in-depth
• 30 new people met
• 4 talks and times of worship with our students and healthcare providers
• 2 car rides with our speaker and his family where we spoke at length
• 1 phenomenal time of planning for a spring mini-retreat with other Philly students and physicians

Zooming In

Although Winter Conference takes place on a larger scale, in many ways it’s also about the many individual and small group interactions that God provides.  This is where some of the most intense ministry takes place, often unnoticed.  Here are snapshots of some of my favorite times at the conference.

The Penn students from this year's conference.

Throughout the weekend, I enjoyed sharing a room with three of the Penn guys.  After I agreed to help the Penn ladies pull a prank on them, I was discovered and wound up being pranked myself, with my reaction unwittingly captured on video!  These are the kind of rare opportunities to connect and have fun together that only happen at conferences like these.

Dr. Charlene Brock with some of the Drexel students

It was a joy watching two of our local council members, Drs. Charlene Brock and Jerry Hric, make it down for the conference.  Like everyone on our council, they have such a heart for investing in the students, and it’s exciting to invest in God’s work as a team.

God gave me lots of great conversations with students from Philly.  One shared about a new dating relationship he had just begun and ways in which God was helping him re-engage spiritually and relationally.  In between sessions, a leader asked if we could talk about the lower turnout from his school, and what we could do to strengthen involvement at his campus.  Another leader mentioned that her campus had significant involvement from first-year students, but that as of yet none seemed ready to lead for next year.  I was thankful for the chance to encourage these students and learn about important campus dynamics that I can follow-up on now that we’re back in the city.

During worship, Matt Redman’s “Never Once” became our theme song over the weekend.  Its words were, at the same time, our experience and prayer:

Some of the guys & I at Denny's

As the song mentions, the conference was a sort of “mountaintop” for many of us, a vantage point from which we could see all that God has done, particularly as we look back on where we were just one year ago.

One student, “Mark”, was wrestling through what it meant to be a leader during last year’s conference.  God blessed us with an important conversation then that He used (in part) to help Mark take important new steps of faith and courage that transformed him and the ministry on his campus.  It was incredibly gratifying to watch Mark – without any prompting on my part – take initiative in advance of this year’s conference to gather the Philly area folks there for a spring ministry planning meeting.  Even better, his vision is to provide direction while enlisting others to step up so the conference can be self-sustaining from year-to-year.  While God gets the credit, I’m thankful to have played – and continue to play – a role in Mark’s development as a leader who is beginning to develop other leaders.  This is how the Kingdom multiplies!

There’s so much more I could share, but I hope this view from the ‘mountaintop’ gives you a taste for what God did.  Thank you for making weekends like this one possible through your faithful partnership with us.  To God be the glory!

Bryan & Sharon

PS – A special thanks to Jefferson student Sharon Li for permission to use her (fantastic) pictures!

I’ll update you on all that God does during our time here later, but I want to ask you to keep me, and everyone here, in prayer through Monday.  Here are some specifics:

• Pray for God to pour out His Spirit on our time here – everything that’s good, and lasting, comes from Him.
• Pray that God would give those who come deep rest.  The students in particular are exhausted from a grueling semester, and another one is already underway.
• Pray for me as I have conversations throughout the weekend.  About 45 are here from Philadelphia, so this is a strategic time of connection for me.   Pray that I would be sensitive to God’s Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis!
• Pray for our speakers, Drs. Paul & Susan Lim, physicians who have both domestic and foreign medical experience.  Their theme concerns joy in the Christian life, something we all need more of!
• Pray that God would use the Christian community here to strengthen, encourage and challenge itself.  We are trusting that God will be at work during simple interactions over mealtimes, free time, and late-night talks.

That’s all for now.  Thank you so much for standing with me in prayer!

Bryan

For now, though, I want to encourage you that your prayers and gifts are making a tremendous difference.  As you know, throughout the semester we have been hosting 20-25 students from the area for an in-home bible study breakfast and study of Jesus, MD, a book by our CEO Dr. David Stevens.

At the end of that book, Dr. Stevens shares about how God worked in nearly-miraculous ways to provide a hydroelectric dam for the mission hospital (Tenwek) where Dr. Stevens served some time ago.  For many years, the dam had seemed like a pipe dream, entirely out of reach because of the exorbitant expense.  And yet, God “showed up” in unbelievable ways so that this need was finally met, allowing critical medical equipment to operate throughout the night, thus literally saving many lives.

In our study, this hydroelectric dam has become a tangible symbol for what the ‘impossible’ things God wants to do in and through the members of our group.  At the end of our final meeting for the semester, Sharon and I were humbled as the students presented us with a card of appreciation.  But it wasn’t just any card.  It was a pop-up card, made by one of the students, featuring a representation of the hydroelectric dam from Jesus, MD (pictured above)!  The gratifying part was not so much that we were thanked, but that the students are “getting” how great God is and what He wants to do in and through them.  This is why we’re in ministry!

We can’t wait to see what “hydroelectric dams” God may have in store for us in the coming year.  Be encouraged that God is at work, and join us in praying that He will meet and exceed our expectations, as He always does (Ephesians 3:20).

With prayers for a grace-filled Christmas and New Year,

Bryan & Sharon

As another year of ministry continues, Sharon and I are so glad we aren’t in this alone.  God has provided other co-laborers to share the work with us, making it far more effective for the Kingdom.  In this update, I want to take a moment to introduce you to our local CMDA Ministry Council and how they’re impacting students in the area.

Dr. Charlene Brock, a pediatrician, mentors our leaders at Drexel, all of whom happen to be female this year.  They get together for bible/book study, prayer and mentoring.  Charlene has done a fantastic job balancing her career and four children for many years, and is a terrific role model for the students.  She also serves as our Council Chair and has been a great resource for us personally.

Dr. Jerry Hric is a neonatologist, and he and his wife Susan have been hosting students from “SOM” (the medical school in nearby Stratford, NJ) for a weekly bible study in Philippians.  They have been instrumental in rebuilding the ministry at SOM, which had been weaker over the past year or two.  Jerry has also been on campus frequently and helped the leaders in thinking strategically about reaching unbelievers.

Drs. Jim & Thanh Kirkpatrick have been critical to strengthening God’s ministry at Penn’s medical campus.  Jim, a cardiologist, has gathered medical faculty for weekly prayer and fellowship, launched a faculty-student mentoring program, and encouraged his colleagues to become more involved.  Thanh, a pediatrician, has done a great deal in recruiting female physicians to mentor the female medical students, even approaching her bible study to fill in needs that could not be met by others at Penn.

Ms. Deborah Moss is a nurse practitioner at Esperanza Health Center in North Philadelphia.  She has helped host and organize monthly medical outreaches sponsored by MCO, and has a huge heart for holistic outreach in urban environments.  As a nurse practitioner, she also helps our ministry remember that healthcare is much broader than physicians.

Dr. Rich Shoemaker is an emergency physician and serves the Temple campus along with his wife, Ana.  Last year, when the leaders were all women, they hosted the leaders at their home regularly for dinner and mentoring.  This year, they have continued to host an annual fall retreat at their family’s mountain home.  This is a real rallying point for the students as the year begins, helping to build important relationships that will continue throughout the year.  Rich also mentors some of the men on campus, and models for them how to invest in others.

Dr. Jim Weidner is our newest council member, and, along with two other physicians, is heading up the newly-formed CMDA physicians group in South Jersey.  This group meets monthly for encouragement, fellowship and prayer.  Jim’s site will also be accepting students from the new (opens fall 2012) Cooper Medical School for their pediatric rotations, which will open up additional opportunities for outreach and mentoring.

Finally, I’ll mention briefly that God gave Sharon and I another wonderful home bible study breakfast last week.  Even though exams are upon the students, 18 came out for another wonderful time of study, fellowship and prayer.  This past weekend, I (Bryan) also had the opportunity to do give a medical evangelism workshop for 35 healthcare students/professionals from one of our partner churches at their retreat at the shore.  Many are excited about receiving a fuller version of the training.

I hope this begins to give you a feel for all that God is doing through our team.  It’s far, far bigger than Sharon and I.  In addition to our ministry council, I’d like to also acknowledge specifically the efforts of Dr. Loren & Anne Chen, Dr. Karen Fritz & the Medical Campus Outreach ministry, Drs. Steven & Joy Greer, Drs. Josh & Susie Uy, and Aaron & Dr. Amanda Wonnacott to name a few.

It really is true, as Jesus said, that “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”  We are so thankful, though, that God has provided these co-laborers in reaching healthcare students and professionals here in Philadelphia and South Jersey.  Together we are making an impact that will last!

Finally, I’d like to specifically ask for your prayers for our financial situation.  As of this month, our account has been in the negative substantially (about $6,000) for the first time in many years.  This has been primarily the result of the extended financial downturn.  While CMDA is able to ‘float’ us for a time, if our account reaches a $10,000 deficit part of our salary will be withheld until this corrected.    We are working hard to do what we can, but understand that we need God’s blessing for our efforts to be successful.  So, please join us in concentrated prayer in this area.

That said, we are entirely confident in God’s call to this ministry, and thus, in His desire to provide all we need.  Thank you, faithful friends, for your giving and prayers.  We value you more than you could ever know!

Warmly,

Bryan & Sharon

Please join us in these prayers & praises:

• Praise God for all He’s doing on our area campuses through our ministry team!
• Praise God for a great medical evangelism workshop and breakfast bible study in our home.  Please pray for the next one on Oct. 29th.
• Pray that our students are able to grow in their relationship with God.  As exams bring greater stress, this gets much harder.  We need wisdom in terms of how best to help the students at this time of the year.
• Pray for the one-on-one, and smaller group, meetings many of us have with the students.  These are key times of impacting them for the Kingdom and, again, much wisdom and the Spirit’s power are needed for that to bear lasting fruit.
• Pray for God’s blessing on our ministry account, as we continue to need new supporters and a small ‘cushion’ in our account to weather difficult financial seasons such as this one.

Some of the students from our last home bible study

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”

Many of you will recognize that line from a familiar Christmas song (yes, it’s a little pollyanna), but I feel that way every August and September when our students come back to campus.  This is the time when we meet the first-year students we’ve been praying for, and, renew friendships with those who are returning.  This is the season for intense planning and strategizing, a time I meet with campus leaders and figure out what initiatives we need to take.  And this is the time where I’m looking for up-and-coming leaders, people who will change the face of Kingdom medicine for the next generation.

Now do you see why I love it?!  Let me give you a few quick snapshots of this “most wonderful time” as we’ve experienced it over the past month.

Developing Leaders

I love working with our campus leaders.  It’s a huge challenge because, every single year, the turnover is 100%.  Our leaders have only been on campus for one year when they ‘take over’, and, half of that year has been spent adjusting to the rigors of med school life.  Furthermore, the student leaders are juggling leadership with an academic load that some estimate is five times as intense as college.

As you know, though, huge challenges bring huge opportunities.  Since I’m here for the long haul and involved with various campuses, I bring a unique perspective to the table.  I sit down with the leaders and/or graduate faculty volunteers and help them figure out how we’re going to reach their particular campus with the particular people and hurdles God has placed before them.

At Jefferson, for example, I had the privilege of being invited by (faculty advisers) Dr. Loren Chen and his wife Anne to take part in a mini leaders’ retreat they hosted at their home.  Sharon and I were able to offer suggestions on developing an agenda for the weekend, and I joined them for lunch and part of their planning session.  It was wonderful to watch Loren and Anne do such a phenomenal job, and, to start developing relationships with the leaders.

In It Together

Our involvement with the Jefferson retreat illustrates a subtle, but real, change in our ministry God has been directing for some time now.  Although we still do a lot of ‘hands-on’ work with students, more and more we feel called to help others shine where they are.  Without a doubt, there is so much potential medical ministry in Philadelphia that it will take an army to accomplish!

Last year, for instance, I met Jasen, then a first-year student at “SOM”, a medical school just across the river in South Jersey.  I asked him to get together in an effort to both understand his fellowship’s needs and how we could help.  It became clear that there was a need for graduate advisers, but also that I could not serve that role consistently due to my other ministry responsibilities.

That’s where Dr. Jerry Hric has stepped up.  Jerry is one of our newer council members, and ‘just happens’ to live 10 minutes from SOM’s campus.  He and his wife also have a huge heart for students, and they have started hosting students – Christians and others – at their home regularly.   At a planning meeting last evening, 12 students – now leaders – showed up at Jerry’s home and decided to meet weekly on campus for sharing and fellowship, as well as getting together weekly for bible study in Philippians.  They aim to involve all 60 students signed up for the fellowship and spend nearly half their energy on outreach.  Just last year, SOM’s fellowship was really struggling.  Isn’t God wonderful?!

Our heart is to walk alongside people like Loren, Anne and Jerry to bless and encourage them in the ministries God is giving them.  In this way, the Kingdom spreads in ways that we could never dream of accomplishing on our own.

Home Bible Study 2.0

As I mentioned above, Sharon and I are still involved with students directly.  We’re especially excited about our home bible studies, which started a week ago.  They’ve been well-attended in the past, but during the summer we decided it was time to more intentionally equip those who come to reach those around them.  To do that, we’ve asked them for a greater commitment – to come consistently, be vulnerable with each other, meet every 3 weeks (instead of 4), and, do some ‘homework’ in-between meetings.

With that in mind – as well as a 9am start time – we expected a smaller turnout.  What happened, though, was just the opposite!  Twenty-four students from all over the city attended, not to mention several who wanted to come but couldn’t!  Needless to say, we’re looking forward to our next meeting later this month!

We hope that gives you a nice snapshot of what God has been doing.  THANK YOU for playing such an important role through your prayers and giving.  We could never, ever do it without you!

For the Kingdom,

Bryan & Sharon

Please praise & pray with us:

• Praise for a huge turnout for our first home bible study breakfast!  Please pray that God draws many back next time (Sept. 17th, 9am), and that those who come develop an all-out passion for reaching the people around them for Christ.
• Praise also for the opportunity to meet the new students as I visit our various campuses, and, to invest in many of our leaders.  Please pray for wisdom to develop further relationships with the leaders and to speak into their situations in a way that furthers their ministry.  Pray along the same lines for our relationships with the graduate advisers.
• Please pray, too, for the many meetings I’m having with key men from around the city.  Please ask God to help me help them become difference-makers for the Kingdom.
• Pray for several students who are “seekers” at one of our campuses, especially that believing students in their lives would continue to represent Christ faithfully to them.

Part of our team debriefing right after the outreach.

With our first SMI Philly outreach under our belt, I wanted to send you a report “from the field” that I hope will encourage you and guide your prayers over the next three weeks as the project continues –

Yesterday afternoon, we held our first Summer Medical Institute (SMI) Philly outreach for the year.  Based in Philadelphia’s second-poorest community, we offer free health screenings and discuss spiritual matters with anyone and everyone who wants to.

Although we held four hours of training the day before, including what to say when we knock on doors and how to address spiritual concerns, we came away with a profound sense that there’s really no script for this kind of thing.  In all honesty, that can be kind of scary, and all of us had some level of anxiety even though most of us had done it before.

After all, following Jesus can land you in some pretty interesting situations.  Like a community hair salon, where we wound up spending our entire afternoon.

At first, I’ve got to admit, it was a little awkward.

Although the owner had invited us, when we opened the door we discovered other members of our team were already there due to a change of plans.  No one on our specific team had ever done the screenings we were about to offer.  Demographically, none of us looked like we belonged there, something that was not lost on the salon’s patrons.  And, as a guy, I felt a little out of place.

But, there we were, and we weren’t about to miss the opportunities God had put before us.  So, with hair dryers blazing all around us, and our interpreter as our primary ‘lifeline’ between us and the Spanish-speaking customers, we started screening anyone who was interested.

Our last interaction turned out to be our best one.

“Maria” (not her real name) is a woman in her early forties, and she was clearly worried about her health.  Although she had been seen by a local clinic, she was not getting adequate services for her high blood pressure and GI issues.  Without getting into all the details, she had been eating just once a day to avoid embarrassment at work.  And, as the single parent of a two-year-old, she was (rightly) scared about what would happen to him if her health didn’t improve.

Although we weren’t able to do much for her medically on the spot, we did connect her with Esperanza, the local, Christ-centered clinic that will provide excellent care for her.  And, although she wasn’t ready to discuss spiritual concerns deeply in a public setting, she responded to our offer of pastoral follow-up, even requesting a worship service in her home.  Only God knows how Maria’s story will end, but our team left encouraged, feeling privileged to be part of God’s work and believing she will receive the medical and spiritual follow-up she needs.

So, although the day didn’t unfold anything like we expected it to, God’s script was better than ours.  And that’s exactly what we needed to see – practically – on our first outreach.  Strengthened by that experience, we’re resolved to trust Christ for every interaction we have over the next three weeks:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

If there’s any ‘script’, it’s Him!

Please continue to pray for us, the people we’ll be meeting, and our partners who will be following up in the days ahead.  Thanks, as always, for your heartfelt prayers!

With Christ’s love,

Bryan & Sharon

Students in small groups during yesterday's evangelism training

In just a few hours, we will hold our first Summer Medical Institute (SMI) Philly outreach of the year!  We will be offering free health screenings as a service to the Hunting Park (in North Philly) community, and using that as a bridge to share about Christ to anyone who will listen.

Here are some quick prayer requests for our outreaches and other aspects of the project:

• Pray that the evangelism training I led yesterday would be helpful as we do the outreaches.
• Please pray that our team of 20 students and other healthcare providers would trust in God, not ourselves, for every moment of the outreach.  Pray that we would not be fearful of rejection and not knowing what to say in difficult interactions.
• Pray that we would be mindful of the spiritual battle all around us, and ask God for help ‘in the moment.’
• Pray for the people we will meet on our outreaches.  Many of them are un/under-insured, in significant poverty, and facing many other challenges most of us have not experienced.  At the same time, this is a blessing because often a sense of physical need translates into a sense of spiritual need, and we have much to learn from them.  We long for them to know Jesus deeply.
• Of the 20 students on project, only 4 this year are men, so pray that I (Bryan) would invest in Alan, Dan, Luke, and Sam deeply.  At the same time, I am so thankful for Sharon, who is spending a good deal of time on project and ministering to the women, so please pray for her as well.
• Please pray for the many graduate healthcare “faculty” who will be joining us at various points throughout the project.  They will model for the students how to care for “the whole person”, but more importantly just “living life” with the students and investing in them informally.  Pray for us, also, as we do some teaching throughout the project, the next session being Thursday morning.
• I’d like to express real thankfulness for Medical Campus Outreach (MCO), another medical ministry in the city, and Esperanza Health Center, a local Christian clinic, who are sponsoring SMI and have invested so much of their time and resources in this project.  So many people have come together to make this project a reality, and we are truly grateful to be joining them in this Kingdom work.  Please pray that God blesses them in every way.
• Finally, I will be at SMI Texas next week (Monday 18th – Friday 22nd), serving in a similar capacity, before returning for the third and final week of SMI Philly. Please pray for my time at SMI Texas, where roughly half of the students are from the Philadelphia area.

As always, we are thankful for you, our partners in this work.  We have a deep sense that you are there with us through your prayers and gifts that make it all possible.  We can’t wait to share more with you as the project unfolds.

CMDA National Convention

My time away began in late April with our CMDA National Convention in California.  This was my first time at the Convention, and a great time to get in on the ground floor of several important student initiatives our new Campus and Community VP rolled out there.  One of these, The National Student Council (NSC), is a nationwide group of student leaders coming together to receive mentoring, discover how to influence the future of healthcare, shape the future of CMDA, and learn how to impact their campuses for Christ.  I was able to share what I’ve learned in Philadelphia and interact with the students as they think about their own campuses.  Looking ahead, I will be part of monthly webinars that will move this discussion forward.

Hudson Valley International Saline Seminar

Teaching at the Hudson Valley Int'l Saline

After a few weeks home, it was on to the Hudson Valley in NY.  You may recall that we’ve been equipping local students and physicians to share their faith in medical settings through a partnership we have with International Health Services (IHS) and its International Saline (IS) curriculum.  At our first local IS seminar some time ago, two members of the Hudson Valley CMDA chapter came down to receive the training from us.  Recently, Dr. Bob Snyder and I had the privilege to join those members in NY as they launched the training in their own area.  Approximately 15 (an ideal number) were in attendance for the seminar, which went very well.

One physician who came said that she realized, through our time together, that she “had lost her heart for her Beloved over the past two years”, and that she desperately needed to recapture her love for Christ so that she could be an effective witness in her workplace.  Many others came away excited and equipped to share their faith, and already plans are being made to hold a follow-up seminar.  A physician from New York City also came, and plans on bringing the seminar to that area as well.  This is what the International Saline is all about – training others who will train others for maximum impact!

CMDA Staff Conference

My next stop was our annual staff conference at our headquarters in Bristol, TN.  It was a great opportunity to network with other staff doing similar work in other areas across the country.  We also had a number of fantastic speakers that provided refreshment and new ideas that will inject our ministry with new life.

Support Development

Last, but not least, I’ve been using the drive home to continue developing support for the ministry.  Stops in Virginia, Washington DC and Baltimore have given me the opportunity to share our vision with new, potential ministry partners.  Many have responded positively, offering not only financial support, but their prayers and new connections.

Along the way, I also had the chance to visit current friends/supporters and connect with folks who, though not able to contribute financially, have offered their wisdom on many levels.  One physician in Richmond shared his experience of starting and strengthening their ministry to other doctors, an area we’re hoping to work on in our area.  A lunch time meeting with a physician-author has generated some ideas on how to create a ministry where deeper community can flourish.  As you can probably sense, I love moving the ministry forward and am constantly on the lookout for the people and ideas that can take us there.  By God’s grace, in turn we are grateful to reciprocate by playing a similar role for others!

As you can see, it’s been a busy, but tremendous, month.  I look forward to returning to Philadelphia late tonight after one final meeting in the Baltimore area.  I thank God for His goodness during this time away, and for its impact on our local ministry.  Thank you for making this season of travel possible through your prayers and gifts!

Warmly,

Bryan & Sharon

Please join us in prayer/praise for the following:

• Praise God for an exciting month of travel, and all the connections and fresh ideas along the way!  Pray that God generates new support and connections for the ministry and helps me to identify which ideas we should implement here in our local ministry.
• Pray for a good time of re-connection with my family.  The month of June should be more relaxed as I’ll be home more.
• Pray that the International Saline training we did in Hudson Valley NY impacts that, and the New York City, area deeply.  Please ask God to bring things together for a full-version training we’ll do at Drexel in the fall.
• Finally, please pray for our involvement in the SMIs.  I will participate in the Philadelphia project, and am considering joining the Texas project for a week as well.  These are times of maximum impact!

Men’s & Women’s Nights

God gave us two great nights with key men and women from around the city!  For our men’s night, I led the guys through a study in 1 Samuel 17, which you’ll recognize as the story of David and Goliath.  For our purposes, we were considering insights on what it means to be a godly man.  I chose this topic because we’ve noticed fewer men becoming involved, and especially taking leadership, at our local healthcare campuses.  We are incredibly thankful for the many women God has given us, but we want to see men stepping up as well, and feel that this was another important step toward achieving that goal.

During women’s night, Sharon led the ladies in a study on bitterness and forgiveness.  As she interacted with the women on this topic, it became clear that it was something everyone was wrestling with in ways that are very real and personal.  In His wisdom, God had matched those who came with what they needed to hear.

Intermed

Another key event this month was “Intermed”, a student-driven gathering for worship, fellowship, teaching and, of course, eating.  Although our ministry did not personally sponsor the event, a number of different ministries and ‘people groups’ came together in making it happen.

Our informal hope for the evening was that the students would come away with a picture of what their own futures in medicine might look like as they considered how God had led our two speakers.  They were incredibly different: one, a younger geriatrician (treats older patients) at Penn, the other, an older nurse practitioner in the Dominican Republic who practices medicine and also raises up national pastors.  At the same time, both these men are tremendously dedicated to serving Christ through healthcare, and the students came away inspired to follow Christ into their own futures.

I was thankful to have played a role in the planning process, in addition to having many significant conversations during the evening and in the days that have followed.  It was a tremendous time of connecting with key students, as well as meeting new ones that I hope to influence in the months ahead.

Upcoming Plans

In the next few months, I’m excited to participate in several important events.  The first is our annual CMDA National Convention in California.  It will feature some of the very best speakers in the healthcare field, and I will be traveling with one of our key student leaders.  Since he will be graduating in May, it will be one of my last extended opportunities to spend time with him, which I cherish.  At this year’s convention, CMDA is also rolling out its National Student Council, a student-driven group designed to shape the future of healthcare and CMDA, so I’m excited to get in on the ground floor.  And, as always, the convention promises to be a rich time of networking and ideas.

As the summer approaches, as usual, my family and I hope to participate in parts of both SMI Philadelphia (July 9-30) and SMI Texas (July 2-30).  If you’ve been with us for some time, you know these are medical missions projects that teach participants how to share their faith through medicine while living in community.  They’re absolutely critical in that they allow us undistracted seasons of investing in the students, something that simply isn’t nearly as possible during the academic year.  In fact, we get more time with them during project than we do throughout the rest of the year combined.  This is discipleship at its best!

SMI Philadelphia is easy for us to participate in since it’s so close (1/2 hour), but SMI Texas is naturally more challenging.  At the same time, we are passionate about it because it allows the students to truly get away from the city and out of their comfort zone.  It also affords our family the opportunity to live on site with them, which is key both for us and the students.  One of the ways we will decide whether we should go is by seeing if the Lord provides the needed funds (about $5,000).

And so, without any fanfare, we want to put this need before you.  If you feel God leading you to contribute, would you please let us know in the next two weeks?  This will help us be good stewards of the summer God has placed before us.

Regardless of your decision, we thank God for each one of you.

Warmly,

Bryan & Sharon

Please join us in prayer/praise:

• Praise God for wonderful men’s/women’s nights.  Please pray for lasting fruit among the students.
• Praise God for a focused season of prayer and fasting leading up to the Intermed retreat.  We believe that much of its success was due to this foundation, largely driven by the students.
• Pray for my times of investing with key men from around the city: Sam, Erik, Dan, Burton, Shane, Loren and others.  My heart is that God will take these men and multiply their lives in those around them.  Pray also that God will continue introducing me to other key men around the city.
• Pray for our medical evangelism (“International Saline”) training ‘taster’ at Drexel on 5/3, and especially that believers among students, residents and “attending” physicians would come and get excited for the full version training in the fall.
• Pray for my time at the National Convention (4/28-30), and God’s wisdom/provision for SMI Texas.

A God-Sized Vision

More than anything, God keeps reminding us that His vision is far bigger, and more glorious, than ours.  We’re coming to see that aiming any lower than the Great Commission is too low.  With 20% of the nation’s physicians doing some portion of their training in the city, ministering faithfully right here is the most strategic investment we can make.  As we train our healthcare students and providers to follow Christ, some will stay and transform the city, while others will go and spread the Kingdom wherever they land.

This vision is powerfully shaping our day-to-day ministry as we place greater emphasis on ministry that multiplies.  We want to reach people who will, in turn, reach others.  One way we’re doing this is through our relationship with the International Saline process, which trains healthcare students and workers to share their faith with their colleagues and patients.

You may remember that, in December, we trained 20 local students and professionals in our first local “Saline.”  In February, 8 of those 20 participated in our first, follow-up, Training of Trainers (ToT) session where they learned to train others in the Saline process.  Just a few days ago, I sat down with 3 of those 8 – two med students and one physician – to talk about reaching their health system (Drexel) for Christ.  We agreed that we’ll start by inviting all the believers at Drexel Med to a one-hour introductory session, then follow that up with a full-blown Saline for those who respond.  Lord willing, a large core from that group will then learn how to train others.  And then…

You get the idea.  This is how multiplying ministry works.  We train others, then come alongside them as they learn how to train others.  It starts small – nearly inconspicuous – then explodes over time.  This is how Jesus transformed the world, and this is how we’ll transform Philadelphia and beyond.

Focus On People

After hearing that we are funding entirely by donations, a lot of people ask us, “What are your ministry needs?”  While we do have financial needs, I always respond by saying that our greatest need is for like-minded people to join us in accomplishing Christ’s vision for our ministry.  Like Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”  What we need, more than anything, are people who know Jesus and want to join Him in His mission right where they are.

And so, wherever I go – whether it’s meeting a physician, attending a large-group gathering of students, or participating in a medical outreach – I’m always asking God to introduce me to people who can become (or already are) co-laborers in this city that He loves.  I know that, by His grace, I can serve as someone who connects them to that larger vision of winning this corner of the Kingdom for Him.

I met “Tom”, one of the students I mentioned earlier, at Drexel when I attended one of their campus fellowship gatherings two years ago.  Although his first year at Drexel was challenging, he became one of our campus leaders during his second-year, where he has really stepped up to become an unassuming, but committed, leader.  I am privileged to meet with him consistently and to invest in him during this critical season.  Tom has become an important co-laborer, and our ministry exists to find, and equip people like him!

Sharon and I, once again, want to deeply thank you for your prayers and gifts that make ministry like this possible.  In God’s hands, your investment is reaping dividends that will be fully revealed only in eternity.

Immanuel,

Bryan & Sharon

Please join us in the following prayers and praises:

• Praise God for an enormously fruitful past month of ministry, and for the privilege of reaching the key ‘people group’ of healthcare students so that they, in turn, can be equipped to reach others.
• Praise God for Dr. Jerry Hric, our newest council (board) member.  He brings gifts in the areas of big-picture thinking and student ministry, and, like all our council members, I feel blessed to partner with him.
• Please pray that the Lord continues to introduce us to ‘game-changing’ students who can pour their lives into others.
• Pray for me, and the others I mention above at Drexel, as we introduce the Saline process there.   Pray especially that God brings others who will want to train others.
• Pray also that God would give me wisdom as I help several campuses with their student leadership transitions.
• Pray for our men’s (26th) and women’s nights (25th) this month, meeting in our home.