What's Next?

So a new life begins. Not really a new life, I don't suppose, but a new path on the pre-existing life. It still feels a little strange not to be starting classes tomorrow with everyone else at ACU. Maybe it is finally sinking in that I have graduated and I am moving on to the next leg in the race.

I know that many of you who will read this do not know what I am going to be doing at PUMP (Portland Urban Ministry Project http://www.pumpchurch.org) now that we are post summer program. So let me do a little bit of catch-up for all of you.

I am developing a year-long internship program for PUMP. (The program is yet to be titled.) If you are familiar with Mission Year developed by Bart Campolo, this program has been modeled on it. http://www.missionyear.org Over the next twelve months, I will be working closely with ACU, OCU, and Pepperdine to develop and recruit for the program. Our first group of interns will begin their year of service in August of 2005. Interns will live and work in urban Portland volunteering their knowledge, service, and time at several neighborhood agencies and schools, as well as, working with PUMP ministries. We will be targeting those who have just graduated from college as interns, seeking individuals who have a desire to serve God and who are in a key transition point of their lives. We want to see our interns grow into intimate relationships with Christ as they learn to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God (Micah 6:8) in the midst of an urban environment.

The benefits to PUMP and the PUMP neighborhood will be immense, giving relief to an overworked staff and church body. We hope that the program will grow over the years to follow, and we will be blessed with satellite sites in other cities and the involvement of more universities and other organizations.

If you have any questions or would like to know more, please let me know. I would love to tell you more about the program and the vision for it.