Waiting for Jesus

   It's good to write to you as we head towards Christmas. I'm enjoying celebrating Advent with my family and with International students at UBC. I find that reading the reflections and lighting the candles really helps convey the story to students and to our kids. The idea of "waiting for Jesus" is really catching my attention. I'm trying to learn what it was like long ago to wait for Jesus. What kind of faithfulness did this require and how did they have to adjust their vision to see him when he appeared among them? Today, in my ISM ministry, I'm waiting for signs that Jesus is working among students. In my family I'm looking for signs that he's shaping us as parents and our kids as people who will be faithful followers for a life time.

Miriah lives in our basement suite. She was an IVCF student at GPRC, now studying at Regent College

Signs of Jesus at Work

    I'm encouraged by how I see Jesus at work in one of our weekly student Bible studies. Hannie is a new student leader who has come to us from Korea. Hannie has met two new friends from Korea that want to study scripture with her, neither were Christians. They have begun a regular bible study together which they named "The Circus". This is what Hannie wrote about The Circus:

"The bible study opened up my eyes to experience God’s sovereign work that draws people to him. The passion in my friends to know more about God, the seriousness of the big desire to grow in faith is nothing I had experienced myself or even expected when I started this bible study. Having grown up in a Christian family, I had taken many things for granted, but seeing my friends seeking the directions to live in the Gospel, not only each day but the many tomorrows that lie in front of them, has challenged me a lot in my journey of faith. Through the bible study I have found friendship in faith and also opportunity to think about how to ‘live out’ the gospel every day as young adults in university."


     There is a lot of growth going on in Hannie as she learns to lead and in the students as they have increasing curiosity about who God is. They quickly went through some introductory study materials I had provided and decided they needed to meet daily with Hannie. Reading through one gospel per week became their plan!  One of Hannie's friends has accepted Jesus and the other reports that she is on the way. Pray with me that their desire to meet together and absorb large amounts of scripture results in their hearts being drawn to Jesus and that this would spread to other friends.

   I recognized the gift it was to discover motivated student leaders and eager friends seeking God at UBC. I've done my best to adapt my leadership to our group's unique needs. My prayer going into this year was to see what God was doing and to join Him; I'm seeing that coming true in these situations and I'm praying for more of this.

IVCF Staff Training

   I have been invited by IVCF to become involved training new staff. In November we held another Western Canadian New Staff training event in Vancouver, at which I helped to teach. Seven staff came from Manitoba, Alberta and BC. I joined Susie Colby, our regional director, to teach this course called "Invite Widely". My role was to lead the Bible study portion using the parable of The Great Banquet, in Luke 14. We looked at how the servants actively compelled and convinced people to join the master's banquet as a picture of what God calls us to. The truth is we are hesitant to call people, let alone "compel" people, towards God's kingdom. On the second day we taught them how to run  a campus evangelism station, called a PROXE. The PROXE uses art and is designed to attract people into a deeper discussion, and ultimately to a gospel presentation. We did role plays for 2 hours that afternoon, learning to share the gospel with each other. This was hard work, and we learned how much practice we actually need putting words to all the gospel ideas in our head in ways that are genuine and compelling. IVCF has been granted seminary credit at Regent College for this course which is very motivating. Please pray for these 7 staff, and myself, that we can run effective PROXE stations on campus in January and see students respond to the gospel.

(l-r) Kim, Matt, Susan, Brian, Christa, Barron, Jacqueline, Justin, Me, Leslie

  Other training I am embarking on is Masters level study at Regent College on UBC campus. I will begin taking one course per semester to enrich my pastoral skills, Bible knowledge and leadership ability. IVCF encourages their staff to train further for excellence in Christian mission. IVCF also allows me to use fundraised money to pay for courses as part of my staff development. We receive these courses at a 50% discount - or about $700 per course. I have some funds in place to begin these studies but will need additional support over time. Would you consider making a special gift to help fund a course for my training?

   I have a wonderful IVCF staff team in Vancouver made up of 9 members. Each Monday morning we meet to read scripture, pray and sharpen each other's skills. This kind of support is very encouraging and has added a lot to my ministry.

Ministry Finances

   I have good news from my ministry finances. Since moving to Vancouver the short fall I needed to raise has shrunk from $20,000 to $10,000, due to generous contributions from several people. Thank you to those of you who support us regularly and who are new to our team. I'd like to invite any of you others who read our news to prayerfully consider joining us in this mission with a financial gift. What you'll be investing in is direct ministry to the future leaders, lawyers, doctors, teachers of multiple countries. We feel honored to do this work and are excited for you to join with us as partners.

Here's How:

Donation by Mail:

Designate Cheques to “IVCF”

memo line: “Mike Bennett”

Mail to:           IVCF

            1 International Blvd

Toronto, ON M9W 6H3

Donate On Line:

www.ivcf.ca

Click : Donors: Make a Gift: Support a Staff: 

"Mike Bennett" is listed alphabetically under M. 

Christmas Plans

  We are staying in Vancouver this Christmas. Its such a great season to share with International students who've never heard the news of God's coming to earth. We had a great Christmas banquet with about 40 international students in attendance. Five volunteers cooked an amazing Turkey dinner for us. We've hosted two advent celebration dinners in December during the student's finals. On December 24th and 25th, we are inviting 25 students to share a family Christmas with us. We'll make cookies, cook and eat together, attend a Christmas eve service, have a gift exchange and try in every way to help them feel loved. Tonight Jalena said "I'm really looking forward to all the Christmas activities with students". That really warmed my heart as I know we ask a lot of our kids in sharing this work we do. Please pray that these would be strategic days for sharing the gospel.

IVCF Christmas banquet

Family

   As this first semester ends, I look back on a successful family transition to Vancouver with a lot of thankfulness. There certainly have been some hard moments. We've missed many of you and still feel the void of close friends and family nearby. Our home still isn't unpacked as we'd like it.

   Each of the kids has met a few friends that they enjoy. One family nearby has a son and daughter in Callen and Jalena's classes and we've enjoyed spending time with them. Kiara and Treah both completed dance lessons, Jalena swimming, and Callen is on a soccer team. As a family we've joined a home group through our church that has been very welcoming. Just recently our kids were all in the church Christmas production.

Soccer buddies

Sunday afternoon up on Mount Seymour 30 minutes from our home

It was so fun to see snow again

But it was fun to leave the snow up on the mountain!

Have a Merry Christmas.
We hope to see many of you in the new year!

Mike & Kleanza, Kiara, Jalena, Callen, Treah

Thanksgiving Camp Success

Hello Everyone,
   It's midway through our first semester of International Student Ministry here in Vancouver and I have lots to report about. We are getting to know students better and our group feels like it is drawing them into good community.
   From October 7th to 10th, we took up the monumental task of hosting a Thanksgiving camp at IVCF's Pioneer Pacific camp on Thetis Island. Simply getting there was heroic. Its the last fall long weekend in BC where thousands of locals flock to the gulf islands. This meant that we had to make bus and ferry reservations with the uncertainty of whether we'd actually arrive in the end. But 80 students, staff, and volunteers did arrive, which was helped along by a ferry running late so we could catch it - an answer to our prayers!

Looking out at the 7am kayaking group

Kleanza, Treah, and dolly enjoying the water

Our fantastic group

Waiting for the ferry

   The premise of the weekend was to invite students into the feel of a family holiday where deeper conversation and friendship could flourish. We called it an "International Thanksgiving" and expected that we could get people to share their cultures together. Both of these things happened well.
   Students were grouped into "family groups" for meals. This gave them a chance to discuss questions like what they were thankful for, or regrets from the past year. The evening programs went extremely well. The first night was dances of the world. We had students demonstrate and involve the whole group in dances from Iran, South Africa, Tibet, even western line dancing. The second night was a talent show. We learned to sing in Chinese, we saw Sumo Wrestling, juggling and more. The grand finale was a jazz trio which I would have paid to see - fantastic!
   The weather was absolutely stunning, again an area where God was good and helped me as the director to emphasize thankfulness during the program. Day time activities included art, boating, archery, and lots of soccer. People really enjoyed each other and the out doors.

Bible Study
    We had the weekend of bonding and friendship that we had prayed and planned for. Coming home our attention turned to how to follow up with these new friends in pointing them to seeking Jesus with us. There are a couple of ways that is happening.
   We continue to offer friday night dinners and discussions. When the discussion portion of the evening begins I offer an optional bible discussion on the same topic down in the basement. I'm hoping that this provides an intriguing onramp for students to want more.
   Some of these students have been invited to consider joining a midweek bible study. One way this looks for me is inviting 2 japanese guys to improve their english over lunch by looking at the Bible as part of English literature (English literature is their major in university). In our first conversation they shared about values they have from their culture and admitted that they know almost nothing about world religions and would really like to learn about Christianity with me.

   On a family level it feels like we are adjusting well. During Halloween we had a chance to meet more of our neighbours. Did you know that its legal to shoot off fireworks on Halloween in Vancouver? We are talking huge fireworks being blasted off in back yards and on streets! It was quite exciting and memorable for us - even if we were a little scared of the fire hazard of it all.

We are attending a great church called Granville Chapel. Our kids are enjoying the programs, meeting friends and we are meeting some families. We've even begun attending a Sunday evening home group. Life is beginning to take root for us here.

Fundraising
   I'm continually thankful for the way many of you support us financially. Some of you have even increased support during this time!
  We are still needing to raise an additional $20,000 annually so that we return to a fully funded ministry budget. We are serving many more students with dinners and activities, along with the higher price of operating in Vancouver. My goal is to close this gap by January.
  As I get to know many of you in Vancouver I welcome conversations you may want to have about how you can participate financially in this ministry. I look forward to hearing from you.
 
Thursday, November 10th is the IVCF Vancouver fundraiser. Its from 7-9pm at the new St. John's Vancouver location at 5350 Baillie St. I look forward to meeting you there if you can come.

Prayer
1. Thank God with us for the successful Thanksgiving camp. Pray for people to go deeper with friends they me there.
2. Pray for the beginning of weekly bible studies. Pray for interest, pray for my leaders and I to have the skills to cross cultures with the gospel of Jesus.
3. Pray for the financial and program support that I'll need to reach widely among international students at UBC.

Thank you for your prayers and love for us and for the students.

Mike, Kleanza, Kiara, Jalena, Callen, Treah

What a week!!

Hello Friends and family,
   It's Tuesday morning of my second week of campus ministry at UBC. I'm just catching my breath while sitting in the beautiful Regent College atrium (just one of my new favourite mobile office spaces).
   The start of this work here has exceeded my expectations. I keep seeing glimpses of God's abundant plan for reaching many people here. I feel like I'm stumbling into evidences of how God is at work. As I pray with fellow IV staff and student leaders we've been praying that the work we do will be simply an unfolding discovery of how to join Jesus who's already at work.

3 Days of SLC (Aug 31 - Sept 2)
    For three days leading up to the new semester our staff team gathered new student leader for the Student Leadership Camp. We met near campus at a house rented by IVCF students trying to live in Christian community near UBC. Just being there with them embodied the kind of vision we hope our students will aspire to.

  Dinner at the student house

   Some fantastic plans were made for how to welcome new students. We feel led to meet their very practical needs of finding new friends, adjusting to campus and studies, and directing them to deeper community among the array of partying alternatives offered.
   We urged each other to be experiencing true community and love in Jesus as we abide with him (John 15 was our guide for this)

IVCF staff and student leaders at UBC

Imagine Day (Sept 6th)

   IVCF was among about 400 clubs trying to meet new students on the opening day clubs fair at UBC. We determined not to found standing behind a table but to intrigue students. We literally flipped the tables by standing them sideways and creating a tunnel entrance into an outdoor living room. Passing students could roast s'mores with us - it was brilliant! Once Chinese gal enjoyed this strange delicious new treat but then took on a look of horror as both her hands and lips were coated in sticky marshmallow (one over sight was not planning any napkins --oops) After a combination of water from my bottle and tissue fished from her purse we got her cleaned up. She signed up on our list and later showed up to our first friday dinner - asking about Bible study of all things. So we are praying that relationships with us and with Jesus begin to "stick" with new students...sorry - lame joke.

First Friday Dinner and Saturday Adventure (Sept 9, 10)

   After days of planning and months of praying our first friday dinner at our new home arrived.

Its hard to plan for numbers when you are brand new and have invited about 30 people who don't know you to dinner. My 2 student leaders went to campus with our banner to wait at the bus stop. I stayed home to barbeque the donated farmer sausage. Well, show up they did - it took 2 public busses to fit them all! About 50 people came in all! Word had spread particularly well in the dorms among new Japanese students and they made up the majority of our evening. They had a chance to peel fresh Chilliwack corn and play some games outside. Afterwards we crowded indoors where various card games took off in various rooms of the house. Our kids were a huge source of entertainment and delight for the students - picture our girls leading a room full of Japanese students in ballet dance moves. 

    Saturday 20 of us (including my family) headed down town on the bus to explore the waterfront, take the water bus and play games in the park. It was beautiful weather and some good connections were made with students.

   All in all we couldn't have asked for a better start to our work. We are very hopeful that genuine community will form.

   Continue holding us up in your prayers. As we build trust in relationships our hope is to be pointing to Jesus in all that we do. As a family we are enjoying this but already feeling how tired one weekend can make us. 

   This next weekend's events are already planned. I'll keep you posted !

Mike

The Blessings of Beginning

Hello Everyone,
   Its our third Monday in Vancouver as I write to you. Its the first rainy day after 3 weeks of gorgeous sunny weather. I hopped on my bike, in the rain,  to meet my staff colleague Susan Norman at a nearby coffee shop to discuss the start up of our new ministries at UBC - I arrived mostly soaked! I hope to ride a lot here, but I think I'll have to adjust my attire to match the weather.

Home
  We are beginning to feel quite settled in our new home. Our family loves the playgrounds, the trails near our home, and our backyard. Last night we played some badminton in the yard then let the kids watch a little movie on the grass. We are feeling more grounded and a sense of family team as we spend all this time together exploring our new world here. Its not all roses however as we also miss home in Grande Prairie a lot. There have been nights of tears for the kids and more than the average amount of arguing among the kids. No matter how good our new home and life is here it is still unsettling to feel new and uncertain about how to live here.
Two couches have come to us as free gifts. One was from a long time IVCF support couple in Vancouver. The other was a free on-line find of a hide-a-bed from a young guy who just moved here from...Grande Prairie. We knew some people in common and had a chance to share how "nothing happens by accident" (his words). We are certainly feeling that God continues to be in the details of our settling in, right down to providing furniture that meets our needs.

The new favorite reading couch

Outings
   Our last month of transition has taken us to many fantastic locations, for which we are grateful.
We began with a fantastic time of family reunion on Vancouver Island

The fun continued during the week of tenting that followed with Kara and John (sister and brother) near Victoria. We were in awe of the old growth forest, hiking to a waterfall, and a fantastic local beach.

Camping with John and Kara

At Goldstream falls on my birthday

July 30th to August 6th, had us at IVCF's Pacific Pioneer Camp helping as staff for family camp. Kleanza and I took turns on the kitchen team cooking large delicious meals. The kids participated in the activities for kids and we had several chances as a family to enjoy the beautiful location. On the last night we took a late night boat ride to see the bioluminescence in the sea water (glowing microscopic algea in the water which glows as you disturb the water). We'll never forget this warm evening boat ride in the dark on a glowing ocean.

Teaching some "calf roping" during Family Camp. It was a western theme

Exploring the inlets near camp on the Whaler. All the kids got to drive

After a week of moving in and setting up our home, my sister Janelle came to visit us with Curtis, Casey and Elizabeth. Together we saw many sights around town. We enjoyed supper on the beach, the Vancouver Aquarium, and Granville Island. This helped us get to know our city (including the traffic clogged streets) and see locations that we'll later visit with students. It was really fun to be with family in our new home creating some great memories.


Ministry Beginnings
  August 31st to September 2nd I will be part of hosting our Student Leadership Camp. New and returning student leaders from the UBC group will join us for 3 days of connecting, sharing the IVCF vision, and planning events.
September 6th our on campus ministry begins. My International Friendship Group will have a table display at UBC's "Imagine Day" clubs fair. We hope to attract many new students to our month of start up activities. I'm planning a month of hospitality events to attract a multiethnic group of internationals into community. Friday dinners begin September 9th. Saturday adventures begin September 10th.
At these events I plan to talk about cultural transition, helping new students over the hurdles of culture shock. We have certainly felt this disorienting stage by moving here and I pray that we can serve new students by providing a place of friendship where they can process all that they are going through.

Prayer Requests

•  Thank God with us for wonderful provision of a home with all the details. I'm praying for humility to receive all of this as a gift and to be able to communicate this as a testimony to many who visit us.
• Pray for continued family settling. We are finding a church to settle into. The kids have lots of questions about new schools and friends. We are praying about whether Kiara will continue in French Immersion and whether Callen will get a spot in the local school. Jalena and Treah both have school spots so far.
• Pray for the Student Leadership Camp. We are looking for God to ignite in these student leaders the same vision we are sensing as staff for a fantastic ministry launch on September 6th.
• September 6th - A drawing in of new students at UBC into our ministry.
• September 9th and 10th - Fantastic first events that are well attended and that begin to communicate Gods kind of kingdom welcome.

Ministry Finances:

I’ve been sharing with many current and potential supporters about how to partner with us in Vancouver. We are grateful for many who will continue supporting us.  Currently we have a need for many new partners to join us to meet a budget shortfall.

 We’ve been 100% funded for the last four years and anticipate a return to this. Being fully funded fuels an effective ministry of touching student’s lives.

I am currently $20,000 short on meeting my target. Several more supporters are needed. Here’s an example of how 20 people could partner with us to meet this need:

            2 @ $250/month = $6000

            5 @ $100/month = $6000

            13 @ $50/month = $8000

Please contact me if you want to talk more about partnering with us.

Donation by Mail:

Designate Cheques to “IVCF”

memo line: “Mike Bennett”

Mail to:           IVCF

            1 International Blvd

Toronto, ON M9W 6H3

Donate On Line:

www.ivcf.ca

Click : Donors: Make a Gift: Support a Staff: 

"Mike Bennett" is listed alphabetically under M. 

Our New Home

Hello Everyone,
  Week one in our new home is almost through. We finally have phone and internet so its time to update you. Saturday, August 6th, we returned from family camp on Thetis Island to arrive at our new Vancouver home for the first time. It was such a thrill to turn the key and enter the home that will house our ministry and family life for the next years to come.

The house, yard and neighborhood have exceeded our expectations.

It's large and beautiful.


Here's a tour in photo's to give you a walk through





The Main Floor

Our Front Entry

Dining Room

Living Room

Kitchen

Callen's Room

Upstairs:

Look up...the sky

Kiara's Room

Jalena's Room

2Bathrooms up there

The Master bedroom...and my office space

Dinner in the yard with friends who helped us move in

We are getting excited about how this home will help us host alot of new students at UBC. It can handle a group in doors and games out side. And its close to campus. We have daily reminders how God answered our prayers. The launching of the International Student ministry at UBC appears to have all the touches of God's provision and guidance. We are anticipating a fantastic beginning on September 6th.

Bennett Summer News 2011

Hello Friends and Family,

Our Move: 

Days and weeks have been ticking down and details have been falling in place for us to move to Vancouver. Monday, July 18^th is now the day we’ll leave our home for the next home waiting for us. We feel a mix of excitement for all the upcoming plans, some nervousness over all that we don’t know and can’t control, and sadness for leaving so many good friends and family members.

July 19^th We’ll meet with a new donor family in Chilliwack B.C.

July 20th to 22nd We’ll be in Vancouver registering kids for school and other details

July 22^nd to 30^th We’ll be on holiday with family on Vancouver Island

July 30^th to Aug 6^th We’ll help lead an IVCF family camp on Thetis Island

August 6^th We’ll finally arrive in our new home and begin settling in. 

 The Upcoming Ministry:

In June I gathered with about 130 IVCF campus staff in Toronto for our annual campus gathering. It was so inspiring and encouraging as we were taught about evangelism that works among this generation of students. I was able to stand in the midst of my 12 BC staff team members and pray for what God will do.

In Toronto, the entire national staff team celebrated and mourned the life of our student Felix who drowned while on an IVCF summer missions trip among the poor in Vancouver. Felix, from Kenya, would have been one of my 3 student leaders with the international group at UBC. His passing has stirred up many at the UBC campus who knew him and has potentially created inroads with UBC departments and student groups like the African students fellowship. The starting posture for our ministry in September will be one of helping people do some grieving as they return and also asking what it means to be people who see all of life as mission for Jesus like Felix did.

I’ve spent a lot of time in June and July with the 4 GPRC girls who returned from the missions trip where Felix died. They are all doing well, seeking counseling and prayer and becoming more able to make sense of the tragedy.

I’ve also spent a lot of time planning details for the fall ministry. On August 31^st to September 2^nd I’ll be part of an IVCF student leadership camp in Vancouver. It’s such a gift to walk into the fall with a small team in place and many people praying and planning for reaching students at UBC.

I want to give you the shape of my fall ministry and ask you to pray for effectiveness.

From September 6^th to October 7^th my “International Friendship Group” will host a series of Friday night dinners and Saturday adventures for students. We want to gather a wide swath of students from many cultures, both Christian and non, and form community with them. We’ll be praying that they sense the love of God from us and become curious about the other things we do.

Then from October 7^th to 10^th we’ll host a Thanksgiving weekend camp at IVCF’s Pacific Pioneer camp on Thetis Island. This is where the community will deepen and we’ll give students an unforgettable weekend in God’s creation.  After camp these students will be invited to more specific events depending on their interest and readiness: From prayer and bible study, to more hospitality events and discussion groups. My sense from God is that I’ll discover what the ministry will be based on who he brings us. Our task is to cast the net wide expecting a marvelous catch, much like the disciples in John 21 who threw out the net one more time at Jesus’ request and filled their boats.

Ministry Finances:

I’ve been sharing with many current and potential supporters about how to partner with us in Vancouver. We are grateful for many who will continue supporting us.  Currently we have a need for many new partners to join us to meet a budget shortfall.

 We’ve been 100% funded for the last four years and anticipate a return to this. Being fully funded fuels an effective ministry of touching student’s lives.

I am currently $20,000 short on meeting my target. Several more supporters are needed. Here’s an example of how 20 people could partner with us to meet this need:

            2 @ $250/month = $6000

            5 @ $100/month = $6000

            13 @ $50/month = $8000

Please contact me if you want to talk more about partnering with us.

Donation by Mail:

Designate Cheques to “IVCF”

memo line: “Mike Bennett”

Mail to:           IVCF

            1 International Blvd

Toronto, ON M9W 6H3

Donate On Line:

www.ivcf.ca

Click : Donors: Make a Gift: Support a Staff: 

"Mike Bennett" is listed alphabetically under M. 

Prayer Requests:

There will be many challenges to face by God’s daily guidance:

• How do I identify and invest in Christians with potential to become fantastic leaders? How about community and church volunteers? Pray for my current student leaders Aloka and Lifu that the would have vision and energy to launch this International student ministry with me. 

• How do we reach Muslim students, how about the Indian and Chinese students? Some will be secular others will come with strong religious affiliations. There must be appropriate ways to expose them to Jesus and see what he’ll do among them. Pray for effective and appropriate ministry.

• This ministry in our home will include my family. How do we do I include them well, while also giving time and energy to other family activities? Pray that we share this sense of mission as a family. 

Summer Reading:

I’ve just finished reading “God’s Rivals: Why Has God Allowed Different Religions”. It’s by Gerald R. McDermott, 2007, InterVarsity Press.

This book answered a lot of my long held questions about world religions and gave me new insight into how to approach people from different religious backgrounds.

The author looks at the Old and New Testament along with the writings of the early church to come up with conclusions on how to understand world religions that I found affirming and refreshing.

He highlights how we live in a world where God is trying to reach all people by all possible means.  Jesus, as author of all things, has left clues of his truth for all people, in all cultures. This means that as we approach people with news about the fullest revelation of God, the person of Jesus, we need to come as a learner for how God may have already instructed them through their religion about some aspect of himself. Though no other way leads to salvation, other ways give helpful pointers to guide people to Christ.

As well we need a prayerful approach to recognize how the religions contain real spiritual entities. There are real forces at work using a mix of truth and distortions to guide whole people groups. And yet, none of these rebellious powers can resist God’s sovereign purposes nor are outside the scope of his redemption plan. People can and are being reached for Jesus in a world that appears to be tragically fragmented by divergent religions.