Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full

Weeks of Welcome

The years just come faster and faster each time. It feels like not long ago since we did our last sprint for the beginning of the year. If you've read any of my previous August blogs, or been in campus ministry, you'll probably know that the beginning of the year is the busiest time of the whole year. The pace of the year is set by what we choose to do and what we fail to do in this crucial time. Our aim is to bring the light of Christ to the campus. This isn't just about "salvations", it's about life to the full. Not just about a decision made in college, but also the decades after. And for all the freshmen just arriving on campus, it starts now. So every single day for two weeks, we set up on campus, whether it's an event or just going to the dining hall. Over the course of those two weeks, thousands of students come and meet us. And though only a fraction will choose to stay, we hope that each one will remember that they had a fun memory in college because some Christians chose to be there for them. 

The Grove

It all culminates with our opening night of the Grove. This ends our intense weeks of outreach and signal the beginning of our season of discipleship. Cores will start this next week as well. And every year, our students get bolder and bolder in asking people to study the Bible one-on-one with them from the very beginning. It's such an exciting time because we have no idea who is going to say yes. As Jesus invited widely and called many to follow him, so we do too. But oftentimes we don't know who is going to be the ones to answer his call. So, we ask everyone! So many surprising people show up who I don't expect, people who seemed to cool to come, people who are wrestling with God, people who are just beginning their seeking journey for Jesus. If I were to predict who would come and who wouldn't, I'd have a terrible track record. But we see from Jesus' ministry that he invited many, and it wasn't the religious leaders who followed, it wasn't the rich ruler who had kept all the commands, it was fishermen, rich tax collectors, and violent zealots, and others who responded and became the pillars of the church. Praise God that he sees the heart, we just need to be faithful!

Thank You 

As hard as these weeks are, as draining as they can be, it's all worth it because of who Jesus is and what he has done for these students. Thank you all so much for supporting me that I can do this work and be a part of influencing a generation to live like him. 

One more additional piece of news: Emily is pregnant! Number two is on the way, due in late February, and it's a girl! Prayers for the school year and for this pregnancy are very needed. Excited to welcome another addition to the family and navigate what ministry and two kiddos looks like!

2026 June Update: Less Leaders, More Servants

SICM

A few of the boys at SICM

We've finished out the year with our students! Many of them have returned home, excited to rest but also already excited to start a new year of ministry. At the end of the school year, we turn right around from finishing finals to going to the Student Institute of Campus Ministry (SICM) up in Bellingham, Washington. It's a week-and-a-half long trip to train up our potential new student leaders. This year, we brought over 150 students with us, the most we ever have. With many of our campuses growing, including UTD, we have had to expand our operations year after year. They come so excited to learn about ministry and how to lead others. 

Leadership

Baptism!

A few months ago at a wedding, I was sitting next to a missionary pastor from Lebanon. He had been traveling to and from Lebanon for over two decades, and I asked him what he would say to a young pastor. He told me, "The church needs less leaders and more servants." In a culture obsessed with leaders, we often lose sight of what good leadership actually is. In Matthew 25, James and John with their mother go to ask Jesus to give them positions at Jesus' right and left hand. They want to have the top two leadership positions in Jesus' kingdom. Jesus says they are not for him to grant. But when the other disciples hear about this exchange, they get angry and are themselves vying for those positions. Jesus responds to them, "'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'" (Matthew 20:25-28). Leadership was forever changed because of Jesus. Good leaders don't rule and exercise authority. They don't cry for others to submit to them. Real leaders serve. Because that's where real change happens. That's what we hope to develop in our leaders. Not the desire to lead. Not the accumulation of power or influence. We hope to develop in them the heart of Christ, the heart of a servant. That they may see their peers on these college campuses and see people to serve. That one day they may go out into the workforce and serve those around them. And that they would go home and continue to serve their spouses and their children joyfully, because the Son of Man showed them how, how to give his life for many. 

Thank You!

Our final large group fellowship

Leadership isn't about power. Being a pastor isn't about a job, being liked, or having followers. What I strive to be every day is a servant like Christ. And in doing so, be like him in setting an example that has changed the world. I know that many of you are doing that same striving daily. And there are good days and bad days, but in the end we know there is no other way to live, because all other ways lead to death. Thank you so much for all your support in what we do here. I am so grateful that you would serve these students in this way.

2026 April Update: Run the Race

Running the Race

Over 300 at The Grove!

At about this time every year, the gears are winding down, the fuel tank is getting close to empty, and the motivation to finish well is hard to find. But ministry, even college ministry, can't always be fun and rewarding. It's at this point many leaders are looking at the people they've been studying the Bible with all year, and for some of them they're wondering, "Where is the fruit?" But ministry is not on our timetable. Fruit is not borne whenever we demand it (despite what the grocery store would suggest). God is working even when we aren't, even when we can't see it. So it's around this time that I spend a lot of time pushing my students to ask God for the energy to finish well, to continue on to the end of the school year, remaining faithful to showing up, and trust that the fruit will come even after the school year comes to a close. We have experienced enormous interest in our small groups, large groups, and had numerous baptisms this year. But in our personal ministries, we may at times feel dry. As a community, we encourage one another to continue to run the race to the end.

SICM

But despite our sometimes myopic vision, there is fruit! We are full steam ahead with helping our students raise money to go to the Student Institute of Campus Ministry. A week-and-a-half in Washington to bond, learn about leadership, and grow in fervor for Jesus. We have almost 200 student leaders signed up to go, the biggest cohort yet. It's both exciting and daunting to be planning a trip for this many, and to try to guarantee that even as our ministry grows larger, at our heart is the belief that ministry is personal and Jesus transforms each individual through relationship not through efficiency. Please be praying for our students to have humble hearts ready for the teaching, safe travels, and a summer that only stokes the flame and doesn't put it out. 

Thank You!

William with Caden, one of my students

It's been a while since the last update on William! He's turned two! He is walking, talking, resisting bedtime, cracking jokes, and just lighting up every moment with him. Many of you have been a part of our lives since before he was even an idea in our heads. And it's because of your constant support that we are able to do the ministry we do and have the family that we have. Thank you so much for believing in what God is doing here, and believing in me that I would be faithful to his call to serve these college students!

2026 March Update: My Father is Always at His Work

Winter Retreat

Every year, one of our biggest events is Winter Retreat. All of our campuses get together for four days to worship together, learn about God, and love one another well. As it gets bigger and bigger and the students who come are from all different walks of life, we're tasked with being faithful to the charge that God has given us; we are to make and mature disciples of all nations. So we incorporate students from all our campuses into the service, we integrate different musical styles, languages, and traditions, and we seek to make sure that our students are both welcomed and stretched to grow in our community. Because our God is not a God of uniformity but of unity, that all tribes, nations, and tongues would bow before him laying down our crowns. We nearly maxed out the entire camp this year with over 800 people coming to the weekend. Marty Solomon of the BEMA podcast came and spoke to our students about Genesis, pulling in a lot of his learning of the Jewish tradition, culture, and viewpoint. Pray that the growth and inspiration that our students received from the weekend would be stoked into full fire for the Lord!

Spring Semester

While spring semester does not generally have as much going on as the fall, the beginning of each semester is a special season of new beginnings for the students at college campuses. New schedules, new resolutions, new opportunities. This year we started off the semester in ice. The entire city shut down for a week because of the ice. Schools were canceled and many businesses were shut down because of inaccessibility and risk. While many of us were given much-needed rest, we trust that God is working in reaching the people that the week disrupted from being able to encounter an opportunity to join our ministry. We've continued to reach out and make efforts to evangelize, and our numbers continue to be much larger than they were two years ago averaging well over 200 every week regardless of test schedules; but we trust that God will bring those he has called to meet him at UTD, and we'll remain faithful to telling them of the good news. 

FOCUS Asian Fellowship

One of the major initiatives we've taken this year is to give our FOCUS Asian Fellowship some momentum. It's been a small trickle over the years as I've been working through what needs we want to address at this campus. Between Intervarsity, ACTS, and Epic, Asian Americans have multiple campus ministries dedicated to them at UTD. So, what are we trying to do with FOCUS Asian Fellowship? The strength and the weakness of these other ministries is that they often end up being mono-ethnic. While it's great to be around thos ewho understand you, to have your particular cultural needs and struggles address as the norm, there's not as much reflection and wrestling with how to view ourselves and our culture in the midst of a diverse kingdom of God. How do we live in deep, intimate community with people who are vastly different from each other? What is God calling me to bring to his tapestry of humanity in worship, service, and teaching? So in FOCUS Asian Fellowship, we've been diving deep into a book I read in seminary called Doing Asian American Theology by Dr. Daniel Lee. Hopefully, it levels up our understanding of God and how he sees us and how we are a part of his vision for the earth. It's been so encouraging to see our students engaging in material that even I struggle to understand as a graduate of seminary. They are eager to bless and be blessed by a continual pursuit of God!

30 Year Celebration!

Our 30-Year Celebration is just around the corner and you're invited! Please help us spread the word by inviting any of your friends who are alumni or with anyone who might like to join.

If you’re an alum, please take a moment to complete our contact update form here to ensure you don’t miss any updates. We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone in October. Our big celebration will take place at CityBridge Community Church in Plano.

Thank You!

There is so much to be thankful for every year of ministry that I get to do. God is ever faithful and keeps bringing more and more students to know him each year. We put in crazy hours at crazy times every week for our students. There's never a normal week because God doesn't stop after 5pm, he "is always at his work to this very day" (John 5:17). And I'm so thankful to get to be a part of it because of your generosity.