Young Adults Live: "Relationships Uncensored" with Ryan & Kristyn Faison

Join the Quest College Ministry and Young Adults Ministry of Christ Church for Young Adults Live "Relationships Uncensored" on Friday, May 31st at 8 PM (Christ Church East Campus, 68 Church Street, Montclair, NJ).

Our director, Ryan Faison will be joined with his wife, Kristyn Faison, in sharing on dating, marriage and building healthy relationships through their experiences and mistakes along the way. Ryan and Kristyn will also answer questions and host break outs with the guys and ladies! You don't want to miss this night of real talk and real answers.

"Relationships Uncensored" will be a continuing series with guest speakers, skits, panel discussions and action steps that can be taken to make sure we are living godly lives in relationships!

TRANSFORMATION Services: March 8th & March 15

Join us for TRANSFORMATION service on Friday, March 8th & Friday, March 15th at our West Campus (140 Green Pond Road, Rockaway, New Jersey)! These services provide a time of refreshing in the Lord through worship and prayer! Don't miss out on this time to connect with the Lord!

Holiday Events 2012

Join the Christ Church family for the following holidays events:

"The Great Exchange" Christmas Concert
Christ Church East Campus (68 Church Street, Montclair, NJ)

Wednesday, December 12th @ 8 PM
Thursday, December 13th @ 8 PM
Friday, December 14th @ 8 PM

"God Is With Us" Instrumental Christmas Celebration
Christ Church West Campus (140 Green Pond Road, Rockaway, NJ)

Thursday, December 20th @ 8 PM
Friday, December 21st @ 8 PM

The Sidewalk: Young Adults Coffeehouse & Open Mic
Christ Church East Campus (68 Church Street, Montclair, NJ)

Saturday, December 22nd @ 9:30 PM - 12:30 AM

Christmas Eve Service @ Christ Church East Campus
Monday, December 24th @ 7:30 PM

New Year's Eve Services
Christ Church West Campus: Monday, December 31 @ 6 PM
Christ Church East Campus: Monday, December 31 @ 8 PM, 10 PM

#CollegePrep101: "The Word Is Waiting"

"The Word is Waiting"
Quest College Ministry
@QUESTYAM

Our college ministry is titled Quest to highlight the importance of college students on their journey of faith. As you read this, you may be searching what it means to know God for yourself or grow in your faith amidst the ebbs and flows of life. As a ministry, our vision is encapsulated in the acroynm LEAD:

Loving Community
Engaging Evangelism
Activating Accountability
Delegating Discipleship

We want our college ministry and young adults ministry to grow in community, reaching others for Christ, being held accountable for greater growth and disciple others to serve the Lord. In order to get there, it is important that our foundation is the Word of God! Our foundation should not be our opinions because that can change. Our foundation will not be strong based on wavering emotions. Our foundation is built on the Scriptures, the Word of God that never changes.

Right where you are, the Word is waiting on you! The Word of God is waiting on you to read it, meditate on it, pray it, and declare it! It is great to listen to life changing sermons and powerful songs, but don't forsake getting in the Word of God! You will discover on your quest that the Scriptures have something to say to you!

The Word is waiting!

Reflective Question:
Will you start your semester by reading the Word of God daily? What's your plan to do that?

Recommendation:
Check out YouVersion for devotionals and Bible reading plans!

#CollegePrep101: "Labeling Christianity"

Labeling Christianity
Quest College Ministry, Christ Church
@QUESTYAM

In the book UnChristian, authors Kinnaman and Lyons stated:

"Most Christians young people told our interviewers that our faith seems too focused on other people's faults. More than half the young Christians between the ages of sixteen and twenty-nine (53 percent) said they believe that the label judgmental accurately fits present-day Christianity." (p.182)

Unfortunately, Christianity has been called judgmental in the classrooms of higher academia, in dorms and on campuses around the country. The Word of God presents a holy standard, but it also offers relationship with a loving, compassionate, faithful God. Sometimes those who represent Christianity or call themselves Christian do not echo the heart of God. But, don't stop searching for the God who is seeking after you and your heart.

Whether you are searching for the meaning of life or seeking what it means to live a faith-filled life, know that the Word of God presents a story of grace that desires for you to know that same grace. Don't take second-hand knowledge. Read the Bible for yourself to see how much God loves you! If you're reading this and you are Christian, you label faith in God by your words and your behavior. You represent the Kingdom of God on your campus.

With that said, how will you show others the love of God?

Let's change the label of judgmental to loving and compassionate. Let's represent God well!

#CollegePrep101: "A Prayer For You"

A Prayer For You
From the Quest College Ministry
Christ Church, Montclair & Rockaway, NJ 
@QUESTYAM | www.facebook.com/questyam

As a college student, you will be faced with opportunities and challenges that you've never encountered before. With that said, be encouraged: you are being lifted up in prayer! Rather than making only an encouraging statement, we are using this blog entry to pray for you directly.

Before reading, we would ask that you first begin to thank the Lord for who He is and His enduring faithfulness. Second, thank Him for the opportunity to further your education. Third, thank Him for the blessings He will provide for you as you take steps of faith.

Here's our prayer for you:

Father God:

We come in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ

Thank You for each college student starting the Fall semester;

Guide each one in their studies, their relationships, their behavior, and the words they speak;

Grant each student favor with their professors, peers, advisors, mentors and their degree programs;

Develop their character in the doors that open and in the doors that shut;

Direct each college student in their finances, how they spend their time and setting clear priorities;

Empower each student to reach their goals and dreams, recognizing You are the author of them all;

Help them to flee temptation, reminding them that You have already made a way of escape;
Strengthen their resolve and faith in their relationship with You, through prayer, Your Word, fellowship, and spiritual disciplines;

Revive each student in passionate pursuit of You, reminding them that You love them with an everlasting love;

Empower each college student to stand up for the faith in their dorm room, in their classroom, in the board room and on campus;

Thank You Lord that you have a plan and a purpose for each one and we declare it shall come to pass for Your glory!

We thank You for these things, in Christ name...AMEN!

#CollegePrep101: "Why So Serious?"

Why So Serious?
by Travis Skinner

I want to start by saying two things: first, take college seriously. God has gifted you with the opportunity to be His witness first in modern academia and eventually the world! These four years are precious so "Awake, O "College Student" sleeper and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil" (Eph 5:14-16).

Second, while you should take college seriously as a gift from God, don't take it too seriously. Here's my college horror story: I went to Montclair State University on a full ride! What can I say, I put in time in high school. Geek time hardcore. But for the first two years of college, I was all about keeping my GPA up in order to maintain the full ride. I ignored God for school work, I skipped out on InterVarsity meetings and slept in on Sunday mornings. Bedside Baptist, anyone? How about Pillow Presbyterian?

Well guess what? After two years of that, I physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually hit a wall! The stressing, the pressure I put on myself...I ended up making myself physically sick to the point where I couldn't make it to class. And my grades dropped as a result of being Sick and low in spirit...and all around unhealthyness. Eventually, I lost the full ride.

I was at a low point. And it was my fault. But God restored me, strengthened me, nursed me back to health and called me to be a minister to the campus! While that turned out great and for the glory of God, what I want you to understand is that you need to chill a bit! Get that time management down, get off Facebook, get in the Word, get on your knees in prayer, get around other Christians and let God do His perfect work in you. He always finishes the semester with an A in what He does.

Hit me up if you want to talk more about stress and all the stuff that goes with college. It is a privilege to be writing to you. God bless!

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About Travis
Hey! My name is Travis Skinner and I'm a Campus Staff Minister with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. I'm currently serving at my alma-mater, Montclair State University (Montclair, New Jersey)! My wife and I met through this ministry and I am thrilled to be serving God through building up college students.


Social media: ivcfskinner@gmail.com
Facebook/YouTube page: ivcfmsu.