So this is what I prepared for MNL a few weeks ago. It had to be no longer than like 6 minutes, so there is so much more to put in here. Here's just a little taste of my retreat experience.
I had been going to church every
week since I was about 7 years old, but I hated it. Then we started going to
the early service that started at 9. That was even worse. That went on for
almost 10 years, just going through the routine. I never got involved with
anything in my church and never wanted to. That’s just how it was.
I picked up a Bible from my church
before leaving for college. At that time I was unsure whether I would go to
church or not, so I got it just in case. I didn’t want to be the only guy
without a Bible if I did end up going. I knew nothing about it though. I
couldn’t even name the 4 gospels if you asked me. So that’s where I was coming
into college.
I got involved with Chi Alpha in
large part due to my roommate and friend from high school, Blake Thompson by
going to events like the move-in day lunch at the Stud, Mug Party, and Block
Party. So I went to the first MNL with him, and signed up for a core group. We
got put into the same one led by the awesome trio of Alex Merrill, Peter Aman,
and Collin Conrad.
The first few weeks went by so fast
and before long it was time for the fall retreat. I must admit. I was not
excited for it. Of course the leaders talked it up and were really pushing for
all of us to go, but it wasn’t doing much for me. It was just so early. I kind
of wanted to stay back and just hang out and get to know the people from my
dorm better. The scholarship made it cheap enough to where money wasn’t an
issue. I couldn’t give them a legitimate excuse not to go, so when they passed
around the computer to sign up and I saw some other guys signing up including
my roommate, I knew I had to go. I kind of got guilted into it.
We had a great speaker by the name
of Dick Brodgen there. He’s kind of a big deal. It was centered around reaching
out to the world and missions. It was about dying to yourself and living for
God no matter where you’re at. At the time, I didn’t think I would ever be able
to live how he described. Sure enough, I got his book the Live Dead Journal and
read it over winter break. Dick Brodgen and his book were huge for me, even
though it took a few months to finally register and get to that point. On top
of the sessions, there was such great community. Being that it us so early in
the year, I hadn’t hung out with my guys too much yet. Pranking is big. There
is something about pranking your sister core groups that really brings the
group together. The walmart run beforehand was too funny. So great! I wont go
too much into detail on the pranks, but I will say that a girl was drug across
the camp and thrown into the pool. How can you not be brothers for life after
that? Just spending an entire weekend with other guys that are on fire for
Jesus is contagious. Eating every meal with them, sleeping alongside them, and
worshiping next to them. It’s not something you experience everyday.
Before the retreat, I dreaded a one
hour a week church service and I didn’t really enjoy and look forward to MNLs
either. Post retreat, I began to really enjoy MNL and church and looked forward
to them weekly. It was literally as if someone flipped a switch. While worship
was kind of awkward before with people raising there hands skyward and singing
aloud, it became one of my absolute favorite things to do. Before and after the
retreat were literally like day and night for me. The effects of the retreat
were far and wide. I ended up getting baptized later that semester at an event
called Dive Deep by the one and only Josh Fairchild, and its only gotten better
since then. It has picked up right where it left off this year. I am living in
the Buck Lodge XA house with the Young Whales. While it may seem early for
yall, I know for me and plenty of other returning XA’ans, it cant come soon
enough. Last year I almost missed out on such an amazing experience because I
of the fear of missing out on my dorm. You will have plenty of weekends to
spend with them, but there is only one fall retreat. Don’t let it pass by.
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