First Outpost Thursday Night – Aug 27

Written by duncan on August 26th, 2015

2015 1st thurs insta.010

Join us TOMORROW NIGHT! 7pm in the LSC Theatre! Live music, a great message, and tons of new friends! Stay after for food and games! We’ll see you then!

 

Welcome to CSU!!

Written by duncan on August 21st, 2014

Welcome, Rams!

You have arrived at one of the greatest universities in the US! What a opportunity to get a quality education, live life with a diverse community, and literally make yourself who you are going to be for the rest of your life!

College is an awesome time; some of the best years of your life. However, sometimes it’s hard to navigate all of life’s decisions.

“Who am I?”
“Why am I here?”
“What’s my calling in life?”
“How can I know what’s right for me?”

We’ve all asked these questions. If you are reading this blog now, you might be searching for answers to these questions.

We, in the Outpost, would love to walk with you as we search for the answers to these and other questions. Come connect with us this week! Here are a few things going on:

Thursday, Aug 21: CSU Carnival – 7pm – IM Fields
Friday, Aug 22: Ramapalooza – 7pm – Student Rec Center
Saturday, Aug 23: CSU Pep-Rally! – 7:30pm – Moby Arena; IM Sports Night – 8:30pm – IM Fields; Movie on the Lawn – 9pm – LSC West Lawn
Sunday, Aug 24: Hike the A – 10am – LSC Transit Center; Beach Bash – 4pm – Student Rec Center; CAPTURE THE FLAG (Hosted by the Outpost!) – 9pm – IM Fields
Tuesday, Aug 26: DENIM PARTY! (Hosted by the Outpost!) – 6pm – Rolland Moore Park
Thursday, Aug 28: Outpost Thursday Night (Hosted by the Outpost!) – 7pm – LSC Theatre; CAPTURE THE FLAG (Hosted by the Outpost!) – 9pm – IM Fields

We would love to connect with you at any of these events! Don’t be surprised of someone from the Outpost wants to hang out – We’re professionals at that!

See you soon, RAMS!!

 

Preparing for Takeoff!

Written by duncan on August 16th, 2014

Written by: Abby Nitcholas

Suitcases, saying goodbyes, endless miles in our car, countless cups of coffee and so many sweet memories have filled our last month in the States. Josh and I have said farewell to Fort Collins and to our first home for the next 12 months as we make preparations for our big trek across the pond. The days are quickly flying by before our departure and my heart continues to swell with emotions of every kind! The road ahead is paved with uncertainty and knowledge that Josh and I will both be stretched in every capacity, but I consistently find solace in the fact that God’s plan is much greater than my limited, current perspective and by His mercy, I am able to be the vessel that He desires me to be.

I am consistently humbled when I look at my life. Feelings of gratitude well up within me as I realize how merciful our God is in His asking me to “Go into the world” to proclaim the Good News of His salvation. Oh how His grace and mercy weighs so heavy in my heart and mind! That God would ask me, little ‘ol me to serve Him. I am not particularly talented at evangelism, or discipleship, or even the most disciplined of people I know but still He looks at me and says, “I can use you…” What an honor to be a vessel for the King. There truly is no greater task I would want to tackle, no greater purpose as to live my life then to simply be the vessel that is willing to bring Christ’s love to this forgetful, longing, and desperate world.

When I think of Russia that is how I want to fill my thoughts; with gratitude. Although, recently I have found it easy to ponder the things that I am leaving behind during this move. When I moved from Texas to Colorado there was such an excitement that filled me because I was moving to be with the love of my life and I had a good idea of what life would look like in Fort Collins but this move is different. I have no idea what to expect, I do not know anyone over there and I have no idea of what language study plus leading a ministry is going to entail… It’s a lot to think about and at times I cave into the temptations of anxious and sadden thoughts. When I was cleaning my house right before we left, I couldn’t help but find myself longing for many more quiet morning sitting on my couch, cup of coffee in hand pouring over God’s word as I looked out our numerous windows to see God’s beautiful creation just beyond my reach. I couldn’t help but think of all the precious friends that I had gained in the last year and a half in that beautiful city or even the fact that I FINALLY knew where every store was in town!

The same day that I felt as if my heart would break because of my spiraling thoughts, I grabbed a book, “One with Christ”, by Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China. He wrote in his book a beautiful, practical model of how we should look at our lives. He encourages us to not measure our lives by what we gain but rather to measure our lives by what we have lost because we have lost it for love’s sake.

“Measure thy life by loss instead of gain; not by the wine drunk, but the wine poured forth; for love’s strength standeth in love’s sacrifice; and whoso suffers most, hath most to give.”

So yes, I have given up my cozy little home on the edge of the foothills in Fort Collins and yes, I might not have my kitchen or even my perfectly snuggle-ly blanket that I love so much, or even the countless friends that have grown so dear to my heart BUT isn’t that the point? Isn’t love an action waiting to be poured out for the sake of the one you love? Isn’t that what Christ did for me? Shouldn’t I be grateful for the fact that He has given me those things so I can muster them together to give back to Him as a love sacrifice? Wow how perspectives can change in just an instant. All that I have gained, I gladly place them on the altar for them to be a sweet sacrifice pleasing to the Lord. I feel as though I have a deeper understand of what Paul was talking about in Philippians 3:7-8.

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”

In the 12 days we have left of waiting my gaze must remain fixed on the ultimate prize of being with Christ and seeing Him glorified through my life…
Elizabeth Elliot sums up the longings of my heart perfectly. Through every season, life change, and longing, this poem has brought more direction, peace and comfort than anything else my thoughts try to cling to…

Perhaps some future day, Lord,
Thy strong hand will lead me to the place
Where I must stand utterly alone;
Alone, Oh gracious Lover, but for Thee.

I shall be satisfied if I can see Jesus only.
I do not know Thy plan for years to come.
My spirit finds in Thee its perfect home; sufficiency.
Lord, all my desire is before Thee now.
Lead on no matter where, no matter how,
I trust in Thee.

Oh the sweet love of our Savior and how He sustains us through whatever circumstance! In Him we can find our sufficiency, our strength, our perfect home! His presence dwells with us through every season whether in the comfort of Fort Collins or halfway across the world in Russia! His love goes before our every longing. His faithfulness undergirds us when we grow weary. His Peace is everlasting…

What an honor it is to be a vessel for the most talented, loving, gentle, patient and powerful creator. Friends, we serve an incredible God and we can TRUST Him with our entire lives.

airplane

 

“Why I am part of Chi Alpha (and I plan to be for a long time)”

Written by duncan on July 12th, 2014

Written by: Brent Keizer

        When I first heard about this group called “Chi Alpha,” I remember telling my parents how I had met a group of cool guys that were starting a ministry at Colorado State University and mentioned, “They’re with some organization called Chi Alpha.” I had never heard of it before then. A little later my mom reported back to me, after her doing a little research on the internet, that she strongly approved of this group called “Chi Alpha.” At the time I didn’t even know the name Assemblies of God. I certainly didn’t know the history of Chi Alpha, and admittedly, I still don’t know the history very well, and I didn’t know about Sam Houston State University where much of the staff team (well, all of the team) had studied at and come from. From the very first Outpost meeting, split evenly between 10 staff and maybe 10 students, you certainly wouldn’t have known that Chi Alpha is one of the largest campus ministries in the country. None of the students really knew each other very well in the first semester.   It was something like showing up to a party where every person only knows the host. You feel special for being invited but suspicious of everyone else. That leads me to ponder, why did I or any of the other students stick around?

After experiencing a pioneering effort from the other side, from the minister side, you realize that ministry does require “two to tango,” so to speak. I never doubted the commitment of the staff team at CSU. They came ready to give themselves to the students in Colorado, and at some level each of us can admit to feeling and knowing that with certainty. I knew this, for example, when Jake, my small group leader, would go out of his way to serve me – in particular when he would give me rides to and from campus after I wrecked my car. But when we reflect on the successes of Outpost’s initial years, we pause to realize that the commitment of the staff alone wasn’t enough. When Nate, Lindsey, Lauren, and I first arrived in Russia we immediately looked for “Timothy-like” students. Students who possessed that same special quality that the apostle Paul regarded in his disciple. Realistically, there were a lot of qualities we were looking for, but there was just one quality which in ministry, and in life, is trump. We knew that we could have a lot of great conversations, see students experience the Lord, gather students together for meetings, and a lot more, but without this one quality it would have been largely an unfruitful effort. That quality I’m referring to is commitment. Student ministry’s success hinges on the commitment of students. Sound familiar? This is the pattern of the Lord who, after departing until he could be seen no more, entrusted His ministry to twelve men with no back-up plan or reserves to come in and take their place should they have quit.

Out of that group of 15 or so students who first were introduced to this organization called “Chi Alpha,” four of us are still part of Chi Alpha today after finishing school, and six of us have given or are about to give a year back to the ministry after graduating. That’s phenomenal, in my opinion. So, what then, were we just special students that God hand-picked out of the teaming multitudes of students at CSU? I think I can safely speak on behalf of each of us that we didn’t possess anything in particular that would have prepared us to lead better or be the kind of person you want in your ministry, except for this one quality – we have all been committed. I have never been extraordinary at leading a small group, but I have stayed to lead a small group for four years. In fact, I was ready to quit leading small group my first year about two months in. But Jake, who had committed himself to me, asked me, did I really want to be a small group leader? Out of my moment of least commitment to His cause, Jesus taught me the essence of commitment. Jake literally said to me, “If you have it, they will come.” We put that into practice. Jake, Mark, who was co-leading with me, and I would have “small group” together. We would literally meet with each other without any students because there weren’t any students coming, but sure enough, they began to come. Conversations began happening with peers and classmates, and after a couple weeks we began having students come to our group regularly every week. I have abided by that principle ever since.

This is something I feel passionate about because it one of the greatest needs of this generation. As Loren Cunningham noted in his own ministry through YWAM, you learn to minister “in the opposite spirit.” How do you minister to a half-hearted, half-committed-but-not-really-committed generation of students? You minister through commitment. In speaking about love and marriage, pastor Tim Keller has this to say about commitment, “In sharp contrast with our culture, the Bible teaches that the essence of marriage is a sacrificial commitment to the good of the other. That means that love is more fundamentally action than emotion.” Just a cursory reading of the Bible reveals this to be the very nature of the love of God: “His steadfast love endures forever” Psalm 107:1; He is “abounding in steadfast love to all,” Psalm 86:5; “Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, . . . for his love endures forever” Jeremiah 33:11; “You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham” Micah 7:20; “And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever” Ezra 3:11. And on and on goes the same refrain, “His love endures forever.” Steadfast, faithful, committed – these words describe the character of God’s love.

I think it can be said that you have not really loved something or someone without commitment. When couples say they don’t want to get married because, “we don’t need a piece of paper to define our love,” they are essentially saying, I don’t love this person enough to commit myself to him or her (Tim Keller paraphrase). So why did we, as the first students, stick around when there wasn’t a group or a movement or anything to really be part of? As noted, there are two main ingredients to student ministry: the commitment of the ministers and the commitment of the students. But there’s another factor – the one commitment that lies at the cornerstone of all ministry, which is the commitment of Jesus Christ. We didn’t just have a team of people who had given themselves to us, we began to realize there was a God who had eternally given himself to us through his son, and I have a hunch that if you were to ask any of the students who have stayed with Chi Alpha why they did so, they would each tell you how at some point they began to fall in love with the faithfulness of God in Christ. To have that, you don’t need much else. You just need a group of people committed to one another even when there’s hurt, even when there’s failure, even when there are disappointments, times of being overlooked, times of not receiving due credit, even when we must lay down our rights and dreams. All of these things can be forgiven because commitment sustains all. Simply put, do you love enough to be committed?

 

The first LTC class at XA CSU. 5 students pictured here continued to give to Chi Alpha at Colorado State University after graduating, and all members of the staff team are still working at Colorado State University except Jake who is working with Chi Alpha in Russia and Tyler in India.

ltc picture

 

“I am not friends with Hakeem Olajuwon.”

Written by duncan on June 30th, 2014

written by: Duncan Chance

          When I was a young’n, my team was the Houston Rockets. During the 1993-1994 and 1994-1995 seasons, the Rockets won back-to-back NBA championships (these also happen to be the years when Michael Jordan was trying his hand at baseball). During the height of my fandom, the greatest player on earth was arguably the starting center for Houston, Hakeem Olajuwon. For years, he stood unmatched in the paint. His fade-away jumpers and hooks really could’t be covered.

With players in the NBA during that time like David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, and Olajuwon, it was a great time for NBA centers. This was also the time of the rise of Shaquille O’Neal, another basketball great. The media was all about Shaq. He was in every commercial, sports commentators constantly talked about him, and he literally became a brand name. But, true talent became known in the 1995 NBA Championship. That year, Houston swept the Orlando Magic in 4 games to go on to win their second championship in a row. During these 4 games, you had to pity Shaq. Olajuwon ran circles around him the whole time. Shaq had no idea what to do with the “Dream Shake.” Although Olajuwon wasn’t the media darling that Shaq was, his talent, experience, and humility far exceeded that of the fan favorite. It was a good time for Centers in the NBA, and Olajuwon stood out among them. To this day, he still stands out as one of the greatest, if not the greatest centers in the NBA of all time. Today, long after retirement, he still gives back to communities and current NBA centers constantly get tips and pointers from “The Dream.”

In writing this, I’m reminded of the #34 jersey I owned and wore to my 6th grade classes. The Houston Chronicle had put out a series of newspaper inserts that you could piece together and it formed a life-sized poster of Olajuwon doing one of his signature jump shots from outside the paint. With his arms extended above his head, the poster measured over 11’ in length. I had to pin it to my ceiling in my bedroom because there were no walls tall enough in my house. I was his #1 fan. I knew about “Akeem’s” upbringing in Nigeria, his college career at the University of Houston during the “Phi Slamma Jamma” days, and his rise to fame with the Rockets. To this day, if you tell me about some current center that plays the game, the standard by which I will judge him will be #34.

When I look back at my middle school and high school years following Hakeem, I’m reminded of how much I admired him. I would sit with friends and argue about who the greatest in the NBA was (besides Jordan, of course). In that circle of friends, arguing for Kobe, or Robinson, or Ewing, I would always come back to Olajuwon. I did my best to “bring him glory.” And, normally, I succeeded in properly honoring #34.

Now, in the many years I idolized Olajuwon, I did not once have the privilege of meeting him in person. The closest I ever got to him was during a Rockets game when I got a seat about 8 rows up. I always wanted to meet him and talk basketball with him, but never had the chance. I always wondered what it would be like to have a conversation with the DR34M.

In our age of the church, so many of us see our Lord, Jesus, the same way. He is our hero. He is the one we talk about. We work so hard to defend Him. We hang posters on our wall about Him, and wear t-shirts with His name on them. In the marketplace of ideas, we constantly argue and defend our faith in Him and many times, succeed in leading others to believe in Him as well. We visit His house, hang out with His children, and even travel to the corners of the world to “bring Him glory.” Yet, so often, we are the same ones that have never actually met Him. So many of us stand as the ones who George Otis, Jr. describes so well as “the people who are incredibly active doing good works under the banner of Jesus Christ, but who have never slowed down enough to get to know the One who they think they are serving.

It was possible for me, in a few paragraphs, to bring all the honor and glory needed to convince of some of the greatness of Hakeem Olajuwon, and I am convinced that it is possible to do the same with Jesus. It is possible to talk about about Him, glorify His name, do great things for Him, sacrifice for Him, be leaders in His church, and even lead many people to Him; all at the same time not actually knowing Him. I have stood guilty of this many times in my life.

I am reminded of Jesus’ words in the book of Matthew when He reminds His followers of this: “Not everyone who cries ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven.” (7:21) Jesus continues: “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (7:22-23)

Jesus makes clear a fundamental principle in Christianity: what I do for God is not as important as if I know Him or not. The scripture makes it clear that it’s not enough to do things for God or in the name of Jesus, I must know Him. In fact, our only work is to know Jesus. These other things like casting out demons, healing the sick, going on mission trips, and leading small groups are all simply an outflow of knowing Him. I must know Him.

If Hakeem Olajuwon passed me on the street, he would not notice me. He would’t know my name. He would’t know my likes and dislikes, and he definitely wouldn’t even know about all the glory I’ve given him over the years. Hakeem and I are not friends.

Are you friends with God? Do you know Him, or do you simply know about Him?

I cannot walk with Jesus vicariously through my church, my small group, my pastor, or my friends. I must have my own walk. Jesus WANTS to walk with me. This is one of the many things that sets our faith apart from every other worldview. It never comes down to what we have or haven’t done for God, or humanity, for that matter. It all comes down to a walk with Him. Our God condemned the religious leaders who, by the letter of the law, did everything PERFECT, and at the same time, He rewarded the thief that He hung next to at Calvary. Good works were condemned, a desire for relationship was honored.

For me, this is a sigh of relief. When my life comes to a close and I stand before the Judge of judges, Jesus will not take a look at the actions I took in His name, but rather will judge me on the walk I had with Him. He will not judge me on whether I found the best church or ministry to belong to (why do we worry about this so much??) Did I know Him, or did I just know about Him? Was I intimate with Him, or did I simply just defend Him against people who talked bad about Him? Did I spend time with Him on my own, or did I only approach Him in prayer when others could see me do it? Many of us are fans of Jesus, but so many of us need to know Him.

Today, after reading this, I encourage you to reach out to Jesus in prayer on your own. Don’t wait until you’re at church or in the presence of another believer. Talk to Him now, on your own. Don’t use this time to ask anything for yourself; instead, ask Him what He wants. Ask Him what His wants and desires are. Ask Him what He thinks about you and what He wants for your life. For many of you, it will be the beginning of an intimate relationship with God. The good news is you can know Him. The Bible says that He stands at the door and knocks, and waits for you to open the door. The door isn’t opened by what you do in the name of Jesus, it is opened by your desire to know Him personally.

olajuwon-608

 

Summer Outpost 2014

Written by duncan on May 23rd, 2014

Hey Outpost!

Are you around this summer in Fort Collins? Join us for our weekly Summer Outpost gatherings! Every Thursday, starting May 29th, we will be meeting at Rolland Moore Park (2201 S Shields St, Fort Collins, CO 80526) in Fort Collins at 7pm. There will be frisbee, volleyball, and a message by an Outpost student.

The first meeting will be May 29th. John Wendt will be sharing! So, tell your friends, and come on out!

See you Thursday!

 

Outpost Christmas Party!!

Written by duncan on December 2nd, 2013

Hey Outpost!

The semester is coming to an end, and that can only mean one thing… Our OUTPOST CHRISTMAS PARTY!! We will be having it on a Sunday night this year. December 8th, 2013 at 7:00pm. The theme will be Candy Land, complete with a gingerbread house contest, games, and prizes. and of course, THE ANNUAL OPEN-MIC NIGHT!

All night, we are giving you the opportunity to perform something on stage for the Outpost Party! It can be anything… Music, poetry, a skit with your small group… we’ll even take video submissions!

We are asking that it be 4 minutes or less. We only have 15 spots available. The last day to signup will be this THURSDAY NIGHT! Since we only have 15 spots, you are not guaranteed a spot if you sign up! We will notify you by email of you are chosen!

If you would like to sign-up online, please visit our “Contact Us” page. In the “Subject” space, write “Christmas Party signup.” And, in the message section, please indicate who will be involved in your performance, what you will be doing, and what equipment you will need (microphones, guitar, drums, etc…)

The party will be at the Aztlan Community Center in Fort Collins!

Get excited! SIGN UP TODAY!!

 

Breakaway Retreat 2013

Written by duncan on September 11th, 2013

Hey Outpost!!

The weather is changing, and Fort Collins is welcoming fall! It is starting to get chillier, hoodies and scarves are coming out, and Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back at Starbucks!

It also means that our Fall Breakaway Retreat is upon us! “What is Breakaway?” you might ask.

Breakaway is our annual fall retreat in which we get together from other Chi Alpha groups in our area! We will be joining XA groups from UCCS in Colorado Springs and the University of Wyoming in Laramie. It will be a great time to get away with all of our new friends in Outpost to hear some great messages and be a part of some fantastic worship!

Here are the details…

Dates: Friday-Sunday, September 20-22, 2013
For a ride, or to caravan with your car, meet at the LSC Bus Stop at 5pm!
Location: 711 Warren Ave. – Cheyenne, WY 82007
Cost: $35 (includes all meals and lodging!) (Pay at Outpost or when you arrive!)
Speaker: Dick Foth
Worship: CSU Outpost Worship Team

There will be lots of time to hang out with everyone, play some dodgeball, get out and hang around Cheyenne, and make life-long friends!

We can take your payment at Outpost, or over the phone by calling 970-231-5678. (Cash, Check, or Credit/Debit Card)

Hope to see everyone there!

 

Outpost Location Change

Written by duncan on September 2nd, 2013

Hey Rams!

We hope Welcome Week at Colorado State University was as good for you as it was for us! And, we hope you have been able to connect with someone from Outpost during these first few weeks!

If you made it out to our first meeting, we met in the LSC Theatre on campus. It was an amazing night! However, starting this week, we will be holding our weekly “Outpost Thursday Nights” at a new location! Why?

If you haven’t noticed (sarcasm), CSU is under ALOT of construction, especially the Lory Student Center. Because of this, we are unable to find a room on campus that will adequately accommodate our size and sound needs. So, a local church has opened up their doors and have allowed us to use their facilities every week! What a blessing!

So, starting the week of September 5th, we will be meeting at Foothills Assembly of God every Thursday night at 7pm. The church is located at:

305 W. Swallow Rd.
Fort Collins, CO 80526

If you need a ride, meet at the LSC Bus Stop (North Parking Lot of the LSC) at 6:45pm to snag a seat! If you’d rather bike, also meet at the LSC Bus Stop with your bike, and the whole bike gang will be leaving the parking lot at 6:45. The Spring Creek Bike trail runs directly by Foothills Assembly!

Below is a map if you’d like to drive yourself!

We will see you Thursday at 6:45 if you need a ride, or at 7pm at the church!

View Larger Map

 

Welcome Back, Rams!

Written by duncan on August 24th, 2013

Hey CSU Rams!

We hope you are enjoying Ram Welcome Week at CSU! If you are new here, we know you are going to love Fort Collins!

The Outpost is putting on several events over the next couple of days!

Saturday night, August 24, we will be having another Outpost House Party @ 609 W. Prospect Rd. Bring your own meat to grill. There will be music, games, and tons of new friends!

 
 
Sunday night, August 25 is CAPTURE THE FLAG! 9pm at the Oval on campus! Bring dark clothes!

 
 
Tuesday evening, August 27, is our Formal Fail Party @ City Park in Fort Collins! 6pm. Come dressed as epicly fail as possible! Food, games, music, and prizes!

 
 
Thursday night, August 29 is our first Outpost Service of the year! 7pm in the LSC Theatre. Come join us for awesome music, a great message, and tons of new friends! CAPTURE THE FLAG will be afterwards in the oval!

 
 
We hope to see you out at any or all of our Ram Welcome events!!!