Often God opens doors for Student Venture staff to work with students as coaches, cheer leading sponsors, debate team leaders, etc. As we connect with the students, we have opportunities to share the gospel and speak into their lives. Your partnership sends us forth to reach students in many different ways. We thank you for coming alongside to allow us to reach these students. You are making an eternal difference in their lives.

Student Venture staff, Ken Vensel, in Jacksonville, Florida, has volunteer coached wrestling at the high school level for many years. Twelve years ago, he began a wrestling program at Switzerland Middle School and more recently a 2nd program at Fruit Cove Middle school. Coaches can have an incredible impact on a teenager’s life. Ken states, “I like to tell them that wrestling is the only sport that God participated in (He wrestled Jacob all night)! The famous missionary, Jim Elliot, said that wrestling was the sport most like a Christian’s life. Even scripture tells us that, “we wrestle not against flesh and blood!”

At the end of every season, Ken hosts a pizza party and presents the gospel. This year, six boys put their faith in Christ and joined the army of God! Some of these boys are unchurched, one has a catholic background and one’s uncle is a former mayor. It’s cool to see God take students from all walks of life and different family situations and bring them together to hear His Gospel. Ken shares, “Over the 12 years that I have been working with these wrestling teams, every team has heard the gospel and over 120 students have prayed to receive Christ.”

Thank you for being a part of our personal ministry to students and enabling us to encourage and equip through materials, and one-to-one evangelism and discipleship.

PS— Here’s an encouraging note that one of the 8th grade girls sent to Kristie.

“Thanks so much for leading our study. You have really opened my eyes to see the importance of our friendship and relationship with God. Please be praying that these next weeks that I will be like a sail boat and catch the wind of the Holy Spirit!”

Family Stuff

• Please pray for the 8th grade students as they transition to high school. Prayerfully they will connect with other believers there and get involved in Student Venture or another ministry and church that will encourage them to continue to grow in their faith.
• Pray for us that we’d make the most of our summer days coming soon. That we’d get on a good schedule and continue in the progress we’ve been able to make with Ethan. Please be praying for Ethan’s ability to process information and react to it in appropriate timing.
• Please pray for our time at CCC’s staff training in CO this July and as we leave the kids in California. Pray, too, that God would multiply our short amount of time in CA to connect with many of our ministry partners. We are so grateful for you! As we look at the calendar, this seems mind-boggling. We know God can make it happen!