Stephen Anderson

I can still vividly recall my first days of Orientation and classes as an incoming first-year student to Michigan Tech. Having grown up in a Christian home, school and church, I had no idea what to expect on a secular campus. I remember seeking out a role in several Christian organizations, but for whatever reason, I never found my niche. There were plenty of organizations to choose from, both religious and not, and throughout the barrage of pamphlets and recruitment materials, I eventually settled into several campus organizations, none of them faith based.

I became deeply involved with the Michigan Tech Lode as an editor, but I was still seeking to get involved in Christian work. Upon God's leading and encouragement from several others, the idea of a Christian newspaper formed. To make a long story short, after almost a year of planning and recruiting, Cross Reference published its first three issues last semester, and is back this year ready to serve the campus community. This paper seeks to encourage and challenge believers and non-believers alike to openly discuss spiritual matters.

Last Saturday, the Wads Annex was filled with singing and other forms of worship, as ICC sponsored “Encounter Worship,” the first of two worship events reaching out to all on campus.

“I have very high expectations that God is/will/and already has used this in people’s lives,” said Ben Aho in Cross Reference’s online exclusive preview to the first event. “It has been awesome to see Him purposefully set things up, on His own terms, and I can only give Him the glory for it.”

On Saturday, April 4 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Wads Annex, Inter-Christian Council will be sponsoring the first of two outreach worship events called “Encounter Worship.”

“I have very high expectations that God is/will/and already has used this in people's lives,” said Ben Aho, who is heading up the planning of the event for ICC. “It has been awesome to see Him purposefully set things up, on His own terms, and I can only give Him the glory for it.”

With the gloom and doom of today's headlines striking fear into the hearts of many people, it is easy to get depressed and feel a sense of defeat. However, we can always be encouraged to know that even in times of moral decay and degradation, Christians are on the eventual winning side. Everything happens for a purpose and God has a reason for everything He does. The mission of this section is to encourage and strengthen Christians, even in these scary times, so that they can "stand firm against the schemes of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11-13)