Christmas Greetings

Here is a copy of our latest prayer card. You can click the image to get a larger version for printing off.

We want to share with you this poem as we are remembering and celebrating the miraculous birth of our Savior. We give thanks to God the giver of ALL gifts!

May you know we are blessed by you!

The True Meaning Of Christmas
Jesus Christ was born this day

So many years before

He came a servant to the lost

Though he was Lord of Lords

We celebrate this joyous time

Reflecting on His birth

Not born in a mansion, but a stable

As if He had no worth

He came so He could identify

With the human heart of man

And gave His life as a sacrifice

Offering a better plan

A plan that reconciles us back

To our loving Father God

Bringing hope and redemption from

Sins ruling iron rod

For this is the only reason that we

Should celebrate this day

To become focused on anything else

Would take the meaning away

So let’s arise with joy in our hearts

And share it with everyone

The meaning of Christmas will always be

The birth of Jesus – God’s son

© By M.S.Lowndes

Raising Up Laborers for the Harvest

Volume 3, Issue 11
Raising up laborers for the Harvest


The month of November is a busy month around Keynote. It kicks off with the annual Vision Dinner where new staff, alumni, and recruits come from all over as well as local guests. November also, begins our new placement cycle. Training for our new staff and interns lasts through the week of Thanksgiving, which Leslie is currently taking part in.

Though the new placement cycle has begun, Mike’s role didn’t change this year. He serves as the new staff ministry partner development (MPD) coach. Mike is in charge of tracking with the new staff and coaching them as they raise their initial support.

We recently had the opportunity to have three of the new staff Mike coaches stay with us while they attended Keynote’s annual vision dinner. (see photo on rt. Jon, Thomas and Liz pose with Mike -their support coach- for a group photo at Keynote’s Vision Dinner earlier this month.)

Jon, who went through new staff training in June, is an aerospace engineer from Denver. Though he continues to work full time working on rocket launches, he is also spending about 20 hours a week raising his support. He and Mike talk weekly so that Mike can give Jon guidance on how to balance his busy life, how to maximize his support raising and to continue to point him to Christ.

We also housed Thomas and Liz Witmer. Thomas’ parents are Campus Crusade staff and used to be a part of Keynote. Thomas and Liz were engaged when they went through new staff training this past June. It was only a matter of weeks after the training ended that they were married in August. Both have been working part-time jobs as they raise their support. Mike talks with them each week as well to encourage them in balancing a new marriage and the stresses of raising support.

These are just 3 of the 12 new staff raising their support to join Keynote. Mike often says, like Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire, “When I run [coach new staff] I feel God’s pleasure!” (Italics- Mike) There is no doubt that the Lord has strategically placed Mike in this role.

Thank you dear and faithful supporters as you have helped raise up new laborers through this ministry. In Matthew 9:37-38 Jesus is speaking to his disciples, ...The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. These new staff raising their initial support represent a handful of laborers the Lord will use to further the Gospel. Through you supporting us you are sending workers out into the harvest.

We recently were in Peoria, IL for Mike’s home church mission’s conference. We had the privilege of teaching preschoolers about missions. A highlight for Leslie was when she helped the kids make their own candle (out of a toilet roll) to symbolize “being a light” in the world. (see rt. Photo)

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Rest and strength as we come off of an intense month of traveling, trainings, and projects.
• For grace and unity as staff adjust to their new roles and departments they serve in.
• We would finish well in 2008.

A Personal Memo & Prayer Request from Mike

A personal memo & prayer request from Mike:

At the beginning of Sept. I had an onset of excruciating pain in my neck and down my left arm. My doctor got me in the same day I called and took x-rays. I was then given prescriptions to take the edge off the pain. The x-rays showed early disc degeneration in the neck. My spine in my neck is also curved the wrong direction which is the source of the nerve pain.

For about the next week I was sleeping and laying flat on my back on the floor a majority of the day. After much discussion, consultation and prayer I am seeing a Chiropractor. Already, I am noticing a difference! The pain down my left arm is gone. I have gone from taking Vicodin every 4 hours to not having even taken Advil for a week and a half. Praise God-Yahweh Rophe (The Lord who heals)! Please continue to pray that my spine would readjust to its natural alignment and that we would continue to see improvements.

Recently I had the opportunity to share a devotional for our ministry's training in human resources on the topic of God's developmental plan. I chose to look at the life of Joseph. Following is a quick overview of that devotional.

Joseph & God's Developmental Plan - A Devotional

In Genesis 37, we see Joseph as a 17 year old. He brings a bad report to his father about his brothers (v. 2). We see that Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than all the other sons and gives him a robe of many colors (v. 3) Joseph has a dream (v. 5) and then shares it with his brothers and his brothers hate him (v.8). He then has a second dream (v. 9). He shares it with his brothers and his father. His brothers are jealous of him (v. 11) and sell him off into slavery.

We get a sense if we look at Joseph through the lens of his brothers that they would see him as a tattletale and an arrogant little kid at this point in the story.  It would appear that Joseph didn't really have the wisdom and discernment to understand how these things would affect his brothers.  (Now bear with me as I know this is a bit of a departure from how we typically look at Joseph and it ignores God's role in this.  I'm shooting for how this plays into God's developmental plan for Joseph.)

If we skip ahead to Genesis 39, we find that Joseph has found favor in the eyes of his boss, Potiphar (v. 4).  Despite being a slave, he is doing something right.  He was a house slave, which I take to mean that he was well trusted.  Potiphar wouldn't have just let anyone have access to his house.

We see that Potiphar's wife is beginning to take notice of Joseph (v. 7).  She makes advances day after day (v. 10).  Then one day, none of the men were around (v. 11) and Joseph goes into the house to do his work and Potiphar's wife catches Joseph by his garment (v. 12).  Joseph uses great wisdom in getting out of there.

We see that Joseph has gone from being a tattletale, little brat, to now showing great wisdom in a troublesome situation.

Then if we jump ahead to Genesis 42, we find Joseph serving in a high-ranking position for Pharaoh (governor of the land).  Also, we find ten of Joseph's brother coming to Egypt because of the famine (v. 3).  Joseph remembers the dreams he had (v. 9).  Now Joseph really begins to show some great wisdom.  He is presented with an opportunity to really stick it to the same brothers that put him in a pit and sold him off into slavery.  But instead he in a way tests his brothers.

Joseph demands that Benjamin be brought to him for the brothers to "prove" that they really are all brothers.  But, he binds Simeon and keeps him until the brothers return with Benjamin.  Joseph then gives an order fill the brother's bags with grain and to replace the money in them (v. 25).

I find it rather interesting that Joseph is in a way testing the brothers to see if God has changed them in the years since he saw them last.  Would they just leave another brother in captivity?  Would they actually care enough to return with Benjamin?

As we fast forward to Genesis 43, we see the brothers return.  Joseph sees Benjamin and orders a dinner to be prepared (v. 16).    Joseph returns home and asks his brothers if this is Benjamin (v. 30).  Joseph is moved so much so by seeing Benjamin that he weeps.

I can't help but wonder if part of Joseph's weeping was rejoicing in the change that God had done in his brothers' lives.

Joseph goes on to further test his brothers in Genesis 44, but I won't get into that.

In Genesis 45, Joseph makes himself known to his brother (v. 1).  Joseph tells them to not be distressed or angry with themselves because they had sold him into slavery for God sent him before them to preserve their lives (v. 5).  He tells them that he will provide for them (v. 11).

There is a real difference that we see in Joseph from the early days of being perceived as a tattletale to the mature man of wisdom that is saving his family from the famine.

God's developmental plan in Joseph took him along a progression of building him up.  To prepare him for the day in which he would stand before many.  Preparing him for the day when he would face his brothers and have to decide whether to embrace them in love and forgiveness or to punish them for their deeds.

God uniquely prepared Joseph by taking him through a variety of situations that built him into the man God wanted him to be.  In our lives, God has a redemptive plan for us and a developmental plan for us.  In our roles in ministry, we need to be sensitive to where God has people in His plan.  Some will be in the early stages of His plan and others will be much further along.  But the same is true of them all, God is at work.

Prayer: The Power Behind What We Do

Volume 3, Issue 10
Prayer: the power behind what we do

In ministry, some might place great value on the physical acts of ministry while overlooking the one thing that is really the most important — prayer. We believe prayer is crucial to one’s personal walk with Jesus as well as our ministry.

Why Pray? because God commands us to (Col 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, 1 Thess. 5:17 Pray continually) Prayer is: part of having a relationship with Jesus, experiencing Him, to be refreshed by His presence.

Be encouraged prayer partners that God IS working through your prayers to touch lives of people you will probably never see. You are conducting God’s business. Standing in the Gap! “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land” Ezek. 22:30

Thank you for identifying with the desires of God and the need of the people (for those who are lost and need to personally come into a saving relationship with Him).

Let us intercede in establishing His kingdom on earth! Pray on, in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Let us intercede with Him in establishing His kingdom on earth! Pray on, in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Ministry prayer requests:
Keynote (in general):

We would as staff seek a life that Glorifies Christ. Using our talents, skills and abilities for His Glory, not man’s. We would serve as Jesus served (humbly). Phil. 2:5, 7, 9 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who…made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant…Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place…”

Shine Like The Day: (formerly Boyd Family Band)

Upcoming 2 major tours this fall (2 weeks in TX. & 2 weeks in CA) Pray the Lord would stretch the limited time to prepare as well they would rest in HIM, and trust Him for the results.

blue sky nine (band):

Pray for where God would have them play…that they’d be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading in where He’s opening doors and where He is not. Pray for continued unity…that their love for one another would grow deeper and be a great witness for those who observe their interactions.

Giants of Silence (band):
Pray that the housing for the tour to Virginia will get finalized soon! Pray for their concerts in Duluth – things are re-shuffling at a rapid pace – pray that they get into the right schools at the right time. Pray for them to finish this CD project and that it would be an effective tool for evangelism and also that it would be excellent.

Infinit Impact (African American band):
Pray their new song that is now online- would generate interest for Christmas conference (Dec 27-Jan. 1). Pray for the new interns to raise their support and get here by Jan. 2009

Jimmy FauntLeRoy (solo artist):

Pray that he would have strategic concert/speaking opportunities, creativity to both write and complete new songs and develop short challenge-talks.

“Prayer is a walkie-talkie for warfare, not a domestic intercom for increasing our conveniences”…God expects us to use the walkie-talkie of prayer for the spiritual warfare between His Kingdom and the kingdom of His enemy. To abandon prayer is to fight the battle with our own resources at best and to lose interest in the battle at worst.
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life p. 68-69

Mike led a devotional for a recent training. You can read this devotional in the article posted after this. You can also read a personal memo & prayer request from Mike.  It can be found here:http://rebholz.blogspot.com/2008/10/personal-memo-prayer-request-from-mike.html

Students Lives Changed

Volume 3, Issue 9
Students lives changed


I love that phrase “life change”. Our ministry is about winning, building, sending all for the purpose of Life Change. We’d like to give you a snapshot of just how this happens through our ministry. Every summer college students from around the US and overseas come to Keynote to receive training and use their talents in sharing the Gospel message. This is called “Summer Project” (SP).
The 2008 Summer Project Facts:

• 75 college students
• 7 bands and a short film team (new this year)
  4 Keynote bands, 1 Destino band (the Hispanic ministry), 2 Impact bands (the African American ministry)
• Traveled 23,407 miles
• Performed 93 concerts.
• 13,090 exposed/ heard the Gospel message.
• Rejoiced over the 349 new decisions for Christ.

God knows the fruit of what will come from this summer. (today, 6 months from now, in a year…) Let us Praise Him! Glory to God!

ALSO check out Keynote’s 1st short film “w(rec)k” created by SP students www.globalshortfilmnetwork.com click film at the top of the pg., then type in wreck in the search box (You can view the film without purchasing it.) Or click this link: http://www.globalshortfilmnetwork.com/films/35-wreck This 5 1/2 min. film is POWERFUL!

Here’s are some stories of how these students’ lives were changed this summer through our ministry and your partnership with us.

Mangofish played in Fort Collins, Colorado, in the Larimer County Jail. It was completely different from any show we had played before, and was a little bit intimidating. about 65 inmates attended. As Brandon (lead singer and guitar player) gave his example of a prayer to pray to begin a relationship with God, a number of inmates prayed audibly, repeating Brandon’s words. One inmate only just started reading the Bible when he went to jail and told us he was revitalized and encouraged by our message. Seven inmates indicated they started a relationship with God that night!

Swerve had a concert at the Indiana Women’s State Prison. The concert was amazing! There were 11 women who accepted Christ and many of them came up to talk to us afterwards. It was very moving to see how willing these women were to hear us and hear about Christ.

Final night of tour, one of the students in Swerve, who had been ambivalent to what God was doing through the concerts finally got it. She confessed her complaining heart and thanked God for showing her how huge His work is in people’s lives. That night, Swerve’s final show, two of her non-Christian friends who came to the show trusted in Jesus for the first time.

A Summer Project student’s comment at the end of touring with Swerve:I know that we have touched many lives but I think that all of our lives will never be the same because of this summer. God has shown himself to each of us and has exceeded our expectations time and time again.

Travis- A return summer project student from last year-I was in a 180 degree different position last year and love that He allowed me to come back and share my realizations and brokenness with the men.

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20

THANK YOU for your investment going toward changed lives! You make a difference!

The Queues Tour in New Zealand

Volume 3, Issue 8
The Queues Tour in New Zealand

We found a cafe named "the Queue" while in Wellington	We’re back! Thank you for your faithful prayers and patience in awaiting this exciting trip update. We have been eager to write this newsletter, as there is so much to tell and share with you. We agreed this is definitely worthy of two pages! Overview of the trip/tour: Traveled to 4 cities in New Zealand: Wellington (capital city), Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland (1.4 million people live there-1/3 of NZ’s population) 20,000+ Miles traveled (via airplane- international and domestic) 14 Shows/ concerts (bars, outside- in winter, campuses, churches) 1,825 photos taken 3+ hours of video camera footage The Queues purpose in New Zealand: Evangelistic concerts so that students might come to know Christ Concerts that associated the event with the name “Student Life” (the university ministry of Campus Crusade in NZ) for greater awareness of the ministry providing a non-threatening/ neutral ground for Christian’s to interact with non-believers What this looked like: Through a concert for a youth group at a church in Auckland, a young man who had never attended the youth group before prayed to receive Christ. (See photo on left side) Through setting up for a concert we played at a bar in Christchurch, we had a conversation with a musician who played there the night before as he came to pick up his gear. While talking with him, he recognized the fact that he had received a flier earlier in the week from Student Life about our show. It piqued his interest so much so, that he came back to our concert that night.	Above: The name of the university ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ in New Zealand
Mike checking the sound before a show.
Youth group in Auckland		Setting up for a show which takes about 1 1/2 hours.
Late night concert outside (in winter) where students were walking from bar to bar in this college town.		The crowd drawn at the outdoor concert in Dunedin.
Here comes the front row seats for this concert. Yes, it is a couch!		The flier for a show at "the Crypt" (basement of a church).
		The crowd breaks out dancing and getting into the music.
Students filling out comment cards at our full evangelistic concert in Hamilton.		We saw sheep among the many pasture lands and BEAUTIFUL terrain all over NZ. Baahh!
Auckland has 48 volcanoes. A spectacular overview of the city from Mount Eden, one of the volcanic peaks. This crater has been inactive for about 600 years.
Last group photo before boarding our plane having spent 3 1/2 weeks doing ministy in NZ as a team for His glory.

Through a concert played on the lawn of the Otago Museum in Dunedin, one of the Student Life staff had a 45 minute conversation with a young man whose father had recently pass away. (see photos on left and right sides)

A spontaneous concert was set up in the morning for later that day. The band played in front of a student’s flat (house)- on Castle Street. (see top two photos on left) Imagine being on the most desired street on a college campus- something like fraternity row. The timing of the concert (4:30 in the afternoon) was right before the BIG Rugby game (NZ vs. South Africa). NOTE: Kiwi’s get hyped up for these games just as Americans do for the Superbowl. College students strolled down the street with a couch atop a shopping cart. They just plopped down right in front of the makeshift stage. College students from neighboring houses sat drinking on their front steps, some even danced! The campus staff took the initiative to sit on the couches with these students and engage them in conversation. The band shared how Student Life brought them in and “hooked us up with the guys from this flat”. The ministry had previously done acts of love along this street by offering to clean the students’ flats.

Our band is an example of how Keynote uses music to gather non-believers. It is a universal language that reaches people’s hearts. The NZ staff shared how they were impressed with the band’s professionalism, musical excellence, and a new relevant way of sharing the Gospel.

Student Comments:
Thanks so much for your passion and commitment to God and reaching people. God really used you –at least to speak into my life- both tonight and at the student conference [you played at earlier in the month]. Only wish my friends could have stayed to hear you speak tonight (there was a house meeting tonight at my hostel) but never the less you guys are such an encouragement! -Sarah 18 Wellington

Really good stuff! Testimony and summary of who God is was one of the best I have ever heard. Put I in my language and great reminder of the simplicity of it all really…God is crazy about us. –Katie 20 Christchurch

It was amazing. I can relate to that story of not knowing what good really is. Cool to hear from Christian outside of home.- Alex 19 Auckland

Today was my first time coming here. I had so much fun and the stories really touched me.- Sarah Auckland

I think your performance was a blast. You guys reminded me that my relationship with God is very important and you guys also blessed me so much. –Audrey 19 Hamilton

Really glad I came. Might’ve kicked off reconnecting with some aspects of my life I have distanced myself from. Thank you. – Jodie 22 Hamilton

Thank you, your story blessed me. You’ve made me realize spiritual things and bible Study. That I need to reconsider my priorities. –Lisa 18 Hamilton

Thank you supporters and prayer partners for investing in these changed lives!

Back from New Zealand

We are back from our tour to New Zealand. We wanted to share with you some additional things beyond what our upcoming newsletter will contain.

We are praising God:

• We praise God for the fact that prior to leaving for our trip we backed up our computers. Upon our return from New Zealand, we discovered that the hard drive in Leslie's computer crashed and had to be replaced. We had all of the information available to be restored.
• This trip was a true blessing and an answer to prayer. As we shared in our June newsletter announcing this ministry opportunity, we had prayed since our engagement for the opportunity to serve together on an overseas ministry trip.
• We were blessed by the people we stayed with there. We gained a great understanding of the Kiwi culture and were able to see God’s AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL creation!

You may ask “What is touring like?”
Touring is a spiritual greenhouse: it requires flexibility, and logistically- having to trust God (for bringing people, the essential equipment to be provided, etc...).

Highlight:
For me (Leslie) I got to talk with Lilee and Penelope who were interns with the campus ministry in Dunedin. Before our late night show the three of us were talking and I had the privilege to encourage them about relationships, keeping high expectations in a future spouse and the cultural differences in dating. These two girls were such a joy to spend time with and have a heart for their campus. I had the privilege to be the first to hear that they both had decided to do another year of internship with the campus ministry. (see photo of the 3 of us)

The campus ministry is in the midst of growing and we are grateful to have played a small part in this continuing process. This tour in New Zealand was one of a lot of first time risks for the campus ministry, like having an event in a bar. We pray the Lord will continue to bless their efforts in reaching their campuses for Christ.

You may view additional photos from New Zealand by clicking on the picture below:

Additional New Zealand Photos

New Zealand Updates

While we are in New Zealand, we thought we would try to share some photos of our trip.  We don't want to clutter up the blog here, so we will post them all in our shared photo albums on Picasa.

You can find our New Zealand album here:

New Zealand Photos

Off to New Zealand

Volume 3, Issue 7

As we head to New Zealand for evangelistic outreaches, we wanted to give you a little more detail about our trip as well as a prayer calendar (see back side). We would greatly appreciate your prayers for us on this trip.

Currently, the college ministry of Campus Crusade in New Zealand (called Student Life) is having a student conference that pulls together all of their collegiate ministries throughout the country. The band from our team is leading that conference in worship. We can only imagine how God is preparing the hearts of those students for the outreaches that will be coming to their campuses in the coming weeks.

Our band, which we have named “The Queues”, will be going to the various college campuses and doing evangelistic concerts. We are praying that God will use the students who are currently at the conference to be the backbone of inviting their non-believing friends to the concerts when our band comes to their campus.

There are many details we don’t know yet and would love for you to pray that our team remains flexible. We are walking into winter in New Zealand and while by Midwest US standards it would probably be considered mild, it will likely be a bit of a shock to our systems so please pray that we can adjust to the weather.

The sound equipment is another source of prayer. Mike will potentially have his hands full in learning the sound equipment on the fly as the gear is being provided in country from a variety of sources. Each of the two islands that make up New Zealand are assembling a sound system for our band to use when we are on each island. So the sound gear will change. Pray that the gear will be intuitive for Mike to be able to manage and troubleshoot as need be.

Leslie will in a sense be the team reporter. It will be her job to take pictures and video as well as communicate stories back to the rest of the Keynote staff during the trip. The photos and videos could be used for some time to capture through images what it is that Keynote does when it is serving abroad.

Thank you to those of you who are partnering with us for this trip through your ongoing financial support, your special gifts for the expenses of this trip, and your prayers. We could not do this without you.

Please see our prayer calendar below. You may click on it to see it in large format or to download to your machine.

Christianity, in its purest form, is nothing more than seeing Jesus, Christian service, in its purest form is nothing more than imitating him who we see. To see his Majesty and to imitate him…that is the sum of
Christianity. –Max Lucado

Pursuit of Preparation

Volume 3, Issue 6
PURSUIT OF PREPARATION

When going on a trip you need to pack
When pregnant you plan for the baby
When in the midst of a tornado you take shelter
When in school you study for exams
When looking for a job you create a resume
In the army you train for the battle field
An athlete endures rigorous practices for the Olympics


What about preparing for worship service or spiritually for the day ahead of you? Leslie’s recent pondering has been how well do we prepare for spiritual things as we do for “life” in general. It’s so easy to be BUSY- keep our time occupied. But what about being still, meditating, dwelling…


In the last month at Keynote we have been gearing up for Summer Project. Working behind the scenes has been humbling. There is so much that needs to take place so that our students get the proper training, our staff is equipped for various needs and demands of leading students. (Booking concerts for 6 band tours, housing for 60 students, class schedule, rehearsal schedule, meal planning, materials and supplies) The Lord has used this opportunity to remind me I am serving others through these minuscule tasks I’m assigned. It’s not just about getting things done but my attitude and heart. Where is my focus?: On Christ, being a servant or just doing like a robot. God cares about my heart.


In my recent quiet times with the Lord, He has shown me through devotionals and prayer times just how vital preparing my heart is. Years ago I lacked stillness in my life. I was a busy body, perhaps lacking balance in my life. I am grateful for how He has taught me to just rest in His presence and meditate on His word, “lay and pray”. Busyness for God can distract one from knowing Jesus and from feeling as though we must prove our love for God by doing great things for Him. Allowing His presence to saturate my thoughts all day long regardless of what I am doing. Like in the story of Mary and Martha -found in Luke 10:38-42- Jesus points out it’s not so much about doing as it is the condition of ones heart. The two women were faced with the same choice- to work or to worship. (There is a book I highly recommend called Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World By Joanna Weaver.) In her book, she writes “While the world applauds achievement, God desires companionship…God whispers, Be still and Know that I am God.” That is one of my favorite scriptures (Ps. 46:10)!


The lyrics to this song capture it well.
In the secret in the quiet place
In the stillness You are there
In the secret In the quiet hour
I wait only for You
‘Cause I want to know you more
I want to know You
I want to hear Your voice
I want to know You more
I want to touch You
I want to see Your face
I want to know You more
In the Secret: words & music by Andy Park


Oh, there is so much more I want to write on this topic of stillness/ spending time with the Lord…

There are two things we are called to do: we are to
depend on His strength and be obedient to His Word. If we can’t handle being dependent and obedient…we will never
become the kind of people who have a heart for God.
-Stuart Briscoe






We have just recently moved. If you need our new address, please e-mail us at mrebholz72@gmail.com and request that we send it to you.

Partnering with New Zealand

Volume 3, Issue 5
Partnering with New Zealand

We have an incredible opportunity to serve as we have been asked to join a Keynote team going to New Zealand in the month of July. Since our engagement we have prayed for an opportunity to minister overseas, serving together as a couple. Praise the Lord!

Keynote, is sending a band over to New Zealand for a N.Z. ministry conference and then for 3 weeks doing evangelistic concerts on college campuses.

Keynote has desired to have a partnership with New Zealand for a number of years. This will be the first opportunity to see that partnership come to fruition. Keynote exists to partner with other ministries and provide evangelistic concerts to promote the hosting ministry and start spiritual conversations to see people reached for Christ.

The details of this trip and our roles are still in the development process. At this time what we do know is that we will be flying to NZ around July 3rd and join the team for 3 weeks doing evangelistic concerts. Mike, will serve as sound man for the band, while Leslie will probably be available to engage in one on one conversations with the students who attend the concerts.

Personal connections:
What is also a God thing is we have had personal interaction with the N.Z. campus ministry director and his wife. Leslie was a student at Butler when Heather was on staff, there serving with the Campus Crusade college ministry. They met several times to talk about and study the Bible. Leslie was drawn by her testimony and her commitment to Christ. Not only that, but Heather and her husband, Justin, are also Butler graduates! Mike took classes together with Justin in the summer of 2001 at Campus Crusade’s Institute of Biblical Studies.

New Zealand is a small country of nearly 4 million people, but is one of the most secular societies on earth. (taken from http://www.ccc.co.nz) In recent years, the suicide rate among 15-24 year olds has been higher than most countries in that participate in the OECD [countries that are committed to democracy and the market economy]. (taken from http://www.socialreport.msd.govt.nz/health/suicide.html)
Scripture says The harvest is plentiful and the workers are few, There is a NEED for more staff in all our ministries. What a privilege to partner and serve with other people to meet needs overseas.
Space does not permit me to tell you all that God is doing through the ministry of Keynote.
- four Keynote student bands
- two Impact Music teams (Campus Crusade's African American Student Ministry)
- one Destino band (new partnership -Campus Crusade ministry designed to reach U.S. Latinos with the gospel)
- two international teams (New Zealand & Israel)
- our first ever film track (short films designed to foster spiritual conversations)
- our second media track (graphics, web and video)!

Prayer Requests:

• For the preparations and finances for the trip to New Zealand.
• Strength and peace in the months ahead as we will be BUSY.
• We would continue to Glorify the Lord with praises and thanksgiving.

The Gospel message is one of hope and truth built on God’s word, the Bible. That’s a snapshot of what our ministry does. Your partnership is so vital to our ministry. Not only do you see the vision for the world but the confirmation of God’s call on our lives. Thank you for investing in Kingdom things!

"blue sky nine" in Egypt

Volume 3, Issue 4
“blue sky nine” in Egypt

There is a definite need all over the world for students to experience the truth of God's immeasurable love for them. Here are some stories from blue sky nine’s recent trip to Egypt where they partnered with a local ministry (we mention this in our last newsletter). Many of the one-on-one conversations that took place were in Arabic between the ministry workers and the students. Let us share with you how the Lord worked.

I [Holly, vocalist] met a girl here in Alexandria, Egypt named *Beth. She's a 17-year old college freshman. She came up to me after our show last Saturday and told me..."my relationship with my family is good, but not my relationship with my God. When I hear you talk today about God's love, I do not think I know about this. I want to know what God's love is in my life. I thought about drinking or trying drugs to make me happy, even though I know those things will not make me happy inside. After today, I decided I do not want to try those things. I want only God to make me happy.” Beth is just one of the reasons God sent us to Egypt. God wanted her to hear that He loves her and will keep her feet from stumbling.

For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” (Psalm 56:13)

The concert was in THE Library in Alexandria in a palace of a 19th century prince, which is a modern-day marvel itself . It's now a center for the arts. About 150 attended, and one neat thing was when we were leaving we saw an Christian couple witnessing to a Muslim woman. At one concert, Scott [electric guitar player] had shared his story and the gospel. He had shared that the results of being independent and self-directed were the things that had revealed his need for a relationship with God through Christ. After the show, he talked with *David. David shared about his struggles with doing things on his own as well. Retaining control of his life was ‘his castle’, as he put it.

Scott shared with him – I still struggle with that, too. It is only through God’s Spirit working in me that I can even come close. It’s a daily effort to surrender to him and yield to His will instead of my own.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13)

One day during lunch, we spoke with a ministry leader for Egypt, after all of our concerts were finished. He told us how God had stretched their staff’s faith through our work. He told us what a blessing we had been to their staff and how successful the outreaches had been (with all sorts of audiences).

And he told us that their staff were encouraged and excited about how our work had shown them a new, different and relevant way to draw people towards God.
“It is a new day for our ministry”, he told us.

Wow!

*PLEASE NOTE– names were changed for anonymity.

Prayer Requests:

• The planning and details of Summer Project as it is two months away.
• Pray for the bands as they continue on tour throughout the US.

The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.
-Warren W. Wiersbe

Easter Blessing

	We would like to wish you a blessed Easter! Remembering the essence of Easter- Our Savior. Jesus Predicts His death Matthew 20:17-19 (The Message) Jesus, now well on the way up to Jerusalem, took the Twelve off to the side of the road and said, "Listen to me carefully. We are on our way up to Jerusalem. When we get there, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the religious leaders and scholars. They will sentence him to death. They will then hand him over to the Romans for mockery and torture and crucifixion. On the third day he will be raised up alive." Christ’s Sacrifice once for all (sins) Hebrews 10:14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 1Peter 2:24-25 He himself bore our sins He in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Praise God for Living hope 1Peter 1:3-5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. Revelation 11:17 (NIV) saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.