A Year in Review

Volume 7, Issue 1

A YEAR IN REVIEW

Our precious gift...

We had a baby boy on June 29, 2011.  Leslie was induced as Benjamin Paul came 8 days late and showed no signs of arriving on his own.  After a full day of labor, he arrived at 5:50 PM by caesarian.  He weighed 6lbs 8 oz and measured 19.25 inches.

The author of No Fear Guide for First Time Parents put out by Focus on the Family writes “Parenting is an adventure, a source of incredible fulfillment and a unique privilege.  It’s a voyage of discovery, a humbling responsibility and a learning curve…above all, a gift from God-one that deserves to be received with joy and treated with the utmost respect.”  We are in amazement as we see this little gift of God.-he’s growing and changing fast.  Having a child of our own brings new understanding of God’s love.

As 2011 came to a close we wanted to reflect and share events of the last 6 months worthy of praise and reporting about.

May– June:  Summer Project stats

52 outreach concerts/events

5,033 heard the gospel message

355 indicated they started a relationship w/ Jesus.

August: Mike hit the ground running as our staff returned from the bi-annual CCC staff conference in Ft. Collins, CO.  training interns, and strategic planning for LDHR department.

Sept. Mike reflected on  the 10^th anniversary of the attacks of 9/11.  For Mike, it is hard to believe 10 years has gone by.  Mike spent 3 months in New York City following 9/11.  At that time, Mike was serving with Student Venture, the high school ministry of Campus Crusade.  The goal of the team was to distribute 200,000 “No More Fear Survival Kits”.  These kits contained materials to give New York students hope as well as a Bible and a gospel presentation.  Thanks to hundreds of staff, students, youth group kids and NYC leaders who linked arm in arm to take the good news of hope in Christ to the students of NYC, this project fulfilled its mission.

Recently our pastor shared that he was asked “How has your life changed as a result of 9/11?”   For Mike, the change has come in many ways – the memories of ground zero – the various conversations with those who lost people – the various people who now spend eternity in Heaven.  These all have brought about a change of compassion for the lost as well as knowing the power of God in the midst of total tragedy.

Oct: Mike traveled to the Intern coordinators Conference for CCC.  This is the first ever conference where representatives of ministries that use interns in Campus Crusade for Christ gathered.

Oct: Leslie served on a team to coordinate the Campus Crusade Worldwide Day of Prayer that Keynote hosted for Indianapolis.

Dec. Mike attended Ministry Partner Development (MPD) Coaches forum.  He is one of only 90 coaches nationwide.  70 of which were present at the conference.  This team facilitates coaching more than 5,000 US staff to help them raise their support more effectively.

Nov.: A home-school co-op  took a fieldtrip to Keynote.  What a unique opportunity to teach and tell kids about our ministry and what it’s like to share the Gospel.  It’s never to early to start teaching your children about missions!

Comments about Keynote from this home school group:

Laney (9): I loved learning about different ways missionaries can teach others about God!

Camden (8): I liked coloring the flags and learning about the different countries,  and standing up in front talking about it.

Renee (mom): The kids have loved the CDs and are listening to them every night.

Becky (mom): Today, we were praying for missionaries from our church in Brazil. My eight year old daughter said, "I know all about Brazil." She had done a report on Brazil during our Keynote tour. She then went on to tell us all that she still remembered about the country. Thanks for the great opportunity to expand our horizons!

Jillian (8): I liked when we did the country report, because it was fun to learn what Keynote had done in Hungary.

Jackie (10): I think it was cool that people can do a lot of stuff together if they work together.  Even if there is just a few people, it can go a long way—like the department at Keynote that has only two people, yet they can accomplish so much.

Jenna (7):  My favorite part was learning that Keynote is helping the world.

Andi (mom): We had heard about David Pendleton, but now that we have the DVD, we love him!  We have watched it several times and have loaned it out already.  We watched it with our extended family on Thanksgiving—we were thankful for the laughs and the gospel message. The kids have asked other kids if they have the “David Pendleton movie” and then they explain who he is.  And… we catch them often quoting lines from the DVD. 

Chelsea (5) I remember the flags. We colored them.  People have been there [to those countries] and built houses.

Grace (8) Everyone there [at Keynote] is a believer.  They travel to different countries and play concerts.

Blake (10) Keynote is a great ministry that has a big heart for God.  I loved the tour of the facility and I know that these people will do everything they can to proclaim the Good News all around the world.

Sherri (mom) We really appreciate all the time and preparation that went into the tour for our home school group.  It's so great to know that a ministry like this exists in our own city...a ministry that impacts the world for the cause of Christ and His gospel!  Thanks so much to Mike and all his staff for having us!  

THANK YOU for blessing us as a family by your faithful giving and prayers.  We in turn can bless others and share the hope of Christ.

Some of the Keynote LD / HR Team

Prayer Requests:

· For Leslie balance in: serving, involvement in activities-opportunities, home-life,, time with the Lord, relationships and keeping my husband and child my first ministry. I would choose what God wants. 

· For Mike peace, rest and strength in the midst of lots of demands, decisions and needs he faces in his role as associate director Leadership Development and Human Resources.

Campus Crusade for Christ to change its name

Campus Crusade for Christ 

to become Cru

Earlier this week, Campus Crusade for Christ announced to its staff that it will be changing its name to Cru here in the USA.  There are a lot of news stories happening about this and some are accurate and some are not.  Leslie and I felt it was important to send you information about the name change as Keynote (the ministry we work for) is a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ.  Our ministry prepared the following to help describe what is happening and why it is happening.

---

 

is becoming   

That's right! In the U.S., Campus Crusade for Christ is becoming Cru. We know you care about this ministry and we want you to be among the first know. We're announcing it now. We'll adopt the new name early in 2012.

This change is being made in order to be more effective in sharing the gospel and to see even more people come to faith in Christ. It's been a two-year process, but ultimately we have come to this decision through much prayer and with a deep sense of dependence on God.

Words Matter

Although our name for the last 60 years is well respected in Christian ministry and missions, the word “Crusade” now carries serious negative associations. Also, the word "Campus" actually hinders people who are not students from engaging in our broad range of ministries. Research has shown that 20% of the people in the U.S. willing to have a conversation about Jesus are less interested when they hear the name Campus Crusade for Christ. Words may take on new meaning over time, but our calling never changes. We are committed to give every person around the world an opportunity to hear the gospel and a chance to say YES to Jesus. That's what makes a name change necessary.

Field Tested

Cru has been used for over 15 years by a number of our local college ministries. It has a track record of success in evangelism and discipleship. To those who are familiar with us, it connects with our past and yet is forward looking. For those that we will connect with in the future, the name will be filled with all of the experiences and meaning of who we are and what we have to offer.

Changing Our Name Will Help …

• Increase evangelism as more people are willing to engage with us in discussions about Christ.
• Involve more people who want to make a difference in their world for Christ.
• Improve synergy between all our ministries. They will benefit from a more cohesive connection while still maintaining their individual ministry's identity.

In the months ahead, there will be a period of transition where you will see both names used. For more information, please visit http://www.ccci.org/cru to see a brief video, graphics and answers to the most frequently asked questions.

You can be sure that our calling and mission have not changed. Our heart remains the same— to help fulfill the Great Commission by winning people to Christ, building them in their faith to see their lives transformed, and sending them out to reach others for Christ. Thank you again for your partnership in this ministry. Please pray with us that many more people will come to Christ as we take this step of faith together.

Photos of our new arrival...

Many have been asking for photos of Benjmain.

So, we have selected some of our favorites and posted them in this slideshow.  You can also find them at: http://bit.ly/BenjaminPaulRebholz


If viewing this from a mobile platform or stream that doesn't support flash, please see the web album at: http://bit.ly/BenjaminPaulRebholz

The Arrival of Baby Rebholz...

Yesterday, Wednesday the 29^th was a L O N G day!!!!

God brought Benjamin Paul Rebholz into this world at 5:50 PM weighing 6 lbs 8 oz and 19.25 inches long.  Praise the Lord he is healthy and an absolute delight!

Overview of the day: 7:30 AM Dr broke the water and began Pitocin drip-“inducing” drug (medicine to bring about contractions).  Labor was progressing slowly until after intense pain an epidural was given (which there is a God story in the timing of the epidural being administered).  Then labor took off like lightening.  After pushing for about 2 hours, the baby’s head would drop with each push but return to its original position at the end of the pushing.  Dr assessed that the way he was positioned, he just wasn’t going to come out. Leslie says:

"The Lord humbled me when the Dr said that he wasn’t going to come out that way and I would have to have a Caesarian Section.

Being wheeled into the surgery room, God granted me the peace that this was His plan (c-section) all along despite my human efforts and pride.  Tears of overwhelming joy came as our son was shown to us for the first time around the curtain in the operating room."

Finally at 9:30 PM Leslie was wheeled up to the Postpartum Floor (the floor for all post delivery moms and babies) and reside here (at the hospital) till Saturday evening (72 hours after the the birth).

If you are on facebook, you can read many of Mike’s posts throughout yesterday. We hope to post photos to our baby website (http://www.whattoexpect.com/profile/LeslieReb) in the next few days.

Now or Later

Volume 6 Issue 4
Now or Later

Posing for our maternity shoot before baby arrives

We are mere days away from Leslie being induced for the birth of our first child (Wednesday June 29).  Right now, it is a waiting game not knowing if our little boy will arrive on his own or be assisted through induction.  But it is nice to at least have an ending timeframe.

Mike recently posted to his friends on Facebook “Have you ever been in the place where you know something is going to happen and you are just waiting for it to happen -- not sure if you want it to happen right away or wait for it to happen? It is that way with waiting for the arrival of our baby...”

Mike and Leslie celebrating 6 years May 8th, since their first date!

There are many times in our lives when we must wait.  Sometimes our waiting comes with the desire for it to come quicker.  Sometimes our waiting comes with the desire for it to happen later.

Our church has a “SERVE” day which Keynote, benefited from volunteers who did various projects for us.

The mixed emotions of Mike’s question is in some ways the same mixed emotions of what we as believers might feel about Christ’s return.  We would love for the opportunity to meet our Savior and yet, there are so many more that need to know Him.  We would love to be rid of our earthly bodies and yet we would love the opportunity to raise our yet unborn boy to place his faith and trust in Christ.

Thankfully, there is one who is in control of all of these things and we need not worry about them.  We just keep moving forward doing the things He has called us to.

What’s been happening

in the ministry ?

• Summer Project—our bands are on the road doing concerts and our film team is just about done with their short film to head out to do showings.
• We just finished training 2 new interns as well as a refresher for a 2nd year intern.  All 3 are raising their support to join us in the fall.
• These past few months Leslie has evaluated a number of intern applicants.
• Leslie continues to serve as an online missionary through Global Media Outreach.  She responds to messages submitted with questions about God and maintains a dialogue with many as they seek Him.
• Mike continues to coach 9 staff as they are raising their initial support after having just had 3 raise their support and report to Keynote.

Prayer Requests;

• Pray for the delivery of our baby boy. He was due June 21, induction scheduled for June 29.

Coming soon to the Rebholz home...

To read baby news updates and see

photos (click “view all”) visit:

http://www.whattoexpect.com/profile/LeslieReb

Sound Man in El Salvador

Volume 6 Issue 3
Sound Man in El Salvador

As you may recall from our last newsletter, Mike went down to El Salvador to run sound for a Keynote outreach band named Stop On Green.  The team played four shows and got to build a house for a grandmother in a community called “Los Angeles Dos”.

Gangs are rampant and we had the opportunity to work alongside former gang members called “The Disciples”.  They used break dancing and hip hop music to share the gospel.

For most of our shows, we didn’t get to know how much impact our concert had, but at the final show about 30 students indicated that they placed their faith in Jesus!

 
The day we spent building  a home was a true high light.  One family we talked with shared that it takes them $7 a day to feed their family.  When asked how much the father had that day, he said $1.  The homes they lived in were sticks, plastic, and little more.  We built a 10 foot by 20 foot home that in com parison seemed like a mansion.

Following the completion of the build, we had the opportunity to present the new owner of the home with a gift basket of food and a Bible.  She was overwhelmed with the joy of receiving the blessing from the Lord.

Prayer Requests

• Pray for the transition that approaches with the birth of our first child due June 21.

 

While Mike was on his trip/ out of the country Leslie attended a mission’s conference in Peoria, IL.  She was well taken care of by her in-laws while her hubby was away.  She was thankful  to have Skyped with him about every day.

Leslie being a Butler Grad…

listened to the semi-final game on the car radio going to pick up the team at the airport.  Mike and Leslie had the opportunity to watch the final championship game (via telecast) at Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Check out the video of a performance of The Disciples in El Salvador.