We encounter God in an intimate relationship through daily prayer, the sacraments and the Scriptures.
Man Cannot Fully Find Himself, Except Through A Sincere Gift Of Himself.
-Pope St. John Paul II
They say when God says run a mile, run two. When I said “yes” to God’s call to become a FOCUS missionary, I did not imagine that I would be given the opportunity to serve for 8 years. I am captured by the life giving grace that our Lord pours out for those who are facing the brunt of the rising crisis of dwindling faith, virtue, and character; being on campus for 7 of those years with men and women who would be eventually asking themselves questions like, “What is the meaning of my life?”, “Who am I becoming?”, “Who is God, and who am I?” was an incredible privilege. And getting a front row seat to watching Jesus transform the their lives… Well, there is nothing quite like it. I served at the United States Naval Academy, Ramapo College of New Jersey, West Virginia University, moved the Denver, Colorado to help missionaries get students on mission trips with the Missions Department at the FOCUS headquarters, and now I am serving back in the trenches of mission, but in a different capacity with the Digital Outreach department.
There are hundreds of people having “Ah hah!” moments on campus’s that FOCUS is not yet on. They want to be formed, and they want to grow in their faith. FOCUS Digital Outreach aims to meet people where they are at, as contracted missionaries. We meet regularly online going through bible study and discipleship content, we coach ministry’s to keep looking at everything they do through the lens of evangelization, and we visit those campuses from time to time to further solidify our presence with our flocks. I have seen incredible fruit born from this opportunity in the lives of men and women that participate in the program; God is working grace through our technology and our desires to make Him known!
“If God can work through me, he can work through anyone.” – St. Francis of Assisi
Faith is a daily decision to embody the person of Christ, and like most people, I was not always a person of faith. It wasn’t until someone invited me to join them in attending a youth group in High School that I considered my Christianity and Catholicism as legitimate parts of my life. Inspired by the life of St. Francis of Assisi, I was transformed and reoriented towards my Creator, Their Son, and Their Spirit.
I was truly blessed that by the time I started college at Marian University of Indianapolis, my faith was on fire, and I naturally began to soar in the community through our school’s Campus Ministry Department. I couldn’t keep that fire to myself, and so I spread it to as many people as I could, guiding them into an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ. It was soon after that I discerned my calling to become a campus minister and ran full speed towards that goal all four years of my college career; a goal which is still have burning inside of me.
I was accepted into graduate school, but instead of spending the next two years obtaining a master’s degree in pastoral ministry, I deferred my enrollment so that I could answer my call to do post-graduate service work. While looking at different possibilities, FOCUS stood out to me, because we shared a common battleground. The immediate recognition that many if not most of the college students today are not only far away from living wholesome lives, but are actively (and ironically) walking themselves into poverty.
“The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty —
it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality.
There’s a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.
-Mother Theresa
A missionary is someone who combats poverty in all of its forms.There is a great deal of poverty that characterizes the student body of most modern college campuses. God has given me a chance to extend my reach to those who not only are in need, but also those who don’t have someone at hand to be their missionary. Digital Outreach FOCUS’ response to that elusive issue, and I’m grateful to be able to work with a team to see what He has planned!
If you are interested in partnering with me, but do not have access to my contact information, here is my email and cell phone number:
Denzel Campbell
[email protected]
I certainly prefer to schedule an appointment in which we could meet in person!
I’d be honored to share this mission with you.
We encounter God in an intimate relationship through daily prayer, the sacraments and the Scriptures.
By building genuine friendships, we meet students on a deeper level.
We teach students how to share the gospel, who in turn teach other students how to pass it on.