The tragedy hit Campus Crusade for Christ. Three of their students were killed. It also has had an effect on Life Action Revival Ministries .
Executive Director of Life Action Ministries is Byron Paulus. He says Life Action has connections to the shooting, including their THIRST team which was scheduled to begin a conference over the weekend in the Hampton, VA area. "One of the gals who lost her life in the shooting in the classroom was a member of that church. We were going to be there four or five days to minister, and now, of course, the memorial service and the needs of that family are just far greater."
Be praying for the family of Nicole White and the Nansemond River Baptist Church.
According to Paulus they have yet another connection: 20-year-old Lauren McCain. "The New York Times said she was known to love Jesus with all her heart. And a couple of our team members were staying in that home just this past October as we were there ministering. To see that family and her parents seek the Lord and love the Lord and be responsive to Him and have this happen to this family is a tragedy."
While many are grieving, Paulus says God uses these times for His glory. "I believe situations like this, unpredictable tragedies, every single person is thinking in light of eternity. And what an opportunity then to see God's glory and God's work [of] redeeming people, bringing them to Himself through tragedies like this."
Ministries are already seeing this happen. "In every ministry they're seeing the redemptive work of God in the midst of pain and loss. God's people are responding in ways that lift Him up and reach out to help others."
Paulus says when believers are affected, they have a unique opportunity to talk to non-Christians. "When a crisis hits, horrible things like the loss of a fiancée or the Virginia Tech tragedy, they're watching. And they're wondering, 'Are they going to get angry and bitter?' We know there is a providential God who's sovereign. Though we don't understand, we know that He does all things well."
This tragedy has also had an impact on college campuses around the United States. "There is one gal who called her father and said, 'What can I do?' All he knew to say is, 'Why don't you get other college students together and pray.' She began to do that. [She] e-mailed some of her friends. And by Friday night there [were] over 200 campuses that called times of corporate, collective prayer on their campuses."
Continue to pray for the hurting families. Pray also that God will provide opportunities for Christians to share their faith.
