USC Paper Targets ICOC

The Daily Trojan covered a cult-awareness event on campus during parents weekend at USC. The next day the story made it on the front page entitled "Professor warns that cults may target students.” The writer discusses 2 groups that students should be particularly wary of: the LaRouche Movement and the LA Church of Christ. The article goes on to describe crude cult tactics and implies that the LA Church group at USC employs them.



The group of 6 disciples at USC decided to respond. We contacted the Dean of Religious Life and teamed up to discuss how best to answer the Daily Trojan's erroneous claims. Not only did the Office respond with their own Letter to the Editor defending the integrity of our group but Dean Rabbi Susan Laemmle and I met with the paper's Editor in person. It was a great relief to find the Editor humble and apologetic for the article's sloppiness and potential slander. She also promised to write a clarification on the article and a personal apology to the church.

While I believe some level of criticism and persecution will always accompany the actions of God's people (2 Timothy 3:12), I also think Paul had it right when he voiced & exercised his right as a Roman citizen so that he could continue to spread the gospel w/ less opposition. Acts 22:25-29.

I read the following scripture to the editor as I shared with her our goal as disciples of Christ to do everything in our power to honor God's name on the earth and share the truth of His son with all the world: "For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men." 2 Corinthians 8:21

Read the article & clarification by pasting the url below into your browser:
http://media.www.dailytrojan.com/media/storage/paper679/news/2007/10/12/News/Professor.Warns.That.Cults.May.Target.Students-3029528.shtml

Read the Office of Religious Life's response by pasting the url below into your browser:
http://media.www.dailytrojan.com/media/storage/paper679/news/2007/10/18/Opinion/Letters-3039898.shtml

400 Thirsty Souls Quenched at Campus Retreat

Fires scorched the southland and threatened to cancel our all-LA Campus Fall Retreat titled "THIRST." Not only did the fires clear out of Del Mar San Diego where we were destined, prayers for rain ascended to the Heavens during the week and the Lord responded and sent rain streaming down on Saturday after our first session of the retreat.



Boston's Kevin & Melissa Miller were outstanding!! God used them as mouthpieces to move hearts to make momumental spiritual decisions including several that responded to Sunday's message with the desire for baptism. LA's Brian Craig led our hearts and minds in musical worship, putting new songs in our souls. DJ John Reid was his usual fantastic at the Costume Party Saturday night. Matt Stone single-handedly worked our audio-visual needs to perfection.

We have 275 campus disciples in LA. Along with the 15 from San Diego there were close to 400 in attendance at the retreat! We had to rent another room in the hotel because we couldn't fit in the room we were given. Also, a young man from Cal Poly Pomona was baptized on Saturday. We praise God for multiplying our number and giving us great hope for the fall harvest.

The prophet Isaiah says that, like the rain, God's word comes down to the earth and never returns to him empty. We have witnessed this truth in effect as the rain & God's word both descended on Thirsty Soul's this past weekend and quenched our every spiritual desire.