Connections: Nick Crespo College Pastor at Calvary Chapel in Albuquerque, New Mexico
I met Nick Crespo and his wife Shaena on my recent trip to Israel. Nick led worship during our tour and does the same thing back at their home church at Calvary Chapel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Both he and his wife just recently began overseeing the college group called Renovate. Before this ministry, Nick was the church's high school pastor for two years and has been involved in missions work in Puerto Rico working with youth and music. I asked Nick a few questions concerning college ministries. Here are some of his responses:
What specific characteristics do you see with your college age ministry that are different from your high school ministry?
College students actually want to be there! Don't get me wrong, we had many AMAZING and genuine students in high school. However, when we show up on a Thursday night we know EVERY ONE OF THEM is there because they want to be. Also, I had discovered that the myth that "college students are broke" is just a myth. Just this month we raised over $600 to send Bibles to captive nations and we raised money to send 52 blankets and Bibles to the Sudan. College students to me are UNIQUE in that they have a passion to make a difference and the FREEDOM to do so. They don't have families (spouse & kids) nor are they having to work full-time (most of them). Combine that passion to change the world and the freedom to do it = REVIVAL and TRANSFORMATION.
What ministries are you doing as a college group?
Globally, we are supporting regularly in various ways the persecuted church through Voice of the Martyrs. We are headed out this summer on a missions trip to Macedonia. Locally, we are teaming up with our local cancer hospice to help raise money for their big yearly rally. Many of our students are shaving their heads to raise funds and others are showing up to help at the event. This summer we decided to make it a summer of "love for the homeless." Albuquerque has a large homeless community. There is one organization that feeds 10,000 meals monthly to the homeless. In May/June we are doing funds to build them a new website. We will end the summers outreach by serving the homeless a meal. We also have discipleship groups that meet across the city and have a lot of cool stuff planned for the future.
Your church seems to have a good mix of younger to older adults on your staff. Why do you think that is?
I think we have a good mix because our senior pastor (Skip Heitzig) is "cool and hip" for an old guy:) He also goes way out of his way to encourage young people and disciple them. He teaches at the two schools/Bible colleges we have in-house. He also pours into the student ministry pastors and basically has made available to us endless resources.
Finally, I'm guessing that you are in your late twenties. Why do you think your church attracts people your age?
Our church is amazing! Skip is an incredible teacher - very relevant and age appropriate. Just check out our Wednesday night service and you'll get a glimpse of his heart (http://www.biblefrom30k.org/). It's the coolest church service on the planet, and I'm not saying that because I'm the worship leader. It just is.
You can reach Nick at his home church at Calvary Chapel of Albuquerque, Mew Mexico.
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on Monday, May 5, 2008 at 3:29 AM.
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