Welcome to transformasphere.com! We exist to impact and influence people in this generation to use their God-given talents, opportunities, studies, and vocation for Kingdom purposes. You can find out more about different Spheres, or create an account to post comments.
The undergrad retreat was truly an experience that we will never forget. We would love to hear your thoughts on the retreat and celebrate all that God did. Please post a comment below, share your BOO YAG, and give glory to our awesome God!
Note: BOO YAG = Big, Outrageous, Over-the-top, You're Awesome God!
The Transformapshere directors are pleased to announce the first annual essay contest for the Transformasphere Movement. The prize will be a classy dinner for you and two of your friends in downtown Ann Arbor.
Undergrad Essay Question: What does the Transformasphere Movement mean to you?
Post-Undergrad Essay Question: What is your vision for your sphere of influence?
As we get ready for HMCC’s Undergrad Retreat this weekend, I really sense that God is going to do some amazing things. Many of us have been praying hard this past week, asking God to show up and show His unbelievable power.
I’ve gone to so many retreats in my short lifetime and the ones that stick out to me the most are those where God just shows up in wonder – and leave everyone awestruck. I have been talking to a lot of undergrads this past week and there seems to be a great anticipation for this weekend. Some comments that I have heard this week:
God desires to redeem business for his glory. In high school, I was directionless and passionless. But God had grand plans for me, calling me towards business and the poor, to the University of Michigan, to Harvest Mission Community Church, and eventually to Christian Business Initiative (CBI). I knew nothing of these plans back in high school. Even now, I know so little of where God is taking me, but I’m in it for the ride because I trust that God has a well-designed plan ahead.
HMCC's Med Outreach Team has been holding flu clinics at two different low income community centers in Ann Arbor -- Green Baxter and Hikone -- annually for the past two years. This year, the team will host the clinics on Saturday, October 27th. The GreenBaxter flu clinic will start at 9:30am and the Hikone flu clinic will start at noon.
Each clinic will run for approximately 2 hours. The clinics have been an unbelievable opportunity to minister to the community by building relationships with families and giving them much needed preventative medical care.
HMCC’s Upcoming Undergrad Retreat, from Oct 12-14 at FaHoLo, will focus on the theme of Transformaphere. Throughout history, students have played critical roles in shaping the world. From the Cambridge Seven who shaped missionary work in China in the late 1800s to the students at Princeton who mobilized the Student Volunteer Movement in the early 1900s that saw over 20,000 students go overseas for missionary work to the students who protested and helped bring an end to apartheid in South Africa, students, when they are “willing and desirous,” change the world!
When I was in high school, I played on both the football and wrestling team, each for one season. My parents were extremely hesitant about me participating in these sports because they didn’t want me to jeopardize playing in the orchestra or see me fail AP Physics. However, I eventually convinced them that I had to play these sports through strategic whining and complaining – they reluctantly agreed.
When I think about those who have gone before us in spreading the Gospel – i.e. William Carey, Adoniram Judson, Amy Carmichael, Mother Teresa, the Apostle Paul – and the struggles, battles, and persecutions that they faced, I realize that the intensity and the fervency in bringing Christ to our spheres today should be no different. However, many of us will look at the Transformasphere Movement and use it as an excuse to move towards a life of greater comfort and security.
I graduated from the University of Michigan in 2002 and decided to take a year off before “diving in” to whatever it was I was supposed to dive in to. I had finished all my pre-requisites for the field of medicine, but for some reason I still wasn’t thoroughly convinced this was my path – that this was the direction I was supposed to move forward in. I knew I wanted to help people, and becoming a doctor sounded like a good idea. Not only would I be helping people, but I would have the prestige and the great salary to go along with it.
I had the chance to meet Jacqueline Novogratz and the Acumen Fund team in NYC a few months ago. Acumen is a philathropic venture capital nonprofit that takes charitable dollars and invests in scalable and sustainable organizations serving those at the base of the pyramid. Investments are made in water, health, housing, and energy.
This video below is definitely worth the watch, even if you are not a business person.
Can God use venture capital and private equity for the Kingdom? You better believe it.
