"We're back!" was the common phrase describing the gathering of 1,500 students from the International Churches of Christ on the LSU campus in Louisiana for the 2008 International Campus Ministry Conference. From ICOC Hot News, conference director Mike Taliaferro gives an audio report.

Under the impressive banners of the rich history in Pete Maravich Arena on the Louisiana State University campus, 1,500 students worshipped with the New Orleans Church of Christ closing out the ICMC on Sunday. The Spirit was moving and the difference this year was momentum. Ministry after ministry shared during the week of the spiritual revival on their campus. Some were brand new building from a handful of faithful disciples. Others were older, established campus ministries that renewed their love and commitment to God.

Campus ministers for the Boston Church of Christ, Kevin Miller and Glenn Petruzzi shared that after they personally decided to change and surrender their ministries to God, he blessed them and the students with courage, faith and vision. God blessed them with more students baptisms for one school year than they have seen in nine years. Five students were baptized at Harvard University alone.

The International Churches of Christ are deeply rooted in the campus ministry. Tens of thousands of lives have been profoundly changed as people around the world have found new life in Christ as Lord and Savior and healing from the devastating sins of youth. A notable difference in the campus ministries of this age are the large number of capable mentors who are inspiring and adding wisdom to the growing number of young, zealous leaders who have captured Jesus' vision to make disciples of all nations.

This generation of college students are bent on serving as indicated by the ICMC Service Day in New Orleans with HOPE worldwide. They have chosen the theme of the ICOC college ministry website as "Here Am I, Send Me". Spontaneous applause broke out when one of the ICMC speakers quoted the psalmist "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." Several new campus ministries are scheduled and many churches whose campus ministries had folded are looking for campus ministers from the University of Illinois to London, England and beyond. Several new campus ministries will begin in the next year. The future is in good hands.

2009 International Campus Ministry Conferences

USA: July 24 - 26 in Hampton Roads, Virginia and in Los Angeles, California

8 more conferences on continents around the world. Announcements will be made on DisciplesToday.org, hereamisendme.net, ICOC Hot News and on the new www.DTSpace.net

The students enthusiastically responded to the Disciples Today release of a new Facebook type social networking site for disciples, family and friends: www.DTSpace.net

Click below to hear a first-hand account from Mike Taliaferro, ICMC director, from ICOC Hot News:

Click here for the report on the ICMC service day volunteering for HOPE worldwide in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans.

Click here for more reports on www.icochotnews.com

Click here for the reports from www.hopeww.org