Sometimes we mistake our leaders for what they're not. They're not the answer to all our problems. They're fallible. They can and do make bad decisions, choose the path of pride rather than humility, and do things for selfish reasons. And it's easy, especially during election season, to see their faults.
I've noticed a sense of expectation toward seminary-trained people, too. They should have it all together. They should have God's blessing, since they're following Him. They should know where God is leading them. They have an inside track with God. Well, those who believe they've heard God's call haven't arrived.
As a person in seminary, I have struggles with pride, insecurities, and a lot of other things, too. I don't have a clue what's going to happen after my trip to southeast Europe. I have no job, no housing, nothing lined up. I'm not even sure what state I should live in. Most of my friends are in very different areas of life, and it's hard to find people who understand. It's hard to find friends who have time, too. I'm concerned that it's so difficult to even imagine what it will be like to work in the Balkans. It's disheartening to have so little idea what to expect in the next year of my life. And then there's that weird feeling in the back of my mind that maybe I won't come back. That I'll die in some freak accident before I even get there. It's an irrational fear. But the doubts about my future keep coming. And I've heard "not now" so many times in the last six months. I'm tired of hearing it. I'm tired of getting ready for change and then being disappointed. I'm tired of feeling stuck. I'm tired of spending time getting to know people and then they suddenly disappear and cut ties with me. I'm worn out from the turnover. Lots of people aren't great at keeping up; I understand. But what happened to those friendships that we built? I guess they were castles in the sand. I've sought wisdom about what kind of work to pursue. Nearing the end of my second degree, I don't know if I'm any closer to knowing how to spend my days. There are so many things that I could do, and I wish I could have some closure instead of fumbling over ideas when people ask.
I'm striving toward Christlikeness, but it's hard, and I fail a lot. That's perhaps one of the most significant lessons I've learned in seminary - that I fall short of what God wants - I fall really short. But Christlikeness is meant for all of us, not just seminarians. Every person is created in God's image. God's call isn't elitist. How can you be refined in the image of Christ? By making everyday choices. By trusting and believing what He reveals to you, even when it's small. Even when all you know is that you should be prepared to go, even if you don't know where and don't have the resources to make it.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Careful with Words
I've been guilty quite a few times of poor use of the English language. I use vague terms or archaic terms. Every so often I catch myself doing this, and then I get stuck in the awkward phase of wondering how to change my vernacular as I'm talking. Maybe this will make better sense with an example. So often when it comes to international missions, people talk about going overseas. Although this may be a correct explanation, it's still a worn-out term. Do people still talk about the Orient? They do, but countries and territories are called by their names rather than being called the Orient. If I go to Europe for missionary work, I am going overseas. But do international workers or expatriates live and work internationally or overseas?
I'm not just striving to be more politically correct. I want to be sensitive to other cultures. I do not want to go to another nation, another people group and look down on them because of their culture or because they have not yet heard about Christ. I want to be involved in missions; I want to be involved in God's mission. I hope to humbling serve with love, and that includes listening to how I talk. Am I talking down other cultures and, ultimately, people indirectly?
I'm not just striving to be more politically correct. I want to be sensitive to other cultures. I do not want to go to another nation, another people group and look down on them because of their culture or because they have not yet heard about Christ. I want to be involved in missions; I want to be involved in God's mission. I hope to humbling serve with love, and that includes listening to how I talk. Am I talking down other cultures and, ultimately, people indirectly?
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Quietude
The summer of '10 I moved to South Carolina. I wasn't sure what I was doing beyond taking what I perceived as a step of faith. I arrived without any job prospects, living in a cheap barracks-style apartment. There are 14 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms, one kitchen and one livingroom. In the year and a half that I've lived there, I would be hard-pressed to even remember all the guys who lived here. They come and they go, a lot like a long-term hotel. I've made some great friendships with a few of them, but we don't always get involved in each others' lives. We're roommates who may or may not even talk to each other, much less hang out.
I got a job that summer as a painter for Ben Lippen schools. I painted using 3 main colors: coir, cloth and quietude. The former two were shades of institutional yellow-tan; the latter was a teal-green. Quietude was used in the middle school classrooms, probably because greens supposedly have a calming psychological effect. Anyway, I spent a lot of hours painting quietude on the walls.
Why do I start talking about paint after not writing for so long? Maybe it's word association. But it's time to come back to the present. I'm sitting on my bed at the mission agency writing. I think everyone left to watch a college bowl game at someone's house. Since I'm not interested and rather tired, I decided not to go. It's strange being at a training and being pretty much the only person around. It leaves me with time to read all the books that I need to finish by the end of next week for my winter term class. And it gives me time to reflect on life (whether that's good or bad).
Since November, at least three close friends have moved away from Columbia. A fourth is looking for jobs and so I probably won't see him much even while he's still here. I just realized that 2 more friends left in December. Another one will probably leave by April. I know that I'm back in a college setting and that I should expect lots of change, but man, this stinks.
As I look forward to certain changes in my own life, I can't help but wonder about my current state. Is this better than if I hadn't come to seminary and incurred all this student debt? I'm expecting to graduate in December 2012 as long as things work out more or less how I think they will. But I'm pushing myself a lot. This last semester was spiritually catastrophic for me. Any gains made over the summer vanished in an instant. I have knowledge, but I still struggle with applying it to my own life. And for being almost ready to graduate from seminary, my knowledge of the Bible isn't great by a long shot. I worked as much as I could. I pushed myself to get all of my assignments done on time - and that was pretty hard with 3 classes. When I had free time, I crashed. It wasn't just unproductive, it was wasted. I didn't have the energy or motivation left to do anything worthwhile with it. I didn't even rest well; I fell into a kind of avoiding discomfort mindset. Friendships fell to the wayside too. And I regret that I essentially gave up on friendships for a while. Along with realizing and doing something about my need to cut back, my friendships could have kept me from falling so far. To those of you who prodded me as friends to keep in touch and hang out and talk, thank you. I needed it more than I was willing to admit.
The last few days I've been taking account of my life recently. I strive for so many things. I got good grades, but as so many have pointed out, how many people really ask what grades you got in seminary? Few, if any. I'm involved in good things, and often those things do help get me interacting with others, which I need. But it may leave me drained. And I don't know exactly what I'm going to do. Do I keep pushing, telling myself that it will get easier after (this semester, graduation, I get a job, etc.)? I know that it won't get easier if I keep this pace. I already crashed and burned. I want to be involved in ministry. I want to glorify God in it. I want to be able to share Jesus with people. Isn't that, along with a sense of obedience, why I made the plunge to seminary in the first place? I feel like I just keep getting held back longer from doing things that really make a difference. And in saying that, I realize that I might not be satisfied with mission either, because I'm making it a destination. What I do here has significance too. I might not see the results of what I'm doing, but that doesn't negate any effects.
I know at least 3 people who left grad school/seminary. I'm not sure how many of those will be back. This past semester I made a couple trips to the North Carolina mountains. That was my respite, even if it was very short. The second trip I was desperate to leave town even for a day. If I keep doing what I've been doing, I could be another person who leaves with only a couple classes left. I don't want that to happen.
So what do I change? Well, I guess that's what the next couple of weeks will decide. My job and ministry situations need to be made clear. I need to get the spring semester structured, since right now it looks like a lot of things going on and a lot of flexibility for scheduling. I need to schedule unstructured time for prayer and Bible study and creativity. I intended to do that last semester, and I never followed through on it. Here's to a better winter/spring....
I got a job that summer as a painter for Ben Lippen schools. I painted using 3 main colors: coir, cloth and quietude. The former two were shades of institutional yellow-tan; the latter was a teal-green. Quietude was used in the middle school classrooms, probably because greens supposedly have a calming psychological effect. Anyway, I spent a lot of hours painting quietude on the walls.
Why do I start talking about paint after not writing for so long? Maybe it's word association. But it's time to come back to the present. I'm sitting on my bed at the mission agency writing. I think everyone left to watch a college bowl game at someone's house. Since I'm not interested and rather tired, I decided not to go. It's strange being at a training and being pretty much the only person around. It leaves me with time to read all the books that I need to finish by the end of next week for my winter term class. And it gives me time to reflect on life (whether that's good or bad).
Since November, at least three close friends have moved away from Columbia. A fourth is looking for jobs and so I probably won't see him much even while he's still here. I just realized that 2 more friends left in December. Another one will probably leave by April. I know that I'm back in a college setting and that I should expect lots of change, but man, this stinks.
As I look forward to certain changes in my own life, I can't help but wonder about my current state. Is this better than if I hadn't come to seminary and incurred all this student debt? I'm expecting to graduate in December 2012 as long as things work out more or less how I think they will. But I'm pushing myself a lot. This last semester was spiritually catastrophic for me. Any gains made over the summer vanished in an instant. I have knowledge, but I still struggle with applying it to my own life. And for being almost ready to graduate from seminary, my knowledge of the Bible isn't great by a long shot. I worked as much as I could. I pushed myself to get all of my assignments done on time - and that was pretty hard with 3 classes. When I had free time, I crashed. It wasn't just unproductive, it was wasted. I didn't have the energy or motivation left to do anything worthwhile with it. I didn't even rest well; I fell into a kind of avoiding discomfort mindset. Friendships fell to the wayside too. And I regret that I essentially gave up on friendships for a while. Along with realizing and doing something about my need to cut back, my friendships could have kept me from falling so far. To those of you who prodded me as friends to keep in touch and hang out and talk, thank you. I needed it more than I was willing to admit.
The last few days I've been taking account of my life recently. I strive for so many things. I got good grades, but as so many have pointed out, how many people really ask what grades you got in seminary? Few, if any. I'm involved in good things, and often those things do help get me interacting with others, which I need. But it may leave me drained. And I don't know exactly what I'm going to do. Do I keep pushing, telling myself that it will get easier after (this semester, graduation, I get a job, etc.)? I know that it won't get easier if I keep this pace. I already crashed and burned. I want to be involved in ministry. I want to glorify God in it. I want to be able to share Jesus with people. Isn't that, along with a sense of obedience, why I made the plunge to seminary in the first place? I feel like I just keep getting held back longer from doing things that really make a difference. And in saying that, I realize that I might not be satisfied with mission either, because I'm making it a destination. What I do here has significance too. I might not see the results of what I'm doing, but that doesn't negate any effects.
I know at least 3 people who left grad school/seminary. I'm not sure how many of those will be back. This past semester I made a couple trips to the North Carolina mountains. That was my respite, even if it was very short. The second trip I was desperate to leave town even for a day. If I keep doing what I've been doing, I could be another person who leaves with only a couple classes left. I don't want that to happen.
So what do I change? Well, I guess that's what the next couple of weeks will decide. My job and ministry situations need to be made clear. I need to get the spring semester structured, since right now it looks like a lot of things going on and a lot of flexibility for scheduling. I need to schedule unstructured time for prayer and Bible study and creativity. I intended to do that last semester, and I never followed through on it. Here's to a better winter/spring....
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Love versus Faith
I've seen a trend in Christianity over the last decade. I'm sure that it's been around much longer, but that's about when I noticed it. God has become the God of Love. God loves you and wants to bless you. God's crazy about you. Love God, love others. I love Jesus. Love wins. It goes on and on. Yes, God loves us. Yes, God loves us in such a way that He sent Jesus to come and die for us, that we could have forgiveness of sins. Yes, the Law can be summed up as "Love God, love others."
Where does faith fit into the equation? Does love get us into heaven? The answer is that we need faith in Christ. "For by grace you have been saved through faith" (Eph 2:8). We are also justified by faith, not love. I think that often we act as though the two are equivalent, but they are not. Faith is the key ingredient in salvation for which we are responsible (Rom 3:25). There is the "righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe." (Rom 3:22). Why doesn't faith get preached as much as love? I would guess in part that love is a much more popular topic, at least in the US. Love panders to our sense of self-importance. God loves me, He wants me to love Him. We can also read our distortions of love into the relationship, which is harder to do with faith. We claim that God will understand when we fall in and out of love, the ebb and flow that pervades our lives. Perhaps faith conjures up a more consistent image of what we're called to do and be.
Where does faith fit into the equation? Does love get us into heaven? The answer is that we need faith in Christ. "For by grace you have been saved through faith" (Eph 2:8). We are also justified by faith, not love. I think that often we act as though the two are equivalent, but they are not. Faith is the key ingredient in salvation for which we are responsible (Rom 3:25). There is the "righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe." (Rom 3:22). Why doesn't faith get preached as much as love? I would guess in part that love is a much more popular topic, at least in the US. Love panders to our sense of self-importance. God loves me, He wants me to love Him. We can also read our distortions of love into the relationship, which is harder to do with faith. We claim that God will understand when we fall in and out of love, the ebb and flow that pervades our lives. Perhaps faith conjures up a more consistent image of what we're called to do and be.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Justified by Works
It has been a great privilege to teach a Sunday school class on James. As we discussed chapter two, we worked through what it means to be justified by works and how it is compatible with justification by faith alone. Then in the afternoon, the youth began to work on things for Youth Sunday, which is centered on "Come and follow," the calling of Simon and Andrew. My view of faith has been challenged today - not that it is too shallow but rather it is too narrow.
I have quoted Hebrews 11:1 as the definition of faith, as have many others. The ESV puts it, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." I treat it like a dictionary definition, plucking it from the page and disregarding its context. That verse alone sounds like a conviction of one's belief, does it not? But even the very next verse is enough to shed further light on our understanding of faith. "For by it the people of old received their commendation." Faith is inherently demonstrative. Just read Hebrews 11:1-11. Faith as an ideal is futile. Faith that does not compel one to act accordingly isn't much different from an idea that someone thinks is good yet refuses to act on. Perhaps you think that driving a vehicle while texting is unsafe, but you do it anyhow. Is that thinking alone going to keep you from having an accident caused by texting? Of course not.
James meant that we are justified by works in the sense that we show our works; our good deeds are a demonstration to all that God has made a difference in our lives. Good deeds are evidence to others of our salvation for their sake. Our good deeds point to our Savior. So what is our testimony? Are we showing the world what it means to follow Jesus, living as He tells us to live? Or am I living the life of a hypocrite, saying one thing and doing the opposite? What do people see when they look at my life? My words and my actions need to say the same thing. I am not saved because of what I do, but what I do is a result of my salvation.
What am I doing with my witness? Jesus made the point that people don't light candles to be put under baskets and hidden. Do I use my deeds and my testimony appropriately, making the most of opportunities? I screw up a lot. But I also repent and strive to be a faithful witness to the mighty work of God a lot.
Simon and Andrew knew Jesus before He called them to follow Him. They heard Him, they listened to Him when it was convenient. Then one day, He picked them out. He called them to follow Him full-time, to learn from Him. Jesus took the initiative to make them His disciples. Their faith was evident at least this early. Sure, it took a while before they understood just who Jesus was and what that meant. But they recognized the importance of following and learning. They demonstrated their faith by leaving their livelihood and following Jesus.
God calls us to follow Him in many different circumstances. Some of us are called to travel to distant parts of the world to share the good news of forgiveness of sins and salvation. Some of us must follow Him through the business world, facing temptations to our integrity. But all of us are called to take up our cross daily and to follow Him. We may be called to leave our families or occupations for the sake of the gospel. We may be called to minister in spite of our prejudices and our weaknesses. Are we ready to truly follow God, whatever the cost? Do we realize just how important and valuable having that faith is? Have you ever stopped to consider how living your faith daily might affect those around you? Part of loving your neighbor as yourself is considering their condition and showing them mercy. Do they need your strength to help them through the day? Do they need your resources? Your love? Your friendship? Do they need to know your faith in order to restore or find their own? Go forth and be justified by your good deeds.
I have quoted Hebrews 11:1 as the definition of faith, as have many others. The ESV puts it, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." I treat it like a dictionary definition, plucking it from the page and disregarding its context. That verse alone sounds like a conviction of one's belief, does it not? But even the very next verse is enough to shed further light on our understanding of faith. "For by it the people of old received their commendation." Faith is inherently demonstrative. Just read Hebrews 11:1-11. Faith as an ideal is futile. Faith that does not compel one to act accordingly isn't much different from an idea that someone thinks is good yet refuses to act on. Perhaps you think that driving a vehicle while texting is unsafe, but you do it anyhow. Is that thinking alone going to keep you from having an accident caused by texting? Of course not.
James meant that we are justified by works in the sense that we show our works; our good deeds are a demonstration to all that God has made a difference in our lives. Good deeds are evidence to others of our salvation for their sake. Our good deeds point to our Savior. So what is our testimony? Are we showing the world what it means to follow Jesus, living as He tells us to live? Or am I living the life of a hypocrite, saying one thing and doing the opposite? What do people see when they look at my life? My words and my actions need to say the same thing. I am not saved because of what I do, but what I do is a result of my salvation.
What am I doing with my witness? Jesus made the point that people don't light candles to be put under baskets and hidden. Do I use my deeds and my testimony appropriately, making the most of opportunities? I screw up a lot. But I also repent and strive to be a faithful witness to the mighty work of God a lot.
Simon and Andrew knew Jesus before He called them to follow Him. They heard Him, they listened to Him when it was convenient. Then one day, He picked them out. He called them to follow Him full-time, to learn from Him. Jesus took the initiative to make them His disciples. Their faith was evident at least this early. Sure, it took a while before they understood just who Jesus was and what that meant. But they recognized the importance of following and learning. They demonstrated their faith by leaving their livelihood and following Jesus.
God calls us to follow Him in many different circumstances. Some of us are called to travel to distant parts of the world to share the good news of forgiveness of sins and salvation. Some of us must follow Him through the business world, facing temptations to our integrity. But all of us are called to take up our cross daily and to follow Him. We may be called to leave our families or occupations for the sake of the gospel. We may be called to minister in spite of our prejudices and our weaknesses. Are we ready to truly follow God, whatever the cost? Do we realize just how important and valuable having that faith is? Have you ever stopped to consider how living your faith daily might affect those around you? Part of loving your neighbor as yourself is considering their condition and showing them mercy. Do they need your strength to help them through the day? Do they need your resources? Your love? Your friendship? Do they need to know your faith in order to restore or find their own? Go forth and be justified by your good deeds.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Getting the Boot
Caution: this post gets a bit ranty.
I've heard numerous times that the ministry expectancy of a campus minister is 1 1/2 to 3 years. That sounds absurdly short to me, but I can think of several examples. I can think of a few examples that buck the trend, and I will discuss those briefly as well.
By my estimation, 1 1/2 - 3 years is approximately the amount of time you often get with a group of college students. With most undergraduates taking 4-5 years to finish their degree, campus ministers typically only see part of that time to develop relationships, instruct them and send them out. I regularly attended 2 churches and 2 campus ministries during college. I had nothing to do with campus ministries my freshman year. Why? It just wasn't high on my to-do list, largely because I know why I needed it. I changed ministries and churches because I realized that it wasn't helping me get anywhere.
One Sunday morning as I sat in the church, I realized that if prayer and the Sunday duty of going to church was all of the Christian life, I didn't know how people could stand it. It was draining to do that. How could people live that way for decades?
A friend invited me to a place where I was challenged and given opportunities to learn about my faith and to take it seriously. And you know what happened? When I was challenged, I grew. I started caring more about faith. I started wanting to learn more. But I digress, sort of.
What happened there? I caught a vision of what it means to live the Christian life. I saw the love and joy in my peers and more importantly in my elders. I saw people who took seriously their faith, their personal, vital relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I saw them live as servant-leaders. I saw them care about others coming to faith in the Lord. I saw them care about raising up mature believers and leaders. I got a vision for Christians doing life together, not just over coffee in the church basement Sunday mornings. I began to see what it means to live as a Christ-follower. I caught a sense of direction. This faith stuff has a point in this life, not just the life to come.
Now let's revisit campus ministry. College culture changes quickly. What works for one group of students very well might not be effective four years later. It's part of the challenge and nature of the work. But that doesn't mean the principles behind an effective ministry need to be continuously re-evaluated. We don't have to throw out what we learn from the Bible and reinvent our ministry every time we notice that we're losing effectiveness. But we should look for ways to keep relevant the ways we reach college students.
How do we evangelize unbelievers? We can try crusades, guest speakers, concert-like worship performances, giving away free stuff. We can hand out tracts, hold seeker services, hold evangelistic Bible studies, have religious forums to share the relevance of the Gospel to the lives of all. In all of this, it's important to ask what message our audience is receiving. Can they tell that we care about them? Do we share with them that God makes demands of our lives?
I think that often we oversimplify the Gospel when we share it. This may be why so many churches in the West have a lot of people but few who truly labor for Christ. How many go to church Sunday mornings and do whatever they want the rest of the week because they don't know and don't care beyond that? Do they know that believing in a creator god that they don't emotionally hate isn't enough to get them into heaven? Do they realize that going to heaven isn't the default? As a speaker I recently heard put it, they need to know the bad news before they can understand that the good news is good. Folks might be OK with God while not realizing that He holds their sin against them because they never sought repentance and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.
It seems that a lot of campus ministers are good at one thing. They set up a ministry to reach a specific segment of college students. They often aren't that great at raising up leadership within the ministry. Now let me stop and explain that last assertion. Lots of campus ministers have student leaders and student leadership teams. Most of the time they're just the ones who've been with the ministry the longest or most often. They get a say in the small things - what activities, what kinds of outreaches, etc. But that doesn't mean that they're really being developed as leaders. Do they know how to start a Bible study on their own that's useful? Could they start a ministry if they recognized the need? Do they have the vision to reach all peoples with the Gospel? Do we really send them out when they are ready? Do we really mentor them as emerging leaders?
When that group of students leaves, are campus ministers prepared for the inevitable change? Have they considered what can be changed without forsaking the Gospel? Many just aren't that prepared to reinvent an entire ministry, even if it's necessary to reach the target population.
I believe that God calls campus ministers away from campus ministry for many reasons. Some are used to minister in other areas. Some need to grow and heal. And some just need to get the boot. I'm not saying that they're getting the boot simply because they're bad at campus ministry. Rather I would argue that some are evangelists, some teachers, some trainers. Some are great at sending out people to be new church planters and ministry leaders. We need to partner with others in ministry whose strengths are our weaknesses. And we need to cast vision for worldwide evangelization and disciple-making. We need to raise up leaders who will raise up leaders. We need to start churches that will start churches. We need people to go where we cannot. We need to give them the vision to go, to empower them with whatever they need - prayer, wisdom, knowledge, faith, etc. Are we working to give away ministry, or are we working to build up our own? I want to make myself obsolete time after time by raising up leaders and ministers who will go, who will reach out, who will do so better and further and more than I ever could.
I've heard numerous times that the ministry expectancy of a campus minister is 1 1/2 to 3 years. That sounds absurdly short to me, but I can think of several examples. I can think of a few examples that buck the trend, and I will discuss those briefly as well.
By my estimation, 1 1/2 - 3 years is approximately the amount of time you often get with a group of college students. With most undergraduates taking 4-5 years to finish their degree, campus ministers typically only see part of that time to develop relationships, instruct them and send them out. I regularly attended 2 churches and 2 campus ministries during college. I had nothing to do with campus ministries my freshman year. Why? It just wasn't high on my to-do list, largely because I know why I needed it. I changed ministries and churches because I realized that it wasn't helping me get anywhere.
One Sunday morning as I sat in the church, I realized that if prayer and the Sunday duty of going to church was all of the Christian life, I didn't know how people could stand it. It was draining to do that. How could people live that way for decades?
A friend invited me to a place where I was challenged and given opportunities to learn about my faith and to take it seriously. And you know what happened? When I was challenged, I grew. I started caring more about faith. I started wanting to learn more. But I digress, sort of.
What happened there? I caught a vision of what it means to live the Christian life. I saw the love and joy in my peers and more importantly in my elders. I saw people who took seriously their faith, their personal, vital relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I saw them live as servant-leaders. I saw them care about others coming to faith in the Lord. I saw them care about raising up mature believers and leaders. I got a vision for Christians doing life together, not just over coffee in the church basement Sunday mornings. I began to see what it means to live as a Christ-follower. I caught a sense of direction. This faith stuff has a point in this life, not just the life to come.
Now let's revisit campus ministry. College culture changes quickly. What works for one group of students very well might not be effective four years later. It's part of the challenge and nature of the work. But that doesn't mean the principles behind an effective ministry need to be continuously re-evaluated. We don't have to throw out what we learn from the Bible and reinvent our ministry every time we notice that we're losing effectiveness. But we should look for ways to keep relevant the ways we reach college students.
How do we evangelize unbelievers? We can try crusades, guest speakers, concert-like worship performances, giving away free stuff. We can hand out tracts, hold seeker services, hold evangelistic Bible studies, have religious forums to share the relevance of the Gospel to the lives of all. In all of this, it's important to ask what message our audience is receiving. Can they tell that we care about them? Do we share with them that God makes demands of our lives?
I think that often we oversimplify the Gospel when we share it. This may be why so many churches in the West have a lot of people but few who truly labor for Christ. How many go to church Sunday mornings and do whatever they want the rest of the week because they don't know and don't care beyond that? Do they know that believing in a creator god that they don't emotionally hate isn't enough to get them into heaven? Do they realize that going to heaven isn't the default? As a speaker I recently heard put it, they need to know the bad news before they can understand that the good news is good. Folks might be OK with God while not realizing that He holds their sin against them because they never sought repentance and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.
It seems that a lot of campus ministers are good at one thing. They set up a ministry to reach a specific segment of college students. They often aren't that great at raising up leadership within the ministry. Now let me stop and explain that last assertion. Lots of campus ministers have student leaders and student leadership teams. Most of the time they're just the ones who've been with the ministry the longest or most often. They get a say in the small things - what activities, what kinds of outreaches, etc. But that doesn't mean that they're really being developed as leaders. Do they know how to start a Bible study on their own that's useful? Could they start a ministry if they recognized the need? Do they have the vision to reach all peoples with the Gospel? Do we really send them out when they are ready? Do we really mentor them as emerging leaders?
When that group of students leaves, are campus ministers prepared for the inevitable change? Have they considered what can be changed without forsaking the Gospel? Many just aren't that prepared to reinvent an entire ministry, even if it's necessary to reach the target population.
I believe that God calls campus ministers away from campus ministry for many reasons. Some are used to minister in other areas. Some need to grow and heal. And some just need to get the boot. I'm not saying that they're getting the boot simply because they're bad at campus ministry. Rather I would argue that some are evangelists, some teachers, some trainers. Some are great at sending out people to be new church planters and ministry leaders. We need to partner with others in ministry whose strengths are our weaknesses. And we need to cast vision for worldwide evangelization and disciple-making. We need to raise up leaders who will raise up leaders. We need to start churches that will start churches. We need people to go where we cannot. We need to give them the vision to go, to empower them with whatever they need - prayer, wisdom, knowledge, faith, etc. Are we working to give away ministry, or are we working to build up our own? I want to make myself obsolete time after time by raising up leaders and ministers who will go, who will reach out, who will do so better and further and more than I ever could.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Purpose for the Sabbath
Yesterday I was listening to a recording of Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion, and he made a point that really struck me. The sabbath was instituted by God for numerous reasons. It demanded that people take a day of rest each week, something we tend to dismiss in our society. It allows us the opportunity to break away from the cares that weigh us down and to focus more fully on our creator and provider. And, John Calvin's point, the sabbath points us to Christ.
Exodus 20:8 (NASB) "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."
What does it mean for us to keep it holy? Nobody is meant to work (Ex. 20:10). Though we work for six days, there is a time for us to have faith for and accept God's provisions (Ex. 16:26, 29). Certainly the sabbath is meant to be a memorial to God's work of creation (Ex. 20:11). It is even more than that, however, being a sign of our need to rest from our works. We cannot earn our way to eternal life. Our strivings count as nothing, for we have rebelled against the sovereign God. Yet in our fallen state we try to work our way to good things, as if the good that we manage to do must simply outweigh the bad for us to be rewarded. It doesn't work that way. It never has. It never will. God is jealous and righteous and faithful. If that were the case, we would exult ourselves, determining that faith or love or obedience to God might be superfluous, becoming full of hubris (Eph. 2:8-9).
The sabbath is a way to share with others our understanding that we must rely on God. I need to humble myself before Him. Regularly I must acknowledge Him for His power, justice, righteousness, faithfulness, love. Observing the sabbath points me (and others as well) to Christ because I cease to do the works that I'd done before, and I rely on Him for all that I need. Every week we live our salvation symbolically as we acknowledge Him who alone has the power and the desire to save us.
I believe that this is an integral part of Jesus' meaning when he said, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working," in response to working on the sabbath (John 5:17). God can work on the sabbath, because He alone saves. We must give our strivings to God. They have always been in His control, but often we try to hold onto them, to accomplish things under our own power. May we repent of this sin and by faith seek obedience to Him in all things.
Exodus 20:8 (NASB) "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."
What does it mean for us to keep it holy? Nobody is meant to work (Ex. 20:10). Though we work for six days, there is a time for us to have faith for and accept God's provisions (Ex. 16:26, 29). Certainly the sabbath is meant to be a memorial to God's work of creation (Ex. 20:11). It is even more than that, however, being a sign of our need to rest from our works. We cannot earn our way to eternal life. Our strivings count as nothing, for we have rebelled against the sovereign God. Yet in our fallen state we try to work our way to good things, as if the good that we manage to do must simply outweigh the bad for us to be rewarded. It doesn't work that way. It never has. It never will. God is jealous and righteous and faithful. If that were the case, we would exult ourselves, determining that faith or love or obedience to God might be superfluous, becoming full of hubris (Eph. 2:8-9).
The sabbath is a way to share with others our understanding that we must rely on God. I need to humble myself before Him. Regularly I must acknowledge Him for His power, justice, righteousness, faithfulness, love. Observing the sabbath points me (and others as well) to Christ because I cease to do the works that I'd done before, and I rely on Him for all that I need. Every week we live our salvation symbolically as we acknowledge Him who alone has the power and the desire to save us.
I believe that this is an integral part of Jesus' meaning when he said, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working," in response to working on the sabbath (John 5:17). God can work on the sabbath, because He alone saves. We must give our strivings to God. They have always been in His control, but often we try to hold onto them, to accomplish things under our own power. May we repent of this sin and by faith seek obedience to Him in all things.
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