An Army Behind You

Prayer is our lifeline with God.  It has been of particular significance this past week for me...

Yesterday was the National Day of Prayer.

Last weekend it started to rain and flood here in Nashville and we've been praying in so many ways ever since.

Last Friday I posted some thoughts on our need as pastors and ministers to college students to be engaged in the consistent practice of spiritual disciplines like prayer and fasting, before attending the Pray40 prayer event hosted by the great folks of College Union, in preparation for the 40 Days of Prayer that will kick-off the 2010-2011 academic year in mid-August.

There was so much good stuff that came out of our day of prayer together last week, you can check out some of the teaching times here, but there was a specific idea that has stuck with me and I'm feeling compelled to act on.

The Greatest Resource [Wasted?]

Do you pray?  Are you engaged in the practice of other spiritual disciplines?  Are they central to your ministry and efforts?  Or are they something you turn to when no other option remains?

These questions are not meant to be condemning or an attempt to sound like a spiritual elitist.  I know I'm guilty of not praying, fasting, etc., as much as I could (or should).  I think it has something to do with the kind of schedules we keep - often quite busy, yet consistently inconsistent.

College ministers, like most other kinds of ministers, can easily fall into the trap of living lives filled with the 'doing' of ministry, while neglecting to 'be' an intentional Christ-follower.

Again, strong words - I know, but what I mean is that we can get so wrapped up in doing all of the things that we are called to do as pastors and servants of college students - really good stuff like:

• leading worship services
• leading Bible studies
• counseling students
• sharing Christ
• facilitating service and mission opportunities
• investing in student leaders
• investing in professional staff
• watching the budget
• caring for facilities
• preparation - for ALL of the above
• and the list could go on and on and on...

that we then allow ourselves to schedule over the time that we should be focused on tending to OUR own relationship with Jesus (the 'being' a Christ-follower).  

Not Just Adding to the Noise

In my post yesterday I talked about some of the hurdles I've seen in forging partnerships in college ministry.  It's no easy task... but with such a clear common end-goal in mind it sure seems that we should make every attempt to work [better] with one another.

With that in mind, I've got a few ideas (or upcoming events) that I want to make you aware of (if you're not already), with the hopes that it might encourage you to participate in these great conversations/events and/or spark some creative thinking in you that will result in some new, creative initiatives that will help to:

1. further equip campus and college ministers,
2. challenge us all to think outside of our contextual or denominational box/es, and ultimately
3. help to reach our students for Christ 

So here are some things coming up that I think are worth mentioning:

The Church and the Campus

We need to recognize that we are on the same team!

It's high time that all of us involved in ministry stop working against one another and start working with each other... towards the same end - the spiritual formation and redemption of those that God brings our way!

While some of us may be already approach ministry in this way... I think there are far too many of us that do not.

Instead of seeing each other as brothers and sisters - co-laborers in the field - we see each other as competition... or even worse, the enemy!

Of these failing relationships, one falls more heavy on me...

It's the rifts between the Church and para-church and/or campus-based ministries that reach out to the millions of college-aged students around the world.

We must begin see our collective work as the stewardship of souls that God brings into our company... and what starts in the Church, at some point - in many instances, needs to get passed on to the campus.

Students who move off to campus can really struggle to connect with a local church in the midst of this great transition.

Campus ministries are in the strategic position to step in at this point and help students to find their feet - physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Now please, do not hear me advocating for campus ministry involvement at the expense of finding a new church home... because that's not what I'm doing!

However, what we offer on campus is something that is designed to meet the unique and specific needs of college students, while also pointing them towards the local church!

We want them involved in both!!

We see ourselves as missionaries - to a unique and specific field - and hope to connect with students as they enter a new environment filled with new people and new ideas.

The critical college years are often when students make decisions about faith - whether or not they believe what their parents and/or pastors taught them, as well as how central it's going to be to how they live their life.

These really are CRITICAL years!!

Ultimately, as campus ministers, we hope that after our students leave our campus... they take their campus ministry and "new" local church experience and translate them into new levels of commitment and involvement in the local church... wherever God might take them.

Friends and colleagues in the Church... we need you to see us as your eyes and ears on campus... we need your support, encouragement and prayer.

We need your friendship and respect.

Know that you have ours!

Grace and peace

Day 2 of 40 Days of Prayer for Campus Ministry