Worship. Teacher Style.

Three "take-aways" from Nate on worship.

1. Worship is the whole experience.

·      Many times in ministry we classify “worship” as the music and singing time during any gathering. Worship is the whole gathering. Romans 12 speaks to worship being a lifestyle not just music or a gathering. Many collegiates have the same mind set of worship being only their time of singing, but we need to help change such a mentality.

2. Definition of what is worship?

·      “Worship is Spiritual disciplines: things that put us in the path of Christ to make us more like Him” – Nate.  I really like this definition of worship.  Nate truly spoke of how worship is not a building, but how we are to worship in spirit and truth.  John 4:23 -24: "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”  

3. Not Be Busy

·      Nate spoke of how busyness in a worship service does not equal worship or a better worship experience. Too many elements cause people to lose sight of the focus, Christ. His advice is to use as many elements as one needs to “bring home the Truth.”

Nate’s last words of advice were, “Be creative but above all pray and rely on the Holy Spirit.”

Discipleship: Type of Teacher do you see yourself as?

I can see using all three types of guide, example, and facilitator in helping college students.  The type of teacher approach that would be best for a student depends on knowing who they are, their situation, and where they are currently in their spiritual maturity and life. Sometimes students need a guide to help them as they are journeying through, whereas other students need to see an example of someone truly living out how they are trying to live in a specific area.   Additionally, at times students will need a facilitator who can ignite the talks and walk side by side with them as they make decisions and strive to grow.  I would say most times my approach is to be a guide. I strive to help students as they are walking through new phases of their life and their relationship with Christ.  I love pointing them to new truths and challenging them to study and wrestle with how those truths play out in their own lives.  

How Far Do We Go

Mike Miller from FBC-Kenner came and spoke to our class about the emerging and emergent movement.  He focused on building relationships as the core of reaching out to others outside the church. I completely agree with Mike about relationships being the main way of meeting and share Christ with individuals. However, the question is how far do we go with meeting individuals were they are?

I believe we must be honest and real with people.  They need to know who you are and what you are about, showing them Christ’s love and helping them know him.  However I believe one mistake we make as Christians is not truly loving the person regardless of where they stand with Christianity.  Many times we become about our “agenda” and not about people. We are about sharing the Gospel, but not living it in such a way people know you love them where they are and who they are.  To me, this is authentic and real Christianity.  Loving them with the love of Christ even if they never come to know Him. However, I do not mean people should not change, but knowing and understanding transformation only comes from a relationship with Christ. I am not saying either that the Lord will not guide us away from specific people in order to invest in others. The point is we need to check our heart condition and motive when building relationships with people with the desire to share Christ with them.  Our heart condition needs to be a pure motive compel by the Holy Spirit from a perspective of seeing them as God does, lost, but needing Christ.

I also believe we are not to compromise who the church is in order to “better” relate to the culture. The church is to be different than the world because we have something the world does not have, Jesus Christ. It can use some more contemporary styles and methods to relate to non-believers, but we can not compromise the Biblical model and elements of church. A balance needs to be found in which we constantly ask if what is being done aligns with God’s will and Scripture.

The importance of this in relation to college students is we have to ask the question of what does it look like on a campus to meet students were they are without compromising who and what the church is or Christianity.  Again, I believe we are to show students how we are all humans and made in the image of God, but how our lives  are different than theirs because of our relationship with the Creator.  This can look many different ways, but I believe some ways it can look is:

·      playing sports with students

·      helping them with classwork

·      having coffee or lunch with them

·      attending musical concerts, or art galleries

·      painting pottery together

·      helping them do life things like fixing their vehicle

·      playing video games

In other words, we should go and do the things they enjoy that does not compromise our beliefs.  I do believe we have to meet people were they are, but we must be careful to not compromise who we are in Christ and to trust the Holy Spirit to bring about appropriate opportunities and settings to share Christ. Our role is to be ready and obedient seeking Christ and becoming more like Him ourselves. 

The Church

How can you help connect students to the local church in a campus-based setting and a church-based setting?

Connecting students to the local church can be challenging, but is important for their continual sanctification and being a disciple of Christ.

For a Para-church organization and church-base, it is vital to build a strong relationships with each other as a partnership. Local church leaders need to know the para-church organization exist to help students know Christ and to connect them to the local church.  Therefore, both can display what it means to work as one body by not competing with each other or duplicating the same type of outreach to students.

Campus-Based Connection to Church

• Having local church leaders come in and speak at the campus base gatherings as well as share about their church
• Encourage church leaders and members to attend campus base events
• Offering rides to students on Sunday’s to church as well as attending with them if needed  
• Taking students to outreach event hosted by the church
• Connecting students with church community groups
• Do a joint service project or mission trip so students and church members are working together and building relationships
• Have local church members come and share their testimony and the importance of why they are part of a church
• Teach on the importance of being part of the church, the Biblical role of the church, and why all of this is necessary for a believer (Why attend church? etc)

 Church Based Connection to Church

• Be on the campus
• Be intentional to meet students
• Have a place for collegiates. In other words, have someone that one lead collegiates, have ways ready at your church for college students to plug in, and know how you are going to guide them on their faith pilgrimage
• Build relationships with para-church organization and help them
• Be available and encourage students whom you connect with
• Develop opportunities for collegiates to engage in fellowship with each other and other members of the church

What are a few “nuggets” you took away from Michael and Beau today?

1.  Have fun with College Students. 
• Sometimes I forget how important it is to do fun things together with no agenda or purpose other than to fellowship together.  These times are important for building a deeper relationship together and to be joyful.
2. Develop aspects that reach new and different types of students
• It is so easy to get caught up in the same mind set and ways of doing things, while in the process missing out on reaching the campus as a whole. I feel like this is where it is important to utilize the different talents, gifts, and personalities that make up the collegiate ministry.  Have students reach out to those they connect with, those they have common majors with, those they have similar hobbies and interest, etc. and build relationships. It will still be necessary to reach out and learn about those students whom you and possibly none of your students have no commonality with, but what a great opportunity to learn about their passions in life and connect on something new and different.   
3. Acknowledge you do not know it all. 
• We do not have everything figure out nor do we know it all. Therefore, be humble and empower students to do ministry. They do not have to know it all in order to be used in the ministry by the Lord. I am not saying students shouldn't be held to accountability in leadership, but for us to recognize the limitation of their spiritual maturity (in other words their spiritual maturity is not the same as a 50 year old deacon who has walk with the Lord since he was sixteen) and know the Lord will use them despite what they may not fully grasp yet in their walk with Christ.  Besides, we are still in the sanctification process. 
4. We must teach college students how to be part of the Church
•   Many students do not understand the Church nor encounter life with many people outside their own age and/or stage of life. It is important to connect college students with the whole church and not just each others.  You can help them and encourage them to realize how much they can grow and learn in all areas of life from people in the body who are not like them (married, elderly, with children, single, deacons, etc).

Social Justice

What are the biblical implications of social justice?

Jeremiah 7: 5 -7; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:17 -21; Matthew 11: 1 -6; Luke 14: 1-24; Romans 15:26; 2 Corinthians 9: 6 -15; Galatians 2:10; James 2:1-

Looking at Scripture, God tells us to remember the poor, the afflicted, the lame, and others in need.  He continues to tell us to give and help them in their needs in and through the power of His love.  Above all, we are to share the Gospel with them. The Bible gives numerous examples of individuals giving and helping those in need.  The second greatest commandment the Lord gives is to “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  It is important to remember God’s command of this does not mean when we feel like it or are “move” by emotions, but we are to live a lifestyle of loving our neighbors as ourselves.  Our neighbor includes those you are in need, poor, afflicted, and others.

How can you incorporate social justice into a college ministry?

First, I think it is important to understand social justice as something that is not solved in a one time trip on missions or inner city feeding of the homeless.  Social justice is more for a Christian. You can educate your students on the issues around social justice and how a Christian perspective and approach to social justice differs than a secular one.  The difference is the motivation of sharing Christ with them, to help them in the name of Christ, and to give not from us, but from God. Furthermore, social justice is not a time about self-glorification, but elevating the glory of God.

After some educating, have students search Scripture on God’s view of social justice and how He said we are to respond.  Then provide students with opportunities to act upon and help in areas of social justice.  Let the students plan, organize, and collect everything they need to assist in the local community, in State missions, or internationally.   Such opportunities also open the door for students to invite other collegiates to help out who are not Christians.  Christian students can use these times to witnesses to non-believers by showing a different motive for helping in social justice, Jesus Christ.

How does this information impact your understanding of past experiences?

The information discuss in class help me look at how easy in past experiences it is to lose the focus on Christ when helping and to become self-glorified motivated.  It also help me to plan how to keep the focus on Christ and not the organization or any individual, but to elevate the glory of the Lord.

Yoda. Freshmen. Guys. Girls.

Reflect on a relationship you had with a Yoda (Mentor or Discipler).

I never really had a specific one Yoda, but the Lord has brought in many people in my life during seasons I needed someone the most. Each of these individuals took time to listen, speak to truth into my life, and show me unconditional love.

Reflect on what type of Yoda you want to be.

I desire to be the type of Yoda that challenges individuals to seek Christ, to fall more in love with him, and to become more like him.  I long to help students grow in all areas of their life and be someone they can come to for discussing life and Christ.  I desire to have an open home and to love student with the love of Christ that is in me.

In what ways can college ministries help freshmen?

Collegiate Ministries can help freshmen connect with other students for building friendships.  They can help by being there and teaching them how to balance the new type of schedule they will be living out. Freshmen are usually looking to create an identity for themselves so college ministries can offer opportunities to be in small groups of Christian community where Christ likeness is the main influence in their life.  They can also help students connect with a mentor and local church as well as be a constant, available presence in their lives. Freshmen can be help by teaching them more in depth about the “culture” they are now a part of on the campus. This can help them become more secure as an individual on-campus.

How can college ministers specifically minister to guys and girls?

Collegiate ministers can begin by addressing the issues most typically faced by each gender through same sex small groups or accountability. Additionally, they can teach, focus, and model what is Biblical womanhood and manhood.  It is important to understand that no two guys or girls are the same, but genders do have some commonalities. For girls, they usually bond better by giving them a new task to work together on; whereas, guys bond over a specific areas of interest mainly.

In class we discuss how males typically work from identity to commitment and girls do the opposite. The importance is recognizing guys are striving to figure out who they are, while girls are wanting commitment.  The difference in thought process is clear and is evidence to the lack of understand and fail communication that occurs many times between guys and girls.

Diverse Cultures

Dr. Stuart gave a presentation on “Diverse Cultures” who saturate not only the collegiate campuses, but also the world. He spoke about the various worldviews and beliefs such as Pluralism, Universalism, and Unitarianism that college students encounter throughout their journey. Numerous students are blinded to the truth that there is only one way to eternal life, which is through a relationship with Jesus Christ. 

It is incredible all the different ways “truth” is taught to be obtain. One aspect I found to be intriguing is how many students are taking pieces of different beliefs and creating a “spiritual experience” that fits how they desire to live life.  The Holy Spirit continues to burden my heart at the need the collegiate students have to truly know and hear the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the only way. John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

 I want college students to know Christ and to become His disciple, which I know means hard work and that salvation only comes through the power of the Holy Spirit who calls to their hearts. The desire to share the Gospel with students continues to increase in me, with such presentation as this, and it challenges me to continue to grow in my love and understanding of Jesus Christ. It also increases the longing to help make disciples of those students who are Christians, to teach them how to share their faith and lead others not shelter them.  Students must learn how to live in the world and live out their faith in any context they find themselves in as well as share Christ.

" How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" ~  Romans 10:14-17

Postmodernism

Postmodernism is something we continue to study consistently in all our classes. As I strive to understand more fully how postmodernism impacts students I still question whether I truly grasp it holistically. Dr. Drumm discussed a great point of how postmodernism does not give student direction in life and leads them to a dead end. They are constantly changing because they are asking questions like, “Where am I?, What am I doing?, What is my purpose?”  Many students use this, whether they recognize it or not, as a way to avoid the reality of growing up.

It seems one aspect to take into consideration with the development of postmodernism is recognizing how many more options students have to choose from.  It seems with the postmodern mindset and more options students become overwhelm with decisions to make and instead of making one they chose to make none or postpone them until they absolutely have to make a decision. However, what a great door for collegiate ministers and leaders to step in and help give Godly guidance (not that we have the answers for them, but we do have Jesus). I believe college students do desire to be able to turn to someone to help them through this journey of college as they are striving to “discover” themselves.

The one aspect about Postmodernism that seems to open the door is students’ willingness to listen to someone’s differing views. Since they are content with each individual believing as they desire, most will at least listen and engage in some type of conversation about beliefs.  The disadvantage to this mind set is students have little urgency to act upon what they have heard, but are content to say “well that is great for you to believe, but its not for me.” 

It is evident postmodernism is impacting campuses.  Many collegiates are making decisions based on feelings and individualism. They are elevating self-glorification more and more even in good deeds.  Overall, collegiates need The Gospel. They need to hear it, see it lived out, and experience the transformation that comes with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Postmodernism, Modernism, New Age Movement regardless of the latest thought process the mission field is huge for college ministry and we must, as collegiate ministers and leaders, be committed to our calling and trust the Holy Spirit to do the work He has set before us.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. “ Ephesians 3:20 -21