Ok, now that we got some juices flowing with this topic, let me add to what I said in the previous post. I can tell, from some comments as well as a few emails I received, that this post got some of you pretty fired up. Frankly, some people might be irritated or frustrated with me. To that I say, “good.”
The good part of frustration is that we think more deeply. And, that was part of my point in the last post.
Now, let me list out some of the balances to part one. I will issue 3 here, get some of your thoughts, and then post at least 3 more tomorrow. I didn’t want to balance it out in part one for the purpose of discussion. So, there are a few things I’ll add here that may balance some things out for you (or possibly further your frustration/thought process!):
- I know I worded things as an either-or issue in part one. I did that on purpose. However I don’t think this is an either-or issue at all. My point is to get those of us who don’t even think about connecting with what God is already doing on the campus before just marching in with our own agenda’s. The reality is that there are Christian’s in the “core” part of the “system” that God is already using. I think we need begin to think more about connecting with what He is ALREADY doing and come alongside of that instead of just charging in.
- We cannot ultimately undermine God, but we can undermine some things He’s done in the past through others. Let me explain. Lets say you’ve been spending a ton of time with a co-worker. You’ve learned this person, their thoughts and experiences, and because of the time you’ve spent with them have a really good understanding as to why their perspective of Christ is off. You’ve been walking with this person for a year or so now, seeking to help them understand the gospel. Then, someone comes in and “preaches” to them – totally turning them off to any further discussion with you. Would you not be upset…at least a little? Sure, maybe you help them understand that the message that was preached is still the message they need to receive. But surely there could be some damage done to the process you’ve been in with that person. At the end of the day we embrace the sovereignty of God, but that does not mean that the process God had you in with that person wasn’t thwarted to some degree. This is what I’m trying to get us to think more about. Not that it’s wrong to begin a brand new ministry on a campus. But we ought to think much more about joining in with what God is already doing on a particular campus. This, my friends, is not a waste of time – but it does take some time to understand. Maybe 3-5 years is a bit of a stretch (again, I used those #’s on purpose to initiate thought), but taking a certain amount of time to understand what God is already doing and joining in that with unity is not a waste of time – or being unfaithful. I think it’s quite the contrary. It’s simply trying to tune in to what God is doing, being sensitive to the Spirit, and working in unity with the body of Christ.
- James 4 speaks about the arrogance of going into a town with a plan of our own. I think we need to be very careful of our arrogant attitude and approach. Some college campuses are much larger than towns or cities. I think this certainly applies to this context. In addition I am also issuing the thought here that maybe it’s not the Lords will for you or I to begin a new ministry on a particular campus, but instead join in with what He’s already doing there. This, unfortunately, is typically not something we even give the time of day.
Ok, so I’ll post at least 3 more thoughts about this tomorrow, but before I do I’d like to hear your thoughts again….
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Chuck Bomar is pastor of Colossae Church in Portland, Oregon and founder of CollegeLeader (
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This happens all the time…
More good words, Chuck.
i’m just getting in on this conversation and wow, really thoughtful material being thrown around.
i like your words, chuck. and they seem pretty well modeled by Jesus, too…taking your challenge to the next extreme and spending 30 years maturing himself and studying his culture, and then doing 3 years of “ministry.” seems like if the goal were to get the world saved, he would’ve at least started at it at 20 and not 30, right? but apparently his goal was more oriented around knowing people, or more profoundly, knowing the Father and learning how to entrust His children with the Kingdom (John 17).
Though being “the largest, most respected, and most influential group on campus” could be commendable, it could also be dangerous. I can’t think of such a high-powered group in the Scriptures who ended-up staying on track with God. Seems more like He uses the small, persecuted, admittedly weak ones who are simply in humble pursuit of trying to love their neighbor?
Furthermore, I don’t suppose we are in charge of making anyone saved, let alone grow-up once saved…we are to point people toward Jesus and believe His capabilities for the rest. I think the best way to lead students toward becoming students is to become a student ourselves. To be in a constant position of staying and being made, before/as we follow Jesus in “going making.” Challenging to think of your buddy in P.N.G…and tough to imagine men and women who might exhibit such patience, humility and faith in our culture. Maybe they’ll be evangelizing us soon!
God is at work on our campuses. His will will be done with or without us. The question seems to be, do we want to experience being a part of His story, and inviting to do the same? And if so, what does it look like to follow him into that journey, versus leading…to stay with His grace, versus running ahead of it?
I’m reminded of two things as I read all the insights from those who love students and are called to serve them . . .
My wife and I volunteer with a campus ministry in our community through our church (which meets on campus). Our goal has been to not step on the current campus ministry by coming alongside them, serving where they don’t have the resources to go. We serve breakfast to the Greeks during pledge week, we organize service projects that help the Greeks fufill philanthopy requirements, we are hosting an Arts Festival to engage with the Art, Theatre and English departments which are often the least open to Jesus on our campus.
Another friend at a state university in Oregon arrived as a parachurch staff memeber on campus and immediately began to explore areas where the gospel was not being preached. He didn’t want to step on current ministries, but rather to partner with them. He now has a powerful ministry among the Greek system on campus.
All this to say I’m a “both/and” advocate. We should cooperate with, invite and engage the entire campus community, not just those who need to hear the message of the gospel. I also recognize after many years working in higher education that what happens in the classroom is typically far more significant in the lives of students than the brief encounters we may have during the week. Connecting with Christian faculty allows us to be an encouragement to them and to partner with them.
Well Chuck,
I like how you have cleaned up some of yesterdays discussion. However, there remains a tone of “self” in this endeavor. In statement 1. you are actually expaining a concept that I am familiar with and agree. I believe the first time I heard this was from the Blackaby’s in Experiencing God. Where they discuss this as a daily practice of praying, and earnestly seeking where God is working and joining Him there.
Statement 2 once again begins to go into this whole longterm evangelism – building friendship – non offensive, concept. The day of salvation is today. There are only two decisions. I ACCEPT CHRIST! I REJECT CHRIST! There is no middle ground. You have to remember that there were two thieves on the cross beside Christ. One who proclaimed, that if indeed He was the Son of God then He should get Himself down, and oh yeah, by the way, get us down too. The other simply agreed and proclaimed that they were getting what they deserved and the Christ was truly innocent, then asked that he be remembered in the Kingdom. At which Christ simply replied that today he would be with Him in paradise. I have made the mistake of preaching the gospel to someone and then allowing them to, more or less, mull over the idea. Then considered that they were undecided. In truth they had rejected Christ. When you dicuss the idea about someone stepping into a evangelistic effort and thwarting their efforts. We should only focus on what is truth. I refuse to acknowledge that someone being offended by truth, is a bad thing. What good does it do us to bring someone to Christ through pretenses that don’t square with scripture? Which gospel are they responding to? We have been warned against this time and time again. Your scenario has no effect in truth. If you are witnessing to someone in truth and they have, for months, rejected the gospel. Then are turned completely off by someone who presents the gospel. Is your friend any less LOST? We are not here to plant seeds! We are here to work in the harvest!
I would agree with this. However, the issue comes when someone is not turned off by the truth that the second evangelist is bringing, but by the connotations, associations and implications that the second evangelist conveys to this person because of the manner in which this person evangelizes.
Many of our college students are living in a post-Christian world that becomes more post-Christian. They don’t know enough about Christ to accept or reject Him. But they do know enough about the images of Christians within their world to accept or reject being part of that image.
Building relationships with, and learning the cultural language of the people that we are called to help to ensure that we accurately communicate the truth, in a way that they understand, and then are free to accept or be offended by. Not doing these things means that we risk communicating many things that are not true, and thus unintentionally deceiving them about those things that are.
This isn’t true. Throughout scripture different people are called to plant, water, and harvest. I don’t see why this should be different today.
Tim, you are right in your statement that people are either accepting or rejecting Christ – there is no in between. However, you couldn’t be more wrong about the seed planting my friend! You need to open up to 1 Corinthians 3:5-7.
Richard, good thoughts! I think you caught what I was saying here. Thanks for your input.
In coming to Christ I went through a process where I struggled to understand, and struggled to grasp the gospel. To this day, I am very thankful that those people reflected God’s patience, kindness and gentleness as they honestly answered my questions about the gospel – over 12 weeks or so of coffee meetings and reading and trying to pray and understand they persevered with me and eventually I was won to Christ. I struggled with the offense of the gospel, that I was a sinner and a hater of God, but was captivated by tone of those who pursued me for the sake of the gospel.
If their tone had been like Glass’, I would have rejected the messenger because of his tone, and would not have taken the time to be concerned about the message.
The gospel should make us more socially functional and dynamic, not less. Yes fearless and strong but no less gentle, kind and patient. Its only the Holy Spirit that can bring all His fruit together in one person’s heart all at once.
I am familiar with this and if you will study the scriptures, this is in regards to spiritual growth not salvation.
I’ll close with this, and allow you to take my words with any regard that you choose. I’ll place your ministry in my prayers and ask for the Holy Spirit to manifest within your ministry the tangible presence of Christ, and that the workers be plenty and clothed in righteousness prepared for battle.
The modern day gospel that we are seeing emerge today is telling the world that if they will “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He’ll give them joy, love, peace, fulfillment, and lasting happiness.” Then the lost sinner responds in and experimental fashion, puts on Christ for a test drive and gets a promise of, temptation,tribulation, and persecution – others on campus then begin to mock them for their decision and they become embittered towards this promise which they were given. And worst of all this bitterness is directed towards those who gave the “good news”. They then become worse than they started and we have another inoculated and bitter “backslider”.
Instead of preaching that Jesus improves our life, we should be preaching to them that they are headed for hell. That it is appointed for man to die once and then face judgment (Hebrews 9:27) When a sinner understands the horrific consequences of breaking the Law of God, they will run to the Savior, solely to escape the wrath to come. If you want your ministry to grow under Gods guidance then this is what you will be preaching – that there is wrath to come – that God “commands all men every where to repent: because He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:30,31). The issue that we have to focus on is not one of hapiness. It doesn’t matter how happy a sinner is, or how much they are enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season, withouth the righteousness of Christ, they will perish on the day of wrath. Proverbs 11:4 says, “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivers from death.” Peace and joy are legitimate fruits of salvation, but it’s not legitimate to use these fruits as a drawing card for salvation. If we continue to do so, the sinner will respond with an impure motive, lacking repentance. They should be broken in their sins, just like the pharisees who wanted to be baptized by John the baptist. He knew that their motives were impure. In this same way, as believers we have joy and peace in believing because we know that the righteousness of Christ is going to deliver us from the wrath that is to come.
Sadly, we have multitudes of professing Christians who lose their joy and peace when life gets hard, and the trials come. Why? Because they are the product of a man centered gospel. They came lacking repentance, without which they CANNOT BE SAVED!
Tim, thanks for your prayers.
one quick thought: I never said to water down our verbal articulation of the gospel to a feel good message – or even close to that. That was in no way the context of this series.