Earlier this summer I was at a retreat center, taking a walk around the grounds, absorbing the beauty of northern Washintgon and reflecting.  Not only was I taken scope of the past year, but also, my birthday was coming up and I was thinking about what this next year was about in my life.  As I walked and prayed, I stood by a still pond and watched an elegant swan swimming toward me, neck graceful, gliding its water ballet across the smooth surface.  Hardly a ripple followed the swan, it was truly the picture of grace, beauty and peace.  It spoke to me of the still waters of the contemplative life. I let that rest in my soul, knowing that the strength for the year will come from a soul at rest in the deep waters of God.  I kept walking and rounded a bend to view a bald-eagle perched in a treetop.  It soared up from the tree, scanning for movement below, dove and flew with utter focus and poise.  The word soar and strength rose in my mind, reminding me of the verses in Isaiah that are unfortunately etched onto kitcshy plaques across America:

But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength,
They shall mount up with wings like eagles…

I do need to be strong this year in order to soar like the eagle.  This life I lead is full of activity.  Action and contemplation.  Wait on the Lord, mount up with wings like eagles. Contemplative ministry. My philosophy of ministry is to live in the integration of contemplation and action.  I want to be reminded of this as I move into this new year of my life (age-wise and ministry-wise).  The swan and the eagle are my symbols of two movements in my life and work.

What is contemplative ministry? Contemplative ministry is ministry that is not program-driven, but relationship-centered.  This is pretty ironic because my university ministry is incredibly programmed. I have a huge Spiritual Life Calendar that features 50 some opportunities for students to earn “credit” for participating.  I am teaching a class that has a detailed syllabus.  I lead retreat times and meetings that are structured around readings and agendas.  From the outside looking in, I am all program.  And, unless things shift considerably in my university world, this sort of programmized Spiritual Life Calendar is around to stay for a while.  For me, contemplative ministry means that my work as a minister is grounded in relationship and that the program comes forth from those relationships.  It changes the questions that I ask, changes how I understand “success”, moves me away from numbers, and keeps me deeply connected with Christ.

I have a sticky note above my desk that gives me my priorities:  Prayer, Presence, Preparation, People, Preaching. Then Program. (kinda impressive they all begin with P, right?  a little leftover seminary preaching class in me). What this mean is that Prayer is the core of my work.  Presence is being present with my students–it means showing up, being alongside, being a part of the community. Preparation is the outflow of prayer. It is what I seek with all my heart–scripture reading, message prepping, listening to God, retreat time, administrative details–all is preparing me to be who I am called to be.  People is the focus on relationships.  I seek to stay present with each person if even for a minute.  To pay attention to the soul before me.  To not commit to being more than I can be in that relationship, but to be fully engaged in that moment.  Preaching is the work of public teaching–the most visible thing that I do, but I doubt the most important.  These things are the lifeblood of the ministry that comes forth through Program.

I read this summer Contemplative Youth Ministry (again) by Mark Yaconelli to refocus my mind and heart.  Using his ideas as inspiration (p. 79), I came up with the movement that I am seeking at every level.  Moving from program-drived to relationship-centered ministry.

Program-Driven seeks to control.  (How do I get these students to be discipled?)

Relationship-Centered seeks contemplation.  (How am I present to students and to God?)

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Program-Driven seeks professionals.  (Who is the expert who can tell me what to do or how to build a ministry?)

Relationship-Centered seeks processes.  (What can students and I do together to help us know Jesus more?)

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Program-Driven wants products. (What book, video or curriculum will connect with these students?)

Relationship-Centered desires presence. (Who will bear the life of God among college students?)

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Program-Driven lifts up gurus.  (Who has the big personality and the most celeb-like status to draw students?)

Relationship-Driven relies on guides.  (Who has the gifts for living alongside students?)

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Program-Driven evaluates by results. (How many students participated?  How many messages did I do?)

Relationship-Centered abides in relationships. (Who are the students who I know and who really know me?)

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Program-Driven wants conformity. (How am I doing compared to the other ministries?  Am I doing the latest and greatest stuff?)

Relationship-Centered seeks creativity.  (What ways do I see God working in these students? How am I personally challenged by the students I know?)

I do a lot of programs and accomplish a lot of projects.  I know that the program is overtaking the relationship when I begin to worry about success, obsess over task lists or to start comparing this ministry to others or myself to someone else.  When I am centered in relationship, I am centered in God, connected to students and to my ministry team, and know that this is God’s work, not my own.

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Sarah Thomas Baldwin is the University Pastor and Dean of Spiritual Life at George Fox University.  You can keep up with her at: soulmidwife.blogspot.com, facebook.com/sarah.baldwin and twitter.com/sbaldwin.