Yesterday was a good day.

After 21 days of prayerfully “Living A Better Story” we had roughly 400 students show up to report back to Belmont’s president, as well as author and speaker Donald Miller, as two of the chief instigators of this experience/experiment on being a good steward of God’s money.

Let me take you back to September 1st.

Donald Miller was invited to campus to help kick-off our “Living A Better Story” initiative with students.

The idea had actually been birthed by one of our trustees who wanted to know what Belmont was doing to teach/train/equip our student body to be good stewards of their resources — specifically their money.

The truth was that we were shaping them  to be good stewards of the gifts God had given them — but our efforts were primarily focused on their talents and passions — and not their money (probably because we believe them when they say, “I don’t have any money… I’m just a poor college student.”  That, and the fact that the university is often considered to be the source of a lot of negative feelings when it comes to students and their money —  go figure).

SO, the challenge put forth to the students back on the 1st of September was to take the money they had received (909 students received packets containing either a $5, $10 or $20 bill – money that was generously provided by an anonymous donor), and prayerfully consider how God wanted to 1)multiply it, and then 2) utilize it to — in the words of Miller — “to save many lives.”

The stories we heard yesterday, as well as those that have been shared thus far on the blog: http://blogs.belmont.edu/livingabetterstory/, have been incredible — full of creativity, recognized passions, and meeting needs around the world.  Truly inspiring!

Just as significant, for me — and for the students — I believe, was hearing about how they have been changed forever as a part of this experience.  As they:

1. recognized the money as a gift
2. recognized the money as God’s money
3. were challenged to pray about how “best” to use the money
4. were challenged to consider the needs of others
5. got others involved
6. followed through on the experience
7. experienced God in some powerful ways
8. got to hear the stories of their peers — and how God is changing them and using their ideas to meet needs too

Back on the 1st of September Don referred to it as an “inciting incident” — you can read a little about his thoughts from that first day over on his blog: A Campus-Wide Inciting Incident.

While I don’t think any of us really understood what he was talking about back then… I can say with a high level of certainty that MANY of us now do!  The students have talked of:

• how their view of the world — specifically those in need — has changed
• a change of major
• looking differently at their possessions — and their money
• how “a little” can go a long — LONG — way
• how BIG God is
• how God CAN use college students

Good, GOOD stuff indeed!

I realize that most of our ministries can’t financially afford to pull something just like this off… but I believe that we must try to find ways to challenge our students in some real practical ways to begin to honor God with their resources — ALL of them.

How about you?

Has your ministry or institution done anything like this?  If so, what were the results?  What was the “fruit”?  Did it serve as milestone — not just for the individuals involved — but for your ministry and/or institution as a whole?

I’d love to hear any stories you might have!