How do you assess something that’s always changing (the student body), from a position that’s also oft changing (the University), when the work you do (spiritual formation) is not so much quantifiable but qualitative???

That will be the task of our team this afternoon (and likely, long there after).

Our student body seems to be changing – not every 4 years, as it once did – but almost yearly! What seems to work one year can really struggle the next…

And I ask myself, to what degree should we, as campus ministers, buy into the compulsion to do “whatever it takes” to get students attention or interest? Or, to what degree do we instead stay consistent and faithful to the kind of programming we have felt called to provide and simply insist that students change their line of thinking and pursue depth over and above grandeur and/or feeling?

Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s as easy as choosing one way or the other…

Instead, I think our way forward will include a Spirit-led dance in which we are able to provide some of the “big and shiny” (that too often is characterized by a lack of depth and commitment) with the hope and intent of building more relationships with stronger bonds that will lend themselves to challenging more students to move from the “big and shiny” to the “less exciting” depths of faithfulness, fullness and transformation found in intentional and consistent worship, discipleship and service.

How do we do this? What does it need to look like?

Again, questions we hope to explore and experience some level of revelation about as we sit and listen for God this afternoon and beyond…

I’d love to hear about your ideas… what has worked on not worked given your unique context for ministry?

We pray for you today and ask that you join us in prayer as well!

Grace and Peace!!