It was at Infusion during a social justice class that a question mark grew in my mind. How come Christians know so little about what is going on in the world? And how is it, that if we do know, we do so little about it?
One might call it the sin of complacency. Yes, I think it is a sin. And yes...I am guilty.
Yet, I feel hope. While I was leading the Encounter (small) group, I was asking each student what his/her dream was for their future. There were lots of good answers, all reflecting a determination to live a life of significance.
There was one young man, however, that startled me with his dream. He is kind of hard to describe. I will call him quirky. I think he might agree with that description. His dream - he is majoring in social work because he wants to go overseas and help stop human (sex) trafficking.
All of sudden, he didn't seem so quirky. He seemed unique. He seemed to be a man on a mission.
You know, I think he will do it. And I think he will be successful.
I will be keeping my eyes on him.
13 June 2010
01 June 2010
A Jig (Infusion 2010)
Cerebral palsy - no way!
Cynicism - dead end!
OCD - no, no, no!
Cruel friends - losers!
These things were waging war for "Jim's" heart. I could see it as we met together in Encounter groups and in individual conversations over the dinner table.
And yet, he was searching. His physical ailments, seen in his hesitant gait as he walks with a cane, represented his spiritual quest as well. A slow and interrupted pace toward something that makes sense - a purpose.
"Jim" is very much an intellectual. One might call him a pessimist. He will call himself a realist. I will call him "a piece of work." He questioned me on whether free will is a divine joke. He questioned me on whether the whole world is an illusion and only the mind is real. He then asked if I wanted to play chess. I said "no." He thinks too much.
Those kind of cynical questions came to an abrupt end last night when he admitted belief in Jesus was entirely logical. He confessed his sin and walked right into the loving arms of his Savior and Lord.
Today, "Jim" believes.
And I did a jig...
"Jim" smiled.
I think God did too.
Cynicism - dead end!
OCD - no, no, no!
Cruel friends - losers!
These things were waging war for "Jim's" heart. I could see it as we met together in Encounter groups and in individual conversations over the dinner table.
And yet, he was searching. His physical ailments, seen in his hesitant gait as he walks with a cane, represented his spiritual quest as well. A slow and interrupted pace toward something that makes sense - a purpose.
"Jim" is very much an intellectual. One might call him a pessimist. He will call himself a realist. I will call him "a piece of work." He questioned me on whether free will is a divine joke. He questioned me on whether the whole world is an illusion and only the mind is real. He then asked if I wanted to play chess. I said "no." He thinks too much.
Those kind of cynical questions came to an abrupt end last night when he admitted belief in Jesus was entirely logical. He confessed his sin and walked right into the loving arms of his Savior and Lord.
Today, "Jim" believes.
And I did a jig...
"Jim" smiled.
I think God did too.
30 May 2010
I need this Jesus (but I am not raising my hand!)...
It is Sunday, May 30, and outside, there are about 50 college students partaking in a spontaneous worship service. It has been going on for an hour.
Maybe it is not so spontaneous. After all, we just came back from a muddy pond where five students testified of their belief in Jesus. They were all wet. I am a big fan of Christians getting all wet.
It reminded me of the summer of 1971, when at 12 years old, I was baptized in Byron, NY, in what we called "Say's Pond" (I suppose it was called that because the Say family owned it). It is interesting to me that a decision that I made at 11 years old is still as "rock solid" today as it was the day I made it.
Some memories of the day in August 1970 when I crossed over from unbelief to belief remain very vivid. As the invitation was made to become a Christian, I remember thinking, "I need this Jesus." I was very convinced that this was the answer to my problems. But when they asked me to indicate that decision by raising my hand, I thought, "I need this Jesus, but I am NOT raising my hand."
But mysteriously, I opened my eyes only to see that my hand was in the air. This only feeds the debate about the role of free will and election when it comes to salvation. I seemed to have lived the tension, because I knew I needed Jesus, but I am absolutely sure I did not raise my hand that was raised in the air.
Ah...we can debate the tension at another time.
In the meanwhile, let me say - it was a great day. We should do baptisms every day!
Maybe it is not so spontaneous. After all, we just came back from a muddy pond where five students testified of their belief in Jesus. They were all wet. I am a big fan of Christians getting all wet.
It reminded me of the summer of 1971, when at 12 years old, I was baptized in Byron, NY, in what we called "Say's Pond" (I suppose it was called that because the Say family owned it). It is interesting to me that a decision that I made at 11 years old is still as "rock solid" today as it was the day I made it.
Some memories of the day in August 1970 when I crossed over from unbelief to belief remain very vivid. As the invitation was made to become a Christian, I remember thinking, "I need this Jesus." I was very convinced that this was the answer to my problems. But when they asked me to indicate that decision by raising my hand, I thought, "I need this Jesus, but I am NOT raising my hand."
But mysteriously, I opened my eyes only to see that my hand was in the air. This only feeds the debate about the role of free will and election when it comes to salvation. I seemed to have lived the tension, because I knew I needed Jesus, but I am absolutely sure I did not raise my hand that was raised in the air.
Ah...we can debate the tension at another time.
In the meanwhile, let me say - it was a great day. We should do baptisms every day!
13 May 2010
A Wild Ride (Conclusion)
This all seems like ancient history now, but it was a valuable lesson for an old guy like me. It certainly is a lesson I have learned before, but to be sure, I needed to learn it again. It is as simple as the old adage, "Don't judge a book by its cover."
If there is anyplace one needs to get that right, it is on a college campus. People are dressed every which way. They act in every way. They are experimenting with life - some experiments are dangerous, some are not.
But beneath each situation is a real person with real needs.
I discovered this once again with my travel companion. He had a job he enjoyed. He had a girlfriend he was nuts over. And deep down, he was in a search for truth.
I hope that in his encounter with me, he got closer to finding it. And I hope that God will grant me an opportunity in the future to meet up with him again. We possess the potential to be real friends, and I must admit, I hope God grants it.
If there is anyplace one needs to get that right, it is on a college campus. People are dressed every which way. They act in every way. They are experimenting with life - some experiments are dangerous, some are not.
But beneath each situation is a real person with real needs.
I discovered this once again with my travel companion. He had a job he enjoyed. He had a girlfriend he was nuts over. And deep down, he was in a search for truth.
I hope that in his encounter with me, he got closer to finding it. And I hope that God will grant me an opportunity in the future to meet up with him again. We possess the potential to be real friends, and I must admit, I hope God grants it.
19 March 2010
A Wild Ride (2)
As I sat down next to the young man, we introduced ourselves, and I found him already breaking down my preconceived notions about him. He was funny, caring, and passionate. And I found him an enjoyable companion as we flew from Cleveland to Phoenix.
It did get interesting for a moment when he asked me what I did for a living. When I said I was a Campus Minister, he froze up for a moment, and then politely asked, "What does a Campus Minister do?" It occurred to me at that moment that perhaps I should be able to answer such a question.
What DOES a campus minister do? Actually, I did like my answer. I can't remember the exact words, but it was along the line of helping college students discover what the Christian faith is truly about (not what it appears to be) and how one can effectively be on a journey of following Jesus (because it is about relationship, not religion). I am going to think that through a little more, but I like the initial direction my answer took.
As we conversed back and forth, what I discovered is that just as I had preconceived notions about what he would be like, he had the same kind of misconceptions about what a Christian would be like. And so the wild ride continued...
It did get interesting for a moment when he asked me what I did for a living. When I said I was a Campus Minister, he froze up for a moment, and then politely asked, "What does a Campus Minister do?" It occurred to me at that moment that perhaps I should be able to answer such a question.
What DOES a campus minister do? Actually, I did like my answer. I can't remember the exact words, but it was along the line of helping college students discover what the Christian faith is truly about (not what it appears to be) and how one can effectively be on a journey of following Jesus (because it is about relationship, not religion). I am going to think that through a little more, but I like the initial direction my answer took.
As we conversed back and forth, what I discovered is that just as I had preconceived notions about what he would be like, he had the same kind of misconceptions about what a Christian would be like. And so the wild ride continued...
25 February 2010
A Wild RIde (1)
Have you ever looked at someone from across the room and size them up to be a certain sort of a person? Like, you see a large woman eating a donut and you categorize her as a person with self-control issues. Or, you see an older man with yellow-stained fingers sucking on a cigarette, and you categorize him as addicted. You may be right. You may be wrong. But you make a judgment nonetheless.
Last Tuesday, I had that experience at the Cleveland airport as I looked across the room when I saw a young man, dressed in black, a pentagram on the back of his coat, and a skull tattoo on his arm. Must be a Satanist I though. Pity the poor person who will have to sit next to him. That will be a wild ride.
Guess who got to sit next to him? Yeah, it was me. And it was a wild ride...
Last Tuesday, I had that experience at the Cleveland airport as I looked across the room when I saw a young man, dressed in black, a pentagram on the back of his coat, and a skull tattoo on his arm. Must be a Satanist I though. Pity the poor person who will have to sit next to him. That will be a wild ride.
Guess who got to sit next to him? Yeah, it was me. And it was a wild ride...
22 February 2010
The Journey Begins
22 February 2010
In Psalm 37.4, David writes, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (NIV). I have always found this promise intriguing, for there have been times in my life that God has changed my desires in order to fall in line with His (there is a story behind that statement, which perhaps I will record later). It is interesting how God can make pleasurable something you initially had no desire to do.
One unfulfilled desire, though, has remained a constant since my graduation from Nyack College in 1980 – to work on campus with college students. After 28 years pastoring churches, God has seen fit to grant my desire. Having resigned my position as Senior Pastor at Randall Baptist Church this past June, God has opened a door that I had given up on. I have entered into the ministry fray at the University at Buffalo, and what a delight it is. It is a field ready to harvest.
What a blessing this opportunity is! I had forgotten how fun ministry could be! So, now I have entered into the support-raising mode. I must admit – I hope it goes quickly – for my heart beats with a desire to be on campus fulltime.
In Psalm 37.4, David writes, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (NIV). I have always found this promise intriguing, for there have been times in my life that God has changed my desires in order to fall in line with His (there is a story behind that statement, which perhaps I will record later). It is interesting how God can make pleasurable something you initially had no desire to do.
One unfulfilled desire, though, has remained a constant since my graduation from Nyack College in 1980 – to work on campus with college students. After 28 years pastoring churches, God has seen fit to grant my desire. Having resigned my position as Senior Pastor at Randall Baptist Church this past June, God has opened a door that I had given up on. I have entered into the ministry fray at the University at Buffalo, and what a delight it is. It is a field ready to harvest.
What a blessing this opportunity is! I had forgotten how fun ministry could be! So, now I have entered into the support-raising mode. I must admit – I hope it goes quickly – for my heart beats with a desire to be on campus fulltime.
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