Satisfying the Hunger
About this blog
Satisfying the Hunger... is a blog written by the ministry staff of Evangelism & Church Growth
Recent posts
- Are you a big, fat liar?
- What Have We Seen
- Connecting in sips
- Vampires and Evangelism?
- More Than We Can Handle? You Can Bet On It.
Categories
- Evangelism (2)
- Advent (1)
- Worship (1)
- View all categories →
Archives
Are you a big, fat liar?
This month I wrote an article for Branching Out, the Presbyterian College Chaplains Association periodical, entitled, “That’s Not My Job.” It was an encouragement for the chaplains at our PCUSA-related institutions to help the church realize that Presbyterian student ministry on a Presbyterian-related campus is not the chaplain’s job. Here’s an excerpt and an explanation:
When we hear the words “That’s not my job” it’s usually in a customer service type of situation. We need some assistance or guidance and the sullen, disengaged person that could help us, is choosing not to. They are passing the buck; forwarding our call to someone who might actually dare to go the extra mile and improve the situation. Or, at the very least, offer some condolence on not being able to do so. However, there are other situations in which the response, “That’s not my job” is important, appropriate and even necessary. For instance: the receptionist at the doctor’s office being asked to perform surgery, the chef at a five-star restaurant being asked to catch a diseased rat, or the chaplain at a PCUSA-related school being asked to do Presbyterian student ministry.
It’s not the chaplain’s job to do Presbyterian ministry on our PCUSA-related campuses; nor is it their job to do Lutheran, Muslim or Baha’i ministry either. The call of chaplain encompasses all of these and more, but none of them specifically. Chaplains are employed by an institution to facilitate and assist in a myriad of ceremonies, celebrations, committees, ministries and (of course) various other duties as assigned. We can all come up with a list a mile long that is full of tasks that don’t involve a particular ministry to Presbyterian students. Yet, I meet people all the time that have no clue. And they are usually incredulous when they realize that, “We don’t have a ‘Presbyterian Ministry’ at this Presbyterian school?” And they can’t believe that, “The chaplain isn’t making it a top priority?”
It was my suggestions that the chaplains help nearby churches better understand the campus culture and the students needs, so the congregation can better reach and love those students on that campus. It can be a beautiful compliment to a ministry, a means of building mutual support and a way to help the congregation to say, “Presbyterian student ministry? That’s our job!” For those campuses with committed congregations nearby it is a boon for both parties. However, many of our related schools and other campuses have potential congregational partners in ministry languishing right next to campus unsure of what to do or how to do it. It is after all, the call to the church as a whole to disciple young people. It should no longer be thought of as an out-of-sight, out-of-mind ministry relegated to an unknown chaplain or campus pastor.
Several years ago, John Richardson, then a vice-president at Montreat, wrote an article entitled, “I’m a Big, Fat Liar.” It made the rounds in some circles, but was not nearly widely enough circulated, in my opinion. Here’s an expert from that article:
Here's a little trivia question for you: What is the one sacramental promise that we make as members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)?
Answer: At each baptism the church is asked to promise to help guide, raise, and nurture the child (or adult) in the ways of the Church of Jesus Christ.
In all the many baptisms I have witnessed I have never seen a person sitting in the congregation not raise his or her hand and commit to the spiritual development of the child. And yet, every time we send our children off to college at age 18, we make liars out of the entire Church. As a Church we are asked to make one sacramental promise; we have not been faithful to this promise. At a time when our young people most need the guidance, influence, and nurture of the Church, the PC(USA) is largely absent. We have no national Campus Ministry program, no guidance, no leadership, no plan, and no vision to even address this issue. As an active and supportive member of the PC(USA), that makes me a big fat liar.
This is not about numbers. This is not about being successful. This is about being faithful, and as a church we have not been faithful to the one sacramental promise we make to each and every young person in our denomination.
The single greatest mission field facing the PC(USA) in this next century is the college campus. If we, as a Church, are faithful to the one sacramental promise that we make, if we really are good stewards of that which God has given us, then one day we might begin to see the PC(USA) transformed into all that God has ever hoped and called for her to be.
That last paragraph I couldn’t agree with more! As most of you are aware, there is a new plan for collegiate ministry in the PCUSA going to be unveiled at the 220th General Assembly (2012) in Pittsburgh. The new plan is heavy on the congregationally connected philosophy of collegiate ministry. This is in hopes that at some point we start to get it! John article was written four years ago and not a lot has changed. And although we do have a new vision and direction, will churches get on board? Will people start to “see” college ministry. Will the church start to reach, love and teach college students? Or will we continue to be big, fat liars saying, “That’s not my job.”
If you would like to read John Richardson’s article in full, you can find it here:
http://pres-outlook.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6773
May 1, 2012
What Have We Seen
“… what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life …” 1 John 1:1
Last week, during an annual youth ministry conference, I attended a lecture and then a class designed to be a follow-up seminar to the lecture. The topic of both of these activities was the Saint John’s Bible. An artistic, calligraphic rendering of the Bible. A ten year effort, created and collaborated on lovingly by a group of ecumenical artists from around the world. I think it’s fair to ...
April 24, 2012
Connecting in sips
There was a very interesting article in the Sunday New York times recently (“The Flight from Conversation” by Sherry Turkle, who is a psychologist and professor at M.I.T. and the author, most recently, of “Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less From Each Other.”). Here is a quote I found compelling:
We are tempted to think that our little “sips” of online connection add up to a big gulp of real conversation. But they don’t. E-mail, Twitter, Facebook, all of these have their places — in politics, commerce, romance and friendship. But no matter how ...
April 16, 2012
Vampires and Evangelism?
Easter is about Good News. You know as I was packing away all the Easter “stuff” until next year, while eating one of my daughter’s chocolate Easter eggs, I wondered, “How am I living into the Good News?
March 12, 2012
More Than We Can Handle? You Can Bet On It.
I have come slowly to a new and neat friendship. I say slowly because I really don’t want to crowd folks but I do enjoy learning what’s unique about them. I then write a mental story based on what I think I see and hear. The story doesn’t actually have to be true, and frankly it rarely is.
Here’s the story I wrote. My friend dresses like an athlete and he’s fit, so maybe he’s a runner. There was no lunch bag so eating out every day isn’t a problem, and that could ...
March 6, 2012
RISK TAKING
I've noticed an interesting phenomenon. There seems to be an increase in opportunities for more and more people to try extreme sports. More people than ever seem to be willing to risk life and limb to skydive, base jump, paraglide, compete in extreme races like the Ironman. At the same time, institutions are becoming more and more risk averse. No Red Rover in gym class or swings on the playground at my children's elementary school---those activities aer too risky.
Perhaps this is why the institution of the Church finds it challenging to get momentum in church planting--new church ...
February 22, 2012
Ministry Widgets
I stopped selling ministry widgets years ago. I know it’s a strange way to start a blog, but have you ever in your ministry felt like you were selling widgets? Have you ever felt like a church or ministry of the church was selling you a widget?
February 13, 2012
WHERE WILL THEY LAND?
WHERE WILL THEY LAND?
College students amaze me! In the last couple of months I have been on almost a dozen different college campuses and have met with students from about a dozen other campuses around the country. And from Seattle, Washington to Maryville, Tennessee and from Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Alma, Michigan there is a common vitality that courses through the campuses collectively; it’s the lifeblood, it’s the students! Their energy seems boundless and their optimism limitless. Whether it’s a gathering of 500 students or a work crew of 15, the light of Christ just seems to ...
February 6, 2012
Sometimes, almost always when you least expect it
Submitted by: Gina Yeager-Buckley
Sometimes, almost always when you least expect it (which, let’s face it, could be another blog in and of itself) you are the vessel for God’s voice. For me, it’s generally when I’m the LEAST prepared or postured to do so. This was the case last week. While attending at a large annual conference for Christian Education, I spent many hours in a booth representing the ministries associated with my office. Conversations were abundant. But late one evening when things were slowing down and folks were retiring for the evening, a woman ...
January 30, 2012
A number of years ago
A number of years ago, I was leading a workshop on evangelism for a group of folks who mostly represented the liberal and middle of the road side of our tradition. We were discussing the various reasons folks had for not sharing their faith. Some spoke of their hesitation to share that grew out of their concern that Jesus might not be the only way to God. How could they witness to their relationship with God through Jesus Christ when other ways might exist?
One pastor then said something like this in response to those concerns:
“Not sharing your faith ...