In some form or fashion…
…just about every day of the week…
I get a question like this:
“What does the campus ministry look like?” or “What are you hoping to do with college students at UC?” or “What are you trying to accomplish on campus?”
Once I am able to communicate the overall gist of my approach to campus ministry (using words like “relationships, espresso, conversations, study center, hospitality, faith & doubt dialogues, third place,” etc) I share my primary long-term goal…whether it’s 5, 10, or 15 years of ministry at UC…at some point in the future I want to have lots of names and lots of stories to talk about. Stories of lives that have been forever altered, redirected, and transformed because of intentional relationships and a focus on Christ and His word.
One of the reasons I was so pleased to partner with the CCO in this campus ministry effort is because of their similar emphasis. The CCO is an organization committed to transforming college students to transform the world. We accomplish this by partnering with churches, colleges and organizations [like the Southwestern Ohio Church of the Nazarene...in my case] to develop men and women who live out their Christian faith in every area of life.
Here’s a great quote from someone who points back to the impact which a CCO staff person and the CCO ministry had on his life…
John Ryan
“The CCO introduced me to the connection between the Sunday faith and everyday faith—how I treat myself and others, my work ethic, everything. Before spending time with CCO staff, I had never really done a lot of serious reflection about the lordship of Christ. Those early college days—out of your parents’ household, trying to figure things out for yourself—are very formative. I have a wider lens through which to look at life now. I know that to be a faithful Christian, it’s about choosing every day to live for God and not for myself.”
You can read more of John’s story here.
Certainly there will be many stories to tell down the road. But more than stories of a cool retreat…or a concert…or string of fellowship gatherings…free pizza parties…crazy croquet tournaments…etc…I am looking forward to reflecting on bigger stories…lives that were changed at the University of Cincinnati–the lives of individuals who go on to make Kingdom impact all around the world.
Well said!! I’m so excited to see where this ministry will be in one year and what it will look like. Talk about a great adventure! God knew what He was doing in asking you to take on this role…