That connection wasn’t hard to see in this first completed book of 2011. Gabe Lyons does a great job of building on the research and material in his previous book UnChristian to identify a third option for being Christian today which should be quite appealing to college students as well as any-aged person who wants to participate fully with God’s mission to restore and redeem all of Creation.

I was personally captured by the very first line in the very first chapter: “Seven years ago, I was twenty-seven years old and embarrassed to call myself Christian.” Although for me it was about 8 years ago and I was 31 at the time…but I remember that angst. I was a youth pastor at the time, finishing a masters degree, and working part-time at Starbucks. The friends I was making in the cafe environment were many of the young adults whose negative opinions of Christianity showed up in Gabe’s previous book. (By the way, you can read more about Gabe and find out the kinds of things he’s up to here.)

Anyway, fast-forward a few years and here I am working with college students at the University of Cincinnati, hoping to see hundreds of students get a vision for their “calling” to find brokenness in the world and positively affect it. That’s what these “Next Christians” do, as Restorers…they approach the world and culture through a lens of grace.

Most Christians tend to fall into two categories (as Gabe points out): Separatist or Cultural Christians. Separatists are offended by the world and culture so they withdraw and express church & faith in insular ways, maintaining purity and holiness by condemning and withdawaing from the world. Cultural Christians tend to blend right in with the culture and operate from a very philanthropic posture (so-called “social gospel”) which is disconnected from the redemptive truth of the whole Gospel/Jesus.

But Restorative Christians are rediscovering the whole Gospel of God’s original intent for Creation which is marred and broken by sin, yet redeemed in the life/death/resurrection of Christ, which then leads to the follower of Jesus partnering with God in His mission to restore ALL Things through Christ (Colossians) until the ultimate Consummation of the Kingdom when Christ returns and all is as it ought to be. At this point, I really must credit the CCO and their campus ministry training which prompted my own discovery of this fuller approach to the Gospel. Gabe recently spoke to a gathering of CCO folks who work on 100 or so campuses and I remember thinking, “Did Gabe get a lot of his material from us?”  

Some key points which Lyons makes along the way:  Restorers are…

• Provoked, not offended. Showing up is their defining practice.
• Creators, not critics. Anything that incarnates Christ and communicates restoration.
• Called, not employed. Restorers don’t have jobs…they serve in a vocation. Where your talent and heart come together is your calling. (insert plug for Jubilee Conference here)
• Grounded, not distracted. In order to live this way, we must be deeply anchored to Christ.
• In Community, not alone. Restorers need and want to come alongside others and experience intentional relationships and community.
• Counter-cultural, not relevant. Many churches and pastors are guilty of emphasizing relevance over Gospel-infused living that champions the common good.

The other highlight section for me was a description of five significant disciplines in which Next Christians tend to engage:

• Immersed in Scripture. Restorers value the story of God over entertainment and other distractions and spend time in God’s Word.
• Observing Sabbath. Restorers realize that our modern emphasis on productivity often emotionally and spiritually bankrupts us and our families because we are not being restored.
• Fasting for simplicity. Restorers find ways to limit consumption, excesses, and distractions.
• Choosing Embodiment. Being present (face to face, relationships, etc) is more important than productivity or connectivity.
• Postured by prayer. Many Christians are rediscovering the discipline of fixed-hour prayers as well as intentional times of prayer in community.

Overall, I think this book affirms what I see God doing in the lives of many Christians around me, including myself. Gabe also does a great job of communicating the value which certainly exists in the Separatist and Cultural expressions of Christianity. And the story of a conversation with Billy Graham (which is shared in that first chapter of the book) lends credibility from an amazing evangelist and friend of Jesus. There’s no doubt in my mind. God is up to something with this next generation of Christians, millions of which are on college campuses around the world right now!

The CCO sponsors a fabulous conference for college students each February in Pittsburgh. The final session ended about 24-hours ago and I’m still processing and cataloging the experience in my head.

Joining me at my first official Jubilee as a campus minister was…Joey Dupps & Paul Harris (two UC students I’ve been discipling), Jamie Noyd (a fellow campus minister at the Edge House), Kalman Tinka (my backpacking Beavercreek bud who is interested in OLT ministry with the CCO), and my family (my wife Deb and two daughters–Jessica & Jaquey–were able to attend as well).

The weekend was a terrific time of reconnecting with fellow CCO staffers…these are truly some of the most intelligent, faithful, fun, Kingdom-minded people on the planet!

The general sessions were highlighted with a few of these faces:

Amena Brown shared several powerful spoken word vignettes.

She is a poet, speaker, and journalist.

Each time she would ‘do her thing’ I got chills!

Over the course of the weekend, the crowd of about 2500 engaged in some energetic and inspirational times of singing and worship.

It’s always good to gather as the Church and pour out an offering of praise and worship to the God who has so graciously reconciled us to Himself through the Cross.

It was a bit of a tossup for me between these two speakers as my favorites of the weekend (especially from an entertainment and comedic angle). Susan Isaacs (left) beautifully shared her journey and at one point said, “God ruined my life…and it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”  Bob Goff (right) is an amazing lawyer, father, professor, Kingdom advancer, etc who shows up in Donald Miller’s latest book (A Million Miles in a Thousand Years). What he shared was simply an inspirational life of “playing riffs in the key of Jesus.”

There were so many other great moments, speakers, and truths shared at Jubilee. Dr. John M. Perkins challenged the present generation of college-age “young folk” to take the baton of reconciliation and be the post-racist generation that becomes fluent in a language of love. The impact which that man has had on the urban America and the reconciliation movement is astounding. It was a great honor to be in his presence….especially as I listened in on a more informal session with him and student leaders who are seeking justice.

Besides the great content, programming, and speakers which all made Jubilee quite amazing…sharing it with Joey, Paul, Kalman, and Phil was especially good. I see that God is doing great things in each of their lives and look forward to seeing what kind of great adventure God launches their lives into in the coming weeks and months!

That statement sums up the content of this challenging book on racial reconciliation. Since day one of my ministry at the University of Cincinnati, I have felt the Gospel compulsion to pursue relationships with students of all culture groups on our campus. So far, I’ve had the great privilege of connecting with a young female African-American student who has a tremendous passion for music, worship, and serving God. I look forward to more opportunities to connect with Darienne and her friends from choir, church, UC, etc.

As I move forward toward that goal, however, Perkins & Rice have challenged me with the basic structure of their book: Admit, Submit, and Commit.

Although, as a nation, we have elected our first black president and made many advances towards racial equality, in the Christian community we have certainly not come as far as we might think. Admitting that we have at least some biases (if not outright prejudices) is a crucial first step in the reconciliation process. And whether this is with the black, Latin, Asian, Native American, or any other community…we must remember that the Gospel can never be reduced to “me and God.”

That was Jesus’ point when he responded to the religious lawyer who wanted Jesus to pick and choose for him: loving God or loving neighbor. We cannot pick and choose when it comes to the very nature of the Gospel, which is a ministry of reconciliation as Paul points out in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. We can’t even pick and choose which neighbor we do or do not want to be reconciled with.

Intentionality. At one point the authors challenged me with this statement, “We must be intentional, relentless, and forceful.” Now I believe as that progresses from intentionality to relentless to forceful…there must be a good bit of discernment and Spirit-guided actions. But it will certainly take action (not just loving with words and tongue–1 John 3:17-18) if we are to pursue reconciliation and model what the Gospel actually calls us to in our own relationships and ministry.

Our hope is to connect the various college students and young adults in our Nazarene network of churches here into a community. As we connect and build relationships we also want to challenge, equip, and send these students into the world to make a Kingdom-sized impact on their world.

Element…

It’s about the basic elements of faith. In ancient times there were thought to be four basic elements which constituted the physical universe. We sometimes refer to someone or thing as being in their element. Perhaps you think of a heating element which connects and conduces heat or electricity. All of these ideas could contribute to or illustrate the purposes we have in mind.

JR Forasteros shared some insights from Matthew 25 which I found to be quite helpful. Recall the parable of the talents in which three servants were given a sum of money by their master. After some time the master returned (key point) and found two of the servants as faithful and productive. The third servant (out of fear, or laziness, or some other inhibition) buried his potential in the ground.

JR made the connect between this idea and the fact that most young adults are desperate to know what God’s will is for their lives. In fact, regardless of age and phase of life, we often want to ask the wrong questions. Our questions usually focus on specific felt needs or future developments in our life. God wants us to ask the kinds of questions which would lead to our transformation in the present. What are we doing with what God has entrusted to us right now?

As my mind was wandering a bit (not unusual) I began to think about how easily we bury ourSELVES in the ground. Often, we have a tendency in the church to bury ourselves in the world of church, programs, “ministry”, serving (the church/ourselves) and fail to see how God would have us invest our lives into others…especially those who are far from Christ. Instead of burying the master’s resources in a mayonaise jar in the ground…pour yourself out…and into the lives of those around you.

I have always considered coffee as a great metophor for many things spiritual, social, etc…but over at Billy’s blog…that consideration is cemented into a beautiful liturgy. Great stuff.

The cappuccino as a representation for the trinity makes a lot of sense to me. The cappuccino is technically 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 silky microfoam…blended artfully into one textured and delicious sip.

Properly brewed espresso has triune qualities as well. The heart, body, and crema (crema is the lighter reddish foam that floats on the surface) make up the “pulled” shot and when a glass is brewed, all three parts should be seen as three different layers.

“While the making of a good espresso drink is a complicated process; enjoyment of a good espresso drink is one of life’s simple pleasures.”

And when the simple pleasure of artfully brewed coffee mixes with the sharing of conversation, story, and friendship…ahhh, an Edenic experience of hospitality ensues.

So I was reminded of a golf lesson I had a few years back while visiting Hilton Head during the PGA event at Harbortown. Two buddies and I were treated to some time with one of the most sought-after golf instructors on the island. The first thing he corrected was my grip. He showed me a few places where my glove betrayed my bad golfing behavior…gripping the club too firmly. It didn’t take him long to find my next fundamental error…tension and tightness in my arms. Most golfers know this simple lesson: relax! As soon as you try to muscle the club at the ball…you’re likely to turn the hands over too quickly or make any number of other potential errors. The greatest golf shots often feel effortless…like the club just ‘smoothes’ its way through the ball.

That’s the lesson I’ve been learning so far in my short time of ministering to college students: lighten up, relax, and let the club do the work. Perhaps that translates into ministry and relationships like this: lighten up (the expectations), relax (in prayer and in faith), and let the club do the work (realize it’s God who transforms students lives…not our effort or intensity).

Actually, I have felt inclined to include an significant opportunity for reflection, planning, and spiritual refreshment at the end of the calendar year. I had originally planned for that to take the shape of a 2 or 3-day retreat/sabbath get-a-way starting this past Sunday. But due to some poor planning and some back pain, I post-poned for a few days.

Along with this 2-3 day end-of-the-year reatreat, I am adding two more similar spiritual pilgrimages to my calendar in order to maintain a good rhythm of rest & reflection. My next one will probably be at the beginning of Spring quarter and then another in late August or early September.

As I look forward to planning and setting a good trajectory for the journey in 2010, that playful impulse to just poke my head out the window and enjoy the ride is definitely getting the best of me.

As I read the passage a third or fourth time, an interesting distinction jumped out at me from verse 25: “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus…”

Notice that Luke did NOT say that large crowds were following Jesus…just traveling with him. They were near Jesus, but not necessarily engaged.

Within the context of evangelical Christianity (perhaps I could just say Christianity in general, but I’ll limit my observations to what I’m experientially familiar with) discipleship is seen as optional. Obviously, not many pastors or Christians would actually say that this is the case, but the ways in which we understand the Gospel, ‘share’ the gospel, and “do” church betray our core beliefs. Whether it’s because we think praying the prayer is enough or because we fear losing the crowds, we rarely challenge believers to a self-sacrificial Gospel-shaped understanding and pursuit of discipleship.

Do we distinguish, as Jesus did,  between “traveling with” and following?

Do we settle for the criteria of the crowd?

In so doing, we create an environment in which discipleship is optional. We expect discipleship to happen simply as the result of proximity to Jesus (and other believers aka attending church).

In my own ministry with students at the University of Cincinnati, I am determined to pursue models of biblical discipleship which will result in a steady stream (over the years) of  transformed followers of Jesus. More than likely, this is not going to look like a mass gathering of students except on the rarest of occasions. My hope is that it will look like a full week of one-on-one or one-on-two conversations, meals, front-porch encounters, etc. It will look like a few students enjoying a weekend of backpacking in the Red River Gorge, or kayaking down the Little Miami River, or playing disc golf.

Of course, the first step for me or anyone else committed to discipling is to BE a disciple. Discipling and the transformation of students will happen in the wake of my own discipleship journey and transformation.

In just about 9 days students will return to their academic, social, and vocational pursuits here in Cincinnati. One of the things I hope to accomplish as I connect with and build relationships with these university students is to make them aware of the spiritual pursuit which can infuse their college years with even greater purpose and meaning. For many of us, our college experience was the launching pad of life…establishing a trajectory which impacts so many decisions and people.

Alec Hill, the president of InterVarsity campus ministry was recently quoted as saying “The campus is our mission field. By changing lives on campus we can change the world.”

I agree! And I can’t wait to start meeting the students God is going to allow me to disciple, encourage, and befriend.

UC is an exciting place to be!   (as are all colleges and universities, eh?)

Image: The Calling of St. Matthew by Nicolaes Berchem

Over the past few years I have wrestled quite a bit with the notion of ‘calling’ and vocation. I believe it is fairly easy to develop some confusing and unhealthy ideas about this concept.

As I anticipate many great conversations on this topic with college students in the near future, I was glad to come across this great article by Marc Baer on the Intervarsity website.

He shares some things that remind me of reading Os Guiness’ The Call a couple of years ago. Reading that book was quite helpful for me as I needed to re-orient myself around my primary calling in Christ and then allow vocation and work to flow from there.

I believe one of the most pressing needs in campus ministry and discipling college students is to help them discover the rich possibilities around a proper understanding of calling, vocation, faithfulness, and identity in the Kingdom of God.