Our Philosophy of Ministry
We have given a great deal of thought about what it means to be an active, dynamic, and relevant community of faith on a college campus. Any group should be able to present Why they exist, How they will achieve their goals, and What they will specifically do to apply the principles that guide them. Here are ours:
Our Why: To glorify God by enjoying, expressing, and establishing the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is the word Jesus used to describe life lived in submission to God's wisdom and guidance. It is life as God intended it to be before sin and rebellion entered the world. It extends beyond the individual to bring freedom, healing, hope, and love into the world. The Kingdom of God will be fully established by Jesus at the end of this age, but in the meantime, we work to extend it's grace now.
Our How: Our how has three parts:
1) Our 6-Fold Approach to Spiritual Development
We are a community of Worship, Prayer, Discipleship, Fellowship, Witness, and Justice.
These six practices are all necessary for a balanced spiritual life.
2) Expressing and Building the Kingdom of God through the Humanities and the Sciences.
We begin to compartmentalize our lives and create a secular/sacred split if we do not give equal attention to the whole life we are called to live. Our studies and the jobs and disciplines that we give ourselves to are part of our call as Christians. There was a conscious decision in the early church to explore the humanities and the sciences as well as more traditional "spiritual" issues. Modern Christianity has neglected this, but we believe this fuller understanding must be regained to be effective leaders today.
3) Actively Pursuing our intimate and interactive relationship with the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus physically departed from the earth, he sent his Holy Spirit to be our guide, comforter, and the one who empowers us. The Holy Spirit is the person of the Trinity with whom we interact on a daily, moment by moment, basis. We want to be self consciously aware of this relationship and cultivate it in every way possible.
Our What: Each Christian has a Different Piece of the What, and Our Piece may Change Over Time and Due to Situation.
There are several practical applications of our Philosophy of Ministry. We gather together in a variety of ways because love requires a community to thrive in. We meet together weekly to wrestle with the teachings of Scripture, to worship together, and to minister to each other. We make available small groups that study Scripture and support and encourage each other called Cores. We offer classes to unpack our How and apply it to everyday life. We serve the campus and the community in practical ways to express Gods love, and we work to express God's justice through love, service, and education whenever possible.
There are parts of our 'what' that have been established over time, but students are also contributing to and refining what we do. We may be a community with one, overarching goal, but there are many ways that students will choose to serve and apply God's truth.
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