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Baptist Collegiate Ministry
This upcoming year, not counting a year spent as Intern at Carson-Newman, will mark my 20th year in college ministry. All of that time has been spent in two locations, Cleveland and Chattanooga. In a church world where tenure is typically measured in months and not years, I feel fortunate to be able to view the role of ministry as more than simply the frenetic fumbling to latch onto the next greatest gimmick. Perhaps the greatest gift of longevity is that it tends to impart a perspective that is unobtainable otherwise.
I was reminded of that during this last couple of weeks. It was an unusual time in that I was sought out by several different alums unbeknownst to one another….from both Cleveland and Chattanooga….just wanting to take the opportunity to share some of the important things that were happening in their lives. One young lady, a former leader in the UTC BCM, reminded me of several conversations that we had a few years ago where apparently I was a source of frustration for her. No matter the issue or concern that she brought to me seeking resolution, my response was always the same, “It’ll be OK.” (The truth is that same response has been and continues to be used by me on an almost daily basis.) Perhaps even more frustrating, said this young woman tongue in cheek, is “That you were right….it was OK.” In an attempt to assuage her frustrations, teasingly contrived though they were, I relented and shared with her a simple bit of theology impressed upon me long ago: I know that any circumstance will eventually be OK….perhaps painful…perhaps difficult….but eventually OK, because I know God and believe Him to be at work in our lives.
Many of us struggle with where the work of the church is going in the future. Things that were once clear and certain are now less so. Methods of ministry once effective now seem ineffective. Change is obvious to almost everyone but the destination where it is leading us seems hid behind a glass darkly. One thing remains however; God is still at work in our world and in our lives. I’m reminded of this daily as I watch and participate in ministry with young men and women that are our best and brightest. They, like us, are struggling to make sense out of a confusing world. Yet, they are steadfast in their desire to do Gods’ work and in seeking out what is His will for their lives. Though many could never be considered “traditional” in their expression of their Christian commitments, they exemplify, many times, the best of Christian commitment.
Each year, the BCM emphasizes missions. Because of what Christ has done in their life, 2 students spent last summer working on church staffs, 2 other students spent the summer away from home working at a Christian camp and yet 1 more young man was appointed a missionary on a New England traveling ministry team. When faced with option of going home for Christmas break or serving in missions, 20+ young men and women chose to go to Doraville, GA, and work with children in international apartment complexes. And, later in May, when rising costs prohibited many from participating in our mission trip to Mahasarakham, Thailand, many students nonetheless worked hard to raise money for those that could go. Each week, when they could be studying or spending time with their friends, because they believe it important, 40-50 different students chose to spend their time in small group Bible Studies. Because they care, 50-75 students gathered for worship from 8-9:30 each Thursday evening. In the spring, because they want to have a healthy marriage, those 50-75 students were faithful in attending and participating in a 10 week study of The Song of Solomon (w/Tommy Nelson). As yet more evidence of the way that God is working among these young men and women, when we had difficulty hiring an intern for this upcoming year, one present student and one former student stepped forward and said they felt like God was calling them to invest back in the lives of their fellow students.
So, what are we going to do as we face an uncertain future? Only God knows….but He does know. Change confronts us everywhere…from culture, to security, to the weather. Our local ministry to college students is not immune. Chattanooga State continues to be an incredibly difficult ministry environment. UTC is transitioning rapidly from a small, Commuter University to a much more cosmopolitan, residential research University. (This year’s enrollment was a record, 9558, an increase in one year of 7.219% with a record freshmen enrollment of 1950. Stated goals are to rapidly increase enrollment to 12,000 FTE students.) Yet, it only takes a moment of looking at the faithfulness and dedication of committed Christian students to know that God is no less effective than He ever was. Perhaps the question for us is whether we can honestly say and mean, “It’ll be OK”. STEVE ROPER
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