[Adapted from a paper I wrote]
1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who
was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and
Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. - Acts 13:1-3
Between 2003-2007, I pursued (and finished) my B.A. at University. At the same time, I grew increasingly involved in a parachurch organization on my University campus*. After University, I spent two years as an international intern in East Asia doing campus ministry. I gained significant exposure to this organization’s methodology in Canada, the United States, and in Asia. While I appreciate much of the focus on evangelism and discipleship that was present in the campus ministry during those years, I see notable differences between Paul’s ministry and that of this parachurch organization. This is particularly noticeable when it comes to the relationship between the local Church and missions.
In the Book of Acts, we see that the leaders in Antioch were not simply spectators in God’s selecting Barnabus and Paul, but were active participants in the Holy Spirit-led selection process. From my experiences, the local Churches were not only almost absent in the process, but unaware that such a process was happening at all. They simply didn't know that the campus ministry had such a very focused recruitment system.
Given that they only had four years, recruitment was intentional and rigorous. As a student leader, I was given a clear model of ministry for the school year: find Christian students, train them in evangelism and discipleship, sign them up for a Summer of further training either overseas or in-country, and end the year with a challenge to further student ministry in the following school year.
There was also an overarching model for a student’s four-year University career. The first two years, possible student leaders would be identified and given responsibilities. In the last two years, students showing giftedness in evangelism and discipleship would regularly hear a vision for the central role of campus movements in “changing the world” and actively recruited to join staff with the organization. This process was done at all levels: one-on-one mentorship, small group recruitment, weekly meetings, fall and winter conferences, and Summer short-term mission projects, all of which were designed with the express purpose (though, to be careful, not the sole purpose) of providing training and recruitment opportunities for the work of fulfilling the Great Commission through developing campus movements of evangelism and discipleship around the world.
To their credit, the campus ministry had a discernment process. Not everyone who stepped forward was guaranteed a job after University. However, the discrepancy between their sending process and the one that resulted in Paul and Barnabus's missionary work was that the local Church’s role in the former was almost negligible. The local Church's role consisted of filling out Pastor Reference Forms for short-term missions and providing financial and prayer support.
What to do?
I would suggest as a big step for both ends - encourage your students to get baptized and become members of local Churches (as necessary, I don't believe in re-baptism)! I'd really like to see my local Church have a baptism class and a membership class going on every week during the school year. I'm zealous that our students leave with a huge sense that the local Church is God's plan for fulfilling the Great Commission and displaying the power of the Gospel in the community of the saints.
*I have withheld the name of the organization. This is not because I think identifying them would be a sin, but because my intention is not to engage in discernment ministry. Such ministries are necessary and helpful to the Body of Christ, but it is not the purpose of this blog.
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