I find myself asking the question lately, “Are we walking worthily in the calling with which we’ve been called?” -Ephesians 4:1 and "have we lost our saltiness and are not fit for the manure pile?" - Luke 14:35. For the past 4 years I’ve grown increasingly curious about the nature of spiritual movements. I've tried to “get wisdom” on the topic these past 2 summers by attending the Institute of Campus Revival & Awakening @ Yale University. It’s truly been an eye opening and bewildering experience hanging out at the epicenter of the 2nd Great Awakening with conservative, charismatic, Pentecostal and reformed believers --- all who posess a common heart for authentic Great-Commisional; all with a passion for renewal in the church and for wide-spread campus and societal transformation. All Godly people with visions of seeing Christ truly lifted up and glorified on every American college and university campuses. All so different in how they minister and approach campus ministry.So, I guess this has become a new hobby of mine, ...identifying, tracking and understanding new spiritual movements on college campuses. Most of them are brilliant and fascinating (ie. Niel Cole & “The Organic Church Movement“; Jaeson Ma and “The Campus Church Movement”, “The Bethel Movement out Redding California”, “John Piper/Mark Driscoll and various reformed movements”, “KCCC & The Epic/Destino movements”, “The Berkland movement”, etc.). All of these movements have been very transformational for students who get involved with or influenced by them. All are extraordinarily diverse and all are growing rapidly and will I predict have global impact. Of course most of them don't agree with one another on a variety of touchy subjects. But, it's fascinating to me when I inspect them closely, how the Biblical fruit born in the lives of the students impacted by them is remarkably similar (and seems to be coming from the same "Vine").
Recently I’ve been lamenting that (some of) the various elements of Campus Crusade for Christ, InterVarsity, Navigators, and other life-giving national movements that have been so mightily used by God in the past ---are becoming too busy and void of the Supernatural; and too vested in maintaining many of their various programs, paradigms, and traditions (and are really not "moving" and reinventing themselves as is spiritually needed today). In all humility I confess that aspects of my own personal ministry and elements of CCC on all our major campuses are not manifesting the radical Kingdom supernatural characteristics of Spirit-led spiritual movements. It's so hard to get a qualitative analysis on this. The question, "Is something a spiritual movement?" is not sufficient; the question, "What KIND of a spiritual movement is this?" is probably more in the zone. ie. what is it's primary driving personality and power?
Given the spiritual hunger and thirst of today's college students, I think they need to be drinking from the KIND of Supernatural beverages Jesus calls "new wine" & "living water" ---as well as eating bread that is "true bread".
I see signs of new movements popping up all over the place from a variety of geographic epicenters and spiritual networks. All are seeking to address the soul-hunger of this generation. Unfortunately I also think this generation so hungry and naive that they are poised to
get taken for a ride by cultic personality-driven individuals and sucked into high-control movements that are not worthy of their lives. Spiritual leadership possessing great wisdom and discernment is needed for "such a time as this". Therefore, the bottom line question for today's thoughtful student leader and sincere campus minister is, "What kind of spiritual movement is truly needed today on campus?" Or in the words of J.I. Packer, "What seems to be needed is another Jesus movement...".
1 comment:
daniel--love your thoughts here. wish i could here more about the campus revival and awakening time.
not to be biased toward my own orientation, but i do believe that a prophetically orientated/empowered leadership is crucial to today's spiritual movements.
as i have read walter brueggemann's The Prophetic Imagination, it has become clear that a prophets role is to criticize that which is dead but empowered and energize that which is alive but un-empowered.
those that do not lead or integrate prophetically gifted leaders will risk reinforcing and building upon that which is dead. i believe pastorally orientated leaders can often recognize that which is dead, but lack the ability to make transformational changes.
i believe driscoll's and keller's popularity and 'success' have to do with this prophetic wiring in part.
just a couple random thoughts!
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