To hear 800 Presbyterian college students singing out songs of praise is encouraging/discouraging.
To see those 800 wear t-shirts that boldly proclaim their faith — many unabashedly announcing their affiliation with our denomination — is really encouraging/discouraging.
To listen as those 800 talk about following Jesus intently, serving God sacrificially, and listening to the Spirit attentively gets downright, overwhelmingly encouraging/discouraging.
The College Conference at the Montreat Conference Center in early January showcased the vitality that is evident among some of the younger adults in our branch of the Church (see pp. 7-9). It was easy to see how the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s brand of Christianity could really energize these students.
When the me generation was given the option to “accept Jesus” so they could have “life abundant,” that message really resonated. Organizations promoting that message, with a sincere desire to lead folks into a vital relationship with Christ, found a ready response. They brought many folks, especially college students, into the fold.
I am a product of that movement and I give thanks for it.
But, the millennial generation wants more than abundant life. As so many sociologists are telling us, they are less self-absorbed than their parents’ generation. They’re not into rebellion against, but re-invention of, the world around them. They don’t want to keep waging the internecine battles of their parents. They want to bring real healing and reconciliation and justice and mercy to the world.
Put simply, they don’t just want to accept Jesus; they want to follow Jesus.
The PC(USA) has a long pattern of pressing its folks to be engaged in mission, to be transformers of culture not escapists from it. In this respect, our message hasn’t changed too much over the years. We have merged gospel proclamation with justice promotion. We have promoted both individual participation and collective connectionalism. We have been left and right, north and south, east and west. And, frankly, some me-generation dropouts have scolded us for lacking the popular appeal to hold them.
Now our message finds natural resonance with a rising generation. That’s encouraging.
It’s discouraging, too. At this crucial moment, our ministry among college students is in a shambles.
Oh, some of our campus ministries are thriving. Some dedicated leaders are pouring themselves into making disciples of students on their respective campuses. Some of those folks showed up at the Montreat conference with students in tow.
But, some college ministries do little more than provide a hangout for a small circle of friends. Few of our campus ministries see their campus as a ready and accessible people group needing to be confronted with the claims of Christ. Evangelism, in the best sense of that word, is not being engaged in such places. And, worst of all, a lack of funding and leadership has closed lots of such ministries. Many colleges and universities lack any viable Presbyterian presence.
Or, should I say, no PC(USA) presence at all. Another Presbyterian presence, the Presbyterian Church in America, is spreading all over the country’s college campuses. Having determined to make campus outreach one of their top priorities, they have placed Reformed University Fellowships on hundreds of campuses, and that small denomination — just an eighth the number of members as ours — is drawing students to their message like athletes to the Olympics Games. They have shown that a focused vision, the mobilization of effective leaders, and the investment of funds can reach this generation.
Which does lead back to some encouraging realities. The presence of new leadership in Louisville means we have every reason to expect new ideas to rise to the surface. We do have the funds to expand campus ministries, if we so choose. And some of our campus ministries are thriving, as John Richardson reports (p. 10). Can the rest of us learn from them? Can we make ministry with and among college students a top priority for the PC(USA) and, in the process, unleash the vision of a generation to be followers of Christ Jesus?
It is discouraging to see 800 energetic, mission-minded, college students expressing their faith, knowing they are a tiny fraction of the number we could be reaching. But it is encouraging to know that the possibility of connecting with a generation for the cause of Christ has not been this opportune in decades. Will we rise to the possibility?
— JHH
