integration

One of the course requirements at Biola University is to take an Integration Seminar class as an upper division Bible Elective. As a Christian Education Major I decided to go with the class topic of Christian Ministry. The class is well done, a lot of stuff goes over my head, but there are some gold nuggets that I pull out every once in a while.

Today was a good day in the class and I took away some great stuff. One of those things was how do people come to be a Christian? What makes someone want to choose being a Christian over living the "good life" in the world? How do I, as a Christian leader in the church present the Christian life with all of it's ups and downs as better than living in the world?

It came down to two things that really struck me between the eyes.

1) For a long time, the church has tried to present the Christian life as something far better, and in a way easier, than living in the world. We came to the realization that this isn't true. Being a Christian is hard, probably the hardest thing any of us could ever do. But it comes down to instant versus delayed gratification.

Living in the world allows for instant gratification through sex, drugs, alcohol, and other things that allow for a momentary high but not a lasting one. Many people live high to high because that is "the good life".

However, for a Christian it is all about delayed gratification. Matthew 10:39 says, "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." This means that as a Christian we must deny self and take on the attributes and lifestyle of Christ. In this way we will find deeper and more meaningful life. It is a hard thing to do because it means denying the instant gratification of the world in order to have greater fulfillment both on this earth and in eternity.

So to apply this to kids, students and adults it is important to capitalize on their desire to learn based on their life stage and create a desire for delayed gratification. If a deep desire for this can be attained, churched kids would not fall away from the faith because of the denial of self that is so prevalent in their lives.

2) The other conclusion from class is that soul work is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit. It is not for me to carry a burden to keep kids out of this or that, but for me to pray for their souls and the burdens that people face each day. Through prayer and faith the Lord's will is done and people are changed for eternity.

There is much work for me to do, I can not think it's all the Holy Spirit's job because it is his job to work in people's hearts through what we do in ministry. But with prayer the responsibility is lessened and our faith and love for the Lord is strengthened.

I hope this isn't too jumbled to understand...I'm still working through it myself. I just have a strong desire to see pain and suffering be a result to living for the Lord and not for the world.