Disclaimer: All dialogue is based on my best recollection and could not possibly be word-for-word exactly what was said. But it’s dang close. Unfortunately, I do not record every conversation I have and my memory is that of a thirty-eight year-old with poor diet and exercise habits. Keep this in mind.
The college chaplain at Eastern Mennonite University knows his students better than I. So he prayerfully chose the sermon he felt students needed to hear most. It was on the subject of salvation, what we’ve been saved from (sin, separation, death) and some of what we’ve been saved for (participation in God’s will being accomplished on earth as it is in heaven).
99% of college chaplains ask me to talk about this. Why?
They fear – with good reason – that many of their students have a one-dimensional faith. Students, like the rest of us, have heard much more about being saved from hell than being saved for a life of purpose. And this leaves them lopsided. And so I come on campus for the purpose of affirming salvation by grace through faith in Jesus alone, and exploring with them how they might participate in God’s plan to see His “will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
But things are different at EMU.
Before walking onto the stage to kick off Spiritual Life Week, I tried to take the spiritual pulse of the campus by asking the chaplain a few questions. He said his students are required to serve the poor. They take trips overseas. They take classes in peacemaking and justice. “They have a robust Christian ethic,” he said. “But many of them do not have a relationship with Jesus.”
I must have looked bewildered because he chuckled. “So different from what I’m used to,” I confessed.
Upside down.
I was being asked to preach an evangelistic sermon to a gathering of Christians.
So I did.
I preached that humankind is sinful and deserving of death and separation from God. I preached that God so loved us all that He put on skin and came to our rescue. Though innocent, Jesus was crucified, suffered the death and separation I deserved. Three days later He lived again, walked out of His tomb, defeated separation and death so that I could receive life now and everlasting, in relationship with God.
And then I moved on to what we’ve been saved for, Jesus in us doing through us the very work He did while on earth – work that proved God to be loving, compassionate and powerful. And I closed by asking students who hadn’t yet found that kind of work for themselves to trust Compassion International and sponsor a child. I told them that sponsoring a child through Compassion is both telling and showing a child the love of Jesus.
What happened next was surprising. The students in chapel sponsored the smallest number of children – by percentage – that I’ve seen in six years of speaking on Compassion’s behalf. No one stuck around afterward to visit with me either. No “thank you.” No questions about Compassion’s ministry model, financial integrity, how I liked Virginia so far or the cafeteria food…nothing.
I knew something had gone horribly wrong. I didn’t yet know what.
A ‘robust Christian ethic but no relationship with Jesus’ describes many Christians in the UK, interestingly.
My speaking on behalf of Compassion has yet to yield much :-/ I hope this is about to change in three weeks when I will give my first ever talk where I’ve been given free-rein over what to say, rather than being told what to say (and to limit it to two minutes). I am on tenterhooks to know what on earth you did wrong, though (if you did). Maybe I’ll learn something…
Had I known you were in VA, we would have gotten you some kiddos sponsored! But that’s not really point, is it?
I’m working through the Sermon on the Mount right now vs. the Sermon on the Plains and trying to render if Jesus’ closing means what I think it does.
That the gospel doesn’t stop with, “Believe in the Lord JEsus and you will be saved, you and your household”…but it continues forward into a patterning of life that changes and looks and lives like the gospel. We have watered it down here, in the US church, haven’t we? I mean, yes we are saved FOR something greater than ourselves and if we choose not to pursue gospel living, then when we call Lord, Lord, what happens?
What is the response of Him?
Can’t wait for the rest of your story. Great hooks, by the way. Two for two.
Also, we are having a red-hot discussion on gender divisions within the body of Christ and how it affects the discipleship of women. Would love some weighing in…not that you have time…but if you did!
You cannot possibly leave us hanging like this!
Can’t wait to hear the rest of this story!
Thank you so much Shaun for your Wednesday night concert last week. My family enjoyed hearing and interacting with you! Many of your thoughts resonated with what God has been teaching me. It’s been interesting to hear the feedback from your time at EMU. You, well, I guess really, God working through you, has prompted some good discussions. So glad you have stood on and for the truth. I’m praying for your family and ministry.
Emma Alex.
Thank you for the kindness, Emma. I’ve had lots of it in my inbox too. I’ve heard a few letters to the school paper have been written too ; )
I’ve heard you speak and can’t understand this reaction. Looking forward to part two.
I am of the Mennonite faith, originally. I am now in a non-denominational church. The is a difference between the two. A friend showed me this article and I am curious about what the outcome was or what your thought are on what went wrong. Even before I left the Mennonite church I had heard of Compassion and was very interested in supporting a kiddo or two. So, I am not sure why the response was as you experienced it. However, I have not attended EMU either to know fully. Looking forward to hearing more.
I’m telling this as a story because I think each section has something to teach us all. I’ll spoil the ending though and tell you that what happened at this school is not representative of Mennonite thinking on the whole. But I do fear where the “peace churches” are heading – where we all are heading if we neglect one dimension of faith to major on the other.
Still, I can’t wrap my head around what might have gone wrong… Although, from my perspective, you might have turned off a few when you “educated” them about humankind being sinful. I was very educated about the Bible and the wages of sin. I memorized scripture and took Bible classes. I studies Mennonite church history and sang many many song/ hymns. So, it’s not that we aren’t educated. The head stuff is there. It’s the heart stuff that is lacking.
For instance, I must have sang Great Is Thy Faithfulness many many times as a girl and a teenager. It wasn’t till I went through a period of time that i truly experienced God Faithfulness that the song held meaning for me.
I was at your Thursday evening coffee shop concert at EMU and wanted to let you know that I really appreciated your firm stand on the truth. I am not an EMU student, but I live in the area and heard about you from my friend Emma who commented above. I wasn’t able to be at your Wednesday night concert but came with a group of friends from my church on Thursday. Anyway, we were glad we attended and if I may speak for all of us, were incredibly blessed and challenged to hear your gracious yet confident stand for Biblical Christianity. So, thanks! And thanks too for providing music that deals with tough and unpopular subjects!
Blessings! -Heather
Without hearing the whole story, I’m so disappointed that the response was so low. It was in that very chapel that I was first introduced to the ministry of Compassion and started my own journey as a sponsor. But that was a long time ago.
My husband and I both graduated from EMU and feel like we got good, solid, Biblical teaching there – or at least learned how to be discerning. But again, that was many years ago.
Hey Shaun, Thanks so much for the concert and everything at EMU. I learned a lot and look forward to meeting you again. BTW your album is real rad!
I’m not even going to try to guess the ending…lol
Just wish that “religion” wasn’t always part of the bottom line…I hate being preached to…and I can imagine that you had an audience full of students who felt the same way. What I believe or choose “not to believe” has no bearing on my sponsoring the three kids that we currently sponsor. Trying to “guilt” people…especially kids or young adults…is always a turn off. Looking forward to the…rest of the story…shall we call you Mr. Harvey? Fondly, Roberta
I may be misunderstanding, Roberta. Are you suggesting that I attempted to guilt students into sponsoring a child?
Hey Shaun…what I was saying was that you were trying to guilt them into being Christians…or following your beliefs of what good Christians are. Hope that helps ;}
I wasn’t trying to guilt anyone into anything. In fact, I spoke against guilt specifically as a motivator.
How did you come to the conclusion, with so little information about what went on, that I was out to guilt students into anything? Where did I give you that impression?
Well I get this impression from you in the beginning of this post when you talk about your conversations with the school’s chaplin:
“They have a robust Christian ethic,” he said. “But many of them do not have a relationship with Jesus.”
Then in your sermen by saying:
“And then I moved on to what we’ve been saved for, Jesus in us doing through us the very work He did while on earth – work that proved God to be loving, compassionate and powerful. And I closed by asking students who hadn’t yet found that kind of work for themselves to trust Compassion International and sponsor a child. I told them that sponsoring a child through Compassion is both telling and showing a child the love of Jesus.
Personally, I find it hard to hear that I need to have a relationship with Jesus in order to be a good Christian (or human being for that matter) and that sponsoring a child through Compassion is showing the love of Jesus.
I sponsor children through Compassion because I trust the organization and because those children who are sponsored are not required to be saved or to follow the christian beliefs of Compassion in general.
Roberta, you and I and every human being ever created desperately needs a relationship with Jesus Christ. Not to be a good Christian. But to be a Christian at all.
Sponsoring a child empowers a local church to feed, educate, mentor, heal and love kids…and to teach them this central truth: God so loved you that He sent Jesus so that if you believe in Him you won’t die but will have life eternal. Every Compassion child hears this again and again. 500 children, on average, come to faith in Jesus every day through Compassion as a result.
Without Christ we’re sunk. Separated from God in this life and for eternity. Without forgiveness, purpose, relationship with God. Without Christ we are even called enemies of God. This IS hard to hear. But that makes it no less true, I believe, and no less central to the Christian faith.
You and your sponsored child don’t have to believe this about Christ – you’re right. We’ll love and care for you anyway. We can’t help it! It is because Jesus loves us first that we love. Not because those we love agree with us on everything. But because Christ has loved us.
Without Christ there is no Compassion International. It would not exist. Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus is that central to who we are as an organization. We believe life without Christ is the most impoverished life there is.
Well then, how come I’m not feeling very loved by you right now…if anything…all that I’m feeling is your need to defend your beliefs. You simply come off as arrogant and superior. I thought the mission was to get children sponsored…not saved…and especially to not be made to feel less than. I totally understand the message that is given to all of the children who participate in Compassion facilities and obviously do not have an issue with it or I would not have become an active sponsor for over two years now. I thought we were having an open discussion about why your sermon was unsuccessful in creating more student sponsorships…I was hoping to give some insight from an “un-saved” perspective. Oh well, end of discussion. Fondly, Roberta
It doesn’t have to be the end of the discussion, Roberta.
Christians disagree with each other about an awful lot. But there are things we all agree on, things we’ve held as central to our religion for two thousand years. For instance, every human being is born less than perfect. And our imperfection separates us from God, but Jesus changed all that.
It isn’t arrogant for a Christian to believe this anymore than it’s arrogant for a non-Christian to not believe it.
I love you and I disagree with you. Both of these are true.
Ideally, you and I would talk about these things in person. I can’t think of a worse place than the internet to have a discussion about such important matters. If you ever want to talk, e-mail me your number and I’ll give you a call. I’d love that. And if I’m ever in your neck of the woods, coffee is on me. You know what I think. I’d love to opportunity to hear more about what you think.
Thanks Shaun for your wonderful offer and I am always open to the idea of meeting in person and discussing such important matters of the heart. Talking on the internet is hard because you can’t see the person’s eyes or hear their tone of voice, etc. all those things that make communication so much easier. I feel that it is the end of the discussion on this platform and please know that I meant no disrespect or judgement from the beginning…just an opportunity for a difference of opinion and the ability to agree to disagree. Love always, Roberta
I am intrigued.
I’m a faithful reader, but rarely comment. It’s hard to know for sure, since you left us with a cliff-hanger, but in some way this reminded me of my first encounter with Compassion. I attended a Christian college and sponsored a child after a guest speaker talked about it in his message. I personally enjoyed the speaker and was challenged and yet he was by far our most controversial speaker we had. There were many discussions over it! I’m sure you know already, but I still wanted to offer the encouragement that even a small number of sponsorships can have great ripple effects! You just never quite know what will come from what you shared, no matter what could have been done differently or what the majority thought. I know for me, Compassion has blessed my life in so many unforeseeable ways!
I am sorry that you were disappointed by the lack of responsiveness by students at EMU, where I work. I confess that I am past deadline on a major project and have been working 16 hours a day for a couple of weeks, with just the Sabbath taken off. Thus the timing was poor for me, and I was not able to see you when you were on campus (well, I saw you across the dining hall one day!) But I recall another person, Tony Campolo, who made an appeal for child sponsorship that was very well received. Here is a brief article on that person’s visit to EMU:
ttp://emu.edu/now/news/2007/10/see-jesus-in-others-campolo-urges/.
I am not Mennonite, but since my arrival on campus as a graduate student in 2001 (later employed), I have been amazed at the ways that most people here extend themselves, trying to follow in His footsteps. Maybe the students were already (over-)committed to other worthy projects? To me, that is a likelier explanation than the alternative possibility that “they just don’t care.”
I’ve been following this with interest and that was what I was wondering – that maybe they’ve already reached ‘saturation’ point.
Stick with me, Bonnie. The story ends well.
The problem wasn’t that lots of kids weren’t sponsored. That number, along with the chilly reception, merely got me thinking that perhaps I’d done something offensive or communicated poorly.
Compassion International is represented at EMU every 3 years. It is not saturated with sponsors. But it is saturated with go-ers. There was some talk from students (and in the paper) about how going was superior to giving. I spent time in conversation (eventually) showing how biblical both going AND giving are. And equally necessary. But there were students who still felt that giving was for beginners and going was for the mature believer.
But that wasn’t the primary disconnect.
Shaun,
My daughter is a first year student at EMU.
She shared with me how deeply every thing that you shared during the week touched her heart. She saw and heard Jesus not only in your words and music, but your actions as well.
Thank you for sharing with the students of EMU the message that God placed on your heart to share.
My daughter will never forget it.
It makes me think of my daughter’s VeggieTales on St Nicholas…
He asks a nun giving food to the needy, “Does doing this make you happy?” She answers “No, I do this because I am happy”…the lyrics to her (earlier his father’s and later his) song include “I can love because God loved me; I can give because He gave”
ohhh…i really need to know…you’ll tell us tomorrow or in a few days or when?
Til you finish, I’ll supply an ending that I would like to have happened and then just have to adjust when you tell us what actually did…
I’m hoping you spoke ( I have never even heard of this university, so no insider knowledge) to a group of bedraggled, exhausted people who had been doing their good works every spare second for months and had hauled it in to hear you speak (as another good work to be checked off) and heard that Jesus loved them and died for them before they had ever done anything and loved them the same every single day no matter whether they worked 20 hours a day or went on a video game/ultimate frisbee hiatus from works…so they took you at your word, decided to opt out of the good work of sponsoring, feeling freely loved and really happy…only in a few hours to decide that although, free and happy to now not have to do millions of good works, they really felt led to sponsor children and so, joyfully, ran you down and filled your hands with sponsorship promises.
More articles and letters to the editor are indeed coming out in the EMU student newspaper tomorrow. I’ll send a copy your way. Please know that the conversations prompted by your visit to EMU have continued and I count that a blessing.
Off to read the follow up posts now….
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