By Eric Rafferty
As another school year wraps up and we take account of some of the things Jesus has done on campus with students at UNO, we are recognizing that this was an incredible year. The ministry we lead at UNO had its best ever year of growth. We’re three years into planting at this commuter campus and we’ve seen the chapter grow from 30 students in 2011 to 50 in 2012 to 74 in 2013. We’ve seen the number of small groups grow from 7 to 9 to 14, reaching out to different corners of campus from athletes to international students.
What’s crazy and surprising about this year is that we experienced our best ever year of growth while we were totally out of the picture for almost a third of the year. In February we began a six-month sabbatical to rest, study, care for our souls and to seek Jesus for his vision for the next season of our lives and ministry. So we stepped off campus and left the ministry in the hands of our student leaders and a really part time volunteer.
We weren’t quite sure what would happen but, to be honest, we expected things to take a hit. To our surprise, the year ended in a strong place and the student leaders did great! A new cell was planted after we left, the young athlete ministry grew and began reaching out to new teams, students planned and gathered for their own events and two more students came to faith in Jesus (14 total this year!)
As we reflect on this strong year of growth (without us!) we see two Kingdom realities at work:
Lord of The Harvest
First, Jesus is the Lord of the harvest and He is the one who makes things grow even as his workers rest.
In Mark 4 Jesus said that,
“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
It has been good for our souls to step out of the middle and recognize that Jesus is and has always been the only one making things grow at UNO. He has drawn lost students to himself. He has changed lives. He has sent students out into his harvest fields. It’s all about Jesus!
Decentralization
Secondly, we recognized a strategic lesson in decentralization. As we prepared to be fully out of the picture for six months we took ourselves increasingly out of the middle and equipped our students to lead their own autonomous but connected cells.
Honestly, whether we were preparing to physically leave or not, that’s really how we should be leading all the time, right? As we step out of the middle and release leaders to really carry leadership we are preparing them for growth that isn’t dependent on us, our relationships, or our expertise.
Campus Access Problem
Let me highlight why this feels so significant. Across the country, many colleges and universities, even state schools who supposedly guarantee religious liberty, are de-recognizing campus ministries like InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. If a leader is at the center of everything that happens, and that leader is taken out of the picture (whether by sabbatical or campus access issues) then it will be really difficult for that ministry to continue growing.
At UNO, if we were de-recognized as an organization and Stacy and I were kicked off campus, I don’t think it would actually have much of an effect on the growth and expansion of the ministry. We probably couldn’t have our larger monthly worship gatherings on campus, and it would be costly to miss out on opportunities like the new student organization fair in the fall. But in general, student leaders would continue to plant cells reaching out to their corner of the campus. They’d open up their networks even if they couldn’t reserve an official table in the student center to do it. They’d gather their friends and they’d create space for other students to meet Jesus in his word. And Jesus would continue to be the Lord of the harvest.
If you were unable to continue leading your ministry or church, what do you think would happen?
How would you lead differently if you were preparing for that reality?
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Loved the story in this post.
A common reaction to decentralizing is for ministers to ask, “If I, supposed to get out of the way, why am I here at all?”
How would you respond?
Hi, Eric! That’s a great question and is super relevant to the idea of activating apostolic, prophetic, and evangelistic leaders (what this blog is all about!) I think that reaction is rooted in the idea that leaders are primarily program maintainers, but if we are going to have any kind of vision beyond our buildings and programs then we need to be constantly working ourselves out of our jobs.
As an apostolic leader I’m constantly aware of my itch to start new things in less reached places. The sooner I can equip and empower student leaders, the sooner I can begin activating something else on a new corner of the campus. Even if you are more wired toward pastoral leadership, inviting other people into the middle means more pastors being equipped and empowered.
I love what Dave and Jon Ferguson teach about apprenticeship and developing/sending leaders in their book Exponential.
What do you think?
I would agree. I think so much of this comes from deeply rooted, often unconsciously held, beliefs. If I see myself as a maintainer, then I need to maintain my position. If I am an entrepreneur, then I’m wanting to start things.
Roland Allen’s book, Spontaneous Expansion of the Church and Causes that Hinder It, has influenced me greatly. He would make the case that we stay stuck in the middle because we are controlled by fear. Only by facing the fears we have about our doctrine, our morals, and our civilization can we truly allow things to grow.