No that's not quite right here.
However, I will no longer be posting our newsletters here. However, you can see and read my most recent newsletter IN FULL by clicking here! On that page, to the right, click on "My Latest Newsletter."
Enjoy!
What's an 'AgnostiChristian'?
Issue No. 4 Feb./March 2009
The first time I met Ted* was his Sophomore year, two-and-a-half years ago. He wasn’t too interested in coming to Sophomore Bible Study that year, though he had originally been involved in Freshman Bible Study his first year. We rarely saw each other. Once, he told me that he was interested in working within his Baptist tradition after college, so he saw his time in college as “a break from all that, for now,” since his plan was to spend the rest of his life immersed in the Church he figured he could take a 3 ½ year “vacation” of sorts from it.
In our January 2008 newsletter, I briefly mentioned that a new program was being started on campus: The Spiritual Advisors. This is an inter-faith endeavor for which I was invited to help design the training the “Advisors” would receive. Last year, I wrote, “The purpose of the program is not to convert anybody to any of the represented faiths, but to foster a safe space for spiritual and religious conversations on campus. That being the case, the training must be very general. This is not specifically a Christian program, but I do believe that it holds great potential to glorify God.” The Spiritual Advisors program was Ted’s* concept.
Around the time this program was getting started last academic year, I expressed to Ted* that I saw how it could benefit Kenyon students, but that it shouldn’t replace a mentor or discipleship relationship. I asked him if he had a mentor actively discipling him. He said, “no.” Shortly after that, he asked me if I would be willing to meet with him regularly. We have now had 30 one-on-one meetings together over the past year-and-a-half!
This time last year, we had just met a handful of times. Ted* still wasn't really involved in the Christian Community, but he was pouring a lot of his energy into the Spiritual Advisors program he was creating. I invited him to Jubilee last year, but he didn’t go. Even last semester, Ted* once identified himself as an “AgnostiChristian” with the Spiritual Advisors. But I praise God for what He’s doing in Ted’s* life!
In February, after a full year of meeting together regularly, Ted* came to Jubilee! At the last plenary session of Jubilee, author Andy Crouch asked the 2,000+ attendees two questions: In response to what you've heard this weekend, 1) what one thing do you want to start doing? and 2) what one thing do you want to stop doing? Back on campus, I emailed the 21 Kenyon students who attended and invited them to share how they responded. Ted* clicked Reply-All to the email, saying that Replying-All was the first step in fulfilling his answer to the first question. He prefaced the email saying that his answers were vague. They were, respectively: “Start focusing more on God” and “stop focusing less of God.” Ted* included the following explanation for his vague responses:
“Jubilee was something of an eye-opener for me. Over my past three years at Kenyon, for a variety of reasons, I've really been hiding my Christianity in favor of a more agnostic-friendly intellectual spirituality that was loosely based on Christianity. Admittedly, some very good things came of this (e.g. becoming active in the Spiritual Advisor program, which focuses on discussing spiritual issues with students of all faiths), but there were some pretty negative side effects as well (like a growing unease with my own spiritual life). Jubilee was the first time in years that I've actually been able to relax and be myself with a group of Christians (most of whom were strangers to me until now), and it felt awesome. Thank you guys so much for an excellent trip, and I'll be seeing you around.” (Note: emphasis added is mine)
Ted* has reconnected to Kenyon’s Christian Community in several ways, including coming regularly to Senior Bible Study now and attending another Bible Study, too! He graduates this May, and I praise Jesus for how Ted* has grown over the past two years. Please praise God with me! *name changed
Hot chocolate and iced-in cars, or: what is ministry?
Issue No. 3 Dec. 2008/Jan. 2009
The word “minister” is often used as a noun. But I think the verb form and the word’s origin give a better depiction of what being a minister—Campus Minister or otherwise—is truly all about. Here it is:
min·is·ter |’minəstər|
1 (minister to) attend to the needs of (someone)
• archaic provide (something necessary or helpful)
ORIGIN ministrer (verb), from Latin minister ‘servant,’ from minus ‘less.’
~definition from New Oxford American Dictionary
Last weekend was a busy one for me, so Monday afternoon I took a short nap. While I was napping I missed a phone call and a text message from MaryElise. I woke up a little before 3:00, and I saw the text message. Her car was stuck, and she needed a ride into Mt. Vernon to babysit at 4:00. I called MaryElise, and asked if she still needed a ride. She said, “Yes, and…I’m actually in your parking lot right now” (we live within walking distance from campus), so I invited her in. I opened the door and asked if she was okay. As soon as she got inside our door, she started to cry!
I gave her a hug and asked again if she was okay. She said she had pulled an all-nighter last night, and she was just stressed and emotional because of it. Her car was stuck in its parking spot because of the ice (this is before the big melt we recently experienced). She kept crying. I asked if she wanted some tea or hot chocolate. Through tears, she said she didn’t like tea. So I told her I was going to make her some hot chocolate, and I made some for Kelly and me too. Her mom called, and MaryElise started to cry more, feeling helpless; she talked briefly with her letting her know she was at our place. We all sat down on the couches and started to drink our large mugs of hot chocolate. She began to calm down with that. “I can’t do another all-nighter…”
“We can give you a ride there and pick you up, too. It’s not a problem,” Kelly and I agreed. But then MaryElise realized that she had to drive one of the kids to an afternoon commitment. “I knew there was something more. I knew this wasn’t going to be fixed so easily.” She began to tear up again when she realized that she would need her car every day. She said nobody had pushed it, but her tires just spin and spin when she tries moving it. I said, “Let’s finish our hot chocolate, and go try to get your car out. If we can’t, you can borrow our car this week.” She let out a deep sigh. “Okay, but this is a big mug,” she smiled, and kept drinking her hot chocolate.
I put my boots on, and we got in our car and drove to hers. She got in and started the car. I pushed and she slowly accelerated. Nothing. “Is it in reverse?” I asked. “Yes,” she replied, downhearted. “Okay, this time accelerate a little bit more.” I pushed, she accelerated, and the car was dislodged! She thanked me, made it to babysitting on time, was able to drive the boy to his appointment, and she parked elsewhere back at Kenyon.
We didn’t discuss anything biblical or otherwise profound! Now, Bible Studies and deep conversation is certainly a lot of what we do as ministry here at Kenyon. But last Monday, we drank hot chocolate and moved a car…and that was most definitely ministry! Her mom wrote me an email that night:
Dear Jeff & Kelly,
Thank you SO much for taking such good care of MaryElise this afternoon. When she called me crying because she couldn't get her car out I felt so helpless. Once I found out she had made it to your house I knew she'd be in good hands. It must have been the hot chocolate that did it!
Thank you again. She is lucky to have such good friends she is comfortable turning to in time of need.
Jesus said that he did not come to be served, but to serve (Matt. 20:25-28). Thank you for helping us to serve!
Remembering and Expecting
Issue No. 2 Oct./Nov. 2008
In this time of Advent, followers of Jesus Christ remember and expect. We remember God’s goodness and faithfulness to us. This includes the blessings that he pours out specifically on individuals, as well as the “once for all” gift in his son, Jesus Christ (e.g. 2Cor. 5:14-15; Heb. 10:10; 1Pet. 3:18). We also expectantly wait for Jesus’ return, and the consummation of the redemption of all things (e.g. Rom. 8:22-25; 2Pet. 3; Rev. 21&22) already begun through the fully efficacious sacrifice Jesus made (e.g. Col. 1:19-20). With that in mind, I want to share some photos of God’s faithfulness and goodness this semester and a few expectant hopes for next semester!
Remembering
Students at our apartment after SNF
Donald Miller at Kenyon, speaking about Faith and Politics before the election.
Koinonia hosted a Thanksgiving Dinner for over 50 Kenyon Maintenance and Custodial Staff
Expecting
In the last newsletter I wrote about the Lighthouse Statement for the student leaders. It focuses on commitment to each other to be better disciples of Christ including loving God and loving others. This necessarily involves intentionality. Whether they know it or not the student leaders impact their peers’ lives. I expectantly hope that next semester, by God’s Holy Spirit, we would be able to focus on being aware of how they already can and do impact their peers, so that they would intentionally love their peers better as they serve Jesus.
Last Semester I did a “Seekers Group” book study of Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz. I met with two students weekly to discuss this memoir of Miller’s life and faith. I hope to do another “Seekers Group” next semester, looking more specifically at the life of Jesus. Jesus changes people’s lives, and I expect him to move powerfully next semester, transforming more Kenyon students’ lives!
Lastly, God has provided for us over these past years. We trusted his call to this ministry, and we believe that he has not called us here without knowing how he would provide for us. That being said, we’ve always had a goal of $2000 per month. Out of God’s goodness to us through your generosity we have been able to continue God’s Kingdom work here at Kenyon, but we have never had 100% of our monthly goal through pledges. From time to time, we receive a full paycheck, but more often than not we do not.
I wait in hopeful expectation that this coming semester, THROUGH YOU, God will fully fund this ministry every month! Once we receive 100% in pledges, we will be able to better focus on serving Kenyon students, and less about monthly bills; we will be able to offer the students more resources (e.g. books, music, experiences, etc.) to help them grow. If you are interested in partnering in this ministry, please contact us or begin sending gifts (see below for both)! This is an opportunity for you to minister to Kenyon students and to us. I thank Jesus and you in advance for the support I know he will provide through you!
The Story of Many Disciples and One Lighthouse
Issue No. 1 Aug./Sept. 2008
Despite the words “Christian” and “disciple of Jesus Christ” being synonymous biblically, Rev. Dr. Greg Ogden has found that many today give these different meanings. He addressed the CCO last April about discipleship, and one of my co-workers and friends reflected on that comment, saying, “‘Christian’ implies a one-time transaction requiring no further action, whereas ‘disciple’ implies an active, ongoing course for one’s life.” Because the word “disciple” appears nearly 300 times in the Bible and “Christian” only appears three times, and furthermore because Jesus calls his followers to “make disciples,” Kelly and I hope to focus this ministry on making “disciples of Jesus Christ” instead of simply making “Christians.”
This is the beginning of our third year ministering at Kenyon College. When we first started two years ago, we were continuing a ministry already established; we inherited two Christian Student Organizations, four weekly Bible Studies, and twelve student leaders. During the first year of ministry, we wanted to get our bearings and begin developing relationships with Kenyon students, particularly with the Christian student leaders. Kelly and I attempted to meet with all of the student leaders individually on a regular basis for discipleship (i.e. meeting them where they were spiritually to walk alongside them, and lovingly challenging them to live out their faith in every area of life). It was not possible to schedule twelve one-on-one meetings in addition to our other responsibilities. We managed to meet with most of the leaders regularly, but there were a few we met with irregularly and a few more we were never able to meet with for discipleship!
At the end of the first year, I discussed with the leaders the possibility of creating a covenant between them, because so far there were no clear expectations for what it meant to be a leader in the Christian community. Some were very excited, some were wary. By the end of the Fall 2007 semester, though attempts were made, we still had no covenant…but God still did wonderful things in and through the Christians at Kenyon, of course.
Last semester I talked with the leaders to address their concerns, and to ask about why the covenant-making process fell apart. One student proposed a shift of language. We wanted a brief statement that was intended to be something that we could look to for bearings as well as something to illuminate our surroundings—a Lighthouse Statement. Based largely on the CCO’s fourth Core Value and a biblical model for discipleship as proposed by Greg Ogden, in late April the students and I composed a rough draft that focused on discipleship.
During the first week of this semester the leaders and I (finally!) agreed on a Lighthouse Statement! It is an intentionally broad statement, which we will hold to through meeting together in small discipleship groups, instead of one-on-one. So although there are now fifteen student leaders, for the first time Kelly and I will be able to meet with all of the student leaders regularly, as we all journey together, as disciples of Jesus Christ. Here is our Lighthouse Statement; I hope it is illuminating for you!
We believe that faithfulness is pursued together, therefore:
We commit to being disciples of Jesus together—holding one another accountable to this discipleship in Christian love. Discipleship means actively pursuing our teacher, Jesus Christ, together—instead of stagnating or being distracted from this course—learning from him and permitting the Holy Spirit to transform us to be more like him and to better live out the Greatest Commandments per Luke 10:27.
Therefore, we covenant to be in relationship with each other in order to pursue our relationship with God the Father and our neighbors.
The Semester in Review
Issue No. 5 Apr./May 2008
This semester has been a whirlwind and a blessing. We are thankful for your support. Because of your prayers and financial support, and God’s great goodness, here are some of things that happened at Kenyon this semester...
Click here to download the PDF file!
Prayer Trip to Washington, D.C.
Last SNF of the year
This semester has been a whirlwind and a blessing. We are thankful for your support. Because of your prayers and financial support, and God’s great goodness, here are some of things that happened at Kenyon this semester...
Click here to download the PDF file!
Prayer Trip to Washington, D.C.
Last SNF of the year Experiencing Jubilee
Issue No. 4 Feb./Mar. 2008
There were four Breakout Session times over the weekend with over 50 possible Sessions to attend. Here are a handful of titles to give you an idea of those Sessions: Teachers Transform Lives; Seek Justice, Rescue the Oppressed; Not Just Science: The Master’s Handiwork; Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would; Caring for God’s Creation; Overcoming Poverty in America; Transforming Male Sexuality; Law and Gospel: Redeeming Value in the Ordinary Practice of Law; and Sabbath-keeping for Dummies. In addition to these times, there were four Plenary Sessions that everybody attended to hear from such speakers as Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship Ministries; Kelly Monroe-Kullberg, founder of The Veritas Forum; and Donald Miller, author.
All of the below pictures are of Kenyon students at this year’s Jubilee Conference!
The CCO’s annual student conference, Jubilee, was held February 15-17 in
There were four Breakout Session times over the weekend with over 50 possible Sessions to attend. Here are a handful of titles to give you an idea of those Sessions: Teachers Transform Lives; Seek Justice, Rescue the Oppressed; Not Just Science: The Master’s Handiwork; Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would; Caring for God’s Creation; Overcoming Poverty in America; Transforming Male Sexuality; Law and Gospel: Redeeming Value in the Ordinary Practice of Law; and Sabbath-keeping for Dummies. In addition to these times, there were four Plenary Sessions that everybody attended to hear from such speakers as Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship Ministries; Kelly Monroe-Kullberg, founder of The Veritas Forum; and Donald Miller, author.
All of the below pictures are of Kenyon students at this year’s Jubilee Conference!
Jubilee definitely seems to have affected the
Janae, a Sophomore, wanted to share this with you all, “As a first-timer at the Jubilee conference, I can honestly say that it is one of the most powerfully spiritual experiences I’ve had in a very long time. With all of the Christian energy that was in the Convention Center, praising God and reflecting on your relationship with Him was inevitable! Even when you were alone! To sum it up in three words: Jubilee was awesome!"
I’m excited to continue to witness what God is doing in and through the lives of Kenyon students.
The First Week: Relationships
Issue No. 3 Dec. 2007/Jan. 2008
“Hi!!!” (Hug and/or hand shake.) “How was your break? What did you do? I’m so glad you’re back!” Kenyon has been in session for
just over one week now, and the above is a typical ‘first conversation’ of the semester that we have with returning students. Some students visited new places over Winter Break, but most were home for the majority of their vacation. ‘Home’ for students we work with could be forty-five minutes away, three time zones away, or continents away! However far they’ve traveled, Kelly, Ana, and I are very excited to have them back. But we don’t have them all back. You see, Kenyon Juniors have the opportunity to study abroad for a semester or a full year, depending on their program. This semester there are ten Juniors abroad with whom we would normally spend time! But Ruth*, who was supposed to be abroad this semester, is back here in Gambier.
The first Monday night of classes, I went around campus visiting some students in their Residence Halls. I left a ‘welcome back’ note on some students’ door because they were not in their room when I knocked. I knew two of the students who were supposed to be in that room, but there was also a name I didn’t expect to see on the door. It was Ruth*, so I thought it was a mistake! But I saw Ruth* a few days after I left that note, and she shared with me that she had been abroad on her program for a week, but ended up withdrawing and is now back at Kenyon. She shared this with mixed feelings. She definitely thinks it was the right choice, though she really would have loved to have studied abroad for the semester. However, the sudden decision to not be abroad this semester has caused some tension with her friends on campus. Ruth* told me that she went to a dinner last Tuesday night where she expected Kelly, Ana, and I to attend, which we did not. She was disappointed. I told Ruth* that we’d love to have her over to our apartment sometime, and that I was surprised she hadn’t been over yet. She said that she would love that and it was good to know that there was at least one person glad that she was back on campus. This breaks my heart, but I thank God for the opportunity to love her. Ruth* is not in any Christian groups on campus; in fact, Ruth* is a non-practicing Jewish student. Please pray with us.
I am a Board Member of Kenyon’s inter-faith Board of Spiritual and Religious Life (BSRL). A student approached us last semester with an idea to promote and foster spiritual and religious conversations on campus. The first Thursday of classes, I met with three other BSRL Members and this student to start planning what the training process will be for this ‘Spiritual Advisers’ program. The purpose of the program is not to convert anybody to any of the represented faiths, but to foster a safe space for spiritual and religious conversations on campus. That being the case, the training must be very general. This is not specifically a Christian program, but I do believe that it holds great potential to glorify God. Please pray for that!
Koinonia had its annual Winter Retreat the first weekend after classes began. We brought 20 students on the Retreat. Rev. Jonathan Fettig, the pastor of our church, was our speaker for the weekend. He spoke to us about relationship with God, with our neighbor, and about being
relational as part of the Body of Christ.
After the Winter Retreat, a sophomore named Alex, said about the Christian Community at Kenyon, that he wants to try to “really make it about relationships with one another.” Another student said they wanted to work on “being more authentic in all of [their] relationships” and “remembering that worship is about acknowledging who God is.” Please pray with us.
Jonathan reminded us that, though we crave relationship, sin separates us from God and our neighbor. “Shame” (see Gen. 3:7 in contrast to 2:25), he said, “is Pride turned on its head.” Shame whispers ‘it’s all about me.’ Donald Miller is a writer and a speaker who often talks about relationships and community. He says in his book Blue Like Jazz, “The most difficult lie I have ever contended with is this: Life is a story about me.” Don Miller will be one of the Main Speakers at Jubilee this year.
Jubilee is the CCO's annual college student conference. Jubilee is a catalytic event created to provide ‘a vision of and for life’ to help followers of Jesus grow in living out their faith in every area of life and what it means to be faithful to God in their college years and their vocational pursuits.
Also, I hope to begin a group for non-Christians who are curious about investigating Christianity. I’d like to start a book group that will read and discuss together Blue Like Jazz, which is a collection of memoir-like essays by Donald Miller, honestly looking at his journey of relationship with God. Relationships can’t be forced; they begin with an introduction between different people. I cannot force people to follow Jesus Christ; it’s a relationship that must be developed. Don Miller talks about how he used to not like jazz music until he witnessed somebody passionate about jazz. In the Author’s Note of his book he says, “Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way.” I have no power to convert people, only Jesus can change people’s lives, but I can show others my love of Jesus Christ and try to explain the love God has for us. God desires to be in relationship with us, and perhaps by introducing others to Jesus they may desire that relationship as well. Please pray with us.
*Ruth is not the above noted student’s actual name.
“Hi!!!” (Hug and/or hand shake.) “How was your break? What did you do? I’m so glad you’re back!” Kenyon has been in session for
just over one week now, and the above is a typical ‘first conversation’ of the semester that we have with returning students. Some students visited new places over Winter Break, but most were home for the majority of their vacation. ‘Home’ for students we work with could be forty-five minutes away, three time zones away, or continents away! However far they’ve traveled, Kelly, Ana, and I are very excited to have them back. But we don’t have them all back. You see, Kenyon Juniors have the opportunity to study abroad for a semester or a full year, depending on their program. This semester there are ten Juniors abroad with whom we would normally spend time! But Ruth*, who was supposed to be abroad this semester, is back here in Gambier.The first Monday night of classes, I went around campus visiting some students in their Residence Halls. I left a ‘welcome back’ note on some students’ door because they were not in their room when I knocked. I knew two of the students who were supposed to be in that room, but there was also a name I didn’t expect to see on the door. It was Ruth*, so I thought it was a mistake! But I saw Ruth* a few days after I left that note, and she shared with me that she had been abroad on her program for a week, but ended up withdrawing and is now back at Kenyon. She shared this with mixed feelings. She definitely thinks it was the right choice, though she really would have loved to have studied abroad for the semester. However, the sudden decision to not be abroad this semester has caused some tension with her friends on campus. Ruth* told me that she went to a dinner last Tuesday night where she expected Kelly, Ana, and I to attend, which we did not. She was disappointed. I told Ruth* that we’d love to have her over to our apartment sometime, and that I was surprised she hadn’t been over yet. She said that she would love that and it was good to know that there was at least one person glad that she was back on campus. This breaks my heart, but I thank God for the opportunity to love her. Ruth* is not in any Christian groups on campus; in fact, Ruth* is a non-practicing Jewish student. Please pray with us.
I am a Board Member of Kenyon’s inter-faith Board of Spiritual and Religious Life (BSRL). A student approached us last semester with an idea to promote and foster spiritual and religious conversations on campus. The first Thursday of classes, I met with three other BSRL Members and this student to start planning what the training process will be for this ‘Spiritual Advisers’ program. The purpose of the program is not to convert anybody to any of the represented faiths, but to foster a safe space for spiritual and religious conversations on campus. That being the case, the training must be very general. This is not specifically a Christian program, but I do believe that it holds great potential to glorify God. Please pray for that!
Koinonia had its annual Winter Retreat the first weekend after classes began. We brought 20 students on the Retreat. Rev. Jonathan Fettig, the pastor of our church, was our speaker for the weekend. He spoke to us about relationship with God, with our neighbor, and about being
relational as part of the Body of Christ. After the Winter Retreat, a sophomore named Alex, said about the Christian Community at Kenyon, that he wants to try to “really make it about relationships with one another.” Another student said they wanted to work on “being more authentic in all of [their] relationships” and “remembering that worship is about acknowledging who God is.” Please pray with us.
Jonathan reminded us that, though we crave relationship, sin separates us from God and our neighbor. “Shame” (see Gen. 3:7 in contrast to 2:25), he said, “is Pride turned on its head.” Shame whispers ‘it’s all about me.’ Donald Miller is a writer and a speaker who often talks about relationships and community. He says in his book Blue Like Jazz, “The most difficult lie I have ever contended with is this: Life is a story about me.” Don Miller will be one of the Main Speakers at Jubilee this year.
Jubilee is the CCO's annual college student conference. Jubilee is a catalytic event created to provide ‘a vision of and for life’ to help followers of Jesus grow in living out their faith in every area of life and what it means to be faithful to God in their college years and their vocational pursuits.
Also, I hope to begin a group for non-Christians who are curious about investigating Christianity. I’d like to start a book group that will read and discuss together Blue Like Jazz, which is a collection of memoir-like essays by Donald Miller, honestly looking at his journey of relationship with God. Relationships can’t be forced; they begin with an introduction between different people. I cannot force people to follow Jesus Christ; it’s a relationship that must be developed. Don Miller talks about how he used to not like jazz music until he witnessed somebody passionate about jazz. In the Author’s Note of his book he says, “Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way.” I have no power to convert people, only Jesus can change people’s lives, but I can show others my love of Jesus Christ and try to explain the love God has for us. God desires to be in relationship with us, and perhaps by introducing others to Jesus they may desire that relationship as well. Please pray with us.
*Ruth is not the above noted student’s actual name.
Practicing Hospitality
Issue No. 2 Oct./Nov. 2007
I want to take the opportunity to share with you some things that Kelly and I have been doing this semester to try to love Kenyon students by being hospitable and creating space for them to freely speak, move, and be. This is an endeavor that we’ve been pursuing for awhile, but because I just recently read Henri Nouwen’s book, The Wounded Healer, I will include quotes about hospitality from it at the end of each of the following paragraphs.
We now live within walking distance from campus, which makes us much more accessible than last year when we were a ten-minute-drive away. We have been able to have students over to our apartment almost every single week this semester! Sometimes it’s for things like Bible Study preparation, or for discussions of a book I’m reading with a student, but many other times it’s to have open discussion about whatever the student is thinking about. As the weather gets colder, we offer students tea or hot chocolate to drink while they’re here. We welcome them into our lives to know us better, and we intentionally try to carefully listen to them. Someone once said that the closest thing to feeling loved that many people experience is being listened to. “Hospitality is the ability to pay attention to the guest. This is very difficult, since we are preoccupied with our own needs, worries and tensions...”
In Sophomore Bible Study (SBS) we are sharing our stories with each other. We’re modeling our sharing after the structure of the Un-Game, which calls for thoughtful listening by everyone. Over the remaining weeks before Christmas Vacation, each SBS participant will share their faith journey, and how they have currently come to be at SBS in order that we may know where each other is coming from, learn how to listen to each other better, and to just overall know one another better. I hope that this will greatly benefit SBS, and I pray that it will strengthen
the entire fellowship at Kenyon. “Hospitality becomes community as it creates a unity based on the shared confession of our basic brokenness and on a shared hope...Community arises where the sharing of pain takes place, not as a stifling form of self-complaint, but as a recognition of God’s saving promises.”
Lastly, the Freshman Bible Study (FBS) leaders and I asked the freshmen for suggestions for topics or scripture to study for FBS. As usual, there were many great suggestions, however, unlike past times that I’ve done this, there were a few faith questions written down in addition to study topics. All of them were questions that most Christians ask themselves at some point, and these were all questions that I asked after accepting Christ during my college years. Two of the questions asked, for example, were: “What happens to people of other faiths?” and “How can we reconcile the condemnation of homosexuals with unconditional love?” So the last Monday night of October, during the time that we normally meet for FBS, I gave them my answers referencing many biblical passages. I told them that my answers were not “canned” answers, but they were the answers that I came to after much discussion, prayer, and contemplation. I also told FBS that my answers should NOT be the end of their conversation about these things but just the beginning. I’m so grateful that FBS felt comfortable to ask these tough questions. Too often, some Christians feel like they are not able to ask questions, because they think that if they don’t have everything perfectly figured out they have somehow failed. Jesus calls us to follow him (Matt. 16:24). He does not say that we have “arrived” once we acknowledge him as Lord and Savior, but in fact that we have just begun a journey. Practicing hospitality and creating space allows for real questions and real conversation, and it allows all who enter in to be themselves and be loved where ever they are in their journey. “The paradox indeed is that hospitality asks for the creation of an empty space where the guest can find his own soul.”
I want to take the opportunity to share with you some things that Kelly and I have been doing this semester to try to love Kenyon students by being hospitable and creating space for them to freely speak, move, and be. This is an endeavor that we’ve been pursuing for awhile, but because I just recently read Henri Nouwen’s book, The Wounded Healer, I will include quotes about hospitality from it at the end of each of the following paragraphs.
We now live within walking distance from campus, which makes us much more accessible than last year when we were a ten-minute-drive away. We have been able to have students over to our apartment almost every single week this semester! Sometimes it’s for things like Bible Study preparation, or for discussions of a book I’m reading with a student, but many other times it’s to have open discussion about whatever the student is thinking about. As the weather gets colder, we offer students tea or hot chocolate to drink while they’re here. We welcome them into our lives to know us better, and we intentionally try to carefully listen to them. Someone once said that the closest thing to feeling loved that many people experience is being listened to. “Hospitality is the ability to pay attention to the guest. This is very difficult, since we are preoccupied with our own needs, worries and tensions...”
In Sophomore Bible Study (SBS) we are sharing our stories with each other. We’re modeling our sharing after the structure of the Un-Game, which calls for thoughtful listening by everyone. Over the remaining weeks before Christmas Vacation, each SBS participant will share their faith journey, and how they have currently come to be at SBS in order that we may know where each other is coming from, learn how to listen to each other better, and to just overall know one another better. I hope that this will greatly benefit SBS, and I pray that it will strengthen
the entire fellowship at Kenyon. “Hospitality becomes community as it creates a unity based on the shared confession of our basic brokenness and on a shared hope...Community arises where the sharing of pain takes place, not as a stifling form of self-complaint, but as a recognition of God’s saving promises.”
Lastly, the Freshman Bible Study (FBS) leaders and I asked the freshmen for suggestions for topics or scripture to study for FBS. As usual, there were many great suggestions, however, unlike past times that I’ve done this, there were a few faith questions written down in addition to study topics. All of them were questions that most Christians ask themselves at some point, and these were all questions that I asked after accepting Christ during my college years. Two of the questions asked, for example, were: “What happens to people of other faiths?” and “How can we reconcile the condemnation of homosexuals with unconditional love?” So the last Monday night of October, during the time that we normally meet for FBS, I gave them my answers referencing many biblical passages. I told them that my answers were not “canned” answers, but they were the answers that I came to after much discussion, prayer, and contemplation. I also told FBS that my answers should NOT be the end of their conversation about these things but just the beginning. I’m so grateful that FBS felt comfortable to ask these tough questions. Too often, some Christians feel like they are not able to ask questions, because they think that if they don’t have everything perfectly figured out they have somehow failed. Jesus calls us to follow him (Matt. 16:24). He does not say that we have “arrived” once we acknowledge him as Lord and Savior, but in fact that we have just begun a journey. Practicing hospitality and creating space allows for real questions and real conversation, and it allows all who enter in to be themselves and be loved where ever they are in their journey. “The paradox indeed is that hospitality asks for the creation of an empty space where the guest can find his own soul.”
Seeing God at Kenyon
Issue No. 1 Aug./Sept. 2007
I’d like to reflect on some specific ways in which I’ve noticed God working at Kenyon so far this
year, particularly in the Bible Studies. Firstly, the first year students have already started to jump into the Fellowship here at Kenyon with both feet! There are already seventeen first-year students involved in Freshman Bible Study (FBS)(see pic.), Saturday Night Fellowship (SNF), and Koinonia! Furthermore, one of the FBS student leaders who is a Sophomore made the comment that “they’re already talking and participating in the Bible Study; I remember last year it took us several weeks to get into it and feel comfortable enough to talk!” Praise God for how these students have been prepared to be involved in his work at Kenyon!
I’d like to reflect on some specific ways in which I’ve noticed God working at Kenyon so far this
year, particularly in the Bible Studies. Firstly, the first year students have already started to jump into the Fellowship here at Kenyon with both feet! There are already seventeen first-year students involved in Freshman Bible Study (FBS)(see pic.), Saturday Night Fellowship (SNF), and Koinonia! Furthermore, one of the FBS student leaders who is a Sophomore made the comment that “they’re already talking and participating in the Bible Study; I remember last year it took us several weeks to get into it and feel comfortable enough to talk!” Praise God for how these students have been prepared to be involved in his work at Kenyon!Because Jesus Christ’s timing is perfect (Rom. 5:6), I know that God is behind several situations that might otherwise seem like coincidences regarding the other Bible Studies. Keep in mind, neither of the following examples had anything to do with me prompting the student leaders...
For Sophomore Bible Study (SophBS), the students requested that this semester we begin studying what it means that Jesus came not to abolish but to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matt. 5:17). As I always tell the students, I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers; my role is to facilitate discussion and lead inductive group study of the Bible. However, this past May, through the CCO’s partnership with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I was able to take a course on Biblical Theology, which deals with this very question! The question the SophBS posed is intricately connected to one of the larger questions Biblical Theology is concerned with: “What is the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament?” A fantastic book I read for the course was Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament, by Christopher J. H. Wright. Praise God for giving me this preparation for SophBS that I could never have foreseen or planned!
The first week of classes I was given a stack of five-page packets entitled God Time. The 
introduction said that this was a guide to facilitate “quality, quiet time with the Lord.” I was told that somebody found them and thought that I might be able to use them. I took them and set them aside without reading further. Literally three days later, at my first JBS Preparation meeting, I asked the student leaders if there was anything on their hearts that they wanted to explore during JBS this semester. Without hesitation, both leaders said, “Prayer!” I told them, incredulously, of the resource very recently given me about prayer. We will be utilizing God Time during JBS this semester! Praise God for his perfect timing!
Please join me in praising God for his goodness in these matters and also – especially – for the things of which we are unaware! Christ Jesus is certainly at work here at Kenyon through his Holy Spirit, whether or not we notice, but when we do witness God we can do nothing but marvel at his glorious workings, and declare with the Psalmists, “Hallelu Yah!”
Summertime in Gambier
Issue No. 6 Jun./Jul. 2007It has actually been almost exactly one year since we sent out our first newsletter. Kelly was in her second trimester, I had just finished CCO’s New Staff Training, and we were trying to learn our way around Mt. Vernon and Kenyon College. We received a phone call inviting us out to dinner with a few students who had been working for Kenyon’s Summer Conferences. We were very excited and very nervous. This would be Kelly’s first interaction with Kenyon students and only my second interaction. We went out to eat at Hoggy’s Bar and Grille – a place with delicious, barbeque meals – as a going away meal because one of the Summer Conference student workers was leaving the next day. We had a great time and were grateful to have met these students, but we certainly weren’t really in their lives at that point.
Well, one full year has passed. Kelly and I have had a great school year here at Kenyon, and
we’ve had a great summer, too! This summer, we worked alongside those Summer Conferences students, most of whom we knew from the school year. And the same student who we went to Hoggy’s for last year, came back after already graduating, and worked one last summer here at Kenyon. Furthermore, we went out to eat at Hoggy’s as a going away party for him – again. Looking at this picture makes me think of how grateful I am for how far God has taken us into relationship with Kenyon students since that first, somewhat awkward, meal, and the awkwardness shown in the after-meal picture from last summer’s Hoggy’s trip.Our first newsletter talked about the first Core Value of the CCO, All Things Belong to God. The CCO’s third Core Value is, We Love College Students. Loving these Kenyon College students is integral to what Kelly and I do, and is made possible with your prayerful support. Whether they’ve always been Christians, or if they’re new Christians, or if they don’t know Christ at all, God loves them and desires that they know him. And we pray that God will use us as instruments of his love towards them. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ~ Romans 5:8
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