Life of theWorld Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne October 2007, Volume Eleven, Number Four Fo r th e Vocation: A Defining Point for Lutheran Campus Ministry Prof. John Pless Real Time Campus Ministry Rev. Derek Roberts The Beginning of Wisdom Rev. Stuart Crown For The LIFE of the World F E A T U R E S PRESIDENT Rev. Dr. Dean O. Wenthe PUBLISHER EDITOR Rev. Steven Cholak Rev. John Pless COPY EDITORS ART DIRECTOR Trudy Behning Steve Blakey EDITORIAL ASSOCIATES Rev. James Bushur Dr. Charles Gieschen Dr. Naomichi Masaki For the Life of theWorld is published quarterly by Concordia Theological Seminary Press, 6600 North Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher of For the Life of the World. Copyright 2007. Printed in the United States. Postage paid at Huntington, Indiana. For the Life of the World is mailed to all pastors and congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in the United States and Canada and to anyone interested in the work of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. CONTENTS 6 Vocation: A defining Point for Lutheran Campus Ministry by Prof. John Pless Campus ministries exist to maintain young Christians “in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). Given the pressures of campus culture, this is no small task. 11 Real Time Campus Ministry by Rev. Derek Roberts I expect basic questions about when we meet, why there’s more than one Lutheran group on campus, plus a surprise question or two like, “Why do Lutherans think that water baptism saves?” It’s times like these that it’s good to have the Small Catechism memorized. 16 The Beginning of Wisdom by Rev. Stuart Crown Stanford’s physical scenery differs, its religious life holds up pluralism and post-modern thought, and its academic prestige and rigor can be intense, but the needs of the faithful at this private university differ little from any other school. 22 Campus Ministry: Scripture, Sisyphus, and Sophomores by Rev. Steven Smith In Mequon, Wisconsin, and at our sister schools around the country, Concordias start to live up to their names. That Latin word concordia implies a connection of faith, meaning something like “with one heart” or “with the same heart.” We who are privileged to serve on campus once again get a chance to live and forgive and grow and show Christ’s love to each other - to be Concordia. For your free subscription, please send yourname, address, city, state, and zip code to:For the Life of the World, 6600 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, IN 46825. If you would like to see For the Life of the World on the World Wide Web, go to web site: www.LifeOfTheWorld.com. The current issue, as well as previous issues, can be found at this interactive portal. For the Life of the World How to subscribe to and find . . . For the Life of the World 2 Volume Eleven, Number Four Campus Ministry: Scripture,Sisyphus, Sophomoresand It’s a square of stained glass that speaks volumes, conveyingthe essence of Concordia. Hanging outside the Chapel, theseal shows the sun shining down, its rays illuminating an open Bible and scattered books whose spines read Math, Homer, Shakespeare, Cicero, Goethe. These are the core of a classical liberal arts education with God’s Word preeminent. The Latin inscription beckons new students to drink in what Concordia has to offer: Timor Domini Principium Sapientiae (“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”). By The Rev. Steven Smith Every year new students make this place home. A tranquil and beautiful place with brick buildings, green lawns, and flowers (and in our case an inspiring lakeshore and a vast and blue lake), with a few people quietly walking or reading gives way to a massive influx of ipods®, computers, futons, and televisions. College campuses are transformed from sets of buildings that might inspire learning to places where it actually takes place. In Mequon, Wisconsin, and at our sister schools around the country, Concordias start to live up to their names. That Latin word concordia implies a connection of faith, meaning something like “with one heart” or “with the same heart.” We who are privileged to serve on campus once again get a chance to live and forgive and grow and show Christ’s love to each other - to be Concordia. In fact, concordia is one of the words that helps tell the tale of campus ministry. Campus ministry at a LCMS university looks similar to 22 For the Life of the World Campus Ministry: Scripture,Sisyphus, Sophomores In Mequon, Wisconsin, and at our sister schools around the country, Concordias start to live up to their names. That Latin word concordia implies a connection of faith, meaning something like “with one heart” or “with the same heart.” We who are privileged to serve on campus once again get a chance to live and forgive and grow and show Christ’s love to each other - to be Concordia. OCTOBER 2007 23 18 For the Life of the World24 congregational ministry in some ways. Worship and Bible study are the backbone. Ministry activities, outreach, and service take place. People are convicted by the Law and comforted by the sweet absolution of the Gospel. Chapel services, Sunday worship, evening student-led services involve hundreds of students every week. But there are some marked differences between a LCMS university and a LCMS congregation. Each year the “congregation” changes by about one-fourth; seniors graduate and new freshmen start. Most of the students are a steady 18-22 years old. The sense of vitality and energy is constantly replenished but it is a continual restarting. In some ways, it’s like the myth of Sisyphus. The old Greek myth tells of a man who angered the gods and as punishment was forced to roll a big stone up a hill. When he reached the top of the hill, the stone rolled down to the bottom and he had to begin again. He was “doomed” to a life of starting over. Campus ministry is the labor of Sisyphus in some ways; but if so, it’s a labor of love and far from a “punishment.” Each year our seasoned student ministry leaders go off to serve in many of our congregations and schools, fulfilling our mission of “preparing students for service to Christ in the church and in the world.” They become seminarians, teachers, business men and women, nurses, and other professionals, taking a little piece of Concordia with them into the world. This shows well one of the goals of our Campus Ministry Leadership Team - the nurturing and fostering of Christian leaders. The diversity of our campus makes two other goals a focus of ministry. Seeking the lost and strengthening the saved are also stated as goals of campus ministry. Within our own campus are some who don’t have a saving faith. The irony of being lost while so close to the Way, the Truth, and the Life sometimes blessedly gives way to students coming to faith in Jesus Christ while being at Concordia. The occasion to celebrate the Baptism of a student or the awakening of a dormant faith is something I count high on the list of campus pastor blessings. Strengthening the saved is perhaps one of our greatest areas to shine. Student-led Bible studies, devotional groups, mission trips (like our annual trip to Juarez, Mexico, which becomes a life-changing trip for a number of the 75 who go each year), children’s ministry, youth ministry, Students for Life, Fellowship of Christian Athletes are simply a sample of groups that work toward this goal of strengthening the saved. Over 50 student leaders guide hundreds of their peers in activities literally every day. To work with students is a blessing. They are in so many ways sophomores. Sophomores are in one sense simply second year students: the ones between freshmen and juniors. But the roots of the word “sophomore” are an interesting statement, in the end, of what all college students are. From sophos (from which we get the word “sophisticated”) and moros (from which comes “moron”) is the juxtaposition of wise and foolish - wise fools, if you will. In the end, campus ministry is recognition of spending days and nights with students who show bits of both. I am sometimes humbled and amazed by the great maturity of faith shown by students in what they say and do. It can bring tears to your eyes. Other times I shake my head (and usually smile) at how some of the same students can do something so dumb. Oh, to be a college student. … Even more so to be among them every day. The Rev. Steve Smith is Campus Pastor at Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon, Wisconsin. Within our own campus are some who don’t have a saving faith. The irony of being lost while so close to the Way, the Truth, and the Life sometimes blessedly gives way to students coming to faith in Jesus Christ while being at Concordia. The occasion to celebrate the Baptism of a student or the awakening of a dormant faith is something I count high on the list of campus pastor blessings.