Denomination: Christian
Let’s talk about trees.
A good tree bears good fruit. Those are Jesus’ words. A good apple tree makes good apples. And sitting in every one of those apples is the potential for an entirely new tree. Every tree contains a forest.
We view our students in much the same way. Campus ministry is not a “holding tank” for Christian students. It is not our goal to provide a college youth group to keep Christians safe while in college. Quite the opposite. It’s our hope to inspire students to believe they are Kingdom workers – future missionaries and elders and deacons and pastors and world-changers. They are the ones who will spread deep roots and bear the fruit that is the start of a new forest.
This is why we see discipleship as the engine of our ministry. It’s why we have focused a great deal on finding real ways for students to serve and grow. In the half-century that Encounter has been alive, we’ve seen many generations come, be transformed and leave to transform others. It has happened. It’s happening right now. And, by His grace, it will continue. Isn’t that just like the Lord? We invest deeply in our little corner and He somehow uses that to change the world.
A good tree bears good fruit. Those are Jesus’ words. A good apple tree makes good apples. And sitting in every one of those apples is the potential for an entirely new tree. Every tree contains a forest.
We view our students in much the same way. Campus ministry is not a “holding tank” for Christian students. It is not our goal to provide a college youth group to keep Christians safe while in college. Quite the opposite. It’s our hope to inspire students to believe they are Kingdom workers – future missionaries and elders and deacons and pastors and world-changers. They are the ones who will spread deep roots and bear the fruit that is the start of a new forest.
This is why we see discipleship as the engine of our ministry. It’s why we have focused a great deal on finding real ways for students to serve and grow. In the half-century that Encounter has been alive, we’ve seen many generations come, be transformed and leave to transform others. It has happened. It’s happening right now. And, by His grace, it will continue. Isn’t that just like the Lord? We invest deeply in our little corner and He somehow uses that to change the world.
