Faith like a ... college student

Last week was our EDGE orientation: three days of training for 101 college students who are going on 8 week long summer mission trips. I must confess that I don't really look forward to these weeks. It's busy, hectic, non-stop and, for me, not the best environment to connect with people. I'd much rather have a small group and get to know them well. With a hundred and one and the limited time that I'm around them, it just seems impossible to connect. But this week was different for some reason. Maybe my attitude about it was different -- I don't know -- but I wound up having quite a few really good conversations that I plan to follow up on as the summer progresses and fades into Fall.

One day last week I taught a session for the guys titled "NOT hooking up on the field". But while the title implies that I spoke only about the "rules of engagement" for male/female relationships, it was much more a discussion on respect, self-discipline and formation of healthy man-to-man relationships. I think it was well received and the guys were challenged to really be brothers to one another.

I think I enjoyed most just interacting with them about meaningful stuff: trends of discipleship on their campuses, how they can most effectively serve God during their final year at school and where he might be leading them beyond that. But I also loved worshipping with them. They had such a zealousness in their worship. I think they knew they were about to tackle something big -- something that they ought not attempt without God. So they offered their summers and their lives to him. It struck me as a very genuine and humble submission before God and acknowledgement of his power to do something amazing (or even very ordinary) through them this summer.

I'm excited to welcome them back in mid-August and to hear their stories.