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Let's
Go and Be Part of the Change
by: Jan Louie Uy (UP Ministry) |
As
I am writing this article, the Metro Manila Christian
Church (MMCC) Campus Ministry Alternative Learning
Program dubbed as "Campus Storm" is suppose
to have a culminating event, a concert, to be held
late Sunday afternoon at the Auditorium of CAP Building
in Makati City. Unfortunately, Metro Manila was hit
by the heavy rains and pounding winds of a ravaging
typhoon named Frank that caused the event to be moved
next week. The closing event is entitled "Celebrating
the Storm". Indeed, I am celebrating the storm-for
God gave us an extended week of the campaign. God
has reasons, isn't it awesome?
For
about some time, the leaders and coordinators of the
congregational campus ministry of the Metro Manila
Christian Church have been preoccupied by the preparation
and planning for the "Campus Storm"-a Metro
Manila-wide intensive Bible study campaign that was
formally launched last 25 May 2008. After almost a
month of "storming" universities and colleges,
most of us who spent our time inviting fellow students,
reaching out to our classmates and friends, studying
God's Word to literally anyone under the sun, we tend
to ask ourselves, "What am I now up to?"
or "What's next?"
Perhaps
the best question we might ever think of is captured
in J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings"
when Sam asked Frodo the very question, "I wonder
what sort of tale we've fallen into?" As campus
disciples I believe that all of us have fallen into
a very special story, a tale of renewed faith and
deeper convictions about God. Whether you completed
the morning devotionals in the first week or not;
whether you enjoyed evangelizing across different
campuses or just talked to one person; whether you
attended the campus academic awards night or opted
not to; whether you tirelessly served the children
in HOPE Worldwide Philippines or got irritated at
times; whether you consistently joined the mid-week
devotionals and Sunday worship services or missed
one or two; whether you studied the Bible with someone
or have not been given the chance; whether you are
a disciple already or a friend paying a visit; or
whichever way you think you have participated in the
campaign-God is working at you to be a part of a change.
I
should continue dreaming like Jesus
"I
want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection
and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming
like him in his death…" (Philippians 3:10).
If
I were to dream for the Kingdom I want to dream like
Jesus Christ. No one is so admiringly commendable
in dreaming for God's Kingdom other than our Savior.
Through the various activities in the "Campus
Storm" it made me realize that Jesus is the best
dreamer of all time! The way he devote his time, effort,
resources, and yes, even his own life made me think
a lot about my personal desires and aspirations. And
in the process of comparing myself to him, I feel
utterly discouraged by the fact that I am not like
him in more things and in character. But the good
news is I can still be like him if I will just be
spiritually-centered everyday. The Bible directs us
to focus on Jesus. And as we focus on Jesus, we not
only draw closer to God, but we also are slowly and
miraculously transformed into his likeness with ever
increasing glory, which comes from the Spirit working
in our hearts. That too is the ultimate purpose of
God for our lives: to be conformed to the likeness
of God's son, Jesus Christ.
I
learned a lot of lessons from the "Campus Storm"
and one of those that I appreciate so much is to seriously
dream for God's Kingdom. Anthony and Saun Galang of
the Inland Empire region of the Los Angeles International
Church of Christ (LAICC) really paved the way for
inspiring each campus disciple. Personally I am so
encouraged every time I read their note for me: "You
are part of the next generation of UP students that
will change the world…" Woah, I was really
blown away by such faithful convicting words! Just
to imagine that I am part of that generation that
would be able to transform the world makes me fired
up to start working for the Lord in my campus. The
note was written in the book "Dare to Dream Again:
Getting Back Up When Life Knocks You Down" by
Jeff Chacon which Anthony gave me. And upon reading
the very pages of the book, it inspired me even more
to recover the quest that God has placed in my heart.
Almost read it to the finish, the book and my experience
as a campus stormer gave me a new vision and new courage
to dare to dream once more for the campus ministry
here in Manila.
Let's
go dream once more.
You
should crave to study the Bible
"Therefore
everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them
into practice is like a wise man who built his house
on the rock" (Matthew 7:24).
Are
you building something? Perhaps we could all answer
"Yes" to such question. But the real catch
is what are you building at the moment? When I was
a little younger back then I used to watch "Flying
House" or "Super Book" on TV every
Sunday morning. I know you could relate, right? That
is how I got to know first the story of two men building
a house, one on the rock and one on sand. During the
first morning devotional of the "Campus Storm"
I was reminded of the same familiar story in the Bible
about the wise and foolish builders. In one of his
points in the message, Anthony stated the very fact
that all of us are indeed building something-education,
career, values, faith. But when storms came, whatever
it is that you are building may stand or fall depending
on where you build it on. I learned that to build
our house on rock is to anchor our lives in Jesus,
which entails not only hearing His Word, but also
acting upon it. By mooring our lives upon Jesus, which
involves both reception and action, our Lord assures
us that the fiercest tempests will not be able to
buffet and uproot us. Instead, being entrenched in
God's Word will give us resilience and strength beyond
our capacities.
If
God is the rock, then you must build your house on
Him! As a disciple, "Campus Storm" made
me grasp even more the essence of my purpose and mission.
It rekindled the very purpose of why I am living in
this world and that is to be in a relationship with
our Father in heaven. And in that relationship is
the task and commitment of introducing Him to others
and, just like me, make them disciples of Jesus. Never
in my whole Christian life did I ever have the chance
to evangelize so many people in a week's time. And
I am very happy that I have been part of the campaign.
Remember this line: "A man without a purpose
will never fulfill his mission. And a man without
a mission does not understand his purpose." God
is longing for a relationship not only with me, but
also with you! And that relationship starts with studying
the Bible. All of us should be encouraged to build
our lives on Christ and his teachings.
Let's
go study God's Word.
We
should fight the good fight of the faith
"For
I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither
angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything
else in all creation, will be able to separate us
from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 8:38-39)
This
is my favorite scripture in the Bible. It shows the
centrality of our lives and the significance of having
a relationship with our heavenly Father. This scripture
helped me to remind myself of Paul's 100 percent confidence
that nothing can set us apart from God's love. Everyone
can love God and be loved by God. However, the trouble
here is that many do not recognize that one thing
that can eternally separate us from His love, and
that is sin. The "Campus Storm" campaign
strengthened my conviction that to sin is actually
bending over to Satan. We are all disciples. And as
disciples we should continue holding on and fighting
for our faith until the end. As the author of the
book of Hebrews writes, "But we are not of those
who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who
believe and are saved" (Hebrews 10:39).
Throughout
the campaign I understood that the "Campus Storm"
per se is not intended for the disciples but for our
friends, classmates and fellow students. Brothers
and sisters, it is not about us. It is about them.
We do not evangelize, conduct Bible talks and study
the Bible to accumulate "pogi" points, "ganda"
points or brownie points in heaven. We evangelize
because there are still billions of people, not only
students, out there who are lost and dying, just like
we were. Let us work out every opportunity to rescue
lost souls from hell, to make a difference in people's
lives-one at a time.
Let's
go save one more.
As
the "Campus Storm" campaign ceases to an
end I am faithful that the convictions and lessons
that we have learned will continue to shape us as
better individuals and followers of Christ. Paul urges
each one of us, "Let us not become weary in doing
good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest
if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). Though
the storm passes over, our zeal will not end but will
continue to endure until we have fought the good fight
of the faith. Ours is a tale that will continue to
be told as we build once more the campus ministry
of our wonderful church, of God's awesome Kingdom.
Let's all go and be part of the change.
To
God be all the glory!
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