First Contact
Last Friday afternoon I sat in on the first meeting of the Emalus Campus Christian Fellowship executive committee. After a few false starts I found the room, only to discover that all universities operate the same – it was still locked. This did, however, give me a chance to meet Seru, the new prez; Liutrina, the item coordinator (e.g. dances and songs); Eva, the treasurer (who remember Credo’s group from last time!); and Rose, the secretary. When campus security got around to opening the room up I also met Poli, the PR officer, and discovered the VP and one other member of the committee were out of action due to illness. My initial thoughts were that it is a disproportionately large committee for the size of the group!
I’ll be honest and say I struggled at times with the pace of the meeting: things that I would be inclined to make a snap-decision on took ages, and the first suggestions for things I would’ve liked to have spent far more time considering were accepted. I’ve been expecting the way the group is run to be different, but I’d underestimated how strong the urge to take charge from Day One and reform everything would be!
My megalomania aside, it looks like I’ll have two official roles this semester:
+ To lead the weekly cell group (Bible studies) being reintroduced this year
+ To speak at two of the Easter Crusade events in mid-March
In addition to this I’ll be looking to meet up with at least three or four of the boys in the group (especially any first or second years) to read the Bible and disciple them in an effort to build some leadership momentum for the coming years.
The first of my two reservations about my work is how I am to go about helping the girls who make up the majority of the leadership. At Credo our senior staff Paul (and to a lesser extent Jodi) would meet up with at least the President to talk through issues, care for them pastorally, and unofficially train them in leadership. But here at USP I have the double-caveat of culture and accountability that makes me uncertain how to best support and build-up the girls I’m working with…Should I just blunder in and begin meeting with them? Or should I try and arrange a small group of them to meet with at once? Or should I focus my attention on the boys I can disciple and try to help the girls in the official exec meetings?
The second is the nature of teaching in CF. Last year there were no small group Bible studies, and the weekly meeting consisted largely of ‘praise and worship’ time with a time afterwards when anyone might share something they’ve been learning. While I have no issue with either of the above, the Sydney Evangelical in me is screaming three words very loudly: REGULAR EXPOSITORY PREACHING. No matter the cultural context one is working within (and certainly in the Pacific song and dance are important repositories of information) I unswervingly hold that the central tool for evangelism and maturing of believers is the preaching of God’s Word – and the most effective way I know if is the systematic working through books of the Bible. I hope to reintroduce this to the weekly meetings in time – patience is something I have been constantly told I have to cultivate, and something I sorely lack by nature – but for now will give my energies to fostering robust teaching in the cell groups and preparing my Easter talks.
I realise I’ve given more time to my anxieties than my joys in this post, but I am truly thankful for being called to work alongside our brothers and sisters here. As God gently but firmly reminded me thrice (!) in my reading this weekend past, patience and humility are the call of those who would be like Christ and seek to glorify Him by their service.
Posted: Feb 24, 02:53 PM Category: USP
D. · Feb 25, 04:02 PM
What a great start J!
But yes… patience will be a great thing.
I wonder if the reworking of the PTC ‘Intro to the Bible’ course that has been done for African pastors would be useful?
How’s the web access? Any idea if you will have it regularly?
Oh, and remember… patience! :-)
Kimi · Feb 26, 11:31 AM
I would not just blunder in and meet with the girls. I don’t think that would be a good idea… You could possibly do a group training thing with them (something like forum but more focused on discipling them), and then encourage them to meet up with each other.
Am praying for always & I look forward to hearing more of the joys that God has been bestowing upon you in your next post.
A.P · Feb 27, 11:04 PM
As this is the first time I’ve read your blog (various computer issues)I’m glad to hear that you are safe and sound in Vanuatu and have launched into the work set for you!
I continue to pray for you each day and I’ll be praying especially that you will be learning dilligently to be patient and in all ways be reflecting God’s awesome character in Vanuatu. :)
Katty · Mar 2, 11:52 PM
On the PTC issue, liggo was the one who actually kinda set up the system of AE taking that to African Pastors. maybe i should have gotten you two talking before you left.. heh whoops
hmm, you need to ask a local about the girls
are most of the girls Ni-Vanuatu or are they from Fiji?
maybe talk to Richard, or one of the respected wives about what would be best here. the girls need training!
J · Mar 3, 02:10 PM
I might sit down with someone like Jon Paschke to talk through the PTC stuff – he’s been working in Vland for about 20 years all up and thinks more like an islander than most of the islanders in town…
As for the girls, they’re mostly Fijian which is a slightly less segregated culture but I’m still cagey about it…I’m going to chat with our prez about how she would prefer to go about it I think.
Katty · Mar 11, 02:52 AM
ok, whats paschke working as in vanuatu?
PTC stuf for african pastors through african enterprise is done in a lecture format though, so i dont know if thats right for you, though im sure there are other courses that may be
J · Mar 11, 07:13 PM
He and his wife are technically meant to be pumping out Bislama resources for SU, but he’s almost an unofficial coordinator for most of what SU does…
Yeah, I don’t think I’ll go with lecture format – maybe short talk/long discussion or something, i’ll have to wait til i get the material…