unichurch

We’ve just started a church.
Two nights ago we had our first ‘unichurch’: a Sunday evening gathering we’re trialling for the last six weeks of semester at Emalus Campus. The idea has been in the back of my mind for the last few months as I’ve observed and gotten to know lots of the residential students – in particular the boys. There are many questions about the Bible and about Jesus, but in breaking out of usually quite legalistic upbringings, guilt gets in the way of the students becoming involved in churches or the Christian Fellowship (USPCF) that I work with. So I’ve been thinking for some months now about having a university church where we can remove some of the barriers to people coming to the Bible and knowing God – the only thing stopping me until recently was an unwillingness to start something I couldn’t finish before heading back to Oz! However, just after I got back from Santo I was chatting with Steve, a missio pastor from Queensland who came to Vanuatu about the same time I did, and who was keeping an eye on the CF while I was away. He mentioned he had a vague idea of planting a church amongst the students – and so the planning began!

I pitched the idea to our executive, who were excited, but wisely reined in my enthusiasm by wanting to spend a few days asking around the cultural student associations to get a feel for the openness to the idea. The general opinion was very positive, so we began to assess the specific culture of Emalus – what were the struggles, needs, and most effective tools in reaching the ‘badly churched’ around us. The things we all agreed on were:

  • The centrality of Scripture, taught through a combination of exposition and relational discussion
  • The great love and potential use of music and visuals
  • The need for a forum for asking all the questions about basic Christianity that many are too afraid to admit they want answered
  • The need for greater participation from students (i.e. limit the number of white people up front each week!)

The plan – put to test last Sunday – was for a one-and-a-half to two hour meeting every Sunday evening (thereby allowing partying on Friday nights and for other church-going Sunday mornings) with an hour of bible talk, discussion groups, and open question time; upwards of eight to nine songs (selected according to the main teaching points and allowing for a mix of hymns and more contemporary stuff); and a high level of care in the ‘visual messages’ being sent. The first two are fairly standard for evangelicals where I’m from, but that last point may take some explanation. Non-verbal communication is far more important amongst the people of the Pacific islands and sends all sorts of messages Aussies do not naturally notice. For example, at Navota Farm last month I made some notes on a student’s page in red pen, the normal colour for correction in Oz because it’s distinct from black and blue. I was then confronted (well…as confrontationally as a young Ni-Vanuatu can be to a white teacher) by another student and asked why I was angry with their friend. Then I remembered what I’d been warned about by the Williamsons from Talua – red is a ‘kros kala’ (a ‘cross colour’) that implies anger! Or at one of my first cell group meetings I came in a bit early and sat on a table, trying to rid the group of the formality usually carried into bible study settings by islanders. Others came in and sat on chairs behind desks, and I was gently rebuked afterwards for asserting my superiority by sitting above them – if only for a few minutes! So at every stage of planning the unichurch launch, I’ve been trying to consider all the possible readings of the visual design choices, particularly in the booklet Steve and I put together with all of our talk outlines, discussion questions, and quiet times for 2 Timothy (those interested in the cover i ended up going with can find it here). On the upside, I can have a lot more fun in indulging my hobby of graphic design with people who’ll pick up the subtler messages!

I hear Sydney has been bitten by the church planting bug again after a timely plea from Driscy-Baby, so after my debrief with Steve and the CF execs I might post some more about the thoughts, ideas, and strategies behind our particular plant – particularly those from our Pacific brothers and sisters.

Posted: Oct 20, 06:57 PM Category:

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Comment

  1. sammo · Oct 21, 12:08 AM

    #1

    I dig the design

  2. J · Oct 21, 05:26 AM

    #2

    thanks man…unfortunately people didn’t appreciate the ligatured ‘un’ on the unichurch logo itself and so we are jokingly ‘i-church’ to some…but the lil green gospel man worked a treat!

  3. pete · Oct 21, 05:16 PM

    #3

    sick-nuts

  4. Phone · Oct 21, 06:24 PM

    #4

    Looks like you’ve been hard at work! It exciting to hear that you’ve planted at church at uni – I’ll try to remember to add that to our prayers.

  5. walshy · Oct 23, 11:50 PM

    #5

    Joel the Pastor.

    It was only a matter of time :)

    Praying for ya!

  6. J · Oct 29, 03:49 PM

    #6

    I always thought you’d beat me to it Walsh-man…surely…surely…

  7. Dave · Nov 2, 04:38 AM

    #7

    right church for the demographic will do wonders . good work

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