“It’s all about muzzle velocity”

 

Bishop Robinson

I once had the privilege of hearing Don Robbie, former Anglican Archbishop of Sydney and ex-EU’er from the 1940’s, speak about the significance of the EU’s ministry. “It’s all about muzzle velocity” was his assessment, referring to the heavy guns they saw used in WWII. A shell’s final landing place is entirely determined by it’s velocity (i.e. speed and direction) at the point at which it leaves the muzzle. The significance of the EU’s ministry lies in its formative role in setting Christians’ speed and direction as they head into the rest of life. 

It’s a great analogy … and a great challenge. To set people up for a lifetime of Christian service. So here’s my third suggested value for the EU GradsFund ministry:

We believe that God gifts all his people that they might serve one another and build the body of Christ and that university ministry ought to equip Christians for a lifetime of Christian service through training and opportunities to serve.

But here are my questions:

• Have churches picked up the training baton such that the training and ministry opportunities uni-aged Christians are offered on campus are no longer unique? Is this value really a distinguishing feature of EU’s ministry?
• What’s your experience? How formative and effective has EU training been in equipping people in your church to serve?

Just give me reality

So what ought be our next ‘value’ after evangelism in the EU and EU GradsFund ministry?

HOLD IT RIGHT THERE – that is precisely the WRONG QUESTION.

Values are about what ARE, not what you think OUGHT  be.

from Flickr by xxxrmt

Most strategic plans of Christian groups/churches I’ve been in are inspiring triumphs of day-dreaming with no foundation in reality. Are we really committed to evangelism? Or is it just lip-service that ticks the right box? Where time, money, energy and prayers are spent will reveal the true values soon enough. A realistic strategic plan needs to arise naturally out of the reality of who we are, not built on mistaken beliefs and wishful thinking.

So what’s the next value of the EU and EU GradsFund?  Here’s my suggestion:

We believe that God speaks through the Scriptures and that university students ought to gain a rich understanding of the Christian faith so that they might know and love him more.

The emphases is on ‘rich understanding’ and not just of the Scriptures, but of the Christian faith. Is that true to your knowledge and experience of what the EU does at Sydney Uni?

Who do we want to be?

 

From Flickr by emily osborne

What are your values? It’s an important question – our values define us, shape us, drive us forward. But articulating your values isn’t so easy! They are hard to pin down and identify. Like trying to look at your sunnies when usually you look through them.

 

 

I’ve been trying to write down some of our values for the EU Grads Fund ministry at Syd Uni with the EU. It’s part of a process of developing a five year strategic plan. Here’s the first one:

We believe the lost need to be saved and that university is a key time to present people with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

My guess is that evangelical Christians will not disagree with the value (it’s very ‘apple pie’!), but is it right to be first? Would you have it as the first ‘value’ for your church? Or only in a uni ministry context? Does it mesh with your own EU experience?