Change a Campus, Change the World
By Daniel Carandang
For the past three blog entries, we have been discussing about sharing the Word and making disciples who will also make disciples in His name.
We have also learned that if we have genuinely accepted Christ and made Him the Lord of our life, we become His disciples. And as His disciples, it is our job to reflect Him to our fellowmen and to help them also become a disciple of Christ.
Our mission has always been this: Honor God and make disciples.
Easy to say. Difficult to do.
There are always those times that we find ourselves hurt and discouraged.
Christianity does not conform to this world. Since that's the case, as followers of Christ, we dare to be different and this difference causes the people around who do not understand to persecute us. We have classmates who just wouldn't listen and love to make fun of us. Studies that can be overwhelming and pressuring at the same time. Our own personal struggles that can get the best of us and make us feel unworthy of the cause.
There are also those moments when we are afraid to dare and to go.
Some of us have family members who just don't understand our love and passion. They persecute us, our own family at that. When we try to establish a campus ministry in our schools, we find ourselves facing the judgmental eyes of teachers and school officials.
Satan uses such to prevent us from fulfilling the job God had laid for us. He wants us to be discouraged, to give up on obeying the Big Guy and just be one with this world.
There was once someone who was just like us: he was young and he was definitely called for the cause. He had a mentor named Paul. This boy's name was Timothy. Timothy was a disciple of Paul who was a disciple of Christ. It was foreseen that he would also lead others to Christ. Preparing him for such responsibility, Paul exhorted Timothy the following:
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
2 Timothy 2:1-2
The Apostle Paul wrote the letter of 2 Timothy to his disciple, Timothy (hence, the name of the letter). During this time, Paul was in prison and was nearing his death. Should his death come, Timothy would be left with the mission. Now, why Timothy?
Timothy was with Paul when he journeyed through Asia. They were basically very close to each other. Timothy looked up to Paul, for he was the young lad's mentor. Paul on the other hand, knew that the boy had potential, he had what it takes to become a fisher of men.
When Paul left Ephesus, he left Timothy there in order to continue the work. If Timothy were given the choice, he would leave with Paul. Paul aimed to encourage Timothy with this letter. Truth be told, the young lad had the choice to be discouraged. Left in a city he didn't life without his mentor, life could've been hard for him. He did shed tears when Paul left (chapter 1, verse 4). In verse 6-7, Paul reminds Timothy to re-ignite and rekindle, to fan into flame the gift of God bestowed upon him. He told his young ward to not be ashamed of him, Paul and of the Gospel.
As you read the entire letter, you will notice that Paul was really concerned for Timothy. This may be due to various reasons but one probable reason was because the persecution during that time was high. The other Jews didn't have a care in the world with what the Christians said. They were looked down on and mocked. Timothy could've been very discouraged.
Like Timothy, as disciples of Christ, we have also had our share of discouraging encounters. We are often tempted to give up...because sometimes, we think it's not worth it at all.
Here are two things we have to remember in order to continue the work of Christ, despite the persecutions and the trials:
I. Be strengthened in the grace that is Jesus Christ
"You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus...."
Depend on God's grace. In His grace we will find spiritual blessing and strengthening. With the tremendous pressure and trials he will face, Timothy was given this first task because it is an extremely important one.
We need to depend on God's grace, not just in the ministry, but in every aspect of our lives. We need His grace in our family life, school life and even in our love lives!
The truth is we are humanly weak. Without the grace of God, we can't make it through the night. We all often fall into temptation, experience depression and unworthiness, the feeling that we lack something. We easily conform to the ways of this world, do what the others do just to fit in.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
John 15:5-6
Prayer and quiet time should be your top priority. You might think it's lame and boring but prayer and QTs are actually one of the mind blowing moments Christians have. During such times, God reveals Himself and we become closer to Him.
Many times, God will allow trials to weaken us. In such way, He makes us realize that we are weak on our own and that we need Him for strength. He does such to prevent us from becoming overconfident in ourselves.
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
How's your quiet time? How is your relationship with God?
If we do not depend on God, eventually, we will become weary. We will burn out and give up :(
II. Make disciples who will make disciples
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
The verse shows us how discipleship works.
This about being a steward in Christ by leading others and teaching them how to lead others in the future. Qualify the people you place in your life, not just a mater of favoritism, but based on faithfulness. You can teach others how to become a follower of Christ. Take time to initially pinpoint potential leaders who are faithful and are able to teach others.
Today, people are dying in their sins. They are being deceived by the lies of Satan, making them fall into pits of sin. There is no government entity, NGOs, seminars or self-help books that can produce radical life transformation in the people- only a genuine relationship with God can do such things.
You are placed in your campus for a purpose. Half (or even more than half)of the Philippine population is composed of the youth. In spite the magnitude of the work, God can still use you to create a large impact on your families or campuses. No matter what your past is, He can still use you.
A pastor once said that if you can change the campus, you can change the world.
Be strong in the grace of God and GO!
Change the world, one student at a time.
Written by: Ashley Petallano (c) 2013
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