Patterns, LTC 2012: Part I
Reading Chris and Nick Tom's posts about St. Louis and cooking have inspired me (okay, and reminded me) to finally post about LTC! This post will consist of blurbs (long and short) of different things. Let numbers indicate new things!
1) One of the main things that God showed me through LTC was that my focus should be on the people and not the programs, which Thomas hit on during Tuesday's Plenary (Patterning the LOVE). Discipleship involves walking through life with other people and living it with them, and caring about the people more than the programs can help me to see opportunities to love on people.
During the Koinonia/Body Life workshop, we discussed a variety of things, ranging from AACF's mission to leadership to ministry to different types of people to event planning. Again, the idea of "people over programs" came up, and the idea that one can run an amazing program, but not reach or love on anyone. Sure, lots of people can come out and hang out, but if our goal is for people to see the love of Christ and all we do is small talk and give out free food, have we accomplished anything?
I think an obstacle for me this year will be in realizing this concept. As an organizing and planning maniac, I can easily allow myself to get swept in the details of the event, making sure everything runs as smoothly as I can get it to run and providing the space for other people to interact, which is something that actually brings me a lot of joy. However, as one third of UCD AACF's Reach team for the coming year, I think actually reaching out to people myself (both inreach and outreach) is something that God will be challenging me with. I have to constantly remind myself and ask God to remind me that the people are more important the programs we plan. The people are broken and hurting, the people are the ones that respond to interaction. The event (program) is just a tool for getting to that point of interaction, of investment in the lives of others.
A few other gems: 2) Check once in a while: "Why am I here (when posed, here = LTC)? Why am I serving?"
3) Just asking, "How can I pray for you?" can open doors. Or, when people start to irk you, try asking how they're doing.
4) On obedience: It is doing no less, but also no more than what God asks of you.
5) Semi-related to obedience; think: If we don't lead people to Christ, are we really doing ministry, or becoming stumbling blocks for the people?
*"Part I" because I plan to briefly outline my notes for the plenary sessions next time.