The Missional College Student
Aug 13th, 2008 by ljkim
“Missional” is a fancy word that gets used a lot in theological circles these days… Practically, what it means is that you realize there are at least two dimensions to anything you do:
- There’s the regular motive and meaning for it,
- And there’s God’s purpose for it.
So being missional as a college student means realizing you are there for the normal reasons (to learn, get a degree, to have fun, to grow and find yourself)…but also for God’s reasons. What then are God’s reasons exactly? It really depends on who you are…
So for example, If you grew up in a traditional religious household, then part of God’s reasons might be: to put you in a situation where you are in close proximity and community with people who think very differently – so that they can challenge your faith (pruning away folk religion and superstitions) and you too can challenge their core beliefs (whether their beliefs are religious or irreligious).
If you grew up in a non-religious household (like I did), it could be a time for exploring and questioning assumptions about life and society and God. Sound a little cliche? Alright so maybe it is, but for good reasons, maybe college is one of the best times to do this sort of inner-renovation. But the point is that these secondary reasons (#2 God’s purposes), once you realize them, need to take a central place in how you use your opportunities…
What this means is that many of the most important tests you face, and your most important learning experiences may have nothing to do with grades.
(About the photo – Stolen from the web somewhere… Washington Square Park being renovated.)
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I like that word. Missionial. As a missionary, of course I do! That means there are mission-type hidden God motives all over the place… coolness.