Five Dimensions of Development on Campus Ministry – Fellowship of Indonesian Christians in America

Introduction

Over the years, FICA has partnered with Indonesian Christian Fellowships (ICFs) in developing a framework for campus ministry. We are trying to answer the following questions. In a period of three to four years, what kind of preparation is needed to help students become agents of change after they graduate? What areas of development are important? What kinds of training and practical exercises are making a difference in their lives? How do we develop Christian mind that enables them to think and act biblically in all areas of life? How do we equip students to follow Jesus sincerely in the “real world” after they graduate?

This paper attempts to identify the scope and magnitude of development on a campus ministry setting, particularly on ICF ministry. It explores elements that can be implemented into programs and action items. It mentions suggestions and practical applications when appropriate. The theme of this conference, “Indonesia: The Challenge of Moving into a Learning Society”, is a broad topic. To move into a learning society requires involvement from all groups of people in the society, including teachers, professionals, sociologists, students, policy makers, and so on. Indonesian students in the US have a lot of potentials when they graduate; therefore, equipping them is essential. This paper focuses on campus ministry, a ministry which FICA and ICFs have worked together for many years. Together FICA and ICFs have traveled the path to define and communicate the vision of ICF. This vision can be loosely paraphrased as follows: “to equip Indonesian Christian students in America to become lay leaders and true disciples of Christ, who are capable of integrating their faith, knowledge, and work in their life, so that they could make an impact for Christ in their families, churches, and societies.” In order to pursue this vision thoroughly, five significant developmental areas are identified: spiritual development, leadership development, organizational development, vocational development, and community development.

The Importance of Biblical Worldview

Typical fellowship groups emphasize the spiritual aspect of student life. Programs may include weekly fellowships, cell groups, Bible study, and prayer meetings. While these programs are very important, the development of a biblical worldview cannot be underestimated. This worldview helps people view the world around them, identify what is wrong, and propose a remedy. In pursuing the vision of ICF, transformation of worldview must be part of spiritual development. George Barna emphasizes the importance of a biblical worldview:

“Without a biblical worldview, all the great teaching goes in one ear and out the other. There are no intellectual pegs… in the mind of the individual to hang these truths on. So they just pass through. They don’t stick. They don’t make a difference.”

John Maynard Keynes, the most influential modern economist from England, asserts that ideas matter and should not be underrated:

“The ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood. Indeed the world is ruled by little else. Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influences, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist. Madmen in authority, who hear voices in the air, are distilling their frenzy from some academic scribbler of a few years back. I am sure that the power of vested interests is vastly exaggerated compared with the gradual encroachment of ideas. Not, indeed, immediately, but after a certain interval; for in the field of economic and political philosophy there are not many who are influenced by new theories after they are twenty-five or thirty years of age, so that the ideas which civil servants and politicians and even agitators apply to current events are not likely to be the newest. But, soon or late, it is ideas, not vested interest, which are dangerous for good or evil. ”

Unfortunately, beside formal theology, Christians are behind in many areas of learning. Without Christian involvement, it is difficult to bring biblical worldview in these areas. Mark Noll points this out:

“… Evangelicals enjoy steady guidance in academic theology. The larger difficulty concerns Christian thinking across the whole spectrum of learning – economics politics, literary criticism, imaginative writing, historical inquiry, philosophical studies, linguistics, history of science, social theory, and so forth. The harvest in these areas remains small.”

Charles Malik, a Lebanese diplomat and Christian intellectual, alarms Christians to realize the magnitude of their intellectual task:

“The problem is not only to win souls but to save minds. If you win the whole world and lose the mind of the world, you will discover you have not won the world. Indeed it may turn out that you have actually lost the world.”

One of the greatest battlefields today is on college campuses. While universities teach students how to make a living, they don’t teach them how to live. Students who have not developed a biblical worldview during the college years may never realize the importance of faith in God, complete devotion to Christ, and radical obedience to His call. Ideas that are presented in classroom oftentimes are incompatible with the Christian faith. Students must be equipped to discern what is right and what is wrong. As they enter the workforce, values and ideas that they embraced earlier will have an impact in their decision-making process and behaviors. Recognizing the importance of development of college students, FICA has put time and resources in building a strategic ministry in various campuses across the United States.

The Importance of Vision

Earlier the vision of ICF has been stated. Vision precedes strategies and programs. A strategy for campus development can be defined after the vision is written and owned. One simple definition of vision is “a clear mental portrait of a preferable future.” Without vision, fellowship groups tend to lose focus and direction, thus choking their growth. Because of this, one the first steps to help any fellowship groups who lack vision is to guide them discover and write the vision. George Barna communicates this clearly:

“Those that focus on their vision as marching orders have a much higher chance of success because they establish more realistic priorities and they are more likely to be people-centered.”

Any model of campus ministry development works only if the vision exists for the group. Moreover, even if the vision exists, people in the group may show several reactions to the vision:

Deny the existence of the vision
Understand the vision, but don’t want to change the way they do things. They want to maintain the status quo and the old paradigm
Accept the vision, but nobody knows what it means or they have different interpretations about what it means
Own the vision and work together in pursuing the vision

Continuous communication of the vision, therefore, should be part of campus ministry programs. People must experience visible and tangible progress; thus sharing results and struggles is beneficial. Leaders should be the role models in showing the enthusiasm of the vision. Developing a healthy, growing, visionary organization requires an understanding and a commitment in pursuing good values. George Barna develops the following list, showing the differences between visionary and visionless organizations. Successful groups will recognize these and act accordingly.

Visionary Organization

Has visionary leaders
Is excited by the presence of visionary individuals
Listens for points of mutual interest
Gives broad permission within the boundaries of the vision
Embraces the vision, then seeks the resources
Reward visionaries with more opportunities and responsibilities.

Visionless Organization

Visionless leaders
Is threatened by the presence of visionary individuals
Demands compliance
Enforces restrictive parameters
Identifies its resources, then determines its options
Seeks to control those who have vision

A Developmental Model on Campus Ministry

The following picture shows a proposed model for areas of development on campus ministry. This model provides a roadmap for different ICFs in setting their strategies and planning their programs to pursue their vision. As with any model, there is always a tradeoff between complexity and accuracy. Simplicity is accented here. It is recognized that this model will evolve. New things will be learned as this model is tested in the different group settings. FICA facilitates a continuous learning by listening to ICF alumni and holding discussions, workshops, and seminars. FICA is interested in understanding the real issues and trends better. This model can make a difference only if various ICFs embrace and implement it. The term “ICF-er” is used to designate a typical Christian who is involved in the Indonesian Christian Fellowship.

This model is not only about information or knowledge. We live in an era of information. Everywhere people search for information. However, in this model the information itself may have little value without practical applications. We want people to understand the information, have a conviction, and translate this into skills and real-life applications. This is where the rubber meets the road. For example, knowledge about leadership does not make someone a good leader. One needs to get involved in ministry, interact with people, develop good communication skills, and gain insights from experiences – in order to be a good leader.

The biblical call for a life of balance is recorded in the book Micah. FICA believes that the model is very much in harmony with this biblical call. Applied correctly, the model should call for an unwavering commitment for justice, a down-to-earth approach to help the poor, the needy, and the powerless, and humility before the Almighty. The apex of this model, community development, is a powerful application of this biblical call.

“He has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you: but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

A successful implementation of the model assumes a proper understanding of its relevancy and an extensive support. With the dynamic of global change in economics, politics, social structures and culture, to equip ICF leaders using this model takes a lot of effort and energy. It can only be achieved through a network of support from other members of the body of Christ. After this model is adopted, the needs and the challenge are not only to maintain and manage the programs but also to keep the ministry moving on the leading edge. Another important consideration is the rotation of ICF leaders that occurs every three to four years. Regeneration is a constant issue that must be taken care of.

Spiritual Development

Spiritual development is defined as a development process that enables an ICF-er to have a strong and deep personal relationship with Christ as a foundation to develop Christian worldview and conviction to carry out the Great Commission.

The spiritual development is the most important part of the development process because it provides the foundation for the development of other dimensions. Without personal relationship with Jesus Christ and understanding of basic Christian doctrine, all efforts will be no different than the secular approach, which depend solely on human intellect and understanding. This will end in failure.

Christianity is about personal relationship with Jesus Christ. All activities, such as prayer meeting, mentoring, mission trips, teaching, and special events, have to be viewed as part of this relationship. It is easy to reduce Christianity to a list of commands and prohibitions or a sequence of rituals and ceremonies. However, spiritual development is not about this. It concerns most of all about a personal faith in Christ, a daily walk with Him, obedience to His commands, and transformation of mind through the Word of God.

A transformed worldview provides the foundation for consistent spiritual growth and passion for evangelism. In the present age of moral corruption and rampant false teaching, Christians must be familiar with the biblical truth, so that when a false teaching or an unbiblical life view arises in the horizon, they can immediately identify it. Spiritual growth occurs when Christians really understand the call to follow Christ and its implications. Moreover, to carry out the Great Commission faithfully, Christians must have a biblical worldview. That is, a worldview that is deeply rooted in a conviction in the Word of God, a clear discernment of what God has done throughout His creation in history, and a clear understanding of different cultures and the implications on how different people think and live. Indonesian Christians must contextualize the Gospel to the real issues facing the Indonesian people; otherwise, in fundamental premises the Gospel has become very shallowly rooted and is not relevant to the vast majority of the people. In preparing alumni who can make an impact in the society, ICFs must pay attention to the context and culture of Indonesia.

The list below shows topics that may be appropriate in the spiritual development area. The list is not exhaustive, but it just shows some important elements. Topics can be discussed or presented in cell group, bible study group, prayer group, mentoring arrangement, teaching arrangement, evangelism group, and the like. Some of the topics may be covered by events sponsored by other organizations such as various student conferences, short-term courses, church seminars and training, and other Christian conferences.

Spiritual development topics include:

Bible as the supreme authority in a believer’s life
The art and science of biblical interpretation
Fruit of the Spirit (Love, faith, hope, etc.)
Spiritual gifts
Spiritual disciplines (prayer, fasting, sacrificial giving, etc.)
Integrity, humility, maturity
Identity of a Christian as a child of God
Meaning and purpose of life
Motivation to serve God and other people
Sources of strength and encouragement

ICFs should learn how to develop a network of resources. Being alone in the process may mean difficult or even hopeless road ahead. ICFs should view FICA, local churches, local para-churches as partners in the development process. FICA provides a campus visitation (also known as KK) program to assist various ICFs to have a clear vision and well-defined goals for equipping themselves to serve God. Local resources should be explored also. ICF Columbus, for example, has developed a strong tie with Xenos Christian Fellowship (www.xenos.org), an innovative evangelical church with a weekly attendance of about 3500. ICF Twin Cities has participated in several classes and programs sponsored by MacLaurin Institute (www.maclaurin.org), a Christian study center at the University of Minnesota. Additionally, following the step of ICF Columbus, ICF Twin Cities is trying to build a closer connection with Betlehem Baptist Church, a local congregation in Minneapolis. The examples can go on and on. Being partners, however, means that each participant has equal status. ICF should never be under the authority of a local congregation because this will cause incompatibility with its vision.

ICF-ers should be encouraged to make use of available printed materials or literature. So many Christian materials are available in the US. We can find good books in almost any topics. Develop a good reading habit early. ICF leaders should show by example in embracing this habit. Select books that will strengthen your faith and broaden your worldview. With the popularity of the Internet, good Christian materials are available in Christian websites as well. Of course in developing a small group curriculum for ICFs, the context and culture of Indonesia must play a big role. Materials developed in the US may need to be adjusted to fit this objective. This is no small endeavor. Consequently, FICA encourages the establishment of a network of ICFs to develop and write an appropriate curriculum. Leaders Meeting, a program sponsored by FICA, has been a joint effort among several ICFs to provide a platform for exchange of ideas for ICF leaders. This can be extended further to include collaboration on, for example, curriculum development and small group materials.

Leadership Development,

Leadership development is defined as a development process that enables an ICF-er to be

a vision driver and a people mover. Vision drivers and people movers are leader who can (a) create/adopt the vision; (b) translate it into understandable words; (c) motivate people to act; (d) and position & participate in the pursuit of the vision.

Leaders are needed everywhere, in churches, in the workplace, at home, in the society, and so on. Unfortunately, there is lack of leaders everywhere, especially those with Christian character and excellent communication and people skills. ICF, as a training ground, provides an opportunity to develop future Christian leaders. Furthermore, leadership development is one of the key elements in pursuing the vision of ICF.

There are many definitions of leadership. For practical purpose, the definition of Roach and Behling is used here. They define leadership as “the process of influencing an organized group toward accomplishing its goals.” There are many good books on Christian leadership available, written by authors such as Leith Anderson, George Barna, Chuck Colson, John Maxwell, and others. People interested in enhancing their leadership skills should be familiar with the contents of these books. In the ICF context, leadership materials and/or training should be part of the development curriculum. They should include the following topics:

Leadership traits

Leadership fundamentals and issues all leaders face
Decision-making process
Resolving differences and disagreeing gracefully
Managing complexities, systems theory
Managing time, priorities, and projects
How to build a highly motivated, high-performance team
The leader’s role in making change happen
Resource mapping and personal vision statement

Additionally, they should include the following objectives:

To provide knowledge of Christian leadership and to learn from contemporary Christian leaders as role models.
To empower ICF leaders and to provide a strong enabling to the given responsibility. Vision without a means of accomplishing it could be frustrating. Leadership skills, such as proper delegation, effective teamwork, and excellent communication, oftentimes can make or break a steering committee or a leadership team.
To provide a basis of leadership discussion among the leaders. They are encouraged to test out the concepts, observe, share ideas, and communicate perceived values and priorities.
To lay the foundation of future generation of Christian leaders. A long journey starts with a single step. The concept of multiplication applies here. Leaders develop other leaders.

The above objectives can be accomplished through a variety of resources. FICA offers leaders meeting and campus visitation to help ICFs develop leadership skills. Other resources include leaders in the local and para-local churches who can be mentors and more experienced people within ICFs. They do need to understand ICF vision and are willing to get involved in ICF.

One of the most important topics of leadership is identifying the traits of Christian leaders. The list below shows desirable traits/attributes of Christian leaders. Leaders, however, do not have to have all the right traits. Leith Anderson points out that lack of these traits does not mean we cannot develop the person to be a good leader. These and other good traits certainly enhance the quality of leadership. In fact, the absence of good traits usually makes leadership less likely and more difficult. The point is that traits are related to leadership and helpful to leadership but not essential to leadership. Leadership is about figuring out what needs to be done and then doing it. Many people have wonderful character but poor leadership skills. It is just as possible to have great character and be a poor leader as it is to be a strong leader and have lousy character. The correct and Christian approach is to combine character and leadership and thereby to lead Christianly.

Traits of Christian Leaders:

Exhibit servant leadership
Relational, people-oriented
Articulate
Desire to lead
Gain respect
Motivate people
Focused
Visionary (able to capture big picture, develop picture, analyze and interpret it, and put the pieces together)
Self-discipline and hard-working
Develop staff
Proficient in problem solving
Create positive changes
Courage/Risk Taker
Independent thinker
Teachable

Organizational Development,

Organizational development is defined as a development process that enables an ICF-er to have ability to develop, to implement and to control a process to achieve goals.

Any task that cannot be undertaken by a single person requires teamwork to achieve it. In other words, there must some type of organization to accomplish it. As more people involved in a project or task, the degree of organization skills required to finish the task increases. In the software-engineering field, the following rule exists: “adding more people to a late project will make it later.” When a project is late, the natural tendency is to throw more people into the project. However, this type of approach ignores the nature and organizational structure of software projects. Many reasons explain why this rule is valid, including the complexity software code, the organizational structure required as more people are added, and the difficulty in breaking down software tasks.

In pursuing the vision, ICF leaders need to understand the organizational culture and how to develop a structure that enhances teamwork. They need to design a process conceptually, implement it through existing structure, and continuously adjust the process for improvement. This requires development in organizational skills.

Development in organizational skills is a process. As people are involved in churches and various organizations, they pick up organizational knowledge and skills. It is very common for them to bring skills they have from their families and previous organizations they were involved in. While this is neither good nor bad, they need to understand that leadership is situational. Every organization has its own culture and ways of doing things. A good leader will observe existing culture and structure, find a way to implement a process to achieve the goals, and communicate this clearly to the team.

Topics that are relevant in organizational development include:

Church as the body of Christ
Organizational behaviors
How to identify and write core and operating values
Team concept
How to make decision, to set priorities, to solve problems
Resource mapping and utilization

Long-term goals vs. short-term fluctuations
How to preserve core values and stimulate progress at the same time

An important step in the life of an organization is identifying and writing down its values. These values provide the basis for the organization for daily operation, communication between employees, and guideposts in setting up goals and objectives. Barna explains this eloquently:

“Mission gives you life purpose. Vision gives you life direction. Values give you character… Values are the nonnegotiable perspectives in your life. Values convey who you are: the parameters you have set for yourself in terms of ethical, moral, theological and personal beliefs… Values direct your behavior, when you make decision, how you judge the importance of opportunities and alternatives.”

About two years ago, FICA undertook the task of identifying and writing down its core and operating values. Even though FICA was started many years before then, FICA had not taken the time to do this. The process proved to be valuable. Staff members appreciated this effort. Understanding of what FICA stands for increased. Communication among them improved. These values are stated below to give you an example of what they look like. ICFs could use these as a model. In his book Turning Vision into Action George Barna gives many more examples.

FICA Core Values:

Kingdom-building. We want to honor God in all we do. The kingdom of Jesus Christ is far bigger than any church or Christian organization. We wish to equip Christians to become effective disciples of Jesus Christ wherever they are.
Willingness to take risks and to innovate. We are not afraid to try new ideas or to think differently on issues. We are interested in generating new ideas and offering “out-of-the-box” thinking.
Integration of faith, vocation, and learning. We believe that we cannot compartmentalize our lives into different “quarters”. We reject the separation of the secular and the sacred. Every Christian is called to do everything for the Lord.
No dualism of lay people and clergy. We believe that every Christian has a “calling” and is to be involved in some sort of ministry.
Importance of networking. In this information era, we believe that interdependent networking is crucial in running the organization and pursuing our vision.
Ability to look for alternatives and provide alternatives. We are not afraid to search for and contribute fresh alternatives in responding to challenges and needs of kingdom of Christ. We equip Christians to be agents of change in the society.

FICA Operating Values:

Strong sense of togetherness. We are together in FICA because we share the same vision. We cannot depend solely on “senior” leaders to direct and operate the organization. We encourage involvement of all staff members in planning, execution, and evaluation of FICA programs.
Teamwork oriented. We recognize that teamwork is very important in accomplishing our goals, because teamwork provides support, encouragement, and accountability.
Open communication. We encourage participation in our decision-making process. We should not afraid to give comments or constructive criticism to each other.
Ability to communicate via electronic mail. FICA staff members live in different states and meet each other only a few times a year. Therefore, it is essential that we regularly and carefully read our e-mails and respond accordingly.
Adaptable. We wish to adapt to changes in the environment quickly. The situation today is different than when FICA was started; therefore, we want to regularly look at our assumptions and make necessary adjustments.
Informal, but not disorganized. We choose not to build a formal, hierarchical organization. The climate of informality has been preserved since the early days of FICA. We realize, however, that nothing will be accomplished without a discipline and a proper organization.
Pro-active. We want to maintain the ability to initiate actions to accomplish programs, goals, and strategy creatively.
Incremental self-improvement. We recognize that in order to be effective and relevant in our ministry, we should continuously identify areas to be corrected and formulate steps to do them.
Spiritual discipline. Staff members are expected to retain a spiritual discipline in their lives. In turns, they influence other people in sensitivity and awareness of God’s role in all we do.
“You don’t have to be crazy to join us; we could always train you.” We recognize the importance of staff training and mentoring.

Over the years, we have seen challenges and problems in the operation of FICA, not unlike in any other Christian organizations. We have learned a few things along the way with regards to the organizational issues. The following suggestions are meant to provide some input to ICFs in developing leaders who are capable of running the organization well.

Focus on clock building, not time-telling. Rather than just focusing on the talents of certain leaders, we should focus on building an effective organization as a manifestation of our shared dreams. We should be future looking. We should imagine what the organization would look like 5 years from now as a new generation of leaders is taking over the leadership. The following is an insightful quote from the book Built to Last.

“Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and John Adams created a constitution to which they and all future leaders would be subservient. They focused on building a country. They rejected the good-king model. They took an architectural approach. They were clock builders.”

Translate the core ideology into the very fabric of the organization. This means that staff members are encouraged to review the core and operating values regularly and ask themselves how to bring these into the departments or specific tasks they are assigned for.
Preserve the core and stimulate progress. Avoid the “tyranny of the OR” which is a way of thinking which picks one or the other. It is possible to retain our idealism, our strong culture, and our informal environment, while we work on improvement, enhancement, and self-improvement. F. Scott Fitzgerald once pointed out, “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.”
Develop an organizational structure that increases accountability and encourages participation.
Clarify the role of team members. Write a job description for each person, if appropriate. Try out the concept of mentoring. Focus on how to motivate people, i.e. the ability to motivate others to accomplish group tasks. Equip team members with motivation (anything that provides direction, intensity, and persistence) and skills.
Try a lot of stuff and keep what works. Do not be afraid to experiment with a lot of things and select and keep those that add values to the organization.
Maintain active recruitment efforts. Each department is encouraged to recruit people in supporting its projects or tasks. Identify key people with potentials who share the vision.
Maintain flow of information within the organization. Encourage the use of e-mail to provide update and report status. Identify the use of technology that may enhance communication such as web virtual office, phone conference, etc. Increase face-to-face meetings by using every opportunity to talk and share information
Clarify the decision-making process. Every team member needs to understand of how a decision is made.
Be flexible in the structure of the organization. Know the difference between essentials and non-essentials. Focus on the essentials.

Vocational Development

Vocational development is defined as a development process that enables an ICF-er to identity and understand God’s calling and given talents (workmanship) in order to map and project him/herself in community in order to make maximum impact for Christ.

Many generations ago Christians viewed their jobs as their callings. In fact, the root word for vocation is vocal. They believed that they entered into a specific profession or job because God called them to do it. Today’s world is not that simple. A hundred years ago, farming was the number one vocation in many countries. Due to the advancement in agricultural technology, this is not the case anymore. A small percentage of people provides food for the rest of the country. Specialization has exploded, especially in the industrial countries. There are virtually hundreds of job types today. How one chooses a job is dictated more from the potential salary and potential advancement. Christians often take this approach also. This may create a sense of dissatisfaction in their jobs and a gap of what they believe and what they do in their jobs. Without proper understanding of biblical view of work, Christians will compartmentalize their faith and their vocation.

The vision of ICF recognizes that there should be integration of faith and vocation. William Diehl identifies two gaps Christians face: (1) The gap between our Sunday faith and our weekday world. (2) The gap between what the church proclaims as the role of Christian laypersons in the world and what the church actually does to support that role. The vocational development is related to the first gap. Since the weekday world consumes the majority of our awake time, we should find meaning in our jobs. In other words, our beliefs in certain activities or jobs should motivate us to search for their biblical foundations. We have to be convinced that biblically our work matters to God.

In Redeeming the Routines, Robert Banks challenges us to think about daily life, including work, more Christianly. He encourages people to do theology, not only about work in general, but also about the specific field they are in. For example, an economist should think through issues such as economic justice (gap between the rich and the poor), the fairness of interest rates, and the definition of economic success – using biblical references. Banks’ definition of theology is:

“Any endeavor on the part of Christians to think through and set in order their beliefs, with the intention of drawing closer to God and reflecting more of His character in their lives.”

Discovering talents, passions, and God’s calling should be part of ICF curriculum. It should also cover correct understanding of work and its contribution to society. Topics relevant in vocational development include:

Biblical view of work vs. secular view of work
How God views work (intrinsic and instrumental values of work, the effect of sin on work, how Christ affects work)
Talent scouting
Landscape of the world (what professions are available in the world; understanding the scope of opportunities and needs of the world; exploring family business)
God’s will towards men and women
Profession – how to choose; how to see potentials
Strategy to do God’s specific will through profession
Ministry strategy of a Christian in the professional world
Balancing family, ministry, and work
Income and lifestyle
Leisure time
Relating to Christian and non-Christian coworkers

ICF Columbus is currently doing a project on talent scouting. When this project is completed, more information about various professions in the world will be available. While many ICF-ers studying in US major in business and engineering, other fields – such as sociology, philosophy, and history – have not been explored much. It is our challenge to make the situation more balanced in the future. In addition, more ICF-ers are encouraged to pursue graduate studies (Masters and Ph.D.) in their respective fields as this will open up more opportunities in terms of impacting the society.

Community Development

Community development is defined as a development process that enables an ICF-er to contextualize him/herself as an agent of change for Christ in community.

Community development is the culmination of all areas of development. This is where ICF alumni are expected go out to their communities and make a difference through humanitarian efforts, communal projects, hunger relief efforts, poverty alleviation endeavors, and so on. At this stage, social action and evangelism/discipleship merge, as demonstrated by Jesus Christ and the early church in the New Testament. To get to this stage, of course, demands extensive skills, excellent abilities, and perseverance. Frustrations may be a big hindrance along the way without adequate preparation and determination. The vision of ICF recognizes the importance of community development to impact the society.

While most of us enjoy good health and enough food, thousands children in the world die daily because of starvation and preventable diseases. In Indonesia, the economic crisis of 1998 still affects many parts of the country and high unemployment caused by the crisis creates social problems. ICF alumni who return to Indonesia have a lot of opportunities to be involved in community development such as helping the poor, feeding the hungry, and promoting “economic equality”. Ron Sider defines “economic equality” as follows:

“God wants every person, or family, to have equality of economic opportunity at least to the point of having access to the necessary resources (land, money, education) to be able to earn a decent living and participated as dignified members of their community.”

No matter how big or small, God calls us to do good everyday. Christians are called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. We are His agents in this world to show love to people as many only see God through us. The Scripture is full of God’s concern for the poor and the powerless. As His children, what concerns Him concerns us also. CS Lewis put it this way:

“Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of.”

Robert Logan and Larry Short affirm that demonstrating compassion and simultaneously seeking the conversion of the heart were integrated in the mind and ministry of Jesus Christ:

“When Christ had compassion it was a meeting of mind and heart that always resulted in the effective service of his fellow man. That service was no simply social action (as in feeding the five thousand) or evangelism (preaching to them of the coming kingdom of God), but a synthesis of both functions; there were interdependent and could not be separated one from another without diluting the effectiveness of the whole of Christ’s compassionate ministry to us. Through acts of service he demonstrated that we desperately need him and he appealed to our hearts. Thus he prepared hearts to respond to the Gospel that he taught through both word and deed. Compassion is therefore a mind and heart response of openness to God’s leading, which arises form a personal observation of human need, physical and/or spiritual; and that leads to specific action taken to meet that need.”

Melba Maggay emphasizes the role of the church as agent of change in society, transforming all areas of human life:

“In summary, while evangelism and social action are distinct, both are essential parts of our witness to the fact that the Kingdom has come. The proclamation of the Kingdom has a verbal as well as a visual aspect. For this reason the Church must be both a herald as well as a sign. It must serve a context in which the saving power of God is made visible. Witness to the Kingdom requires more than preachers; it demands the whole Body of Christ to be visibly present in all areas of human life. In doing so, the Gospel is wholly preached, and men and women are enabled to adequately respond to the prophetic demands of the Gospel.”

Topics and training that enable ICF-ers to be agents of change for Christ in community should be part of ICF curriculum. Whenever possible, ICF-ers should volunteer in various humanitarian groups, such as Habitat for Humanity and Salvation Army, to get their feet wet and to learn their strategies and operations. Topics relevant in vocational development include:

Transforming society
Transforming cultures
The task of reconciliation
Courage and integrity in the midst of a corrupt culture
Social action and evangelism
Developing a strategy for ministry of compassion
Recruitment of an impassioned team
Trends in the community of cyberspace

References

Internal FICA reports, e-mail correspondence, and meeting notes. Ideas presented in this paper come not only from the author but also from other FICA staff members.
Christian Perspectives on Learning Anthology (Calvin College, 1998).
George Barna, Turning Vision into Action (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1996).
Leith Anderson, Leadership that Works (Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1999).
Darrow L. Miller, Discipling Nations, The Power of Truth to Transform Cultures (Seattle: YWAM Publishing).
Management & Leadership Skills for Supervisors and Managers (Rockhurst University, 2000).
James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras, Build to Last, Successful Habits of Visionary Companies (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1994).
Robert J. Banks, Redeeming the Routines, Bringing Theology to Life (Wheaton: BridgePoint Book, 1993).
Doug Sherman and William Hendricks, Your Work Matters to God (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1988).
Ronald J. Sider, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1997).
Melba Padilla Maggay, Transforming Society (Philippines: the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture, 1996).
Robert E. Logan and Larry Short, Mobilizing for Compassion, Moving People into Ministry (Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 1994).