I am now less than six months away from graduating from Bethel College.
That is crazy.
And it seems like every time I tell someone that I'm a senior, I'm asked what I'm going to do after graduation.
"Well, I'm hoping to spend the summer in Czech Republic, and after that I'm not sure."
"Oh, are you thinking about missions?"
"Yeah, kinda, but probably not what you're thinking of."
"So, what are you thinking?"
And then I have to explain that I just want to live in Europe. I don't want to be a "missionary." I want to be a person.
I got to talk about that today to people who understand.
Representatives from Josiah Venture were on campus today. Gord Nickerson spoke in chapel and I was able to talk to him, Laura Hash, and Josh Howard during the hour after. Yes, that means I skipped class. This was absolutely worth it. I mean, I was talking about my future. I think that's a perfectly acceptable excuse to not go to class.
I smiled through the entire chapel service this morning. I got to see the beardy face of Tim Pedersen and the back of Melanie North's head. I got to hear part of the song that we heard several times a day for the whole trip. I got to remember why I loved my time there and why I want to go back.
Because here's the thing: the Great Commission isn't necessarily a a command to "go."
It's a command to make disciples wherever you are.
This means that I'm called to make disciples here in Shupe Hall, at Bethel, in Mishawaka, in Indiana, in the United States. It's a "bloom where you are planted" kind of thing.
But what if I moved to Europe.
Not as a "professional missionary," but just as a Christian who lives and works in Europe and builds relationships with my neighbors and baristas and language teachers (and English students?). As one who has been filled to be emptied. As a fellow learner and journeyer. As a friend, rather than as one who has an agenda. Because coming in like I have all the answers isn't my style.
This doesn't excuse me at all from doing Kingdom work right now.
But it's what I think about when I think about my future.
That is crazy.
And it seems like every time I tell someone that I'm a senior, I'm asked what I'm going to do after graduation.
"Well, I'm hoping to spend the summer in Czech Republic, and after that I'm not sure."
"Oh, are you thinking about missions?"
"Yeah, kinda, but probably not what you're thinking of."
"So, what are you thinking?"
And then I have to explain that I just want to live in Europe. I don't want to be a "missionary." I want to be a person.
I got to talk about that today to people who understand.
Representatives from Josiah Venture were on campus today. Gord Nickerson spoke in chapel and I was able to talk to him, Laura Hash, and Josh Howard during the hour after. Yes, that means I skipped class. This was absolutely worth it. I mean, I was talking about my future. I think that's a perfectly acceptable excuse to not go to class.
I smiled through the entire chapel service this morning. I got to see the beardy face of Tim Pedersen and the back of Melanie North's head. I got to hear part of the song that we heard several times a day for the whole trip. I got to remember why I loved my time there and why I want to go back.
Because here's the thing: the Great Commission isn't necessarily a a command to "go."
It's a command to make disciples wherever you are.
This means that I'm called to make disciples here in Shupe Hall, at Bethel, in Mishawaka, in Indiana, in the United States. It's a "bloom where you are planted" kind of thing.
But what if I moved to Europe.
Not as a "professional missionary," but just as a Christian who lives and works in Europe and builds relationships with my neighbors and baristas and language teachers (and English students?). As one who has been filled to be emptied. As a fellow learner and journeyer. As a friend, rather than as one who has an agenda. Because coming in like I have all the answers isn't my style.
This doesn't excuse me at all from doing Kingdom work right now.
But it's what I think about when I think about my future.
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