Living Without Regret

As mentors, God may call us to help a student deal with the consequences of poor choices made in the past. In the context of a safe, grace-filled relationship, God may be calling us to help lead students to healing and wholeness through Biblical repentance and reconciliation. As we continue to look at cultural trends [...]

Transition! Transition! Transition!

Smith and Snell in their book Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults (Oxford Press, 2009), demonstrate that the most pervasive and consistent theme in the lives of emerging adults is frequent and varied life transitions. They change jobs, schools, majors, places of living, and friends at an alarming pace. Change [...]

The Simplexity of Mentoring

Every time I have a conversation with a prospective mentor I go through the same struggle. How do I communicate the reality of mentoring truthfully and with authenticity? Mentoring is about helping a student grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ in a relational context. Sounds simple right? Anyone can do it! No special education [...]

The Danger of “Wish Dream” Thinking

“He who loves his dream of a community more than the Christian community itself becomes a destroyer of the latter, even though his personal intentions may be ever so honest and sacrificial.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together We often speak of the importance of unity and community but often behave in ways that damage these ideals. [...]

Responding to Acedia

Acedia is a term that means spiritual apathy or indifference. It is a state of spiritual listlessness where one has no interest in prayer or ministry. Acedia is a prevalent issue on the campus of a Christian college. The dessert fathers recognized the danger of acedia. Henri Nouwen in, The Way of the Heart (Ballentine: [...]

Incarnational Mentoring

“Your Own Efforts ‘did not bring this to pass,’ only God—but rejoice if God found a use for your efforts in His work.” – Dag Hammarskjöld These words were penned on Christmas Eve 1956 by Dag Hammarskjöld, Secretary General of the United Nations, upon the successful resolution of the Suez Crisis. As missional disciples of [...]