LEADING THROUGH CULTURE

If you turn on the television, surf the internet, or read the latest magazine, you will find yourself inundated with massive amounts of information and new ideas.  Some of these ideas are the latest trends in media or style.  Other ideas might be a fresh perspective on leadership and ministry.   However, much of what we are seeing and much of what students are being told in various ways, are ideas that are working to shift, shape, and change the foundational aspects of our culture, often in contrast to Biblical truth.  Our responsibility as leaders is to decipher truth from fiction, using scripture as our framework to knowing fact from fiction.  We must be the vanguard of truth and ideas, leading students through the malaise of ideas that come at them from every direction.

In the letter of Colossians, we see Paul writing to a young church that was facing temptation and false ideas from outside influences that were looking to persuade them.  As I read the issues that this young church was dealing with, I couldn’t help but notice how similar these circumstances are to what our students face regularly on their campus, through media, and other influences.  Outside influences were looking to shape and challenge the truth this young church had learned.

What can we do as leaders to help our students:

Learn.  We must know fact from fiction.  As leaders we first must learn before we can teach.  We must do the hard work of exegeting culture to better understand what is being communicated to our students. Many other ideas are at work to influence the minds and hearts of our students.  We must be knowledgeable so that we can be equipped.

Teach.   Leaders teach, instruct, and direct students to a better understand of truth.  Once we have learned and gained understanding of our culture and what students will face, we can better equip our students to navigate their culture and help them hold on to the truth as they face a myriad of ideas.

Prepare.  Our greatest gift to students is teaching them to be knowledgeable, not only with information, but how to be able to give an account for what they believe.    It is not enough to give them information and expect them to regurgitate it, they must learn to think things through and come to a thoughtful understanding of the truth, which will equip them to respond intelligently and clearly.

Pray.  Our greatest asset is our knees.  Our ability to pray for our students will have an eternal impact as they face many forces looking to influence them and sway them in many different directions.

We have all been down the road of adolescence, a world full of questions, with what seem at times, so few answers.  Their lives are like a ship at sea, being tossed all around, and we can serve as the anchor and navigator in the ups and downs of their young lives. 

Let us continue to teach them, prepare them, and pray for them as we commit to do and learn all we can to equip them to be ready to give account for their faith and for truth.  In doing this they will become who God created them to be.

Abe Daniel

NCN Student Ministries Director