Scriptural Foundations for Campus Strategy

God had a redemptive plan and strategy from before the beginning of time. The Bible says a lot about His strategy. Certain portions of Scripture set forth some transferable principles, while other portions provide models and patterns. As long as our faith is in God and not in a mechanistic tactic, we can wisely and powerfully transfer God's strategy from the Biblical context to our campuses.

Principles for Ministry: John 17
My favorite portion of Scripture for viewing the foundational principles of ministry is Jesus' high priestly prayer in John 17. Because this prayer was uttered by the Son of God Himself, we can have great confidence that it expressed God's intentions. My prayers may be out of sync with God because of my sinful biases, but Jesus' prayers are undoubtedly aligned with God's will. As a result, the implied strategy in His prayer is reliable and worthy of our unflinching trust.

Jesus' prayer also answers a pivotal and problematic question: "What is the primary purpose of our fellowship?" Some unfortunate groups have answered this question by simply concluding that their purpose was to support, love, and encourage one another. Other equally unfortunate groups have concluded that outreach and witness were all-important, while relationships and community were unnecessary or optional. Jesus' prayer eliminates both of these extremes and interrelates them in what InterVarsity's pioneering president, Stacey Woods, called the "evangelizing fellowship."

What principles permit evangelizing fellowship to occur?

1. An evangelizing fellowship receives from God.
Our fellowships are not simply human associations, but groups in which there is spiritual reality and focus. God must be both the focus and the source of our fellowships.

In John 17:2, Jesus affirmed that God had granted Him "authority over all people that he might give eternal life...." God's gifts of eternal life and trustworthy Scripture provide the foundation of a fellowship. They must continue as the active ingredients that renew both individual spirituality and corporate life.

InterVarsity groups are more than just organizations and structures; they are organisms. To survive, they need life, God's life, within them. Chapter members must remember, realize, and seek His active presence. Groups need to regularly ask the questions about their spiritual life. What is God teaching us? In what ways are we sensing and seeing God's grace? What is God doing on our campus? What are we learning from and about God?

2. An evangelizing fellowship learns resiliency.
Jesus could have sent all of His disciples to nice, safe, secure hideaways where everyone was supportive of Christian faith. He didn't. In John 17:15, Jesus prayed on behalf of His followers, "... not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." His goal was not to pull Christians out of the world, but to send them into it.

In the world, Christians will inevitably experience resistance and persecution. We will suffer rejection and opposition because our primary allegiance is to Jesus Christ. But through it all, God promises to be our resource and strength.

InterVarsity fellowships should also expect opposition. Sometimes, opposition will occur on the personal level -- people will steer clear of these who are forthright about their own relationship with Jesus Christ. Sometimes it will occur in the classroom -- Christian beliefs or presuppositions will be ridiculed, and the case for atheism or relativistic pluralism will be championed. At other times, opposition may even occur at the administrative or institutional level -- permission to use space for a prayer meeting or Bible study may be denied.

Jesus did forewarn us that we would face opposition, but He also promised His protecting presence. A group that experiences God's renewing presence together will develop a rich resiliency.

3. An evangelizing fellowship, through its unity, reaches out to non-believers.
Jesus also prayed for those who would eventually become believers. He viewed unity among believers as a critical catalyst in that process. This unity has two aspects. First, Christians need to be unified in their relationship with the Trinity. Specifically, Jesus prayed, "May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." (John 17:21) A person with spiritual vitality testifies, in some way, that God is real.

Jesus then prayed, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (John 17:23) Jesus also saw the quality of a Christian fellowship's love and unity as a testimony about God. The deeper and stronger the unity, the more the onlooking world is intrigued. Groups that are galvanized by the love and life of Christ attest to the reality of God, His power and love. The witness is irrepressible. The magnetic attraction is irresistible.

Unfortunately, some fellowships hide their relationships from non-believers. Some Christians seclude themselves in a never-ending series of meetings that prevent them from either establishing or sustaining relationships with non-believers. Others truly do move out relationally in their dorms or classrooms, but they act alone, individualistically. Such Christians are easily isolated and neutralized, no matter how strong their character or deep their faith.

Too often a Christian has both Christian and non-Christian friends -- but the two groups never come into contact with one another.

A much more Scriptural approach for Christian students is to let their Christian friendships be seen by their other friends. Christians should be encouraged to room together, team together, and be together -- provided they have purposed to be used together as a witness. Using a buddy system and having a strong sense of mission should allow Christians to live in dorms in such a way that makes a difference. Classmates, clubmates, and teammates can encourage one another to not just survive spiritually, but to thrive as vibrant witnesses. Similarly, small groups organized by geographic proximity can become an outreach team to their hall or dorm.

Letting our Christian relationships shine before our other friends is a central way of witnessing to the reality of Christ. The love and care, as well as the freedom to confess failure and extend forgiveness, will be a clear witness to Jesus Christ.

Jesus' prayer affirms the value of Christian community. A certain witness follows from the community. Clearly, the choice is not between community and witness. They should work together, not against one another. Fellowship is an end in itself. It is also a means to witness.