Mark Camp: Secret of the Kingdom of Heaven

Mark 4
11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables; 12 so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest they should turn again, and be forgiven.”

I love teaching Mark manuscript study. This is my 3rd year teaching Mark 1 in a camp format and my 6th time overall. Plus the three time I went through Mark 1 before teaching it. I tried to calculate the hours I've spent in Mark once-- it's easily 100. Probably more. And yet, every time I see something new. However, this year blew me away.

We study in about 2.5 hour chunks. At the beginning of each chunk, I usually give students instructions about what they should be looking for in each section or some piece of background info that might be helpful. Sometimes, I add an activity or ask a question to get their brains thinking about the topics we'll talk about in the section. After the introduction, I pray and read the text out loud before sending them into personal study time.

We study the parable of the soils in the seventh chunk of Mark Camp. This year, it fell on Sunday night. I like to do some sort of creative entry into the text and this year I pulled out something I'd tried before. After reading half of the section out loud, I stop after reading after verse 12 and I walk out the room. No explanation. I just leave. And, I wait to see if students will follow me out.

If they come out and ask any genuine question (like "why did you leave?") I answer with Mark 4:11-12. I'm trying to push all their curiosity buttons so that they will result with the secret of the kingdom of heaven.

This year, about 10 students came out over the course of 20 minutes (about 1/4 of the room.) However, what happened inside the room was amazing! Upon my departure, one student stood up and said something like, "Well, we should just wait for her to get back. Let's keep working. I'll keep time for us." He would also let people know if they were getting too noisy. Of the students who came out to talk to me, NONE of them came back into the room and shared what I said. Apparently, the room thought I had some personal crisis (some said with my children) and needed to take care of the emergency.

When I came back in the room, I continued on like a typical manuscript session. I sent the room into small groups to discuss what they noticed in the passage. Initially, no one asked me why I had left. I brought the group back and asked for their observations. Still, no one asked. I felt the tension in the room but I was determined to let them wrestle with the secret. When I sent them back into small groups to talk about their questions, one student looked visibly agitated. After talking with her small group, she called me over and said, "Donan, am I Pharisee?" I felt this wasn't a genuine question-- maybe even a rhetorical one-- so I said that I couldn't answer that for her and referenced a previous conversation from session six. She was still frustrated and started to tear up at my unwillingness to give her the answer. I forced myself to walk away so I wouldn't smooth the tension for her. I wanted her to wrestle with the secret of the kingdom.

Finally, at the end of small group time, she called me over and asked what she needed to know about the kingdom of heaven and I answered her with Mark 4:11-12. She looked at her group and smiled. 

I saw that student's process play out across the entire room that night. At the end of the study, when one student was struggling with feelings of exclusion from the text, I felt like it was time to talk about the group's experience in my living parable. And, as each person told their stories, I noticed their response had revealed something about the condition of their hearts. For each student who came outside, they didn't want to tell their friends because they didn't think they were suppose to (which I had NEVER mentioned), they had done the work and their friends hadn't or they just weren't sure what I said meant so they didn't think repeating it would help. For students who stayed inside, they thought I would just come in and explain everything to them or maybe they should just focus on the task I gave them and not worry about anything else. And finally, for the student who took over leadership and kept the group on track, he realized how much he was driven by task and completing what's assigned. 

As each person shared, the group exclaimed together. There were shouts, laughter and awe at the ways this parable had come alive for us. When the seed was sown in us, what did we do with it? 

And, what's the secret of the kingdom? Well, the group decided, the secret is to ask Jesus. 

Amen.

What to read more on manuscript study? Helpful resource from BibleGateway.com

Urbana

"One of the largest student missions conferences in the world, Urbana is a catalytic event bringing together a diverse mix of college and graduate students, faculty, recent graduates, pastors, church and ministry leaders, missions organizations and schools."- from Urbana.org

Urbana is the largest missions conference in North America, and it is aimed at college students. The convergence of those statements fills me with tremendous pride. Every 3 years about 15,000 college students sacrifice 5 days of their Christmas break to travel to St. Louis and wrestle with their role in the issues and opportunities facing the global church. This is my 5th Urbana, and I have seen Urbana launch many students into missional lifestyles with Jesus. Here are the parts of Urbana that I see creating lifelong impact:

• Speakers from the Global church: Many students only hear North American Christian voices. As a result, their perspective becomes skewed. Sadly, privilege and wealth become synonymous with God's favor and blessing. Politics become intermingled with Kingdom building. By hearing from voices around the globe, students are exposed to what God is doing in house churches, in persecuted nations and in areas with a longer church history. Patrick Fung was our scripture expositor (he spoke several times, leading us through Matthew's gospel). He is the Director of OMF International (formerly Inland China Mission). His perspective as a global missionary, an international student in the West and as a medical doctor guided his talks and widened our view of what God is actively doing in the world. Check out his bio and talks here: https://urbana.org/bio/patrick-fung
  
  
  
•   Focus on the Persecuted church: Most Urbana's have a night focused on the persecuted church. We again had such a night; with powerful intercession, communion and the opportunity to write letters to persecuted Christians (check out a powerful rendition of "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" from the evening: https://urbana.org/message/i-have-decided-follow-jesus). However, that evening was far from the only time that we engaged with the idea of persecution. Videos told the story of a North American missionary couple serving in a closed nation where several missionaries have recently been killed. They vulnerably shared their process discerning to stay despite receiving no guarantee of safety from God. Several speakers spoke on unlit stages, due to previous threats on their lives. In short, Urbana proudly invited delegates to count the cost of mission, and believe in surpassing value of Jesus. 
• Multi-Ethnic Worship: The worship experience is central to Urbana. Much as we were invited to sit at the feet and learn with the Global church, we were also were invited to worship along side them. Not only were songs led in various languages and musical styles, but Erna Hackett (our worship leader and IV staff in Portland, OR) taught us about the history of the worship tradition and brought others to do so as well. The worship album is available on itunes and amazon (https://urbana.org/u15worship). Songs that are particularly meaningful to me are: "Africaribb Melody" (an African/Caribbean praise song), "Facing a Task Unfinished" (a translated hymn from China Inland Mission. Simply the most inspiring song of mission I have ever heard) and "Debemos Decir y Hacer" (a song from a college student movement in Mexico).
• Exhibitor Hall: As a missions conference, everything at Urbana funnels to one purpose: to invite and equip students to step into the mission field. The exhibitor hall was jam packed with missions organizations and seminaries from all over the world (a list can be found here: https://urbana.org/past-urbanas/urbana-15/exhibitors). While InterVarsity is the host of Urbana, the missions organizations inspire me every time. So many have given their lives to see the gospel reach the ends of the earth and edges of our cities. 

Brandon.

I believe the student experience at Urbana is unmatched. It is not just the size and cost (though both of which are substantial), but it is the sense that God is doing so much more than any student can imagine coming in. One student I want to highlight is Brandon from Eastern Washington University. Brandon is from Tacoma and school has been a struggle for him (mostly financially and the culture shock of moving from Western to Eastern Washington). He has felt lonely as a black Christian man in Cheney.  He came to Urbana because it was something to do, because he has persistent staff and because generous donors removed the financial cost. Brandon's expectations were blown out of the water in two ways: 1. he felt compelled to recommit his life to Jesus following an invitation from David Platt (https://urbana.org/bio/david-platt) and 2. he felt called to come on staff with InterVarsity to help reach other black students. It has been so much fun seeing Brandon since Urbana. He is committed to his call to reach his friends and reminds me that I am going to be his boss someday. 

One more note. 

Some of you may remember Erin O'Neil, a former staff partner of Donan's at Washington State University. Since leaving staff, Erin has been working as musician in Northern, then Southern California. She has continued to serve Inland Northwest InterVarsity by leading worship at two fall conferences and has also led in Oregon and for our Regional conferences. She was a vocalist on the Urbana worship team and led most of the Spanish language songs. It was such a joy to see her in St. Louis and to be reminded that though these students and staff are with IV for a season, they serve the Kingdom of God for their whole lives.

"Legacy of Calling"

From Jeremiah at Gen 26

Monday, November 09, 2015

Legacy of Calling

Over the next couple days, I am going to be highlighting different students that need help attending Urbana. My unabashed hope is that you will fall in love with these students, and in turn donate money or frequent flier miles to help them attend. 

Wait, you don't know what Urbana is yet? 

(I am a terrible staff worker)

You should go to the website. 

Then you should DEFINITELY watch this video (warning, Billy Graham will give you goosebumps on your goosebumps). 


I love Urbana. I answered the call to come on staff at Urbana. I learned how much the American Church needed the Global Church at Urbana. 

God is doing something. Every week, another student who just met us asks me if we have money to help. One student, nicknamed "T" asked me if I could help her. Her dad won't let her drive (she lives in Akron, Ohio). She said to me "if I could get my flight paid for, I can go. He won't help. Is there anything we can do?" 

Who is T? She is a new leader of our first Black Student Bible Study. She is a member of God's Harmony (the WSU Gospel Choir). She is smart. Funny. Missional. She is a FRESHMAN. She wants to go to Urbana and lead with IV for the next 3 1/2 years. 

So yes, I want your money. But I want to re-invest in the Kingdom of God. I want to re-invest in the Inland NW. I want re-invest it in global missions. 

If you want to give, give here. 

And keep coming back here! I am going to start uploading pictures and stories of students who need help. I want you to love students like T with me! They are great. They inspire me. I hope they can inspire you too,

Honey on our lips

I think I've found my favorite InterVarsity job: pouring honey all over students' hands.

I was privileged to assist Whitman's team leader Sarah Le as she taught our student leaders the value of studying scripture. 23 students from 4 campuses came through the lesson in two groups. My job was to create the experience of honey dripping from their hands.

Sounds like a strangely sweet experience? It was and that was the point. Sarah hoped to create a memorable, sensory experience for students about the joy of scripture. She used an illustration from ancient Hebrew classes that when young students came for their first lesson, the teacher would pour honey all over their clean slates. These 6 year old students would gaze wide-eyed at the greatest treat they could image and their teachers would say, "Taste it." And then, the teacher would tell them that the word of God is like honey.

The greatest treat you can imagine.

And so, we re-created this by pouring honey all over students' hands. Students didn't know what to do. They were confused and uncomfortable by the sticky mess in their hands. They weren't sure if they should 'taste it.' Was Sarah playing some sort of a trick on them? Clearly, this wasn't what they were expecting.

The we read in Matthew 13

 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

As we studied scripture together (after letting them clean off their hands) these were the types of responses that came out:
"The Kingdom of Heaven is worth everything you have."
"Finding the Kingdom of Heave is like a hitting a re-start button."
"The word of God is like a pearl. As we pursue it, we see it with the depth and fullness it contains."

And Sarah summarized our session with, "Do you expect that scripture will be a treasure that is worth everything?"

Will it be like honey on your lips? Will you lead others with the expectation that they will experience the sweetest of God? May this be the greatest treat you have to offer to your friends?

I hope so.

Here's a way to pray for us day by day...

Can you feel it? A new school year brings with it a tangible electricity in the air. New possibilities. New hope. The freshness of a collegiate fall. Newness is one of the reasons I love this time of year. I love the freshness of working with college students whose culture seems fluid. I feel as though I am constantly re-learning my job as students change. I enjoy the freshness of every new fall and every new class. That is why I have worked with IV for 10 years.

I also love consistency and deeply rooted values. When things are changing around me and I don’t know why, I cling to what I know and I find hope in the familiar. I think this is why attend a liturgical church. Some traditions and value gain depth in repetition.

Often these two loves can feel at odds. And yet, in the midst of the tension between old and new, I am reminded of my need for Jesus. I am reminded that God is at work in lives of students and our campuses. What is new is not unknown to Jesus. He dwells in that mystery. What is old is not stale to Jesus; he renews it. Back to school is this: the opportunity meet Jesus in the new and the mysterious and re-discover him in consistent and annual.  During this back-to-school season, I would love to share 5 essential parts of campus ministry how you can pray for them in this exciting back-to-school season. I will structure this guide around a 5 day work week in case you would like to include it in your daily prayer life.  

Monday: Freshmen.  We tell student leaders that the first four weeks of college are a unique opportunity because freshmen are eager to make friends and try new things. Pray that freshmen would try out Jesus through studying scripture and prayer. Pray for freshmen to make an adult decision to follow Jesus with their whole lives. We know that 60% of freshmen leave their faith in college. We can believe that Jesus can change that, starting with this class!

Tuesday: Large Group gatherings. InterVarsity wants to see students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed and world changers developed. Often our large group events are the first encounter new students have with our group. Pray that new students would have eyes to see the love and hospitality present at these gatherings so that they would draw closer to Jesus. Pray that these gathering events will be the first step of transformation in many students’ lives and a launching pad into small group communities.

Wednesday: Student leaders. InterVarsity believes that students are the most qualified individuals to model for their peers what it means to follow Jesus in college. At WSU, we have six students who said ‘yes’ to leading their peers this year. Pray that these students will be filled with God’s love, grace, power and boldness as they invite their friends to study scripture.

Thursday: Small Groups in residence halls. This year, InterVarsity hopes to see communities of faith in the very places students live. We want to be the yeast working its way into the dough (Matt. 13:33), bringing Jesus as the transformation element to our communities. I know how important it can be for many students to have access to scripture be near to them. Pray for students who are eager to host a small group bible study in their rooms and students who are intrigued to attend.

Friday: Ethnic-Specific Small Groups

At WSU, Staff John Paradis is helping several passionate Latina students grow one 12-person small group to multiple groups that will be mini ‘familias.’ At EWU, a student leader is launching LaFe. Pray for new friendships to be formed across Catholic-Protestant lines. Pray for a desire to study scripture and apply it to life. Also, pray for  deepening relationships between InterVarsity staff and students with ethnic-specific communities on all of our campuses. InterVarsity would love to provide spiritual communities for students of color who often don’t feel they have a spiritual home on campus.

Written by Jeremiah Nealon

Adapted by Donan Nealon

Donan's thoughts on work and motherhood, Summer 2015

"God often calls people to the obscure, the ordinary, and the mundane. Some of the most important word that God accomplishes in the world is fulilled by ordinary people doing ordinary work, This is not and cannot be merely tolerated, but rather is something we must embrace and even celebrate."
Courage and Calling. Gordon T. Smith. 140.

As a recently minted mother of two, I find most of my day filled with the ordinary and mundane. Sometimes, I think this is a great blessing, Other times, I find it tedious. I've sensed that God is inviting me to continue on right where am, in the tension between the blessing and the the tedious.

What does this mean for my employment with InterVarsity? I'm grateful to work for an organization that is so accommodating to mothers, letting me craft my job so that I can be fully present with my children and pursue living out the vision of InterVarsity. I've realized that as my kids grow, my desires for work will also change (like the number of nights a week to spend on campus, amount of travel, etc.) In this season of life, I want to work from home as much as possible with the option to travel to retreats and trainings. And so, my supervisor and I have crafted a job description that will help out the area team, allow me to try some new things as a staff worker and be home with my children.

My plan is work about 10 hours a week with time divided evenly into the following categories:
- area logistics: arranging our team meetings, coordinating student gatherings and communication
- coaching: new type of job for me! I'll be helping other team leaders develop chapter growth goals and implement plans to reach these goals
- teaching and training: one of the things I love to do! I'll be working with Jeremiah to provide training and mentorship for our interns. I have flexibility to travel to other schools within the area for large groups or scripture dig-ins.
- discipleship: another thing I love to do! I'm looking forward to coming alongside younger women to help them see where God is at work in their lives.

Student reflections on Summit 2015

A few student responses to the questions: What did God do in you during Summit? How has your outlook on life changed? How has your outlook on Christianity changed? What are the things from Summit that you will take with you?

- God removed the feeling of apathy I was carrying and turned it into empathy for others. He also taught me to go deeper into prayer and pulled up many dead roots. My outlook on life has changed from luxury to simplicity. My outlook on Christianity has gone from an unclear picture of community to an understanding of a Christian community. I will take the values of simplicity, community and empathy for the poor as I leave Summit.

- God reminded me why I want my friends to know him. I feel more motivated to start a GIG (scripture study with Non-Christians) in the performing arts community next spring. I feel like I have a deeper understanding of houselessness and will apply that to how I choose to give.

- God did a lot of things for me! He dug up a lot of crap that I have been burdened with and showed me what it looks like to serve others and live simply. I see a lot of growing opportunities for me and I know that God is doing something my future that I don't see yet.

- I have feelings but this is really hard to articulate in words... for starters, my whole view of evangelism changed.

- I don't even know how to summarize this. God probably did more in these two weeks that I have in the past several months. God brought up lots of wounds in my life that I really didn't want to deal with and opened me up to more... I have learned so much about God's character through this community I have been with and worker with. I have a more positive understanding of the church because of my experiences, and have faith that because of experiences like these and the love of the Christian community, the church can heal the many wounds it have inflicted on the world throughout history. As a new Christian, this is something I struggle with a lot. So, this definitely has been healing for me.