Here we touch the most important quality of Christian leadership in the future. It is not a leadership of power and control, but a leadership of powerlessness and humility in which the suffering servant of God, Jesus Christ, is made manifest.
In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership, Henri Nouwen
It would be difficult to summarize what this year has been like for The Quest, the college ministry of Bel Air Presbyterian Church. How can you put into only a few words the images and events that have captured the imagination and helped transform the lives of our students over the year? But as we approach the end of another school year, it is a little easier in hindsight to see how things have come to be since we kicked off the school year back in August 2004. And the image that impressed itself on the forefront of my mind is servant leadership. Servant leadership is what we set out to do as a ministry at the beginning of the year. We have had both failures and successes as a part of this ministry year, but it is the studentsâ servant hearts of which I am most proud.
From the perspective of much of society, college students are often considered self-centered and lazy, and put into the category of those who are going to spell out the woes of the future of society. But that would be a wrong assessment, and one only needs to look to the students in Bel Airâs college ministry to see examples of true servants. Not only are they servants in their own ministry, but they are also servants in the ministry of the church as a whole.
As the College Director I have had the privilege of watching student leaders serve The Quest worship service on Wednesday nights in Evans Chapel. I have had the privilege of watching them lead more than fifteen weekly Bible studies on the campuses of UCLA, USC and LMU. I have had the privilege of watching them serve on mission trips in Mexico City during Spring Break, and will be privileged to see them serve in Germany, Malaysia and Turkey this summer. I have had the privilege of watching them serve in Bel Airâs Childrenâs Discipleship as Sunday School teachers, babysitters, camp counselors and Fantastic Followers.
These are a few of the things of which I am most proud, but the list does not end there. Why do I mention all of them? Because The Quest college ministry is a part of the larger church body of Bel Air, and we are thankful to you for your continued support. Your encouraging words, thoughtful gifts, finances and, most importantly, your servant hearts, have been vital to the life of these collegians. So as another class graduates this year, we are thankful for the seeds you have sown in our lives. They were seeds that were well planted and that will spread out into the world as the students you have cared for continue your legacy.
Last, thank you students for manifesting the
powerlessness and humility in which the suffering servant of God, Jesus Christ, is made manifest.
