God has been stirring the hearts of leaders in the Association of College Ministries (ACM) with a common mission to strengthen campus ministries, campus ministers, Christian university students, and Christian university faculty by promoting excellence in campus ministry as a means to accomplish compassionate outreach and effective discipleship. As a result, a week ago 20 ACM veterans with a combined experience of 500 years in campus ministry met near Louisville, KY for the “20/20 Summit”.
These ministry leaders began a process facilitated by John Wassem of Emanuel Institutes of assessing the strengths andweaknesses, opportunities and threats of the ACM. At the same time 8 emerging campus ministry leaders were lead in a mentoring workshop by Bob Russell of Bob Russell Ministries. The meeting also included a lengthy discussion of, “What does it mean theologically to be a member of the ACM?” which included both veteran and novice campus ministers (no offense meant to either group!).
No “official decision” has been made at this point as to how to follow up on this historic meeting. Personally, I would like to see it become an annual event but for now instead, four groups designed in part to “plan and execute action points” have been formed. Out of this I hope will come the ability to take the relationships, connection, and mutual support among our campus ministers to the next level. Participants are excited, as I can attest by the number of emails I’ve gotten since the Summit ended!
Part of the vision I have for the ACM is to move our members from “silos” to synergy— from many people and campus ministries doing independent ministry, to many independent campus ministries working together for the cause of Christ. I hope as National Representative to do more than just stand behind a booth at the NACC and the NMC. I want to see the wisdom and vision of our veterans and the energy and vision of our younger leaders come together in a dynamic blend that will benefit both young and old and make all of us better at the work to which God has called us – demonstrating the love of God to young adults on colleges and universities around the globe.
Regardless of the outcome of the 20/20 Summit, and not to sound overly dramatic, it was a historic event. And one worthy of prayer that God’s will would be done in the subsequent days as all participants prayerfully reflect on “next steps.”
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The Shadowlander 