On a recent relaxing drive home from a long day at the office, I was suddenly thrown forward in my seat. Apparently, I had inadvertently knocked the gear shift from overdrive down into 3rd gear, bringing my car to a near sudden halt. The RPMs were absolutely going through the roof, but I wasn't really going anywhere. I didn't panic, but it took me a minute to realize what had just happened and before I could put the car back in overdrive, a few friendly motorists had swerved to avoid a serious accident and given me a rather friendly "wave." Looking back at this quite embarrasing incident reminded me of the current state of collegiate ministry in the state of Texas and across the country.

While Jesus has sent us full-throttle into the world, to proclaim His message to every tribe, tongue, and nation, most of our ministry challenges have come from the inability to properly shift gears. Things are undoubtedly happening within our ministries. Sunday school classes are filled, bible studies are routinely conducted, and fellowship is even fun and exciting. On the surface, our ministries are seeing movement. The problem is, just like my car, the RPMs are astronomical, but no one is really being engaged outside of our own "bubble." The engine is firing, every one of the cylinders is hitting, but there is no engagement with the message of the gospel, to a world that sits idly by. So, where is the disconnect? At what point has the transmission failed?

This question has plagued my thoughts and heart for the better part of the last nine months of my tenure here at the SBTC. Collegiate students are my passion. I want the state of Texas to become the trend-setter for a watching world who can't seem to figure out how we are losing the overwhelming majority of students over age 16, and why our ministries are evangelistically mundane. While certainly there are many contributing factors, at the end of the day, we have to begin thinking missiologically rather than conventionally. Today's collegiate campus is a metropolis of global civilizations. Our campuses are looking like a modern-day Athens, at the peak of Greek civilization. Transformation of the local campuses that enumerate our state will begin with a shift. A shift from conventional wisdom, toward strategic thinking. A shift from seeing hinderance, toward a seizure of opportunities. A shift from abstract methodologies to focused vision for transformation.

Scripture records the wonderful story of Paul, as he uninhibitedly approached that Athenian acropolis with its fullness of deities and engaged them as a man on a mission. He engaged them in their own territory, saw their false beliefs as opportunities to observe spiritual affinity, and unashamedly proclaimed the exclusive salvation found in Christ alone. He got uncomfortable for the sake of those who were comfortable. He simply got in the car and shifted gears, enabling the Spirit to move on the hearts of "Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them" (Acts 17:34). If we want to reach those who no one else will reach, we must be willing to do what no one else will do. This requires our approach to experience a revolutionary Shift.

Nate Stewart
SBTC Collegiate Ministry