one of our primary goals for chi alpha at missouri state this year is to create and implement a leadership development process.  we value the gifts that many individuals in our community want to share with each other.  we value young people’s ability to minister to each other.  our goal is to train young people how to effectively communicate Christ’s love and gospel to other people.

while i was part of the chi alpha staff team at the university of minnesota duluth (umd), we developed a leadership development process complete with a discipleship curriculum for leaders and a progression of leadership opportunities within the community. the process is designed to connect with any and every person who wants to grow in their relationship with God and demonstrate that relationship to other people.  it does not matter if they have been part of the community for a long time or a short time.  all that matters is a desire to seek and serve God.  this process includes small discipleship groups for the leaders that are led by he ministry staff.  our goal is to get leaders excited about what they believe and trained to effectively spread that message to their peers.

at missouri state we have taken this process and are in process of adapting it to our needs.  we are working towards launching two men’s and two women’s small groups in the spring semester and are currently training the leaders for these groups.  it is exciting to watch young people who are passionately connected to God, strive to impact their peers and their world.  when young people take ownership of their community, they spread to every area of their lives.  it goes into the gym, the workplace, and the relaxation time.  it permeates every are of their lives and because of their genuine passion and belief, people around them begin to ask questions.

we desire to see God change lives at missiouri state.  we are seeing God start that process already.  this leadership process is another step in pursuing God’s heart for the campus and this community.  we believe by empowering everyone in our community we can begin to effectively pour into the greater community and draw people toward Christ.

the early church operated in much the fashion.  they had small groups of people who trained leaders who then trained more leaders who then trained more leaders and so on.  the new testament church transformed from a community of roughly 20,000 to roughly 20,000,000 by 400 c.e. (a.d.).  that is quite the miraculous transformation.  this is the power of the genuine movement of God and the effect it has on people.  it’s hard to resist love; it’s even harder to resist love that goes out of it’s way to make your life better.

peace,
christopher