Distinctives
Finally, the end of the road...
The last council has just ended and what remains are those memories of sitting around in the Function Room waiting for the announcements and other stuff to be done over with so that I can get back to hall. I'm really going to miss those times...
Distinctive, what is it?
Many CFers (hehe...witnessed by yesterday) would think of it as a keyword that defines what CF is all about. An imposition from outside, or something leftover from the past that forces the current generation to adopt it. Some say it gives us identity.
I replied by giving them (I think!) a better understanding. If they say that a distinctive gives us identity, I would reply that a distinctive reflects an identity already present. A distinctive embodies an ethos. The tension arises when we see what is actually reflected and compare it to what supposedly should be. Indeed, ethos loses something once it is written in black and white, but for the sake of continuity, it is nesscesary.
Which then brings us to the justification for all the 6 distinctives. What is the basis for being Evangelical, Evangelistic, Missions minded, Church Orientated, Interdenominational and Student lead? What justifies believing in a ministry that has this ethos? What justifies the past generation, (and our generation of students) to believe that VCF should go on and future generations experience what we have experienced?
I think that there is one partial answer: All 6 embody in part and simplistically the movement of the grand story of redemption. In particular, it connects us to the story of God moving to redeem the tertiary institution from whatever idols and sin it is trapped in. Our past predecessors believed in this grand story and laboured on as God applied this story in thier lives. We labour under the same yoke, and though we may not find words to express in precise manner (doubt that we may ever able to), we pass on this 6 distinctives as an ethos for the future hoping that God will similiarly work out the story in their lives.
"VCF is a movement," leaders always emphasize, especially when passing on the reins. Fragile as it is, student ministry will always be a testament to the watching powers, to a God that sustains and is faithful. 'Nuff said.
The last council has just ended and what remains are those memories of sitting around in the Function Room waiting for the announcements and other stuff to be done over with so that I can get back to hall. I'm really going to miss those times...
Distinctive, what is it?
Many CFers (hehe...witnessed by yesterday) would think of it as a keyword that defines what CF is all about. An imposition from outside, or something leftover from the past that forces the current generation to adopt it. Some say it gives us identity.
I replied by giving them (I think!) a better understanding. If they say that a distinctive gives us identity, I would reply that a distinctive reflects an identity already present. A distinctive embodies an ethos. The tension arises when we see what is actually reflected and compare it to what supposedly should be. Indeed, ethos loses something once it is written in black and white, but for the sake of continuity, it is nesscesary.
Which then brings us to the justification for all the 6 distinctives. What is the basis for being Evangelical, Evangelistic, Missions minded, Church Orientated, Interdenominational and Student lead? What justifies believing in a ministry that has this ethos? What justifies the past generation, (and our generation of students) to believe that VCF should go on and future generations experience what we have experienced?
I think that there is one partial answer: All 6 embody in part and simplistically the movement of the grand story of redemption. In particular, it connects us to the story of God moving to redeem the tertiary institution from whatever idols and sin it is trapped in. Our past predecessors believed in this grand story and laboured on as God applied this story in thier lives. We labour under the same yoke, and though we may not find words to express in precise manner (doubt that we may ever able to), we pass on this 6 distinctives as an ethos for the future hoping that God will similiarly work out the story in their lives.
"VCF is a movement," leaders always emphasize, especially when passing on the reins. Fragile as it is, student ministry will always be a testament to the watching powers, to a God that sustains and is faithful. 'Nuff said.
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on Friday, April 08, 2005 at 11:03 AM.
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