McKendree Ministry Update

Well, I had a great weekend this last weekend. We had a wonderful time in Sunday morning Bible study. We studied Proverbs Chapter 1 and found some great ways that it applies to our lives.

I have been losing a lot of sleep because the building we inherited for our ministry to McKendree College needed quite a bit of work and I didn’t know how it would all get done. I work full-time at Scott Air Force Base and also serve as the volunteer Director of Collegiate Ministries at FBC O'Fallon. We started about 2 years ago and have grown to around 45 students. I have felt God's call to start a ministry at McKendree for a couple of years, but the timing wasn't right and frankly there was a good campus ministry already going that was being run by the McKendree Chaplain. Last year I asked some of my McKendree students if they thought McKendree needed anything like a Baptist Collegiate Ministry and until this semester they always said no. In fact, my student leaders were also leading the McKendree Campus ministry. So, I just waited and prayed.

Well, at the beginning of the Fall semester everything came apart for the McKendree Campus ministry. The Chaplain started teaching things that my student leaders didn't agree with, such as, everyone creates their own path to heaven (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jehovah's Wintess), it doesn't necessarily have to be through Christianity. Kind of a strange belief for a Methodist Minister who claims to be a Christian. My student leaders finally confronted him and asked him if he believed the Bible was the inspired word of God and whether or not he believed John 14:6, and he could never give them a direct answer. His answer was that his definition of "the way" isn't the same as my student leaders' definition of it. He also told them they weren't tolerant enough of other people's beliefs and that the Campus ministry was open to people to practice all faiths whether or not they led through Christ. My student leaders decided they couldn't work with a Campus Chaplain who doesn't believe that Christ is the only way to the Father and that it was time to sever their relationship with the McKendree Campus Ministry. They came to me to try to start a BCM to minister to students on campus and in Lebanon. I went to my church leadership the next day and asked if there was any kind of support they could give us and a big grin came on their faces. They said a small Baptist church had just folded in Lebanon and our church had inherited their building 2 blocks away from the McKendree Campus the day before and they felt the Lord wanted us to start a McKendree ministry there. FBC O'Fallon has come completely on line. God's timing and providence are awesome.

The McKendree Chaplain in the meanwhile has been very unprofessional and angry. He pretty much told us we aren't wanted on campus (He has several issues including lots of unresolved anger towards my student leaders) and has fought us the whole way. What really bugs him is that our student ministry will meet off campus and he basically can't do anything about it. We haven't even had our first meeting as a student ministry yet. We are waiting until the semseter starts in a week or so to do any ministry (all my students are spread to the four corners of Illinois right now).

Needless to say, the church building we inherited is a godsend. It is just exactly what we needed. It is within walking distance of campus, has a worship center that seats about 100 people, and is free. You can't beat that. But, it is in desperate need of some tender loving care.

Last Wednesday I was contacted by a new Baptist church plant in Lebanon that will co-use the facility for their temporary church. They have already started doing the major construction on the building and it is looking awesome!

I am sleeping a little better now because the Lord has worked it all out, but there is still alot to get finished in a short amount of time. I know the Lord will continue to work wonders because He is the God of wonders! Praise the Lord.