Any Word informed and Holy Spirit motivated burden for a great commission initiative seeks expression. Despite the desire to just do something, I believe the “something” must be cautiously done with biblical intentionality. My interest at this point is how a Christian Liberal Arts College should invest in the Great Commission. Do we recruit students to travel the world to preach, to sing, to pass out tracts, and to hold Bible clubs? Do we fly solo in this? Do we partner with a mission agency? Do we partner with the church?
Despite how we judge the effectiveness of the church or a given church in the work of the Great Commission we (the college) cannot exclude the church from the conversation and the process. The college can and should promote missions across the platforms of academics and student life but not as a lone ranger. An intentional missions philosophy at the college must include the counsel and endorsement by the church and its leadership along with the supply of financial support.
I am grateful for the mission agencies that continue to direct students back to their church and to their pastor for counsel and endorsement. The College needs to do the same!