Prioritizing People Over Task: The Highs And Lows Of Relational Ministry

Blane has served on staff at Chi Alpha at American University for several years and became the Campus Director in the Fall of 2014. He and his wife Hannah currently have a six-month-old whom they affectionately call their "handful of joy". His name is Jeremiah and he's pretty much the cutest.

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I moved to Washington DC nearly four years ago and this is one of the first things I heard from people on the DC Chi Alpha Team.

“Prioritize relationship (people) over task.”

Then I heard it again, And again, And - well, you get the picture.

It means that we want to be a team of ministers that thinks about the person before we think about the work the person has done. Can I be honest? It’s a nice thought, with beautiful results but to live it out takes rigorous discipline. Like most things in life, it’s easier said than done!

Influenced by Robert Coleman in Master Plan of Evangelism, Mike Breen’s Creating a Disciple-Making Culture, Heather Zempel’s Community is Messy and Discipleship by Design by Harv Herman — we believe strongly that Jesus lived in such a way where people could belong, before they were asked to believe anything. And in many cases, received attention for their needs before Jesus told them of their spiritual need for him.

As a pragmatist and (recovering) perfectionist, putting this phrase into action has been difficult. What about deadlines? What about policies? Structure? We are going to have a worship service this week, but when is it going to get planned?

I had to (and am still having to) shift my perspective so that I see people, not just as either needy or helpful, but as people made in the image of God (see imageo deo). That, before they need anything or want to give anything, they are inherently valuable.

When someone interrupts me, I can see it as an obstacle to my agenda or as an opportunity to be Christ to them in that moment. I didn’t come up with that by the way, I can barely live that out on a good day!

“ But then, I remember that before Jesus asks us to do things for him, he calls us to himself. And even the “doings” he would have us do, are related to being with him or others who are like him.”

Being in vocational ministry, especially in a community like Chi Alpha where relationships are the main ingredient, can be draining. It can be tiring and it can feel like I never get to the end of my task list. But then, I remember that before Jesus asks us to do things for him, he calls us to himself. And even the “doings” he would have us do, are related to being with him or others who are like him.

It’s easy to make spiritual formation (church growth, ministry assimilation, etc.) a check-list. But Jesus didn’t die for us to have a job. He isn’t our employer. He is Lord, Savior and most scandalous of all, friend.

Yes, relational ministry, mentoring, counseling, life-sharing are difficult, but they lead us to look more like Christ and invite others to do the same. And if I am properly viewing Christ, no price is too big to pay to take that journey.

The Love Of "Chi Alphriends"

Suzie Nimoh is a rising sophomore at American University and some of her passions include smiling, loving people and early childhood education in the District. You can find this New Jersey native hanging out with her family and taking selfies in her free time.  

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The first year of college is inarguably a time of transformation. Being away from home and surrounded by strangers drives people to decide who they want to be, usually.

In my case I had no expectations of who I would be in college. While everyone was making friends who they lived with on their floor, I knew I wanted to make friends out of connection not convenience.

Of course, I didn’t have a plan for where I would find sustainable relationships. I had friends from my youth group at home, but they were not people I could grow spiritually with. Aside form being involved in a local church, I thought my journey with God would be entirely individual.

I ran into a couple students involved in Chi Alpha during the first couple weeks of school but I decided I would not get involved. I assumed I would not fit in, so I thought it was best to skip the awkwardness and stay away.

This didn't last long because, like true followers of Christ, they were persistent and their loving presence could not be ignored. Over the weeks my heart was softened to the group, which in hindsight has to be credited to the work of God through prayers of students in XA. I met some sweet girls who genuinely took an interest in me and invited me to their small group and I agreed to go that night.

From small groups to worship nights to just hanging out with others, XA has transformed my entire outlook on life. The word “community” was never significant to me, but now I understand it is how God intended me to live life.

“From small groups to worship nights to just hanging out with others, XA has transformed my entire outlook on life. The word “community” was never significant to me, but now I understand it is how God intended me to live life. ”

Paul describes in Scripture “for just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:4-5).

Chi Alpha recognizes the importance of diversity and that every member is integral to forming the body of Christ. Every student comes from a different background, whether cultural or socioeconomic, and the inclusive community is open to not only open to students their freshman through senior years, but people who don’t even attend the university and are our neighbors in the surrounding communities.

Because of this I have been able to grow spiritual friendships: vertically and horizontally. I’ve learned tremendously from my small group leaders and have been able to look up to them. Making friends with seniors has allowed me to engage in other invaluable, vertical, discipleship relationships. I met my best friend through small group, and we both will be leading small groups next fall to contribute to the efforts that welcomed us our freshman year.

XA enabled me to understand friendship: what it truly means to love and be loved. Through the friendships I have made I have a better understanding of God’s love for me and how He has called us to love others. The mission of XA is to be Christ’s Ambassadors, and students involved in this ministry don’t take that lightly. Students in XA is dedicate themselves to loving unconditionally, whether it is a freshman they just met, or a student who is about to graduate, XA works to make sure they know they are loved. I am beyond grateful for everyone who has contributed to XA and I encourage others to be involved. Chi Alpha is the community where I found lifelong friends, the community where I was baptized, and most importantly the community that has taught me the love of our Savior. “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1).

Why A Lifestyle of Worship Is Important For Our Students

Natalie leads the worship and missions departments at AU Chi Alpha and is passionate about taking students deeper in their relationship and love for Jesus.  She loves writing music, John Steinbeck, good coffee, and her family.

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I’ve been thinking about worship a lot lately. About what it is and why I do it, about why I want students to do it, about where music fits into it, about how the Psalmists did it.

This past school year, I’ve been praying for ways to go deeper in worship, to stretch myself and understand how to praise God more fully.

I’ve been praying about how to use our creativity and talents to worship more.

And I’ve been praying for opportunities to push students deeper into worship - that it’s not only a thing we do before and after services, but that it’s a lifestyle.

The more I think about it, the more I’m coming to understand that worship is just an overflow of what’s in our hearts. The way we worship reflects how we feel about God and what we believe and know to be true about Him.

“When know and understand the Lord, we should be bursting at the seams in reverence to Him.”

When know and understand the Lord, we should be bursting at the seams in reverence to Him. And worship is our way of showing that and placing ourselves in environments where we learn and know God more fully.

My pastor talks about the idea of “Christian Karaoke” when we worship through song. It’s so easy for worship to become three songs we sing at church by watching the screen and reading the words that we see but not letting those lyrics penetrate our souls. We’re often not singing them out of the overflow of our hearts; we’re stuck in a routine that has become meaningless.

But I think creativity and music can break down walls. I think worship is our greatest way to connect with the Father, whatever form it’s in. So my prayer is that we don’t become familiar with it in a way that makes it meaningless.

My prayer is that our familiarity with it is a product of our love and praise to God, and that it becomes more than singing songs on a Thursday night at Chi Alpha. It should be a lifestyle. When we’re living a lifestyle of worship, our hearts are overflowing with praise, and that should be reflected in every part of our lives, if we’re doing it right. People will notice it, and it has the power to break down walls and reach to others, defeating the work of the enemy and giving God victory.

In 2 Chronicles 20, we read about Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, going to war with Moab and Ammon. In verse 21, it says this: “After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever.’” When the people of Judah began to sing and praise and entered the battle with worship, the Lord defeated the Moabites and Ammonites. When we enter the battle with worship, we’re giving God the victory.

I believe we are doing the same by teaching students to live a lifestyle of worship. When praise is a habit, they have the power to break down barriers in their own lives, and also in the lives of people around them - classmates, professors, employers.

How amazing would it be if college students, who hold the fate of the future in their hands and will have an impact in every influential field and career path, were overflowing with praise and brought that to wherever they go? I think we’d be dealing with a force to be reckoned with.

When we teach students how to worship and push the boundaries that we’re used to and go deeper, we’re showing the world how good God is.

Our hearts will overflow in reverence to Him, and the world will see and feel the knowledge we have. And I think they’ll want in.

Four Years Can Change A Lifetime

Neve graduated from Georgetown University in May and was a key member of Georgetown Chi Alpha. At Georgetown, she used to take care of Jack the Bulldog, the school mascot. She is now working with veteran affairs in the DC Metro Area.

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The other day as I was packing up my things in order to move to my first post-grad apartment I stumbled across a letter. It began: “You’ve been here for 6 days. College. It came so fast…”

Having graduated from Georgetown University 3 weeks ago, I share a similar sentiment with freshmen me on that 6th day of college: “it went so fast.”

Those four years seemed to speed by, but as I look back at them through reflection and prayer, I cannot help but see God in every circumstance, decision, moment of laughter, tear cried, exam taken, and memory made.

And that, my friends, is no small thing for me. And here’s why:

I found my faith at Georgetown. More specifically, I discovered my faith within the welcoming, accepting, and loving Chi Alpha family which became a community for me to ask the deep, hard questions and pursue on infinite God.

I affectionately refer to the stage I am in my faith as being a “toddler Christian:” eager to learn, to know God more, and to see joy in the life He has given me every day regardless of circumstance. These are grand ideas, but they are present in my life because a friend of mine asked me to come to a Protestant service with her one night called “Open Table.”

“I soon found myself asking questions, meeting for one-on-ones with staff, pouring through books, praying for the first time, and wondering if this was what I had been searching for, even without always knowing it.”

And a few weeks before that I was handed a bubble tea in Red Square by a campus pastor. A few days later I was invited to a life group to share milkshakes and talk about what life is like as a Christian. I soon found myself asking questions, meeting for one-on-ones with staff, pouring through books, praying for the first time, and wondering if this was what I had been searching for, even without always knowing it. Two years later I was a life group leader, the GUXA “Fun Colonel,” a Sunday school teacher, and a proudly baptized Christian.

So why do I give back to XA? Because it gave everything to me: a safe space to ask my questions, to be myself, to express my doubts and beliefs. It gave me a family and a home away from home. And more than anything else, it is where I became a Christian and rooted my life in my faith.

Reach the City, Update

Online fundraising for Reach the City - 2015

My belief in Christianity and my relationship with God give me life and purpose. There is no amount of money or accolades that could ever equal the worth of God’s love. I give back because without XA I would never have known that. Through the simple acts of handing out snow cones, bubble tea, or a burger and starting a conversation, Chi Alpha leaders and staff very literally can change lives.

I can make that claim because it changed mine.

Support-Raising: The Good, The Bad, and the Godly

Becca lives and works in our nation’s capital. She spent the past two years working with Chi Alpha, ministering to students at American University. She studied International Studies and Arabic language there, and is now stepping into her field professionally. In her free time, you can find her hanging out with friends, browsing Eastern Market and drinking lots of coffee. 

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The Good 

Support-raising is not easy, but it  is good.

The best thing about it for me was the relational aspect.

After attending a support-raising training for Chi Alpha and learning that the whole process is really more about building up a team of people than getting enough money, I became excited for the journey.

Support-raising wasn’t just a time of raising my full budget before I began the internship in August- it was a rare opportunity to reconnect with people I hadn’t seen or spoken to in years.

If it wasn’t for Chi Alpha, I don’t know that I ever would have reconnected with them. But this ministry on campus allowed for new opportunities to build relationships with them and be a part of each other’s lives again in a very special way.

“I don’t think that those relationships ever would have been as significant if there wasn’t such a strong sense of purpose. We weren’t just making a financial transaction - we were uniting for a mission. ”

I don’t think that those relationships ever would have been as significant if there wasn’t such a strong sense of purpose. We weren’t just making a financial transaction - we were uniting for a mission. 

The Bad

Like I said before, it’s not easy. The most difficult part for me was the lack of control over how much money I would receive and when I would receive it.

I had no control over people’s decisions or how much they wanted to give. I had no control over getting in touch with people and getting a response. There was no way for me to earn my income.

I put in my work and made the ask, but ultimately I had to trust God to provide. And that’s really hard, especially when I’m so used to the conventional method of earning income.

It becomes easy to doubt the calling when you aren’t sure if a way will be made for you to do it. That’s where faith comes in. 

The Godly 

In order to overcome my doubt and my struggle to trust God to provide, I had to daily be in God’s word and reminding myself of the heart behind support-raising, and the kind of heart and attitude God desired for me to have towards it.

I didn’t have to carry the weight of making sure I got all of the money. That was God’s responsibility. I just needed to work hard on the things that I did have control over (letters, phone calls, asking in person), and trust God to provide.

It sounds so simple, but when I was in it I really needed to rely on the Holy Spirit to remain in the right spirit.

Prayer was the most important aspect, because it showed God that I was trusting Him with the people I was asking, and trusting Him to make things happen. And of course, He did.