1. 3 Elements of the Student Missionary Union

    Below is a blog I posted on the Student Missionary Union Blog page. You can see other SMU blogs here: smubiola.wordpress.com. 

    “But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:19-20

    Have you ever been on a plane next to a Grandma who has just visited her grandchildren? You start with some introductions and ask about where she is coming from, but in a matter of seconds the baby photos come out and the stories begin. You are her new captive audience for the rest of the flight, and there is no where to run. It is her joy to tell you their story, and by the end of the journey you have connected with this woman over one of her passions.

    It’s incredible how something important to us can consume our conversations and permeate our thoughts. When something incredible has happened to our lives, we can’t help but tell someone about it via conversation, email, tweet or Facebook status. In a sense, a natural extension of our passion is sharing it with others.

    I believe this is the same principle we see in Acts 4, and it is the driving force behind the Student Missionary Union. Despite the difficulties and trials, we are driven to share about the One who has given us freedom and relationship with the Father. “We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” This Jesus is worth every breath we use telling the world about him.

    If you spend any time with the SMU Staff, you will hear something along the lines of “it is our goal to push people closer to Jesus.” SMU is not only about sending trips or putting on conferences (though we do those things). The core purpose of SMU that drives every department is this passion of helping people to encounter Jesus and be changed by his character. We can’t help but tell people about Jesus and help others tell the world about Jesus; it is our passion to share what we have experienced.

    There are a few practical ways that we mobilize the student body to live an Acts 4:20 lifestyle of telling others about the one who brings us life and freedom.  I want to share with you three elements that are woven into the tapestry of our ministry and are influencing everything we do as SMU.

    • First, we want to be a group of people pursuing an intimate relationship with Jesus. John 15 makes it clear that we can do nothing outside of abiding in Christ. He is the source of our strength, vision, and life, and the cross was purposed to bring us into right relationship with the Father. Therefore, we want to experience the fullness of the relationship Jesus purchased on the cross.
    • Second, we want be a people who prioritize prayer.  This flows from our pursuit of and relationship with Christ and results in stretching our faith as we ask God’s kingdom to invade earth.
    • Finally, we want everything that we do to be driven through a vehicle of discipleship. As the Student Missionary Union, we invest a lot of our time, effort and attention on developing leaders who in turn develop leaders. I strongly believe that the Great Commission can only be completed through intentional discipleship. Again, our main objective is to push our volunteers and staff closer to Jesus, and it is our prayer that they would bear fruit that exemplifies a life that has encountered a holy God.

    It is through these three elements that we believe the Holy Spirit will create a culture of radical disciples who have a single passion that drives every other interest and pursuit.  It is our prayer that these disciples of Jesus will be a people who, through their lives and the words that they proclaim, say “we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” And its our joy to send these radicals across our campus and to the ends of the earth.