Devotion - Thursday, October 29

I am still at the pastors' conference.  The topic of community continues to be discussed.  But I have to admit that it is the conversations with colleagues which prove to be the most helpful.  Many of those conversations follow the lead of our keynote presenter, but applied to our own situation and context.

Allow me to share my musings from one of those conversations.

This pastor has a child who is active in one of Clemson's Greek organizations.  As I could have predicted, there are required meetings of this organization which conflict with the student's interest in participating in LCM events.  Over time, strong bonds will be formed with the others who are joining; and relationships with LCM folks will have been weakened.

DO NOT - PLEASE - INTERPRET THIS TO BE A CRITICISM OF STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS WHICH HAVE MANDATORY MEETINGS - PLEASE!

I do wonder what would happen if LCM and other religious church organizations instituted our own requirements for membership.

This morning I read from Matthew 10.  Here Jesus speaks of the cost of discipleship.  He tells us that we must lose our lives in order to gain the life he offers.  That sounds like a pretty demanding requirement.

Don't worry - we will never set up requirements for membership.  But I would be remiss if I didn't speak of the scripture's own statements of what must change in our lives as we become a follower of Jesus.  And, I would be failing you as your campus pastor if I didn't ask whether these changes had come in your life.