Serving Bread

In the last couple of weeks, we have launched a small group at Pierce Community college. Now I had vision to plant a ministry at a community college in the San Fernando Valley when I first came to Cal State Northridge. In fact, I thought that after we get things up and running at CSUN, I would spend half a day a week at LA Valley College to begin an InterVarsity group on that campus.

But last year, we found ourselves already ministering to students who attend Pierce. They were already coming to various functions at CSUN so it only made sense to go where we already had students. Last spring, I casted vision to the two Pierce students to build a group on their campus. I didn’t think much of it, until this past month, when they said that they want to form a group at Pierce.

We had our second small group yesterday and I am grateful to God for drawing students together in community. We had about 12 people in small group yesterday (which is quite remarkable) and I wondered what can help this group form and be a blessing on the campus.

What caught my attention was how much ownership the Pierce student leaders had for this group. The three students who have labored to launch this ministry have put in many hours to build this group. They are invested to see God do something on the campus.

One student printed a prayer for people to pray during the week and the other two students had called (not just emailed) every one of the 47 students on our sign-up sheet to invite them to small group. When these students share with the rest of the group their vision, they are sharing their hopes for the group—not mine.

What feels significant to me is that when students have ownership for the community, they will take risks to lead. Leadership is by no just doing tasks—printing prayers and calling people. But for the young leaders, these tasks are early building blocks for their development. Their leadership will not be high quality or perfect, but it is their leadership.

If the group were to hit a crisis or face extinction, those who have ownership for the group will feel it much more than those who are fringe. If I (as the bottom-line leader and campus minister) were to horde all aspects of leadership, young leaders will not be developed, and no one but me will have an incentive to build the group.

By opening up the ownership of the group to young students, the incentive to build and develop the community lies among a larger pool of people.

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