It has become somewhat of a practice of mine recently to slow down, to pause, just for a moment, before entering prayer. I think there have been times at the start of class when the students have thought I’ve fallen asleep! But I have become persuaded that each of us, in the rush and busyness of life, must take care not to let routine be emptied of meaning. And it seems to me that discipleship must acknowledge this tension. We must learn the forms and patterns of life (how to ride, how to weld, how to lead, how to read the Bible, etc.), but we must not allow those forms to lose their significance.
Our students find themselves wrestling with this now. Over the last months they have continued to grow in competence and skill; however, without care, without reflection, without godly intentionality and watchfulness, they could also grow in boredom and complacency. Happily, the testimonies that our students share from month to month show evidence of their zeal to grow in spirit as well as in their knowledge and skill.
I’m very proud of these students for how they have wrestled this year with the demands that the Lord has placed on them as budding leaders within the church and the world. In a few short months, that growth will be tested during summer camp.
Please pray for our students this spring – that their progress in training would be matched by a sincere faith and eagerness for what the Lord is doing among them; and pray that our students (and our staff!) would remember, in the busyness of the coming months, to pause and to pray.
Daniel Stanley
Director, School of Discipleship
