After moving to North Carolina to attend Excel College (formerly CreatEd Institute) I really had no idea what I wanted to do or what I wanted to pursue after graduation. I came to Excel to gain experience living on my own or should I say away from home, to build relationships, and to gain a liberal arts education. Excel College is all about producing wise, responsible, and mature young adults. I knew there had to be something more to college than simply four years that culminate in a degree and a search for the perfect job. The whole reason I did not enroll in higher education was for the simple reason that I lacked a vision. I knew God had something for me, but going into extreme debt to study something that sounded interesting made me hit the brakes. But a school that was person centered seemed like a pretty good bet. I like good bets.
So how did I get from going to this school to deciding to take almost a year of my life that could be spent improving my economic condition or pursuing further education to travel the world in pursuit of the Lord? The short answer is God, the long answer is well, long. As my time at Excel has moved forward, we have worked our way through a collection of modules ordered strategically to enable the student to draw from prior courses while delving into new material. The first semester began with Critical Thinking, Theology, and Philosophy. It is important to note here that Excel differs from other higher education programs when it comes to campus life. At Excel, one lives in a tight-knit, intimate Christian community. The people you go to class with are the same ones you live with. The student to faculty ratio is small enough to foster numerous opportunities for mentorship and discipleship. The cohort model in which you engage in one subject at a time for a 5–6 week period allows students thinking to be challenged and provides a higher degree of focus in that subject as your attention is not divided amongst multiple classes with copious amounts of coursework on the side. Classes are not lecture driven, but learning is achieved through the socratic method that forces one to actually reckon with new concepts and ideas being presented to them. In the second semester we faced the less personal courses of Biology, Physics, and Mathematics. Throughout all these courses you can appreciate more and more the difference of opinions and diversity of thought in your peers. As we moved into the Anthropos semester we began studying Anthropology. In this module we discussed the four main themes: the dignity, deformity, deliverance, and destiny of man. A key topic of discussion was flourishing. What does it mean for man to flourish? From a paper that I wrote on individual flourishing, “Identity must be rooted in the concreteness of what we were created to be, not who we think we are or seek to make ourselves. A strong foundation for identity produces a love and excitement for the purpose laid out for us by God.” Though this is just scratching the surface of what flourishing as individuals looks like, it is the main takeaway I got from Anthropology. Perhaps I will post my entire paper from the Anthropos Term for those interested in getting a clearer picture of the gravity of this subject. Anyway, the point in all this is that as I’ve begun to root my identity more and more in things eternal, God has graciously given me a glimpse of what his purpose for me is. Now when I say the words, “God’s purpose for my life,” typically the first thing one thinks of is a vocation. However, it is easy to put God in a box and think that what we must find our calling and that this is necessarily tied to our field of work. Obviously, God can and does work through us in whatever vocation we occupy, but I believe his ways are greater than this. The pressure to find “my calling” can leave us feeling empty when our vocation might not be and frequently isn’t something all too exciting (by the worlds definition that is). Now this is no excuse to live lackadaisically and have no goals or ambition. Humans were made with different dreams, goals, desires, etc. The challenge is to balance our unique qualities and aspects and harness them to build God’s kingdom and not our own kingdoms.
Hopefully, I have not lost you entirely at this point. I promise we are getting close. As I’ve grown up and been involved in different social settings I have often found myself as one that people can tend to look up to (literally as well). Trust me, I do not write this in praise of myself, but simply as what I have experienced. Now, I certainly have not always stewarded this gift of leadership well. I can recall times where I certainly failed to lead others well as I was unaware of the true impact my actions carried. Even as I came to Excel College I was decently unaware of influence that I held. Someone literally had to tell me that I needed to “wake up” and live in accordance with this gift given to me. I can only thank God and said persons obedience in speaking this over me.
Months later, while reading through Anointed to Reign with some men on campus the topic of ministry was discussed. Dr. Ronald Cottle says, “Ministry is servanthood.” His idea of leadership points back to Christ and his servant leadership. In Matthew 20:26-28 he writes, “Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Following the call of leadership means I must first learn how to make myself the least and serve in the lowest of positions to be ready to step up and lead when the time comes. Therefore, I am going on the world race. It is going to be a time filled with opportunities to serve and a year that I could easily justify doing just about anything else. But I believe pursuing leadership means taking this opportunity to prepare for ministry throughout my entire life.
Finally, I want to invite you into partnership with me on this journey. I am personally investing in this and am willing to put forward whatever is needed to make this next year possible. However, ministry is not meant to be a one-man job. I am writing to ask for your financial and prayer partnership. I know God is going to work amazing things through me and my squad this year for his kingdom, but also equally beautiful things through those who are able and willing to commit what they steward. In James 5:16 he writes, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” I pray if you are moved by the Lord that you will take action and I am excited to continue to share what He is doing in my life over this next year.
