Journal: John

One of the great things about being a staff member with Cru is that they are devoted to your development as a person and as a minister of the gospel.  One aspect of this is the classes we are required to take through their Institute of Biblical Studies (IBS).  This summer I was able to take two classes, Bible Study Methods and Introduction to Christian Theology, and currently I am taking an independent study class on New Testament Survey (NTS).  An assignment in this NTS class is to keep a weekly journal as we read through portions of every book of the New Testament.  Since this has to be done as a weekly thing, I decided what better place to journal about what I have read than my blogsite.  So, from now until the end of my class, I will be posting my thoughts and reactions to what I have read for the readings I do.  Hopefully this will be a great place for you to hear my heart and what God has been teaching me through His Word, as well as a piece of encouragement in your own life.  Thanks for continuing to journey with me.  Your comments are always welcomed!

Selected Reading: John, Chapters 3-9:

I want to specifically zero in on a passage in the selection I read.  It includes a verse most people have either heard or are familiar with, John 3:16.  However, I want to look more broadly at this verse in context of the passage it is found in, John 3:16-21.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."

This passage begins with the classic verse many are so familiar with.  It’s classic, yes, and it’s warm and fuzzy.  While this verse probably explains the good news about Jesus in one of the most beautifully concise ways I’ve seen, if we stop there we miss out on the fullness of the good news.  What do I mean by this?  Well, read on in the above passage again and see if you can’t pick it out.  Just in case you aren’t seeing it, let me go through it systematically.

So its clear that God’s love for us caused Him to give (sacrificially) his ONLY Son, Jesus Christ, so that if we might believe in him we could have eternal life (a forever relationship) with the God who loves us and created us and knows us completely, better than your best friend or your parents.  That’s incredible, right!?  It should be, but for some reason people in this world have this feeling that they are being condemned by Christianity, or Christians, or religion in general, so they stay away from something as great sounding as John 3:16.  It’s strange that the someone who is claiming no condemnation will come from him, but rather, in verse 17, that he has come so that the world might be saved, would not be taken up on this offer of eternal life and relationship with the One who knows us best and loves us perfectly.  If we feel condemned, and Jesus is not condemning us, then why do we feel such?

Ok, maybe it’s because there are a lot of people professing Christianity as their belief system who are being judgmental, or condemning, or legalistic, or hypocritical.  Sure, this happens all the time.  Is it ok? Well, no.  But that’s the problem and another part of the good news.  “Huh?  That seems like bad news, Mark.”  Exactly! The good news is that there is first bad news.  The good news is good because we ALL, as human beings, are in bad, bad shape.  “Oh no, you’re not talking about the whole sin thing, are you Mark?”  Well, yes, I guess that is exactly what I am talking about.  You see, we ARE all sinful.  We have all done something crappy to another person, or had selfish motives in some situation.  We can all admit to it…hopefully.  If not, denial ain’t just a river in Egypt you know (I believe credit for that one will have to go to my 3^rd grade social studies teacher). 

Let’s take a quick look at one meaning of sin.  Now I have learned this through another, but look it up and I think you will find this is true.  The word sin throughout points in history has been used as an archery term meaning you missed the mark.  The further an archer was from the bull’s eye, the more sin he had committed.  What does this mean in light of our lives?  You see God created humanity for a specific purpose.  Like an artist, He creates things with an idea in mind.  Like an artist makes specific brushstrokes for specific reasons, God creates each of us, even the intricacies of personality, talent, etc., for specific reasons.  That’s why when He finished creation He rested and said, “It is good.”  It was as if, at that time in history, if humanity were all archers, we were all perfect archers who hit the bull’s eye every time.

To be more brief, I won’t go into the story of Genesis (you can pick up the Bible and start from the beginning and read it for yourself.  It will be good for you).  However, in the story, it talks about how the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, were deceived, yet at the same time made a conscious decision to disobey God.  And so sin entered the world, for this was the first time that God’s earth creation had gone against His intentions.  At that moment, we all became terrible archers who were incapable of hitting the bull’s eye.  From generation to generation, it’s like a contagious sickness that has plagued humanity for the rest of history.  Even the historical King David said in the Psalms that “he was sinful from birth”.  David realized that this wasn’t merely a condition he had gotten himself into through the decisions he had consciously made, but that from the very first breath he had taken, he had been full of sin. 

This is all of us.  From birth, we are in bad shape and in total need of someone to help and save us.  This is the “light” in which we should read John 3:16, and the Bible as a whole, for that matter.   This is the full gospel, that we are condemned apart from Christ.  We are not condemned because of him, or because of some mere man passing judgment on us, or because of some man-made religion that tries to impede on our freedom.  No, it’s because we have missed the mark, and from birth at that!  We stand self-condemned, not condemned by others.  And because of this we are at the mercy of God.  He has extended His hand in love through Jesus Christ, and He has given instruction through Jesus as to how this problem is solved.  However, we have a choice (again, because He loves us so and desires that we would choose Him back), to reject the sin in which we live and chose life in God.  It is God’s wrath for He will not tolerate sin, or God’s love for He passionately desires for you to know Him.  The full gospel, in the paraphrased words (which I will most likely butcher) of Timothy Keller, is that “we are more wretchedly sinful than we ever could imagine, but more passionately loved than we ever dared to believe.”  

 I invite you to personally respond to this in the way that is appropriate to you.  Thanks for reading.

Coincidence?

As I sit in a Caribou, spending some time reading, reflecting, and praying, I can’t help but start to see how connected things have been in my life lately.  I guess I can’t help it because it’s part of who I am, according to Strengthfinders (a book and a test to find out potential strengths you have…connectedness is one of mine).  It is really crazy how so many times in life things just seem to connect; our circumstances, thoughts, what we read, what we are exposed to, what the people around us are going through.  For the most part, people would tend to call these things and circumstances “coincidences.” We like to say and think that somehow, someway things just line up for a bigger purpose and meaning in our lives sometimes.  Over the last few years, however, I have begun to realize that these things really aren’t coincidences at all.  As I focus in more and realize more the things that are going on in my life and around me, I have realized that these are intricately orchestrated things that are occurring; circumstances with purpose, as if someone is putting me in certain situations, moving me to read certain material, and interact with certain people to teach me something, or to point me in a specific direction in life.  Let me try to explain as I think about the past month of my life or so.

                

 This summer I spent 6 weeks in Fort Collins, CO at something called New Staff Training as I joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru).  This was a great time as I met people who were heading in the same direction as I, as I learned more about the Bible and Christian Theology, and as I received clarification and familiarity with the organization I was joining staff with.  I will forever have fond memories of this summer.

                

 However, upon returning to my hometown of Spring Valley, WI, it was a bit of a rough transition, to say the least.  The two weeks immediately after returning home proved to be like a rollercoaster.  I was up, and then I was down.  My emotions ranged from excited to move in one direction, to depression of not knowing what I was doing, to being passive and wanting to live a lazy life, to the joy of spending time with friends and family whom I dearly love.  To say the least, I was confused.  I became unsure of my calling into full-time ministry with Cru, and became worried about the future and how I would make it on a missionary’s salary.  This time was a very self-reflective, God-seeking, call-refining time for me.  Although it wasn’t pretty and was at times despairing, I was brought back to the simple and profound truth of trusting in God.  I was brought to Jeremiah 17:5-8 as I have been reading through the Bible in a year.  This was the right passage, at the right time (one of the first God things that I recognized of this past month).  Here is what Jeremiah says:

  

⁵Thus says the LORD:"Cursed is the man who trusts in man
   and makes flesh his strength,

   whose heart turns away from the LORD.
⁶ He is like a shrub in the desert,
    and shall not see any good come.
He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,
   in an uninhabited salt land.

 ⁷ "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
    whose trust is the LORD.
⁸ He is like a tree planted by water,
   that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
   for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
   for it does not cease to bear fruit."

You see, I realized I was putting my trust in the things of man (myself, money, a job, others, etc.) and my life was characterized by fear and anxiety in the midst of some heat in my life.  It was clear I was like a shrub in a desert and not a tree planted by water.  My eyes were redirected back to God through this timely passage, and as I thought through my circumstances and prayed, it was clear that God was definitely calling me into campus ministry.  I was once again excited for not just the idea of being on campus working with students, but even the support raising process and the opportunity I would have to share what God has been doing in the live’s of students, as well as my own.

Another aspect of that passage that I have been pondering over is the idea of my roots being sent out deep into a life-giving stream.  What does it look like for me to withstand the heat and even drought of support-raising and, more broadly, life?  The other day I decided to rent a couple of movies.  Now one was relatively insignificant other than it was entertaining.  But the other, the other was like gold for my soul.  “Of Gods and Men” is a French movie on a group of Christian monks from France living amongst a Muslim people.  In this movie, an extremist group enters into the story, killing people around them and taking as they please from the poor community they have infiltrated.

What was most interesting in this movie, to me, were a couple of things. The first thing was how these monks lived amongst, served, and loved these people who were clearly following a different set of beliefs and way of life and yet spoke of Christ as Savior openly, confidently, and clearly.  There was a clear mutual love going on, and these Muslim people, referring to themselves as birds, referred to these monks as their branch, and that if they left in the face of these extremists, the community would lose its footing and fall.  Even in the midst of terrorism and cultural/ethnic/religious differences, these Muslim people recognized these devoted Christian men as the foundation of their community.  Not sure how that works, but it did, as this is a true story.   

The second thing that was interesting to me was how devoted these men were to God and to each other.  All around, their love was mind boggling.  They devoted themselves to prayer and seeking the profound truths of God.  I have been researching monasticism (the art of being a monk), not so much because I would like to be a monk, but because I think there is a lot for me to learn about prayer and seeking God through His Word.  I am intrigued and wish to “send my roots out into the water”.  I think these monks have something to say about the idea of the Jeremiah passage that we all can learn.  I highly recommend the movie.

With all that said, it’s just interesting how, without knowing anything about the movie before watching it, it would fit right along with what I had been thinking about lately and how I had been impacted by the passage from the Bible I was.  They are connected for sure.

Now just today, as I have been contemplating further and attempting to send my roots deep into the water, I was reading in a men’s devotional about Uriah in 2 Samuel 11:8-13.  As David tried to lure him away from his duties to cover up his own sin, Uriah stood firm in knowing what his duties were. He was devoted to his men and to God, so he would not move, even when comfort was granted to him.  This speaks volumes to me, as I look to fully devote and consecrate my life to God (in a way, as the monks did, but also as Uriah did), and as I have doubted my call and have now been affirmed in it in many ways, I must stand my ground as Uriah did, even in the midst of being tempted with the comfort of a change of direction.  I know my duties, and I will not be thrown off.  This reminds me of another passage, Hebrews 12:1-3:

¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

 ³ Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

My prayer today, for you and for me, is that our roots would go deep into the Living Water, and like a sturdy oak, withstand the droughts, heat waves, and storms of life, standing firm as Uriah did, and as Christ does, that we would do as the author of Hebrews urges us to do, keep focused on the main thing, which is Christ, as we fulfill the purposes for which we were created, and that we would recognize more and more God's purposes in the things of life, and not write them off as mere coincidence or random happenings in our lives.  

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Be blessed by His Presence today!

Destination: Twin Cities

Just to update on where I am at in life and ministry, I thought I would write this post today.  As I sit in a coffee shop in La Crosse, I am in the midst of what I am calling a "transition phase."  This transition phase is taking place as I have moved out of La Crosse, WI to my hometown of Spring Valley, WI. 

"Why are you in La Crosse on a Monday?" you might ask.  I have been in the midst of meeting with previous and current ministry partners who are on my ministry team.  This is a time to update them on ministry, life, where I am going next, and how they can continue to be a part of all of that as I make the move to Minneapolis/St. Paul (Twin Cities) in Minnesota to continue full-time work ministering to college students in the surrounding metro area.  This week I am in La Crosse meeting with some of these great people who have decided to come alongside me prayerfully and/or financially to reach college students for Christ.  It's such a blessing to be able to catch up with these wonderful people. It's really one of my favorite parts of my job!

If you'd like to hear more about my ministry, I would love to meet with you.  Just shoot me an email @ mark.ducklow@uscm.org

You might be wondering some facts about the Twin Cities and their campuses.  Let me end this post with a few facts that will help paint a picture of what's going on there currently:

•  Approximately 200,000 students on 27 campuses
• Team includes 20 staff and 8 volunteers ministering on 14 campuses
• 110 students giving leadership on campus
• 600 involved students around the metro
• Metro and regional annual events: Fall Retreat, TCX (Winter Conference), Spring Break ministry, Life Options (Junior/Senior Conference), Summer Projects (Stateside and International)
• Sending locations: Uruguay, Ghana, Australia, East Asia, Middle East, France
• Contextualized ministries: IMPACT (African-American), EPIC (Asian-American), BRIDGES (International students), VALOR (ROTC cadets), Athletes in Action (Student athletes)
• Partnering with local churches and organizations to reach every student

I am very excited to get to Minneapolis as soon as possible and to begin working alongside a great team of people who are trusting God for much on the campuses of the Twin Cities Metro.

"All of God....for all the Metro....to all the World!"

Welcome to my new blogsite!

Hello!

Welcome to my new blogsite! The hope I have with this site is that it will be a place where we can "cross" paths as I write about life, personal thoughts, faith, and whatever else might come up.  This will primarily be a place to update you on the ministry I am involved in through the Campus Ministry of Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ).  I will upload photos, videos, stories, prayer requests, praises, articles, and others' thoughts as well.  I hope you will be encouraged by this blog and that you will visit often to see what God is up to in my life and the lives of those I rub shoulders with throughout this incredible journey we call life! Thanks for visiting!