Parachurch ministries, by definition, have an interesting relationship with the "church." Are we helping, supporting, and challenging, or rebelling, isolating, and criticizing? Campus ministry in particular has a historic propensity to build alternative realities disconnected from local churches.
This was driven home (for me) this spring when some of our team had the opportunity to meet with several other campus ministry leaders, many of whom have been in the city for a long time. The gathering was highly encouraging as we were able to hear about God's work all over the city, to learn from one another, and to share the ups and downs of ministering to students in an environment like Boston.
One thing stood out though as being far outside of our experience. To a person the other staffers voiced frustration in their relationship to the local church. They shared experiences of losing leaders and expressed difficulty in figuring out how to navigate any semblance of partnership.
Which are struggles we have not had due to our relationship with Reunion (and the ones we are growing with North and SouthPointe in Providence). We gain a lot from our partnership with Reunion, for sure, but ultimately the beauty of partnership is that students grow in discipleship in the context of a multi-generational, multi-ethnic, vibrant, missional-minded church environment. When(if) they leave they do so knowing how to function in a church, valuing church involvement and service within a body, and with the skills to help lead the church in significant ways. They leave knowing the church is a place for them!
I believe we are helping to grow future church leaders, and that, among many other reasons, is why we do church.
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