Division of Higher Education

Winter 2002-2003

Index:

President's Report, January 2003

Life in the Kalihari: What Namibia taught a DHE Leadership Fellow about being an American Christian

‘Leadership Harvest' recognizes six churches for developing young leaders

DHE Update

Campus News

Life in the Kalihari:
What Namibia taught a DHE Leadership Fellow about being an American Christian

"You're from America? You must keep your country from going to war." This, and comments similar to it, were a frequent occurrence during my semester studying abroad in Windhoek, Namibia, last fall. Every person I met seemed to have one piece of advice or another for our country, along with the firm belief that I could bring about their suggestion. I dreaded being identified as an American and prayed that I might pass for Canadian. When I received more benign comments about America, such as "Say hello to Oprah for me," I was incredibly relieved.

namibia1.jpg 306x290 Try as I might to escape comments about America, or even just American music and pop culture, I simply could not. It dawned on me just how powerful America is in the world outside our country, and that because I am American, it means I am powerful, too. "No," I'd tell myself, "I'm not really powerful, am I?"

Yet the signs of my power and privilege were all around me. I could buy a delicious, full meal in a restaurant for less than four dollars, while many Namibians would have to work a full day in order to afford such a feast. When I read the Namibian newspaper, there were always multiple stories about America. When I sat down to watch television, almost all of the programs were American. When I was thirsty, the only soft drinks I could buy were made by Coca-Cola. And on it goes...

The power of America is virtually unparalleled. Around the globe, we influence others through our wealth, our military and political power, and our media. Within America, my race (Caucasian) and class (upper-middle) put me near the top of society as well. I have no choice but to accept my global status as among the elite of the elite. And although there is a large part of me that wishes I did not belong to such a position, that longs to topple from the top of the pyramid, there is another part of me that has come to see it as an incredible opportunity to further the kingdom of God.

When I first journeyed to Namibia, I expected to find myself falling in love with mission work and called to a life abroad. Although I did encounter amazing people ministering in incredible ways abroad, I came to an unexpected realization: I could change the world without ever leaving America again. What happens in America has repercussions all over the world--changing the world is inextricably linked to changing America.

namibia2.jpg 306x243 Not only could I make a difference, I am also bound and responsible to the world through my Christian faith. For example, over ninety percent of Namibia is Christian. That means that the person who asked me for money on the street and the person who asked me to prevent war are not only people in needs and deeds, they are also my brothers and sisters in Christ. Beyond the Christian family, my relationship with God through Christ calls me to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our Lord. I cannot fulfill this call without understanding how my actions and my country affects the rest of the globe.

Where does this leave me? I am now working to create awareness of American and white privilege within my faith community through presentations and discussions. I am also organizing a community garage sale and a "Privilege Awareness Week" at my school, Pacific Lutheran University, in cooperation with faith-based groups on campus. I am also becoming more active in politics, especially in faith based movements that call for peace in the world and urge against war with Iraq. Namibia also broadened my understanding of white privilege and racial issues within the church in America, which I will be studying for my senior thesis. Most importantly, I am continuing to work towards greater understanding of the kind of justice God desires for the world, through both prayer and study.

Through all of this, I remain thankful for the support of the Division of Higher Education. Their financial support made my journey possible. In addition, their support has helped me to see myself as a leader and to serve God faithfully on campus and beyond. I pray all of us may find the support we need on our journey with God to follow in Christ's footsteps.

‘Leadership Harvest' recognizes six churches for developing young leaders

Six congregations have been recognized for their innovative approaches to develop their youth for leadership in the church as part of “Leadership Harvest,” a new program administered by the Division of Higher Education.

“Our church has an urgent need for young leaders, and Leadership Harvest was created as a way to gather the good ideas congregations have about leadership development and then share these programs so individual congregations can improve or start their own programs,” said Linda Plengemeier, DHE’s Vice President. “The entries we received demonstrate congregations are already putting a lot of thought into developing these programs.”

The six congregations provide a sample of the diverse approaches to leadership development.

East Side Christian Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma (average Sunday attendance: 199, youth participating in program: 12) emphasizes mentoring, discipleship, and hands-on learning with four guiding principles in mind: study, outreach, life, and service. The youth produce their own newsletter and elect officers.

First Christian Church of Fulton, Missouri (110/12) has developed the “Stickin’ With Jesus,” a program utilizing dowel rods, music, and dance to dramatize scripture and song. The program provides an opportunity for youth to perform at regional events and other churches.

First Christian Church of Salem, Oregon (452/20) held a two-day youth lock-in designed to introduce and implement skills in team building, service, leadership, and being a Christian role model. The lock-in involved both junior- and senior-high students. The church also has a youth leadership team requiring assistance in the church’s administrative duties, leading programming, coordinating service projects and special events.

First Christian Church of Salem, Virginia (215/25) has a four-pronged program emphasizing a summer internship, youth officers, mission trips, and participation in district, regional, and national youth events. The program exposed youth to other ministries in other parts of the country, which in turn helped them reflect on their own faith.

Northside Christian Church of St. Louis, Missouri (68/18) gets their youth involved by working at community oriented events, participating in worship, serving the church’s senior citizens through an after-church worship that also raised money for camp tuition, and traditional recreational activities.

Overland Park Christian Church of Overland Park, Kansas, (200+, 60) developed a cellgroup ministry that creates small, individual, focused groups geared to foster peer-to-peer ministry. The five individual cells vary in size between five and 18 members and are led by a senior high school student. Leaders are trained to identify spiritual gifts of their cell’s members. At the program’s core are prayer, edification, and evangelism.

The congregations recognized will each receive a $500 grant to be used for additional leadership development programs. Also, summaries of all leadership development programs gathered through the Leadership Harvest program will be available on the DHE web site at www.dhedisciples.org.

DHE Update

Bartonbelltower.jpg 202x398 Start looking for boxes. DHE will be moving this spring or summer. We are currently examining office space within a few miles of DHE’s current office in Maryland Heights, Missouri.