#ReflectCampusMissions - Failing Forward

“Failing forward.”

That’s the phrase that David Watson uses to describe the first couple years of starting a disciple-making movement. I heard that phrase about halfway through my first semester of full-time mission work here at The University of Oklahoma (BOOMER!), and man… let me tell you, it was such a relief to know that even the discipleship veterans recognize the difficulties in getting movement started.

But why is it such a universal experience? Why does disciple-making take time to take off? What if the answer to this question is actually the reason why Kingdom-focused discipleship is so needed and so effective?

Let me start by telling you about Ahmad. Ahmad came to OU to do PhD research in machine learning and data science. We got to know Ahmad because of an organization here on campus called Friends to International Students (FIS) which partners American families as host families with international students during their time here.

From day one we were able to connect deeply with Ahmad, who at the time, was really struggling to get connected with other Americans. We were able to get him connected with a discussion group that we host every Sunday night for dinner. Ahmad asked me to read a book by Viktor Frankl about finding meaning in suffering. We started having deeply meaningful and spiritual conversations each week in our Outreach Center coffee shop and on car rides to and from our discussion groups.

A few weeks ago he asked me if he could join us at our church - he had never been to one. He even brought another Iranian friend who, like him, was really wanting to make connections with other Americans. Soon after, we had our first Discovery Bible Study. It was able to naturally transition from a spiritual conversation we were having that day. Our experiences with Ahmad this semester have really embodied everything that this type of mission is about - Relationship.

Relationships take time to form. Relationships must be allowed the freedom to develop deep roots which allow for deeply meaningful and spiritual conversations to develop. Our relationship with Ahmad moved faster than most, and while I know that we are already having deep conversations I also know that over the four years that he will be studying here God will be working to deepen this relationship and use it to move beyond Ahmad himself to reach other international students who are searching for community and belonging.

Kingdom movement starts slow. But just like the mustard seed, one day those relationships will become a tree where all people can make their nest in its branches.