Guy Chmieleski has served in campus ministry at four institutions of higher education associated with three different denominations (Baptist, United Methodist and Church of Christ). He recently blogged about pace of life, reminding everyone that today’s traditional college students have lived their whole lives in an instant culture. The only real change these young adults have experienced is fast has becoming faster. To help overcome this he proposes:
I think we need to re-introduce our young men and women of faith to the discipline of slow. Yes, I said discipline. I know, slow isn’t one of the traditional spiritual disciplines we oft hear talked about. But in our current age of “instant,” there’s nothing more counter to the culture . . .
We need to help our students to see the value in taking things slowly. In choosing to engage in the long, tedious work of character development. To make the kinds of choices that lead to growth and maturity. . . And we need to convince them that they can do it — even if no one else around them seems to be doing it.
So What?
As we approach Lent many people are thinking about spiritual disciplines and, more specifically, what discipline or practice to commit to during Lent.
- What would it look like for you to “go slow” this Lenten season?
- What would it look like if your youth and/or college ministry shared this emphasis during Lent (or for any one month of the year)?
- What are some practical ways that the discipline of slow can be included in the life of your congregation’s ministry to teenagers? to college students? to working adults of all ages? to retirees?