Systematized Spontaneity

Yesterday I had lunch with a good friend of mine from seminary. He's serving with the Navigators in Eugene, Oregon, on the campus of Oregon University. If you're not familiar with Eugene, it's a pretty tough place to be a believer. Eugene where all the angry hippies went after the 70s were over. It's a socially liberal town, and socially liberal campus. It's the only town I know of where it is legal to walk around town nude. In fact, according to Stowe, from time to time students will attend class nude. 

Where was Eugene when I was making my college decision? 

I had a blast talking to Stowe about what God is doing in their ministry in Oregon. I was particularly fascinated by the system they're using for outreach. They've developed a system that fosters spontaneity, which is pretty cool. 

Systems and spontaneity create a tension in most ministries. If your ministry is too systematized, you end up with a cold, lifeless church. If your ministry is too spontaneous, you end up with chaos. The best ministries include systems that foster spontaneity, and figure out a way to live in the tension. 

Stowe's outreach plan at the University of Oregon includes systematized plans to spontaneously meet students. He has a system that allows him to make spontaneous contact with students, engage them in conversation, and share the Gospel, and God is at work. Keep your eye on the University of Oregon. It wouldn't shock me at all to hear about a spiritual awakening on the campus. And, if you're looking for a ministry to get excited about financially, Stowe's would be a good one. You can give online to what he's doing by clicking here. 

It's exciting when I see people I know doing great things in tough situations. They give me confidence that God can use me too!