About 10 years ago this coming Fall some friends of mine and I started a student-led worship service at Albion College.  Simply called "Chapel" it was a chance on Wednesday evenings for students to come together with other Christians, with other students who wouldn't have called themselves that, and various other guest and neighbors for music, prayer, scripture, and a message.

I was reminded of this upcoming decade mark when a current student at Albion called me up to ask about a particular event in the life of Chapel and other Christian groups on campus, when some division between the groups took place over the issue of sexual orientation amongst leaders of the groups.  Check out the podcast for more of the conversation about how the story of that event has been replayed, rehearsed, and a bit mythified over the years.

But what really strikes me about the last ten years was not the severity of that controversy, but is rather the maturity and Spirit-filled community that current students at Albion seem to be reconstructing.  With an "intentional living" community house, a council of Christian leaders, and an increase in shared times of worship and prayer students have begun the process of healing and are modeling a much healthier body of Christ for the rest of campus to see.

Too often I think we as Christians live up to the self-righteous parodies of our faith portrayed by the likes of Stephen Colbert (a show I do watch and enjoy religiously, no pun intended).  But the students living out the Christian life at Albion are pushing back against those stereotypes in ways that inspire me.

Please register and comment below if you have been a part of the Christian life at Albion or other schools.  How did you handle disagreements when you were there?  What would you do differently now that you look back on those moments?  How do disagreements on non-essentials get in the way of provocative statements like these that we seek to live by?

We recognize the power of God in the gifts of young people and nurture their growth as leaders for the church and the world.  We claim solidarity with the poor and partnership with the rich in building communities overflowing with the healing love of Christ.  We see the City of Detroit and it's surrounding communities as a fertile field for the perfecting work of the Holy Spirit.

Seeking truthiness,
Carl