In its third year, MIT is a cooperative effort between campus
ministries in the Midwest and Heartland churches. Not only was a need
recognized to train future leaders, but so was a desire to facilitate
bonds of fellowship that would encourage the campuses now and serve as
lasting ties between our churches going forward. For its first year,
the program was divided into four weekend-long sessions. However, as
the students came from such a large geographical area (Illinois,
Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin), it
was decided that an extended summer program would better serve the
stated purpose. Last year's classroom training was held in Columbia,
Missouri and the mission work was done on campuses throughout
Mid-America.
This year's curriculum has been designed by Southland's evangelist,
Chris Zillman, and has been filled with much of everything but sleep.
The students are in the classroom every day from 9 to 5, and have been
taught a myriad of topics by many different teachers. A holistic
approach to ministry has been taken in choosing the wide-range of
subjects presented. These topics have included classes on the Synoptic
Gospels, biblical counseling, the Kingdom of God, being trained, women
in the ministry, a history of the evangelical movement and its
teachings, humility, creating a campus culture, spiritual formation and
others.
Not only are the students taught in the classroom, but they are also
active participants in teaching one another. Leading morning
devotionals and songs, role-playing in mock situations, and formal
debates on difficult biblical topics have pushed them to develop
leadership skills and hone their ability to think on their feet.
As full as the classroom schedule is, their days are far from over when
they leave. The students have been divided into five different teams,
and are held responsible for both individual and group tasks. Not only
do they have daily evangelism goals, but they also have service goals,
memory work, and essays. Each team has had to create a bible talk from
scratch, and has been responsible for finding a location, printing up
flyers, finding visitors, and creating the weekly discussions. They've
also been active in planning and participating in Southland's
congregational services, teen events, and campus devotionals.
When their time in Southland is over, most of the students will return
to their home churches and serve as interns in either campus or teen
ministries. Seven of them will spend the next three weeks in
Minneapolis, working alongside the church there to help further develop
its campus ministry. While some of the students have been financially
supported by their churches in order to attend, others have paid their
own way in order to participate. Families in Southland have opened up
their homes and their pantries so that the students would feel at home.
Although they have been pushed to do and think more than most students
desire on summer vacation, the MIT participants have done an
exceptional job with every expectation set out for them. Each one has
brought his or her unique strengths and skills to the program, and has
created a dynamic that has been incredibly fun, humble, and productive.
The levels of honesty and vulnerability they have interacted with have
allowed them to maximize this opportunity, and the fruits of this time
together will be felt in their churches. It has certainly been felt in
Southland, and we will miss them when they leave!
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Meegan Zillman
Southland Women's Ministry Leader