Transcript of Podcast by Multiply Network
Created to champion church multiplication, provide learning and inspire new disciple-
making communities across Canada
2019 – Jordan Cameron
Paul Fraser: Well, we are super excited to have Jordan Cameron. She’s leading a campus church at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Jordan Cameron, welcome to Take 5!
Jordan Cameron: Thank you for having me.
Q. It’s so great to have you here. For those who don’t know what a campus church looks like, could you just share what you guys do with Evensong?
A. Absolutely. There’s all kinds of different footprints that we can have on campuses but what Evensong looks like is we are on campus every week in some form on Sunday nights. So one week we will bring all kinds of stuff down to the campus and put on basically a church service for students, by students. It looks pretty much ---
Music is vital to connections is what we always say so there is an element of worshipping God through music, hearing what he has to say to us through his word and connecting with others and him. And then on the next week we’ll do small groups. We split up into small groups around the campus and meet like that and then it just goes back and forth on that rotation.
Q. That’s so great. How does it work as it relates to like getting the word out? Is it a campus group? You said it is led by students. How do you get people there?
A. Evensong is a church-based campus youth ministry so we’re sent out by Faith City Church in Halifax, so we’re not actually a campus group or a club. We just rent space there. I also serve as the Coordinating Chaplain at Dal’s Multi-Faith services so I’m lucky there. We have a footprint on campus. We can rent some space at a decent cost. We go on campus that way and we just kind of plaster the university with posters, interact with students in different ways, have conversations with them, Facebook, social media, all the things.
Q. Amazing. And that’s another thing. You do more than one thing there.
Why don’t you tell us a little bit about some of the struggles? You bump into students every day. You said you are doing chaplaincy. What are some of the struggles that you are facing, that you are hearing, that are happening at our colleges and universities?
A. I would say a huge one right now is there’s a mental health crisis on campuses all across Canada, just meeting students at a point of desperation. There’s tons of students looking for help and, you know, a lot of students are actually pretty open to talking about spiritual things and listening to other people’s beliefs and what they believe and where they find their hope. So that’s one huge thing, just recognizing that there’s a mental health crisis and showing people that we serve a Christ who can walk you through that.
Q. Yes. So there’s lots of disciple issues; obviously mental illness is one of them. I would agree with the mental health crisis. We’re seeing it happen with teenagers and even younger.
As it relates to discipleship Jesus didn’t tell us to go into all the world and make crowds, he told us to make disciples. How does that work in a campus church? How does that work through Evensong?
A. I think one of the main things of course is building a community so, you know, it’s not good for us to be alone.
Q. Right.
A. The most significant thing we see in emerging adulthood as they kind of are recognizing and claiming their own faith, is getting connected to a community of faith as they renegotiate their adult identity and their faith. That’s one of the biggest things, just creating a community where people can come and gather with others. And then also just not being afraid to put people into leadership and serve and really call out their gifts. It’s amazing the gifts people have on their lives and letting them know like there’s an opportunity to use them, they are God-given, God is working on you. You’ve got to work through that and we’re going to give you an opportunity to use those.
Q. Sometimes we think people have to be at a certain place to serve and you’ve got to have faith figured out, you’ve got to have maturity, and for some of the aspects of ministry that is true. But I really like that idea of involving people early.
A. Um-hmm. We are totally afraid of failure and allowing people to fail. But I think that is just the biggest accomplishment in ministry if you give an opportunity for someone to fail. Maybe they will and they will work past it and realize okay, I can do this. I failed but I still have the support and trust of my leaders. Let’s keep going.
Q. You are creating a safe place for people to try things and help them to discover. That’s a great thought, really really helpful.
So just as we’re winding down, campuses, colleges and universities are shaping culture, shaping the future. Obviously you are very passionate about it. But give us your sixty-second pitch on why should we be on campuses.
A. I think a lot of people on campuses ---
They are kind of afraid of campus ministry because, you know, it’s the two- to four-year turnover but I think that’s the greatest thing about campus ministry is just seeing these students when they are in a new community trying to figure things out and discipling during that time that when they go into their adult context they have already had an opportunity to kind of flourish in the God-given gifts he has given them. So just seizing that opportunity and the precious sweet spot in the middle of emerging adulthood.
Q. Amazing. Thanks Jordan so much for jumping on today.
A. Thank you!
--- End of Recording.
