Taking a Step Back

Our STINT team – those of us completing a 10-month internship with Agape (Crusade) – took a weekend to escape the “routine” and reflect on the year we’ve had.

We went to Ischia, which is an island off the coast of Naples. It was a beautiful place, though sadly we didn’t have much time to explore because we weren’t there for vacation.

Guided by some folks on staff in the States, we spent the weekend thinking about and discussing our experiences and growth in the following areas:

Relationship with the Lord
Relationships with our teammates
Learning and living in the Italian culture
Launching spiritual movements

I know that the weekend was only the starting point for my reflection, but here are some highlights that I’ve already realized:

God’s love is infinite, and it’s been poured into my heart through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). This is the case for everyone who has accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. Knowing this, am I allowing God to love others through me, or am I still trying to love people with my imperfect love? Am I allowing God to love me through other Christians?
I really value well-cast vision and a like-minded team that will run with me in pursuing the vision.
I appreciate Italy for all of its faults and beauties, and I’ll miss it when I leave in less than 3 weeks. One of the best lessons I’ve learned here is to get to know the people that I see regularly. Italians know, for example, that the woman who rings up their coffee has two kids named Giovanni and Silvia who are preparing for their exams. Italians know about the lives of the people that I’ve never taken the time to even say hi to. So, I eagerly await my return to the States because I’ve not only learned to slow down and take interest in people but I’ve also grown to appreciate that I’m returning to a country where most people are native speakers of the same language as me.
Launching spiritual movements isn’t easily broken down into a formula. Thank goodness. There is a particular truth that has stood out lately: God wants the Body of Christ to be unified. My role, whether I’m in vocational full-time ministry or not, is to point people to Jesus. That’s what all Christians are called to do. We all have the same commission, and we all follow the same God. We should focus more on the things that unite us instead of the small things that can cause disagreements and division. This is the beginning of effectively launching spiritual movements.