Your heartbeat. It maintains life. It provides blood flow to every part of you, so that the body works properly. You would never question your heartbeat. You’d never wish for your heart to take a break for a little while. You’d never feel that your heartbeat is distracting or annoying. You’d never do that, because your heartbeat is essential for survival. But I fear that we occasionally question our heartbeat at CIU.
I believe that our heartbeat at CIU is Missions. Our vision is for everyone from every nation, language, and culture to know Christ and to make Him known. In our classes and chapels, we do everything we can to cause people’s hearts to bleed for Missions. Former and current missionaries passionately teach in chapels and classes. We’ll pray for missionaries and lost people groups overseas that have never heard the Gospel. We’ll have chapels soaked in international worship styles during our annual World Christian Week.
Yet, students get upset. We sometimes feel like CIU puts missionaries on a pedestal. Students feel rejected, if they’ve been called to serve in America in the ministry or marketplace. We may complain about Black History Week, like some did this past week. We may complain that it’s “not our fault that we’re white.” But these people miss the point. We must remove any blocked artery that would prevent blood from flowing to the rest of CIU’s body. We must remove the blocked arteries of prejudice, apathy, fear, and inconsistent intercessory prayer that prevent our vision from becoming a reality.
The moment we stop caring about Missions. The moment we are apathetic about spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. The second that happens: CIU will die. That’s so easy to do in our lives that are overflowing with stress and problems. It’s easier for us to focus on getting ourselves through today, than it is to concentrate on getting lost people to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. That’s why I’m so thankful that the leaders of CIU recognize the importance of Missions. Whoever we are, whatever we’ve been called to, we must continue to pray and give to Missions. We must follow God’s lead if he’s called us to Missions overseas. We can’t question the heartbeat that keeps CIU alive.
-Aaron Sobey