{"id":31769,"date":"2023-12-07T07:48:13","date_gmt":"2023-12-07T07:48:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/?post_type=conexion&p=31769"},"modified":"2023-12-18T13:58:41","modified_gmt":"2023-12-18T13:58:41","slug":"insights-into-ifes-stories-to-tell-a-vision-to-grasp-wisdom-to-share","status":"publish","type":"conexion","link":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/blog\/insights-into-ifes-stories-to-tell-a-vision-to-grasp-wisdom-to-share\/","title":{"rendered":"Insights into IFES: stories to tell, a vision to grasp, wisdom to share\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Where do you start when something is so good, you\u2019re stuck for words?  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Talking about IFES can sometimes feel like that. It\u2019s global. It\u2019s national. It\u2019s local. It\u2019s \u201cevangelicalism\u2019s most strategic global network \u2013 no other organization has such reach\u201d (Doug Birdsall, former Chair of the Lausanne Movement). With student groups active on the campuses of over 180 countries and territories around the world<\/a>, that\u2019s no exaggeration. But where do you start? How can you give substance to the local, national, and global?   <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

In this Conexi\u00f3n blog, we\u2019re showcasing three books published this year which may help you. There\u2019s a Bible-study devotional, an historical and theological consideration of student ministry, and a spiritual and practical guide to organizational governance. The content is varied, yet all three give vivid testimony to God\u2019s work through IFES. They will help you articulate your knowledge and understanding of IFES ministry. But there\u2019s more: they will also enrich your mind and soul. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

THE UNFINISHED STORY <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Are you looking for a devotional that goes beyond a pious \u2018thought for the day\u2019 and engages you more deeply with Scripture? Would you like accessible Bible study that is applied to and illustrated by student ministry? The Unfinished Story: Thirty Days in Luke and Acts<\/em><\/strong> by Dr David J \u2018Monty\u2019 Montgomery won\u2019t disappoint. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

It is \u2018the unfinished story\u2019 at various levels. Firstly, Monty offers commentary on selected passages in the Gospel of Luke and<\/em> the Acts of the Apostles (fifteen chapters\/days on each), recognizing that the story of Luke is continued in Acts \u2013 but not finished there. For, secondly, we are invited to see that Jesus\u2019 work continues in and through us, highlighted by prayers based on each passage and questions for reflection. And, thirdly, the commentary is permeated with \u2018student stories\u2019 that celebrate 75 years of IFES \u2013 an unfinished ministry that continues to grow. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

As a former minister in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and current IFES Regional Secretary for Europe<\/a>, Monty has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. But the content is not focused on him. There is, in fact, something distinctively IFES about his book: it is collaborative and global. Whilst the main commentary on Luke and Acts is authored by Monty, the student stories and daily prayers come from others around the IFES family. It feels particularly appropriate that Jamil, IFES Regional Secretary for Middle East and North Africa<\/a>, should write the prayer for Day 20: Mission & Martyrdom<\/em>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Overall, the book accomplishes a fine balance between biblical commentary and personal devotion, important principles and inspiring stories, bite-sized chunks of Bible text and deeper orientation on biblical context and wider themes. Each day concludes with An<\/em> Evening Psalm<\/em> that ties in with the day\u2019s topic, emphasizing the coherence of the whole of Scripture. In fact, the depth and modelling of Scripture engagement throughout is another way in which the book embodies<\/em> IFES values. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

If you\u2019re hungry for practical engagement with Scripture, you should also check out a small booklet of eight Bible studies entitled Exploring the Word and the World<\/em>. The resource, also published this year, was a collaborative work across three IFES teams: Scripture Engagement<\/strong>, Engaging the University<\/strong>, and the Logos and Cosmos Initiative<\/strong>. It\u2019s free and available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Monty\u2019s book will be an effective way to introduce people to the work of IFES. It\u2019s a devotional; you don\u2019t need to be interested in IFES or student ministry to want to read it. But by the end, it will be hard not to want to know more! As Walter Kim, President of the National Association of Evangelicals, recommends, \u201cinsiders and strangers alike will be blessed\u201d. 

Finally, Monty shares with us one more reason why it\u2019s an unfinished story: \u201cIf people find it helpful, it is a format I would like to replicate with other sections of Scripture\u201d. So, if you read it and like it, make sure you let him know.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

THE PRIESTHOOD OF ALL STUDENTS <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Do you think of yourself as a priest? How seriously do you take the priesthood of all believers<\/em>? That\u2019s the doctrine that because all believers in Christ share in his priestly status, there is no special class of people who mediate the knowledge, presence, and forgiveness of Christ to others; all believers are called to this role and have the authority to read, interpret, and apply the teachings of Scripture. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Dr Timoth\u00e9e Joset, in his book The Priesthood of All Students: Historical, Theological and Missiological Foundations of a Global University Ministry, <\/em><\/strong>shows how this theological conviction has undergirded and inspired IFES ministry throughout its existence \u2013 and is the best way to understand its mandate today.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

For many years, IFES used the slogan \u201cstudents reaching students\u201d and anyone who has been part of an IFES group will know that one distinctive of IFES ministry is student-led initiative. Indeed, this was Timoth\u00e9e\u2019s student experience as part of GBEU Switzerland<\/a>, SMD Germany<\/a> and IVCF Canada<\/a>. He notes, \u201cit was risky then, as it is today, to \u201clet\u201d students read the Bible amongst themselves without a pastor telling them what to believe\u201d. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Timoth\u00e9e\u2019s interest in the nature and ethos of IFES ministry grew and eventually blossomed into a PhD in Theology from the University of Durham, UK. By researching archival records and firsthand accounts, he conducted a comprehensive analysis of IFES history, theology, and missiology, leading to his proposed theological framework for student ministry. The book presents his research and conclusions, with much that will be of interest to those inside and outside IFES:  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n