Experience

"Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep." John 21:16

We’re following hard after Christ—so what do we do about those around us? Jesus told Peter it means that we help others to follow Him, too—we “shepherd His sheep.” The Call knows the only way to learn to shepherd is to do it. Jesus sent the twelve out, then the seventy. He gave His disciples the chance to try what He had been teaching them. It’s no different now. In order for Christian leaders to truly discern God’s call, or to prepare for that call, they must be given the opportunity to lead ministry.

All participants in the Call are required to become active in the leadership of campus ministry through the Center of Religious Life.   Areas of the Religious Life Network available for involvement are:
                                                Alabaster (creative worship)
                                                Logos (biblical study)
                                                Sparks (prayer)
                                                Growth (discipleship)
                                                Isaiah Project (missions & service)
                                                Hope (community & small groups)
Additionally, Ashland University has a large and active chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes as well as a weekly student worship gathering called The Well. Participants in the Call are encouraged to make the most of every opportunity to experience ministry in any of these venues. Students should make the effort to experience increasing leadership responsibility in the Network through their junior year.

We believe significant growth occurs through short-term mission experiences. All participants in the Call are encouraged to go on at least one mission trip through the Isaiah Project branch of the Religious Life Network.

Because the focus and direction of the Call is ministry in the local church, a large part of the experiential component of the Call is an internship at a local church. Each participant will complete a semester internship at a local church, with the option of continuing the internship a second semester at that same church or changing to a different ministry environment. This allows students the opportunity to experience extended ministry or a variety of ministry contexts, and can be customized according to individual needs. The internship typically occurs the senior year in conjunction with their senior ministry project or thesis.

Key Elements:

Religious Life leadership
Short-term Missions
Local Church internship