Vol. V, Iss. 1 - January 2007
The latest from Student Leadership University

Christianity and Culture: Heaven in the Here and Now
 

This past week I attended the funeral of one of the great friends to Student Leadership University, Rick Goad, who died of cancer at the young age of forty-three. He was one of the family members that helped found and lead Goad International, a ministry dedicated to disaster relief, inner city evangelism and sharing the gospel to all who would listen. While sitting in the service, I was bombarded by a multitude of emotions as I listened to testimony after testimony that spoke of Rick as a man of faith and great optimism. He is in heaven now, for “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” While that may sound trite to a few, it is nevertheless true and serves to offer some comfort.  Why? Because it speaks to the idea of hope, hope that is not birthed out of an emotion of fear or uncertainty or weakness, but rather hope that finds both its beginning and its end in the idea that one day I will stand face to face before Jesus, and in that moment, I will know more than I could ever on this side of things, that this is true. So this month we will pause, as we should on a regular basis, and take a few moments as leaders to turn our attention to the ultimate long look. What follows next are observations, some practical, some philosophical and some theological, that I have gathered throughout the last few years on heaven. Below are truths to remember and use when dealing with others or when experiencing loss yourself. Remember them well for they are true and because they are true, they give us hope.

-Heaven is a future destination but eternal life is a present reality.
And this is eternal life that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.  John 17:3     Ian Thomas teaches in his great book, The Indwelling Life of Christ, that Jesus Christ and eternal life are synonymous terms. While heaven is a destination to which we will one day arrive, it is not the beginning of eternal life. Eternal life is here and now, it is that I am loved and have responded to His love and now find myself in the most secure and confident place one could ever be - in Christ.

-Heaven is a choice, but so is Hell
One of my favorite characters in all of history is the great C.S. Lewis, a man whose intellect at times seemed to know no bounds. He had studied a variety of spiritual things and at a certain point in his journey became a theist calling himself “the most reluctant convert in all of England." Yet, at this point, he still did not know Jesus. One cool evening, after hours of discussion and conversation far beyond my minds capacity, Lewis’ great friend and colleague Tolkien, asked him the question, why don’t you believe? Some two weeks later, Lewis gave his life to Jesus and would later pen these words in his book on heaven called The Great Divorce.
There are only two kinds of people in the end:  those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, “In the end, thy will be done.”  All that are in hell choose it.  Without that self-choice there could be no hell.  No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it.  Those who seek find.  Those who knock it is opened.

-A Heavenly perspective is the ultimate when it comes to seeing the big picture
Even if you were in a deep coma during all of the 101 sessions, you probably still walked away with this great leadership principle- the future belongs to those who are prepared.  Each year when I teach thousands of students to see beyond today, to see the big picture and to live forward thinking, I hope my motivation is that I have been convinced in the very depths of my being that heaven exists and that I will one day spend eternity there. To see the big picture now in this life is to realize that heaven is always just a breath away and whether I arrive tomorrow or in a hundred years, life is always to be understood as just a vapor. The truth that heaven is the ultimate reality causes me to capture the moments of life now in honor of one day. Lewis may have said it best when he said, “all that is fully real is Heavenly."

-Heaven is a place for which all people were created
For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things (that includes people) were created through Him and for Him.  Colossians 1:16
In my time, I, along with you I am sure, have known people who have died. I remember when my fishing buddy died. I remember when my grandfather died. I remember when church members died and when my classmates died. I’ve even known a few people who would be considered famous among evangelicals who have died. Whether young or old, known or unknown, all were purposed, all were created for Jesus by Him, through Him, and for Him. This may not offer a great deal of comfort when traveling thought the storm of loss, but it is true, and since it is true, it must offer hope. It is not that one day we may be reunited with our loved ones but that one day we may worship beside them, kneeling before the Famous One. Heaven is a place prepared for a people who are prepared. For me, tragedy can be defined as follows: To have been created and purposed for something but to have failed to prepare and thus missed what could have been.

So let me conclude in this manner: trite or cute slogans will not offer lasting comfort but God has promised to send the Comforter. As Dr. John Maxwell said at Rick Goad's funeral, “We see through the glass darkly.”  If you spend your time searching for the answer to all the questions that begin with the word “why,” you will find yourself falling down a slippery slope from which it is hard to return. But if you know Jesus, if you truly know Jesus and are in Christ, “you may not be able to trace His hand but you can always trust His heart."  Charles H. Spurgeon

Everyone seems to have their own opinion and image of "heaven" derived from imagination, culture, media representation, and religious background. Take a look at our articles this month to see a wide representation of thoughts on heaven - many people love to talk about the subject a great deal! Why does it hold the attention of so many people from various backgrounds and beliefs? From a Christian perspective, it sets the finitude of our world in relief, and it provides a hope grounded in the power of Christ's resurrection. One of the worst experiences of finite existence concerns loss. Whether we lose a parent, friend, relative, or a pet, we hope to be reunited with them again after this life. Heaven provides such a context and allows us to live our lives in hope and in anticipation.

However, the heaven that we wait for is not the only sense of heaven that Christ came to deliver. Sure, it's something that provides hope for the then and later, but it also equips us with perspective for the here and now. When Christ came to usher in the kingdom of heaven, he came to set an example for us of freedom and liberation. He healed the sick, brought sight to the blind, and touched lepers so that they were healed. In Christ is the intersection of heaven and earth - not only then and later, but here and now as well. Yes, ultimately, we will have to wait, but there's also the perspective of the present existence as part of heaven as well. Christian leaders must carry a sense of responsibility as part of discipleship that also seeks to usher in the kingdom of heaven. We must bring people hope, we must be part of the healing process, and we must work to give people heaven in the here and now. Our Student Feature below provides an excellent example of a way in which one of our SLU alums is doing just that. Instead of just waiting for heaven, let's participate in it now as we work to give others the hope of eternity.

SLU taught me many lessons about being a leader, and these lessons really helped me last summer when I organized and led a mission team to Zambia, Africa. One of the greatest lessons that I learned at SLU is that you will be the most successful when you help other people become successful. Some people achieve fame and the veneer of success, but are dissatisfied. If they stopped focusing on themselves and put their energy into helping someone else, then they would know true success.

Originally a missionary kid from Zambia, I have been exposed to other cultures and have a different view of the world than the average North American. My parents are full time Christian aid workers who rescue orphans and street kids in Africa and other developing countries whose parents have died from the widespread AIDS pandemic. My dad is the Canadian Director of Kids Alive International - a non-profit Christian organization that brings Jesus to orphans and street kids by building homes, schools, and day programs. When my team went to Africa last summer, we did various work projects and kids programs in the Kids Alive ministries. It was during this time that some SLU principles really hit home for me. Lessons about perseverance, passion, seeing the big picture, and not letting failure stop you. But the most relevant lesson learned is that you will be most successful when you help other people to become successful. Lasting satisfaction comes from serving others, especially the poor. SLU also taught me that I could be successful right where I am, within the circumstances that I live. One way I'm doing this is by being involved with Kids Alive not just overseas, but in my own community.

We've started a youth wing of Kids Alive called Teens Saving Lives. The mission statement of TSL is: "to make God famous by developing the leadership skills of our members in order to serve the less fortunate in our community and our world." We are a group of teens that have a passion to serve our Savior, Jesus Christ, by using the gifts he has given us to make a difference in our world. We do fundraising to support Kids Alive ministries as well as public speaking to raise awareness about what is happening in other parts of the world. In addition, we are involved in serving in our community. I can't say how much SLU has helped me not only to lead, but in all aspects of my life. This year I am taking a team of teens to Peru.  I look forward to attending SLU 301 and 401 in the years to come.

Jenny Forbes is an alum of SLU. For more information about Kids Alive and what you can do to help fight the AIDS crisis, visit www.kidsalive.ca. Every month, we feature the story of an SLU graduate whose life has been impacted by SLU in significant ways. Have an SLU story? Send it to us at edge@studentleadership.net