I had the privilege of going over to Great Commandment Ministries (GCM) in Yakima for the first part of this week to teach on the Theology of Creativity. My connection to this ministry came through Pete Williamson, who taught there a number of times before joining the staff a few years ago.
I was a bit nervous heading over, as I was stepping into unknown territory: I hadn’t taught in this form for a while and I wasn’t really sure of the culture of this place. I got to the campus on Sunday evening and it was deserted. I called Pete to figure out where I was supposed to go and he told me how to find my suite. He also informed me that the reason no one was present was because they were all down the hill having a birthday party; my first impression was that this is a place where they truly live life together, down to celebrating birthdays.
Monday morning began with breakfast together in the shop, the term they use for their multi-use building (it was nicer than any shop I had ever seen). It took me a second to get my bearings. The one meal that is not lovingly prepared by Becca, breakfast is every person for themselves. That sounds chaotic, but it is less Lord of the Flies and more an unchoreographed dance, as people move around filling bowls with cereal and peeling eggs (which they all eat with an unhealthy amount of Tajin). A few times, I found myself just watching (a bit creepy) as they anticipated each other’s moves and adjusted their own to accommodate. The familiarity made it clear that this was a practiced rhythm, done by a group who had become familiar with one another. This makes sense as these young adults have been living on campus for the last four months (eight for those who attended the Essentials course in the Fall). This time together – learning, doing chores, studying Scripture – had bound them together.
After a devotional time, it was my turn. I had three days of four hour sessions to teach. This happened to be their last week of classes, and so there was a bit of fatigue mixed with anxiety for what was next. Even with these conflicted emotions, they interacted and took on the numerous art projects I had them do. This was my main fear going into it: that I would have a few students who were reluctant to use the right side of their brain and would miss out on what I hoped to offer. Even though it was clear a few were not natural artists, they jumped in with both feet. The trust that they gave me reflected the relationship that they had with all involved with the ministry. This is intentional. While GCM has teaching and does a missions trip, the focus of their program is discipleship. The relationships established with the directors form the backbone of everything else that happens. The commitment goes both ways; those who run GCM love and care for the ‘students’ (I put students in quotations, because there are a variety of people attending here, from 18-41, married and unmarried). Trust has been formed, which allows for the growth that is only available where vulnerability is possible.
Lunch and dinner provide more time for everyone to sit down and share thoughts from the day. There is also a Tuesday night community teaching (Pneuma), chapels, individual study, chores, prayer times and probably other rhythms that I am not aware of. The days have been structured to give form, while also leaving those times in between where life overlaps. Their website says they: provide a schedule that is both rigorous and restful (which is a good way of putting it). From what I saw, no one is especially hurried, but also not lazy; there is always something to do, but the pieces fit appropriately rather than feeling cobbled together (as time often feels for me). I may be romanticizing it a bit (I was only there for three days, after all), but the whole place felt at peace (which makes sense since it is designed as an extended sabbatical).
My final challenge to those ending their program was to view this as a time of shaping and equipping toward the future God has prepared. It can be easy, when you find a place of peace, to want to stay there indefinitely. God’s plan is for us to GO, to keep moving toward His heavenly Kingdom and to keep doing His work along the way.
You may be wondering why I am taking the time to tell you this (it may feel like looking at someone else’s vacation pictures). Here are three reasons I wrote this:
- As a church, we support Pete and Cheryl Williamson. I want you to know about the ministry that they are serving, so that you can better pray for their efforts.
- It is always good to know about how the various parts of the church are living out the Cultural Mandate and the Great Commission. We are called to be part of this. For you, this may mean partnering in some way with GCM.
- As a church filled with young people, I want you to know about this program which would be a great opportunity for any of them. After spending some time there, this has now become a possibility for my kids in the future.
