# Ministry in the style of Francis & Edith Schaeffer (L'Abri)



## Tim (Dec 9, 2008)

Point 1. Over the past few years, I have learned a bit about the ideas of Francis Schaeffer as well as the kind of ministry that went on at L'Abri fellowship. These have been very appealing to me.

Point 2. I am working towards becoming a university professor. I have been envisioning the kind of home and Christian hospitality I would like to have and give when I am married, given my future setting in a university town and contact with students.

It recently occurred to me that these two points are similar and that I should investigate this further to see if this would be a good exercising of my (developing) spiritual gifts. I am not the intellectual equal of Schaeffer, nor do I want to necessarily plant another L'Abri, but it might be nice to determine the extent to which this can be a model for me. Of course, everything would be done under the proper Biblical oversight of the church.

I suppose one of the goals would be to counteract the faith-destroying legacy of secular universities. I am almost certain to end up at a secular university.

The Schaeffers have a number of books and there is the video, "How Then Shall We Live?". L'Abri has a website as well. Where else would you turn to go further? Comments?


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## Grymir (Dec 9, 2008)

I like Schaeffer alot! I used the book 'Understanding the Times' in my Sunday School class. Now they have a fancy website and a curriculum. This stuff is very similar to what Schaeffer was trying to do.

Summit Ministries: Home

I really like the idea of what you are trying to do!

-----Added 12/9/2008 at 02:44:56 EST-----

I really like the worldview chart. It was a very good teaching tool!

Summit Ministries: Resources - Worldview Chart


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## Tim (Dec 9, 2008)

Thanks very much from a fellow Timothy. I'll check out the links!

EDIT: The links look great. They will go immediately on the bookmark list.


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## Pergamum (Dec 9, 2008)

Communal living and sharing one's life with those whom you are working with sounds noble but it is EXTREMELY difficult, especially if it is cross-cultural and especially for wives. Everyone needs solitude and boundaries and such living arrangements stretch one immensely.

In the past 6 months I think my wife and I have had maybe 4 nights without sharing a home with someone else. The only night I have slept alone this year if one night we got stuck between village and ended up in the jungle all night, and it rained on my head the whole time and I slept drenched. Last month we counted over 150 guests eating meals with us and the local store manager asked us if we owned a restaurant or something.


If you want a L'Abri type ministry, invite 3 or 4 people over to bunk in your home for the next 6 months and see how it affects you first so you know what you're getting into. And clear everything with your wife.


By the way, we have a need to do this sort of ministry with street kids here and orphans if you would rather focus on youths instead of hippies or intellectuals


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## Tim (Dec 9, 2008)

Thanks for your thoughts, Pergy. Just to clarify, I am more considering the highly conversational (as opposed to a rigid didactic) method that seems to be used by the Schaeffers. I am not really thinking of the communal living or cross-cultural aspect. These things won't really be the case in a university setting.

College students, if they want, can become those who participate in an environment of debauchery and gross personal irresponsibility. Or, they can choose to become involved with a good church and seek to address those important (spiritual) questions of life. Many such people will be away from home for the first time in their lives. 

As a single man far away from home, I am all too aware of my desire for good fellowship and meaningful _deep_ conversation. I am not receiving this here in Cape Town. But I have decided to instead focus on how I might give this to others now and in the future. I know that something as simple as inviting a single person to have dinner with your family or allowing them to spend much of the Lord's Day with you - well, it can mean so much. 

So, here is the concept I am considering: 

"...so you have to eat cafeteria food all the time? Would you like to come have dinner with me and my family?"

"...you are a Christian and are up against an atheist philosophy professor? Why don't we discuss what you are having to deal with?"

"...you don't have any place to go in between the morning and evening services? Come to my home - there will be a few other students there and we will be discussing the sermon!"

Or something as simple as:

"Let's go for coffee...I would like to hear what you think about the big questions of life."

EDIT: regarding ministry to street kids or hippies or intellectuals, this is an important question to consider. Right now, my environment is an intellectual one, so that is what I am currently thinking about. Ministry to all kinds is needed; this is just where I am right now.


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## jwithnell (Dec 9, 2008)

Actually, to some extent, I think the Schaeffers have set a high standard for _all_ of us. By opening our homes, we have the best opportunity to encourage others in the faith and to openly discuss the gospel with those outside of the faith. In a university setting, you could offer an incredible "shelter," which is what L'bri means. 

Have you read Mrs. Schaeffer's book that chronicles the beginnings of L'bri? Also, if you have the opportunity to do so, spend some time at one of the L'bri branches. When you're back in Canada, you would not be _that_ far from the branch just west of Boston. The Keyes are wonderful people. 

The academic year would offer some natural flux in activity, giving you a chance to work with folks from campus and also to have exclusive time with just your family -- a pattern that is followed at L'bri.


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## Tim (Dec 9, 2008)

JWithnell,

Thanks for your encouraging thoughts. I have read Edith Schaeffer's book, simply entitled _L'Abri_. It is an interesting story of prayer and God providing openings.

Just to expand on something you wrote,



> By opening our homes, we have the best opportunity to encourage others...



I have recently thought to myself that single people such as university students are needy in the area of "home" or "family". If they are Christian, they have their "personal", "church" and "civil" lives, but no "family" lives while they are away from home. There is encouragement and opportunity for encouraging that is absent because of this.

I think the Schaeffers provided a home environment to the folks who came to them.


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## jwithnell (Dec 9, 2008)

Absolutely. That's one of the reasons I'm less than thrilled with churches separating their "campus ministry" from the rest of the church unless it is specifically for outreach purposes. I.e., believers should be full participants in the regular church and have interaction with families rather than just with other students at similar ages and places in life.


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## Tim (Dec 9, 2008)

jwithnell said:


> Absolutely. That's one of the reasons I'm less than thrilled with churches separating their "campus ministry" from the rest of the church unless it is specifically for outreach purposes. I.e., believers should be full participants in the regular church and have interaction with families rather than just with other students at similar ages and places in life.



We are in full agreement. All too often campus ministry consists of a great number of 18-25 year olds and perhaps only a small handful of "older" leaders. It becomes so skewed; it can't be a good thing.


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## he beholds (Dec 9, 2008)

Tim said:


> *So, here is the concept I am considering: *
> 
> "...so you have to eat cafeteria food all the time? Would you like to come have dinner with me and my family?"
> 
> ...



All of the concepts that you listed were ways that I was ministered to in college! I went to a Reformed college, so all of the professors professed to be xians. Also, each class started from a xian worldview, as did Bible classes and chapel services, but even still, it was the people who invited me into their homes and lives that really made the biggest difference. 

If you could teach at a Xian college, the need would still be there, but the opportunity may come a bit easier. 

The first time I went to an RP church (even though I could see two RP churches practically from my balcony on campus) I went because a prof invited me and my roommates to church and then back to her apartment for a little lunch and fellowship. These Sundays are some of my greatest memories of college. She would make homemade bread and maybe some soup, and a group of us would sit and talk until it was time for evening service. She is still one of my heroes! (Her husband, Kent Butterfield, is a member here, but I don't think he uses it much.)

And other professors would have Bible studies in their homes on weeknights. And we also had the Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO) at our school, which gave campus ministers dual jobs on campus. Some would teach and run the outdoor program, or be an resident director and have Bible studies, etc. But those people welcomed professors in their efforts to involve students in their lives, as well. 

I guess I'm making the plug for teaching at a xian college. There is still a great need for strong xian relationships there, and I think it would be fun for you as well!

On a side note, Frank Schaeffer, (son of the Schaeffers) will be on NPR Fresh Air today (3 pm where I am). 



> Next Broadcast:
> 
> Frank Schaeffer - "Crazy for God"
> Frank Schaeffer - "Crazy for God" -- Jerry Falwell once said that without Francis Schaeffer, the religious right would not exist today. The program talks with Francis Schaeffer's son Frank Schaeffer, who along with his father helped politicize evangelical Christians around the issue of abortion. In his memoir "Crazy for God," Frank Schaeffer speaks out against the movement he helped create.


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## JBaldwin (Dec 9, 2008)

Pergamum said:


> Communal living and sharing one's life with those whom you are working with sounds noble but it is EXTREMELY difficult, especially if it is cross-cultural and especially for wives. Everyone needs solitude and boundaries and such living arrangements stretch one immensely.
> 
> In the past 6 months I think my wife and I have had maybe 4 nights without sharing a home with someone else. The only night I have slept alone this year if one night we got stuck between village and ended up in the jungle all night, and it rained on my head the whole time and I slept drenched. Last month we counted over 150 guests eating meals with us and the local store manager asked us if we owned a restaurant or something.
> 
> ...



I couldn't agree with you more. I lived in a L'Abri-type setting two or three different times before I married. In one case, the home (in rural France) was modeled after L'Abri with people coming and going in their home all the time. I lived there for 3 months while waiting for housing to come available in the local community where I was ministering. 

The couple had a private portion of their home where they could go to get away from things, but after a few years of people coming and going, especially while they were raising children, the wife nearly had a breakdown, and they abandoned the ministry, and the husband returned to preaching and teaching. In short, the wife was not cut out for that type of ministry, and it was hard on the children. 

I have always longed to be involved in a similar type ministry, but have come to the conclusion that the only way to make it work when you have a family and children is to have a home and living quarters in a completely separate housing. 

I applaud your desire to do this sort of outreach. It is desperately needed.


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## MrMerlin777 (Dec 9, 2008)

Love Francis Schaeffer's work.


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