As much as I wanted to be in the field NOW, college was a place for me to discover my skills and interests. I didn’t plant churches or go into the field afterwards…instead, I worked in my local community to establish myself professionally. I learned a lot of skills along the way–graphic design; grant writing; how to collaborate and bring together residents, city municipalities, businesses, non-profits, and project funders to get projects done in the community; marketing, grass-roots organizing etc. When I save up enough money, I plan to get my Masters in Public Administration so I am able to use my leadership skill to continue development work in non-profits and public service in the US and overseas.

The point is that having a “tent-making” skill is so important in the “ministry” today. The face of missions today is no longer like what it was. This is a great post, Ernest. I had friends who spent thousands of dollars in a private Christian college to be a missions major. There is nothing wrong with that, it would just be hard to put in a resume when you are applying for a job outside the church. I chose community development because of my strong calling to live and work in the community God has put me. Living, working, and building social capital in the community around you is what we should be doing as Christians…regardless of whether we are paid to do it full time or not.