Who is the next emcee?

There has been a lot of presumption as to who is going to be the new Area Coordinator or the new emcee. Come on. Let's not fall into presumption. First, I do not think presumption is fair for the people involved. Think about what kind of expectations we are placing on the people we are talking about. Presumption requires that we make judgement calls which are not ours to make. Ultimately, only God has a clear and right idea as to who he wants to be the next person in that role. And ultimately, the trust of deciding has been placed on the selection committee. We place character judgements on the person we believe is going to be in that position and we place character judgements on those we do not think will enter into that position. Selection into such a highly visible and influential role leaves a lot of leeway for pride. When we jokingly and seriously argue about who we think should be next in line, how seemingly arrogant are we for talking about something which is not in our hands. And what kind of doorway are we opening for Satan? Let's say our expectations are not met. Will we be less satisfied and will the person be less qualified?

The root of selection, I believe, is not who is the most 'able' or 'qualified' in worldly terms. I believe that selection falls into two main questions: 1) How can people grow through their new roles? and 2) How can the person grow in their new roles? Leadership selection is about leadership development. Ultimately, Intervarsity is about developing students in their walks with God and not developing Intervarsity as a trendy brand name. How can we, as a body of students, grow as God's children and how can we help the campus grow closer to God. Let us soberly pray for the next generation of leaders. That they would seek justice, love mercy, and walk even more humbly with God than this generation. Let's keep our presumptions in check and soberly look at the vision behind selection. Moving to upper leadership is not a promotion. In fact, I think in many ways it is a step into deeper servanthood. Upper leaders are given the burden of shepherding even more people. Their added influence demands a higher responsibility of integrity and, in many ways, requires him/her to carry a burden that many others have not carried before.

From my experiences as an emcee, I've realized that being in such a role can be very stretching. People think you are somehow more godly, righteous, and all-together than most others. The fact of the matter is that I'm just as - if not more - sinful than everyone else. There is a lot of pressure when you are forced to live up to the expectations others place on you. In many ways, such accountability is a good driving force. In more ways, my pride sets me up so easily for spiritual breakdown. Through two semesters, I've realised that being emcee is more than going up on Friday nights or being funny. God does not care about any of those things. In my opinion, emceeing and being part of the CET for Intervasriy requires - in no particular order:

1) Humility
An understanding that God makes things succeed and fail. A realization that if the evening goes well, we give all glory to God, and if the evening goes bad, we still give him glory. A tough and hard surrendering (I'm still working on this) of pride and vanity.
2) Desire for God
I've come to realize that through this processes, God has been asking me to desire God more during the week and during my daily walk with God. How am I seeking God through prayer, his Word, and through intentional steps of faith.
3) Desire for others to come to God
I've also come to understand that the objective of LG is not for entertainment. But the ultimate goal is for others to be changed and transformed by God through worship, prayer, the Word, and community.
4) Desperate reliance on Christ
From my time as emcee, I've come to realize that this campus and my life are filled with the desperate longing for healing and restoration with God. I can feel the brokenness of this campus. However, I ache when I realize how some people do not even see the outstretched arms of Christ. One of the purposes of LG is to open people's heart to embrace the healing work of Christ in their lives and to prompt people to become ambassadors of reconciliation.
5) Thankfulness
Every LG is a privilege. We are allowed to sit at the feet of Christ, to worship the LORD for who he is, to embrace his grace, and to continue to experience the sanctification of Jesus in our sinful, fallen lives.