Author Encourages Students to Engage Our Changing World

“God hasn’t called us out of the world. He has placed us in it,” said author Natasha Robinson as she addressed Wesleyan middle and high school students during Thursday morning’s chapels.  A former Wesleyan parent, Robinson speaks to schools, including seminaries, and leaders throughout the world about living for Christ, and living with believers in unity amidst cultural differences.  

Robinson explained, “the Lord’s kindness is what draws all of us closer to Him.”  She reminded the students that religion is not what makes people desire to be close with the Lord, it’s the relationship with Him.  “The Gospel has a higher calling for us than to condemn, critique, copy or be consumers of our culture,” said Robinson, referencing Andy Crouch’s Culture Making: Rediscovering our Creative Calling. In his book, Crouch suggests that the best way to change culture is to create more of it.

So how does one do that?  Robinson pointed the students to scripture which is full of examples demonstrating how Jesus responded to people who offended him, who harmed him, and who betrayed him. “There are gospel-centered ways to respond to people,” Robinson explained. “Our current culture is not healthy,” added Robinson, “and we need God’s help.”

In particular, she spoke from John 17, when Jesus prays to the Lord for His followers before He leaves them for heaven: “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”   In John 17, Jesus also prays that His followers would be unified, “that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity.  Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Unity of believers is especially important, said Robinson.  Although believers may be on opposite sides of the world, if we are all speaking, responding, and living in truth, then we can impact our culture for Christ.  

Mrs. Robinson was also the guest speaker to three of Coach Reitnour’s Senior Philosophy / Understanding the Times classes later in the day.  Her challenge to seniors was simple but vital for maturity in their faith: “Be ‘humble searchers'”. She challenged the students to study their bibles, talk to mentors, and to research other historical documents to “know why you believe what you believe.” 

Robinson explained, “when you get to college, your professors will know what they believe and why.” She further encouraged them to be life-long learners and become experts in their field of choice. “When you show and demonstrate that you are a consummate professional, they can’t write you off or ignore you, which makes your witness even stronger.”

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We are blessed to have Mrs. Robinson on our “team” as a consultant to aid Wesleyan in building diversity and unity initiatives. Thursday’s visit was a tremendous blessing to our students and faculty.  May we all be life-long learners, quick forgivers, full of God’s wisdom and knowledge so that we may impact our culture as we seek “to know and live the truth”!

WCA Administration