I remember a comment made many years ago by a pastor-friend. It was a bit of a gripe session, to be honest, for two pastors early in their ministry and too young in many ways. My friend and I were bickering about our church councils and their resistance to what we believed was good change. “I wish,” my friend said, “That they would lead, follow, or get out of the way!” There is a place, a rightful place for strong leadership and faithful followership in matters of management and administration. Yet, I am at a different place today. I find the image of accompaniment, walking side-by-side, as a more helpful picture of Christian community, at all levels.

Finlandia, we say, is a learning community. Finlandia Campus Ministry has chosen to define “community” as “side-by-side” growing in faith toward God and love toward neighbor. This is not accidental. There is deep conviction and passion behind this idea of walking side-by-side. It is one of God's ideas. It is a God-thing, seen so clearly in the life and witness of God's Son, Jesus Christ. God came along side humanity in Jesus of Nazareth and walked with us. That's for next week. What about God before Jesus?

God's story of accompaniment, or side-by-side is heard throughout the Old Testament, the repeated promise: “I will be with you.” It is spoken to Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel. God repeats it to Moses and Joshua, to Gideon, to King Saul, King David, and King Solomon. God spoke it over and over again through the prophets like Isaiah: “For I the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.'” And in chapter 41: “Fear not, I am with you.”

God's people experience God's side-by-side-ness most intimately during the 40 years of wandering in the desert after liberation from Egypt. God moved with the people, in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. God moved with the people when they grumbled and complained about lack of food and water, when they disobeyed and worshiped other Gods, when they wished they were back in Egypt (even slavery seemed better than constant thirst). Accompaniment, side-by-side, it's a God thing. God's commitment to walk with the people Israel and Israel's commitment to walk with God was a risk for both. God risked his honor being stained by a disobedient, stiff-necked people. The people risked being cast aside for a more obedient bunch.

This idea of walking side-by-side means that we share a common path, a common purpose and a common pace. Our path here at Finlandia is one defined by intellectual exercise and reflection. Our purpose is growth, spiritually and otherwise. A shared pace is determined by compromise. Not everyone walks at the same pace. Who do you think is the fastest walker around here? Speed walking has benefits, but it's not for everyone. Slow walking can be torturously boring and inefficient for some. Finlandia Campus Ministry encourages all of us to pick a pace that may be different from our own and be open to what can be learned. The pace of spiritual growth and human development is different for each one of us. We do our neighbor ill when we force on them our own pace or stride, our own way to believe, to grow, to live a life of faith.

It was the feel of Merisali's hand in mine that I will never forget. He was a teacher with me while doing my internship in Tanzania, 20 years ago. After classes one afternoon we stood talking. After a few minutes he invited me to this house on the other side of the campus. I nodded. He grabbed my hand and hand-in-hand we walked to his home. All the time I was so very conscious of how odd it felt for me to be walking hand in hand with another man. And, how natural and genuine it appeared for my colleague. Side-by-side, when walking with those different from ourselves, can enrich as well as keep us off balance. I encourage us as faculty, staff, and students to make a conscious effort to discover a companion this semester, someone different, and walk together. There is risk. It requires a teachable heart. It will not always be easy. It will, however, bring growth. Side-by-side, quite different from “lead, follow, or get out of the way!” Side-by-side. It started with God. It continues at Finlandia. AMEN

-Rev. Dr. Philip Johnson