What is EXODUS?

John Driftmier, 01/26/09

For years, ASSP has given out bus passes. Give a student ID, get out into the city. For years, our school has pushed us to go out and make a difference. Engage the culture, change the world! And for years, students have been complaining about the SPU bubble. "We're too sheltered, we don't like leaving our little community!" Why the disconnect? What is keeping these three from allowing us to go out into the city of Seattle and participating and serving?

Next time you're out in the city, ask around and see what people think about Seattle Pacific. Most people don't have an answer -- it's there, but doesn't make much of a difference. We're one of the largest Christian organizations in Seattle, and few people know who we are or who Jesus is. It's our call to go out and be a part of the city, participating more, serving more, loving more. You're not a Christian? We invite you to come with us, to serve, participate in, and love the city that Jesus has called us to along with us.

So here's how this works: everything in EXODUS is split into one of two options: SERVE and PARTICIPATE. PARTICIPATE events are based around local businesses and events happening in the neighborhoods around us. Find a neighborhood close by (we'll show you how to get there and give you a bus pass) and hop on a bus to go. This includes everything film festivals in Fremont to discounts at Archie McPhee's. To get your discount, make sure you have your SPU student ID at the ready. SERVE events are brought to you by Urban Involvement and Latreia and are ways to serve short-term missions in neighborhoods around SPU. The site tells you when busses are going to leave the main SPU stops, whether or not passes are available at UNICOM, and current events. There's even an interactive map to show you where to go.

We're still building it up, and there's bound to be rough patches. If anything goes awry, let us know by writing to assp-prm@spu.edu.

In the book of EXODUS, Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh and say "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.'" (EXODUS 5:1, NIV) For many at SPU, the city is just as foreign as the desert was to the Israelites. It doesn't have to be that way. Get out of the dorms and break that bubble. There's now no excuse for you to get out of SPU and into the city. Participate and serve. Engage the culture, change the city.

Christ be with you. Go in peace.

-John Driftmier

ASSP PR Manager