Ministry in Residential Life

Mr. Kasprzak

Thank you to Zak Kasprzak, Residential Life Faculty, for writing today's blog.

Working in Residential Life can be a challenging, yet rewarding role.  Throughout the few years the students are here at Shepherds College, we get to see a lot of growth in them.  However, that also means that we get to see right where they are at before that growth takes place.  Our students fall at many different points on the spectrum of abilities and independence when they first arrive, but regardless of the initial level of capability or the pace at which each student advances, growth is always the common denominator.

Aside from the growth we see academically, vocationally, and socially, it is incredibly rewarding to watch the people we work with come to new realizations of who they are and who they were created to be.  Although I will most likely not have the opportunity to see the continued progress of many of these students after they leave Shepherds College, witnessing important milestones in their lives is by far the best part of my job.  I have worked with students who are passionate about their faith, as well as students who are still trying to figure out exactly what they believe, but regardless of where students are at on their own spiritual journeys, it is important that they have opportunities to grow and mature regularly.  Whether that be talking with a student one on one or praying with each other during group meetings, these experiences help to shape us into what God has intended us to be.

One of my goals as a member of the Res Life team is to help the students I work with put the Biblical knowledge they acquire into action so that they may know God, not just know about God.  Practically speaking, this is a constant challenge for myself and just about every other Christian I know, but thank God that He longs for us and desperately desires for us to know Him personally.  Sounds like it should be simple then, right?

Well… one of the biggest challenges I face is how to help these students connect spiritual truth with spiritual depth.  It is not too difficult to memorize facts about someone, but building and maintaining a relationship can be hard work.  Now let's attempt to do that with someone who we can't visibly see, physically touch, or audibly hear aside from supernatural circumstances.  That’s a hard concept to wrap our minds around, much less put into action.  Every day we face a new fork in the road, but fortunately we are not on this journey alone and can figure things out together.

Though challenges in life will always exist, great accomplishments would be meaningless without them.  Our students face struggles and successes day after day, and through it all, continue to grow into the exact people that God has designed them to be.  And let’s not pretend this growth is completely one-sided; they’re teaching me new things about patience, love, and understanding every single day.


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