The Journal Man

“You remind me of Socrates and he’s my hero,” or so one student told Navigator Randy Raysbrook. Around the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs campus, Randy has been known as “the guy with the big book.” He has been asking students to write their thoughts in a large, leather-bound journal as a way of getting to know what’s on their hearts.

Randy has been with The Navigators for 26 years and is currently working in the Metro Mission. “Part of my job is to help The Navigators learn new ways to teach and learn, to create new ministry environments that are interactive, creative, and that connect with people,” Randy explains. “We need to continually learn about our audience. So I asked myself, since I had done campus ministry for years, ‘Are students the same today?’ And I know they’re not. So that’s why I got this,” he says, pulling out his infamous journal.

This particular large, handcrafted journal is made in Florence, Italy, and only one U.S. company is allowed to import them. “I think they’re magnificent,” Randy says, “So I bought one of these and I wanted to use it creatively while I was answering the question, ‘How have students changed?’ I want students to teach me what’s deep in their soul. So I knew a provocative question could start a good conversation.”

Journal and pen in hand, Randy begins the process. He walks up to students, targeting the nontraditional ones least likely to participate in any church-related activity, and asks permission to ask them a question. Showing the student his journal, he explains its Italian origins and his desire to use it for student thoughts. Before they agree to answer his question, Randy warns students that it is one they may not want to answer. He then tells them the two conditions to which they must agree: They must be brutally honest saying “exactly what’s on your heart,” and they must allow their answers to be read by other people.

“By this time they’re really curious,” says Randy. “As I study the Gospels I am convinced that one of the things Jesus often did was to employ curiosity before He talked.” After this kind of build-up, most students agree to participate and he finally asks his question: “If you could write a note to God and tell Him anything you want, and He would read it, what would you say?”

“The responses have been absolutely fascinating,” says Randy. Some students patiently ponder their answers, as one did for eight minutes. Most students will write something. Amid occasional profanities and some prayers of thanksgiving are such questions as “Why am I here?” and “Why does God allow suffering?”

“Every response is a clue about what is in their hearts,” Randy says. Some students, like the one Randy reminds of Socrates, meet with Randy regularly to continue their conversation.

“Part of my vision is for people to know that Christians are thinkers,” he says. “I wanted to use my education [a master’s in communications and Ph.D. in higher education that examined question asking and critical thinking]. And Navigators are all about teaching and learning, so I thought it was a perfect match.

“My goal is to create an unending conversation with students about spiritual things. That’s it. My goal is to start conversations,” Randy says. His “Book with 150 Authors,” as he has dubbed the journal, has done just that, and he is already considering new questions to ask next year.

Randy doesn’t worry too much about having all the answers. “Ministry is about relationships and engaging; answers come in the context of a relationship,” Randy says. He encourages all Christians to “learn to be thoughtful conversationalists.”

“If people really think about it, God is irresistible,” Randy claims. “Making Christ known is not just about giving answers, it is about engaging the hearts and minds of those to whom we minister.”