Biggest 2017 Stories in the Baptist College Ministry World??

I am always intrigued by the end of the year "Biggest News Stories" summaries, etc.  Here is a quick thought of what might be the biggest stories in the Southern Baptist College Ministry world.  I started to do the whole College Ministry world, but decided to limit it.  Sorry, if you are not Baptist.

1.  Mark Whitt resigned as the SBC's College Ministry Leader to return to the local campus.  He is now at Middle Tennessee State University.  There were no hidden issues here, just God continuing to affirm a call to college students in Mark's life.  Middle Tennessee got blessed!

2.  Bill Noe was named SBC's new College Ministry Leader.  This is news on two fronts.  First, Bill is a veteran Campus Minister having served at the University of Louisville for several years and so, he is not "just some administrator".  He gets our tribe and our every day issues.  But, it is news  that in the process of naming Bill, Lifeway which is the home of SBC's College Ministry office, also increased the standing of this position at Lifeway.

3.  Virginia BCM College Ministers, which had formally been fully funded by the State Convention, began being required to raise a part of their salaries.  This was of great interest to see how this would affect those positions and ministries, but also if other Conventions might follow this example.

4.  The last Collegiate Week Conference was held at Glorieta, New Mexico.  Glorieta which is located in the beautiful mountains of New Mexico had been the home of this conference for many years.  Many in Baptist circles traced many parts of their College Ministry life as students and College Ministers to weeks at Glorieta.  The Collegiate Week Conference has been moved to Falls Creek in Oklahoma for the coming year.

5.  How Campus Church Plants and Baptist Collegiate Ministries fit together and complement each other or compete against each other continues to be a point of discussion and sometimes concern among many.

Love to hear your thoughts on the BIGGEST COLLEGE MINISTRY STORIES.  Happy New Year!!
Arliss

Some Christmas Wishes for College Ministry

This is a combination of some I have shared in the past and some new ones.

1.  That those Baptist Collegiate Ministers who are now having to raise their salaries would be totally funded for the coming year....and with some insurance that is not just for catastrophic happenings.

2.  For all College/University Administrators to realize what a huge benefit campus based ministries are to the campus.

3.  For all College Ministers to think before they post ALL their political thoughts.

4.  For all denominational leaders and Senior Pastors to realize what all their College Ministers do and how hard they work.

5.  For all College Ministry practitioners to realize their way is not the ONLY way to do it and not put down those who are not doing it their way.

6.  For all college administrators to allow campus based ministries to set their own leadership guidelines according to their basic beliefs....as long as they do no harm to another.

7.  For College Ministers to be paid as much as Head Football coaches...including the courtesy car for the spouse....never mind the country club membership.  Most College Ministers I know are lousy golfers.

8.  For church based and campus based ministries to work together for the benefit of all...especially the students.

9.  For each College Minister who speaks weekly to be God inspired with their best talks/Bible studies ever for the Spring Semester.

10. May each ministry have ten new top quality, God loving, witness sharing student leader types appear at the beginning of the Spring Semester.

11.  That EVERY College Ministry alum would give $25 before the end of the year to the ministry that blessed them.  (#Givetwentyfive).

"Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."  Luke 2:10-11

Merry Christmas to all!

This will be the last post before Christmas....unless something just HAS to be said.

What College Ministry Alums Say Mattered

I served for nine years as Baptist Student Union Director at Henderson State University.  It was my first college ministry job and I loved it.  Then, I served thirty two (32) years as Baptist Campus Minister at Arkansas State University. We had some great students.    Several of them have been kind enough to write me letters expressing their thanks for our ministry.  Have you ever wondered what your alums took away and as they look back some years later what mattered to them?

Here are some quotes taken from those letters:

"Leadership opportunities were affirming and shaping."

"Being part of a positive group"

"Time of exploration of who I was"

"Always felt you believed in us."

"Accountability for responsibility"

"Refuge from a crazy world"

"You believed in me.  You saw value in me while I was still searching."

"You told me, 'We might have a place for you on our freshmen leadership team.'."

"Weekly one on one meetings/Accountability"

Some of these students came to know Christ and others grew in their walk with the Lord during that time.  Many of them serve in key Christian roles.

FOUR Things Students Need from a College Ministry:

1.  A safe place/Refuge
2.  Affirmation
3.   Responsibility
4.  Accountability

What Do You Do When Your College Ministry is in the Weeds?

If you do college ministry very long, you will have that semester or year when your ministry is in the weeds.  You are working hard...sometimes even harder than usual, but it just is not up to what it has been or what you think it ought to be.  When we speak, we speak about our successes....when you go to meetings, we hear  people speak about their successes.  It is a natural, but wrong assumption, that you are the only one who has an "in the weeds kind of year".  If someone who has done college ministry for many years tells you they have never had a down year or semester.......do not buy a used car from them!

"Trust the Process" is a term used by college coaches that have gone into a rebuilding situation, but have not arrived yet.  I would tweak that to say, "Trust the Lord AND keep working the process".

8 Ways to Keep Working the Process When Your Ministry is in the Weeds:

1.  Make sure you are continually and consistently articulating a strong vision for the ministry.
-It is easy to think we have said that so many times we don't need to say it any more.  But, have these current students heard it often and clearly enough?  It is easy to lose the vision.

2.  Communicate your brand.
-This is commercial lingo for continually communicating to the outside world (the campus) who you are and what you are offering.
-This is particularly key, if you serve a campus where there are multiple ministries reaching out to students.
-What makes your ministry unique and worthy of their time?
-One of my goals in this year as the Interim College Minister at a church is to just get our church back on the radar.  We used to be but somehow, sometime that got lost.

3.  Make sure you are maximizing the strengths of your ministry and your personal strengths and gifts.
-The busier we get the easier it is to take for granted and lose focus on those things we normally have done well.
-The thicker the weeds get the more we must maximize our strengths...and may need to drop some things that are taking time and effort away from those strengths.

4.  Continue to look for, to develop, and to empower strong leaders.
-Nuff said!

5.  Be consistent in who and what you and your ministry is.
-Unless it is wrong, not working, or outlived its usefulness, don't kick it to the side.
-When a ministry is consistent, students know what to expect and supporters know what they are supporting.

6.  Evaluate and tweak your large group meeting.
-Has it gone stale?
-Are you trying to copy someone else's large group meeting instead of doing your own with you people speaking to their needs, utilizing their and your gifts and strengths?

7.  Maximize quality freshmen outreach.
-There is a brief window as to when it is easiest to connect to freshmen.
-Put some of your best, most Jesus loving, and most passionate student leaders in the area of reaching out to freshmen.

8.  Keep doing discipleship whether in one to one, small groups, or both.
-Lives that God has changed will be used by the Lord to change lives.

You get out of the weeds by trusting the Lord and keeping on!

"I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion till the day of Christ Jesus."  Philippians 1:6 (Holman)

Check out 25 TIPS FOR DEVELOPING COLLEGE MINISTRY LEADERS on Amazon.

NOT the Blog Post I Planned to Write

Because I have been involved with college ministry for a long time and that I have worked for Lifeway as a part-time College Ministry Consultant, I get lots of calls asking if I can recommend someone for a college ministry position.  The ones looking for a church based one almost always say very early in the conversation, "They need to be a good speaker/preacher.".  I usually say something like, "There are not many of those out there.".

I have been planning for a while to do a Blog highlighting a particular strong/large church college ministry where the college minister was NOT a speaker/preacher type. It would help illustrate how to do it well and big without the proverbial speaker/preacher.  I was not aware of one because most of my personal connections are campus based folks.  I know lots of strong/large campus based college ministries where the college minister is not a speaker/preacher.  In fact, some of the largest campus based are led by "non-speaker/preachers". I asked two friends who do college ministry consulting and have traveled farther and wider than I have to tell me a large church based ministry that fit that description.  One said he did not know of one.  The second gave me the name of one and I knew the college minister.

So, I sent him a message saying I wanted to do a Blog highlighting his ministry.  He responded that I had been mis-informed.  He speaks 70% of the time.  So, why are there large campus based ministries with a "non-speaker/preacher" and not large church based ministries with a "non-speaker/preacher"?

Here are five thoughts:
1. Campus based college ministries can and do invite guest speakers from different churches in the area.  Church based college ministries obviously do not invite other pastors and staffers from area churches.
2. It is my observation that campus based college ministries are generally more training focused and church based ministries generally are more worship focused.
3. Churches (other than campus church plants) are usually away from campus.  Therefore, it requires "more of an event" for students to go to the church activity.
4. Most campus based college ministers have no desire or sense of calling to the pastorate while many church college ministers see that as a strong possibility.  Therefore, they are inclined to preach and are drawn to the church based ministries.  Many who feel called to college ministry do not see themselves as speakers and are therefore more drawn to campus based that generally does not make speaking a high priority.
5.  You aren't going to like this one!!  Good speaker/preachers are in high demand and therefore have more options open to them.  Churches pay more and provide more benefits.  I am NOT saying church ministers are just there for the money and I am NOT saying campus based folks are there because they cannot get a church.  But, I am saying we all have to provide for our family and also are drawn to places that demonstrate a desire to value college ministry.  Money is one of the ways we demonstrate what we value.

I would love to hear other thoughts and ideas....either as comments here or as personal messages.  And, I still want to highlight a strong/large church based college ministry where the college minister is not a speaker/preacher.  I do want to reiterate my belief that a college ministry can be strong without being large.

Evaluating Your Large Group Collegiate Event

The end of the semester is evaluation time.  What went well and why?  Where do we need to improve?  Here are six questions to ask as you evaluate your large group event.

1.  What is the purpose of it?
Is it for a wide variety of students?  Is it meant to be an entry point?  Or, is it meant for the core crowd or as a discipleship event?  Is what we are doing consistent with our purpose?

2.  Do we have the people, talents, and resources to pull off what we are attempting to do?
Having a large group worship event with a poor band or poor speaker is not helpful.  Sometimes we continue to do something that was successful with a different group of leaders that are no longer there. Is it time to change the event to fit the resources now available?

3.  Are we just doing a poor imitation of "The Poster Ministry"?
It is not unusual for ministries to simply try to imitate the happening ministry or a nationally known event that has resources way beyond a local ministry.

4.  Is our event right, but it is being defeated by lack of preparation and attention to the details?
Your conclusion may be that you are doing the right event, but just not putting in the time and effort to make it successful.  The next question is, Are you willing and able to put in the time and effort it really requires?

5.  Are there other large group formats or styles that should be considered?
Church based ministries usually have more resources to pull off a different format where this is sometimes a struggle for a campus based ministry.

6.  Is our meeting place or time the problem?
It is possible to be doing the right event in the wrong place or at the wrong time.

Excerpted from FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY, an Amazon print or ebook.

#Givetwentyfive

#Givetwentyfive is a call encouraging anyone and everyone who was blessed by a college ministry to give $25 to that ministry between now and the end of the year.

Think of the thousands and even millions of alums of college ministries.....what if everyone of them were to give $25 to that ministry in the next few weeks?  The result would be astounding.  We need you to help.

Promote #Givetwentyfive.  Use the hashtag.  Encourage all you know to give twenty five dollars to the ministry that blessed them.  Let's not be selfish and just encourage people to give to our ministry.  Encourage everyone to give to the ministry that blessed them.  We will all benefit and be blessed, if we do so.

For campus based college ministers, I believe it is essential to give your alums opportunities to give.  Many outside the ministry world receive year end bonuses and profit sharing, etc.  Those are not terms most of us in ministry know from personal experience.  But, a mailing now to your alums telling what is happening in your ministry and asking them to consider your ministry for a year end gift is a huge plus.  I also always say to enclose a self-addressed envelope for them to use. It makes it easier to respond AND it serves as a reminder to respond.  While I served at Arkansas State, we received those envelopes in the mail throughout the year.  Obviously, people stuck them somewhere to serve as a reminder.  The people who have been blessed by your ministry or the one you now lead are the ones most likely to support it.  If, if they are made aware of the need.

Why $25?  Why not a larger sum or why give a number?  Many people do not give because they feel that only large gifts are helpful.  What good does a small gift do?  Or, some are embarrassed to give a small gift.  When we began to challenge our alums to give $25 once a year, we had 1200 on our Alumni Mailing List.  We said if each of us give $25, that will be $30,000.  That would help!

But, you don't have to do an alumni mailing or whatever, use Social Media.  Put on your facebook page a challenge to give.  If you tweet, issue a challenge to give....again....challenge people to give $25 to whatever ministry blessed them.....BSU, CRU, MBSF, CO, CC, Wesley, etc, etc.

AND, you give $25 to the ministry that blessed you.  You can say, "I've given my $25, what about you?"  Can we get #Givetwentyfive trending?  Can we bless college ministries all over the country?
#Givetwentyfive

A Tip for Blog Readers

My Amazon ebook version of "FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY " has been briefly marked down in an unadvertised special to 99 cents during the Thanksgiving Holiday.

College Ministry from My Perspective (Part 3): Ways to Stay in the Game

This is the final of the three parts of my presentation to the Unite Collegiate Ministers Conference in Alabama.

1.  Don't become just an Administrator.....administrate, do your reports, budget, etc...but when the going gets tough, do not succumb to the temptation to hide in your office.

2.  Listen to college students, hang out with college students, eat with college students.
-People are more themselves and transparent when they are eating.
-When we hang out with students, we meet other students.

3.  Walk across the campus and through the Student Center EVERY day.
-Be on campus.  You will know more the atmosphere.
-You will see students who will say, "I've been needing to talk to you.".
-You will see students who will say, "Have you met my roommate?"
-In my role as an Interim Church College Minister, I eat on campus two days a week.

4.  Be the age you are.  Don't pretend to be something you are not.
-Every age has strengths and weaknesses.
-Acknowledge and be honest about yours.
-Allow and empower others to fill the spots where you are weak.
-Play to your strengths...utilize them to the max.
-Don't buy into the myth that "College Ministry is for the young."  Some get out just when they know enough to start doing it really well.

5.  Learn from trends....but don't let trends determine how you do it on your campus or in your church.

6.  Don't compare yourself and your ministry to the "It Ministry" or the "Poster College Minister".
-One of the two greatest killers of College Ministers is comparison.
-If your ministry does not get $50,000 checks (and some do), don't compare your ministry to those who do.

7.  Develop a solid PERSONAL support base outside of students...have friends your own age.
-The second greatest killer of College Ministers is feeling alone...feeling no one else cares.

8.  Go to church....not just as a professional, but worship, learn, be what you are challenging your students to be.
-Take off your professional persona where you worry about the announcements and the drag time between happenings.  Just worship and hear from the Lord.
-Be on whatever dumb committee they ask you to serve.  That's the way churches work and
that is one way your voice gains credibility and currency to speak.

9.  Never be unfair to your spouse or children to do your ministry.
-If you do, you will leave your ministry before you should.
-Or, when your children are grown and gone, you will regret it.

10. Be a friend to and relate to the college administration.
-If they don't know you, how can they help you?
-If they don't know you, it is easy to be against you.
-You are the best free thing they have got going...you help students be happy, feel connected and stay in school.  Retention is a key word to college administrators these days.

11.  Never forget that College Ministry is a high calling....it is not any lower than pastor or professor.  Be proud of what God has called you to be.

12.  What's the easiest way to stay in the game?  Obviously, it's buy more of my 99 cent books on Amazon!

College Ministry from My Perspective: What Will it Take to Last?

Part 2 of my Ted Type Talk at the Alabama Unite Conference for College Ministers

WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO LAST?

1.  We must never think we it have it all figured out.....if you think you understand this business...you don't understand this business.
-We must keep learning.  The campus is constantly changing.

2. Don't bad mouth others who are doing college ministry differently than you are (Remember, it is being done more different ways now than ever before.).
-We all have crazy uncles....but they are still our uncle.
-When we bad mouth others in college ministry, it hurts college ministry as a whole.

3.  Look for ways to cooperate with or encourage those who are genuinely trying to honor the Lord and impact college students.
-When we compete, students sense it and students lose.
-But, don't ever be apologetic about what God has called you to do.

4.  Be willing to learn from those with whom you disagree....even theologically.
-We (Baptists, etc) don't have all the good ideas.

5.  Make a decision to be an Ambassador for College Ministry.
-Here is my story:  In the late 80's and early 90's I felt there was a lack of people speaking up about and for college ministry.  My students in seminary were studying books on college ministry written by folks in other denominations, not known for their college ministry.  I made a conscious decision that I wanted to be a voice in the college ministry discussion.  I wrote a little book entitled, "9 Shaping Principles of College Ministry".  I had it done at a copy store just off campus.  It was pitiful looking.  I am embarrassed when I look back at it now.  Three seminaries used it as a required text.  I am not exceptional.  I am just a little pushy!  I want to encourage YOU to be an Ambassador for College Ministry.  Speak about it.  Write about it.   Baptists have some of the best doing college ministry and we need you in the discussions that are happening today and shaping the future.

NEXT:  WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO STAY IN THE GAME?  Part 3

4 Trends in College Ministry

This is from a workshop I did for the campus and church based College Ministers in Alabama.

FOUR TRENDS I SEE IN COLLEGE MINISTRY:

1.  College Ministry is being done more different ways now than ever before.
-We can like, hate it...doesn't matter....that doesn't change it. And, it does not mean you are doing it wrong.
-Accept it and get on with doing it.

2.  Social Media is huge.....everybody with a Twitter finger is an expert.
-Be on Social Media and learn from Social Media.
-But, remember just because someone tweets 50 times a day and has a million followers
does not mean they are an expert on how to do it on your campus or in your church.

3.  Money is going to continue to be a struggle.
-Be creative in your use of it.
-Don't just spend like you have always done it.  Prioritize your spending to the things that make a difference.
-Excellence is not always about money...don't sub money for excellence!

4.  Churches and Campus based ministries are going to bump into each other more and more.
-Work at communicating and cooperating.
-Don't give up on it just because it is harder.

-If some do not cooperate, just keep working with those that do.

Arliss Dickerson's new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.  Type in his name or the title.

Are We Bribing College Students to Come to Church?

A friend who was not meaning to be critical asked me recently, "Are we bribing college students to come to church?".  The question came as a result of some special events we had recently which involved meals.  We also always have good coffee and snacks available in our University Center where our Sunday and Wednesday events occur.

I must admit this is a question that I wrestle with occasionally. As I lead a church college ministry that was large a few years ago and then declined significantly over a period of time, we are in an intentional re-building of our ministry.  We have hosted Sunday Lunches for university students and we have had Pancake and Bacon Night at our Wednesday collegiate event.

I am convinced that food will not cause a college student to go somewhere they do not want to go.  But, I do feel food is an important tool.  There are two things food helps us accomplish.

1. FOOD EVENTS GIVE OUR CORE STUDENTS AN EASY INVITATION FOR FRIENDS.
A few years back the Kentucky Baptist Campus Ministers did a survey of students in 5 states asking why they attended a campus religious event the first time.  The top three answers were:
3.  Free Food
2.  An appealing event
1.  Someone invited me.
Actually, those three answers can roll into one answer.  I want to make it easy for students to invite their friends.  I was sitting in the campus union with one of our students when a friend of his walked by.  My student said, "Hey, are you going to eat pancakes with me tomorrow night?".  He was referring to our Pancakes and Bacon night following our large group Bible study and worship event.  Students will invite, if it is something they think is appealing and gives them an easy invitation.

2.  FOOD AFTER AN EVENT HELPS STUDENT HANG OUT AND VISIT.
If students do not feel known and cared for, they will not return. We all are aware of how technology has in many ways caused students to not be able to relate as well face to face. They have a difficult time beginning new friendships.  Often students attend a Christian event and leave quickly when it is over to avoid awkward conversations.  Food gives everyone a reason for hanging out and getting to know those around them.  I actually believe that people are more open and transparent when eating.  If some sort of snack or food afterwards promotes hanging out and conversation, it has done well. God uses relationships.  Relationships are the currency through which God works.

Most students I deal with can get all the food they want on campus by simply sliding their card at no additional cost.  Free food is not a big draw.....BUT,  a friend saying, "Come go with me to...." has powerful appeal.  If you want your core students to invite their friends, have things that are easy for them to invite their friends to attend.

If your students are not inviting their friends, perhaps you need to think about your events.  Are we bribing...NO...but we are helping our students easily invite their friends.....AND it works.  AND, they get in the habit of inviting.

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but ENCOURAGING one another.." Hebrews 10:24-25

Should College Students Be Encouraged to Join a Church?

There is discussion among our College Ministry Tribe about the value and need to encourage students to actually "join" a church.  Some years ago, as students left home churches to come to college, they were told to "move your membership to college".  Now, many churches encourage them not to do this as they feel it causes them to lose touch with their home church. So, why waste your breath talking about something they have been told not to do?  Plus, others would say students are so transient that it does not matter whether they "officially" join.

Many churches now do not continue the practice of people "walking the aisle" to join the church.  Rather, new people go through a membership class or some churches simply add someone's name to the role after they have attended so many times.

For those of us who serve in or work with churches who still function in a somewhat traditional manner, we still talk about and encourage joining.  We see it as a part of teaching students about being connected and serving as Christians...not just regular "visitors".

The church where I serve offers four ways that anyone can join.  They are by Profession of Faith, Statement (previous membership in a like church), Transfer of Letter, or Watchcare (for those who are already Believers).  Watchcare was designed for students.  It does not transfer their membership from a previous church, but indicates their commitment to and identifying with our church.  Interestingly, we have seen many students use this as an intermediate step and then actually joining a year or two later or following graduation.

But, a new development has made it more complicated and confusing to students.  Different ones now say, "I don't know for sure where my membership is.".  Multiple students have indicated their family moved different times, etc.  While others say, "We moved from a traditional church to a contemporary church and I'm not quite sure if we ever were officially members.". Another said, "I belonged to a church plant that went defunct.".

So, it is more complicated than it has ever been.  However, I still land on the side of talking about and encouraging students to "join" a church...not just attend.  As we become more and more of a "buffet society" where we pick and choose what we want and do not want,  commitment is an issue.  We see that more in those who attend our churches.  Encouraging joining is one way we can teach students about committing to and serving the Lord through a church...not just showing up and taking whatever is appealing off the buffet.

Do you talk about "joining"?  Or, what ways are you encouraging and teaching college students commitment to a body of Believers?

Different Definitions of College Ministry Success & Questions to Ask

Everyone I know wants to be successful.  The problem is, there are different definitions of college ministry success.  I am currently the Interim College Minister in a church setting that we are re-building.  In my past life in a campus based ministry, I would have been in the total doldrums and thinking that I could sell insurance with where we are now numbers wise, etc.

HOWEVER, the ministry is growing, we are touching non-Believers and we are seeing new people every week...every week.  To me one of the greatest barometers of how things are going is, if there are continually new people.  That means your involved students want to invite and bring friends and the word out there is, it is worth checking out.  Right now, that is a "Success Point" for me.

Each situation and each individual has their own "Success Points".  Here are ten questions that are worth considering as you evaluate your ministry over-all and your own sense of satisfaction with what is happening.  These come from DIFFERENT view points of success.

1.  What do your students do after college in regard to faith, church, and ministry?  Relax; no one gets a perfect score here.

2.  Do your students look like the campus?

3.  Are you giving and training students to serve, lead, witness, etc or are you just preaching to them?

4.  Do you sense a movement of the Lord in any way in what is happening?

5.  Does your large group meeting have a normal attendance equal to one percent (1%) of the student body?  A campus of 1,000 would have 10...a campus of 10,000 would have 100, etc.  This is usually a deep south campus based ministry metric.

6.  Do you try to work with and encourage other ministries/churches that are trying to serve the Lord and students on your campus?  Remember the 11th commandment, "Speak no ill of other ministries."  But, encouraging is a step beyond that.

7.  Are you doing the key things your supporters, boss, contributors, church members think they hired you to do?

8.  Are you utilizing to the max the unique gifts God has given you?  Or, are you cheating on them to do some things you don't do so well.  YOU are the main asset of your ministry!

9.  Are you building on the unique opportunities and needs THIS campus has to offer?

10. When you leave this ministry will the next person find it stronger than when you came or will it all collapse when you leave?

Student Ownership of a College Ministry

I write and speak often of the value of student ownership of a ministry.  The ministry is something they believe in, invest in, and connect others.  It is not just something that they "visit".  They own it.

When students own it they are much more likely to invest higher degrees of energy and care into what is happening.  They also are more likely to stick around when the ministry hits a rough patch.  And, all ministries hit rough patches.  If they are just "a visitor", they will leave and go elsewhere...where there does not seem to be rough patches.  Owners even invest more in rough patches!

Three (3) Actions that Produce Ownership:

1.  LISTENING - What do your key student leaders have to say about the ministry?  Are you listening?  That does not mean all the time agreeing with what is said, but it is an active, genuine listening to their thoughts and ideas.

2.  DECISIONS ARE NOT ALL FROM "ON HIGH". - To feel like owners students have to be able to make some of the decisions.  A key word there is "some".  The College Minister does not abdicate all responsibility and decision making.

3.  THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN PRINCIPLE AND PREFERENCE. - When a College Minister allows students to influence and make some decisions, not all will be his or her preference.  It is important to be aware of the difference between preferences and principles.  A College Minister or leader cannot ever back down on a principle.  But, some things are just not "the way I would do it."  But, they are ok.  I went with something other than "my preference" this past week on a decision.  It not only was ok...it turned out to be the best decision.

Do your many of your students "own the ministry" or just "visit the ministry"?

5 Things I LOVE in College Ministry

I recently wrote "5 Things I HATE in College Ministry".  The fact is I love College Ministry and would even confess to something Kelly Minter says in her study of 2 Corinthians, ALL THINGS NEW, "I realize that sometimes I love the work of Jesus more than I love Jesus."  I do struggle with that.

5 Things I Love:

1.  The Different Seasons
There is the fall and start of school which is so charged with energy, excitement, and optimism.  There is the Christmas Break which is a time of reflection and evaluation of the semester just finished.  There is summer which has a looser schedule when I read and study more and connect with incoming students, plan and re-adjust.  It is energizing.  I have always felt for my pastor friends who basically do the same thing 365 days a year.

2.  The Variety of Every Day
It is crazy the different things a College Minister will do in one day...often back to back.  I always remember the time when I was on the phone with someone about the possibility that his church would make a $100,000 gift to the new campus center we were trying to raise the money to build.  When I hung up, I walked out of my office to embrace a student who was in tears over a $25 parking ticket she had just gotten.  I have gone from talking with the University President to a meeting with a freshman guy who thought having to be at class at 11:00 three times a week was just ridiculous.

3.  The Combination of Youth and Adulthood in Students
They are old enough to do whatever, but they are ready to pivot and go a different direction when they sense it is God's call on their life.  They have not landed in the proverbial rut yet. They can watch cartoons for two hours and then go to the lab where they are a key assistant working on cancer research.

4.  The Passion of Students
When college students get turned on about something....they are all in!  Let's go do it...let's go do it now!  One of my guys lived out in the bush in a foreign country all last summer sharing the Gospel.  It did not occur to him it might be dangerous or too rough.  He came back planning to go to seminary to go back to places like that.

5.  College Students are the Most Interesting People in the World
I had rather talk to college students than anyone else.  Old people conversations are incredibly boring!  It is same old, same old.  Not with students!  Bang!  Let's talk about this and let's talk about that and what do you think the unforgiveable sin is and have you seen this funny video with a cat?

6.  I know I said 5...but....When you are with college students, it is ok to eat french fries!

I am sad for people who have not experienced the joy of doing college ministry and just talking with college students all the time!

Arliss Dickerson is a part time college ministry consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and the author of five books on college ministry in eBook and print at amazon.com (type in Arliss Dickerson).

5 Things I HATE in College Ministry

1.  Those who say "there is only one way to do it".
It is said many different ways, but there are those who say it.  All of us have our style or our philosophy, but we must acknowledge that there is more than one way to do it...and do it well!  When we say there is only one way to do it, we are doing harm to others who are not doing our style or philosophy.  Always be an advocate your method, style or philosophy, but don't be bashing someone else's unless it is contrary to the Gospel or acting in unethical ways.

2.  Campus based and church based college ministries not working together.
I see situations where the ministries (often of the same denomination) are competing against the other....OR, they are not negative, they just are not cooperating for the good of all.  If you are not cooperating for the good of all...you are working against other ministries.

3.  One ministry STEALING  students from another.
Have you ever had someone who was a ministry staffer tell your students they should be in their ministry because your ministry "does not...." do whatever they say they do well?  Students hop around and ministry shop or do buffet tasting.  But, when we tell students they should not be in another ministry so they will be in ours, we are acting unethically....and even more...not Christ-like.

4.  The idea that some think College Ministers don't work hard because they "hang out" on campus.
Those that know me or read my stuff know one of my platform ideas is walking across the campus and through the Student Center every day.  Hanging out some provides connection to different students.

5.  Seeing a student walk away from my ministry and never knowing why.
I don't think there is anything that hurts more than seeing a student we have invested in walk away from our ministry and never knowing why they left.  I would do better with them telling me they didn't like me or I had done something wrong than just seeing them leave and not knowing what happened.  If you do college ministry long, it will happen many times...and you never know why and it always hurts.

Large Church Based College Ministry Seeking a College Minister

First Baptist Church, Denton, Texas is seeking a full time college minister.  It is a large ministry with a weekly collegiate event on Tuesday night with a normal attendance of 450 to 500 students. The church has a normal attendance of one thousand (1,000) on Sunday mornings.  The ministry is primarily connected to University of North Texas, Texas Women's University, and North Central College.  The previous college minister left at the end of February.

Some of the characteristics they are seeking in the person God would place there are:
-Someone who feels called to college ministry, has some experience and sees this as God's on-going call in their life.
-A self-motivated team player who will work well in a multi-staff situation .
-An Evangelist/Discipler
-Someone who has a "Word Gift".  This person would be the primary speaker for the weekly
Tuesday night event (Overflow).  They currently are having a variety of guest speakers.
-A seminary degree is preferred or that the person being in the process of working on a seminary degree.

This is a fully salaried position with health and retirement benefits.

For more information or to submit a resume you can contact:
Doyle Lowry, Executive Pastor
dlowry@firstdenton.org
Cell:  940.395.6761
1100 Malone Street
Denton, Texas 76201

New Details Announced for Collegiate Summit in Nashville

The once every three years Collegiate Summit has been a special event and gathering of the College Ministry family for several years now.  The next Collegiate Summit will be in Nashville at First Baptist Church, Hendersonville on May 2-4.

Speakers already announced are Ben Stuart, Pastor of Passion City Church in Washington, DC, Russell Moore of the Religious Liberty Commission, Tom Richter, pastor of First Baptist Church, Cullman, Alabama, Jackie Hill-Perry, Writer and Artist of Nashville.  Brooke and Boggs will be leading worship.

I am excited that we  have just received confirmation that Erica Reitz and Dr. Bob Stewart will be leading Mega Seminars at the Summit.  Erica is the author of AFTER COLLEGE:  NAVIGATING TRANSITIONS, RELATIONSHIPS AND FAITH.  Erica serves at Penn State University where she has specialized in helping college seniors and recent graduates navigate the transition to post-college life.

Dr. Stewart is a professor at New Orleans Seminary and speaks to standing room only crowds of students each August at Collegiate Week.  He is known for his understanding of theological trends and answering the tough questions of faith.

I will confess to being a "Summit Addict" but not willing to seek treatment.  What is better than being with 500 other College Ministers....folks who get what we do better than anyone else?  If you register by January 15, 2018, you will pay only $125 registration which includes two meals and a reception.  Spouses registering with a College Minister can register for only $50.  So, it is couple friendly!  You can go to the Lifeway Events website for the schedule and a list of area hotels who offer a special Summit price.

I will be in Nashville May 2-4 and hope you will be too!

PS:  It is mostly Baptists that come....but not all.....and most of them are friendly and don't bite...except at meals.

What TYPE of College Student Do YOU Mostly Reach?

This is a topic I have written on before.  It is my belief that all of us in college ministry have a "type student" with whom we most easily connect and draw into our ministry.  I want to speak to BOTH sides of that issue.

First, it has long been my observation that all College Ministers have their group...those students with which they most easily identify and most easily involve in their ministry.  In previous blogs I have used the examples of the "Athlete College Minister" who is good at connect to athletic types.  There is the "Music College Minister" who is gifted at connecting to students with musical talent.  There is the"Greek College Minister" who has all the fraternity and sorority folks in their ministry.  There are tons of "types" and hybrids.

I am aware of a college ministry some years back who called a man as their College Minister who they felt would be good at reaching "Non-churchy students" and non-Christians.  He was.  He just had a gift for connecting to them and they responded to him in a very positive way.  But, there was a back side to this strength.  It is my belief that our weakness is usually the backside of our strength.

He was super at connecting to the "Non-churchy".  He was not good at relating to Christian students and those who had grown up in church.  Consequently, what had been a large ministry began to lose those students who had a Christian background and long term Christian commitment.  Those that had been the backbone of the structure of the ministry began to leave and left the ministry strictly tied to his personal gift with the "Non-churchy".

Here is my point.  We must know and play to the strength of what "type of student" we are gifted or good at reaching.  HOWEVER, we must be aware of the "type of student" we are NOT gifted or good at connecting to.  It is my belief that we must flex there to widen our ministry.  Erick Reed has an article at Lifeway.com entitled "Three Questions to Improve Your Self-Awareness"   Question number 2 is, "What are your blindspots?".

Do you know your blindspot in regard to the "type of student" that you do not automatically relate to and are you attempting to over-come that in some way?  Reed says, "You need to invite some others into your life who can help you discern blind spots that my be costing you in your leadership."  That is wisdom.  You can empower others in that area and set them up for success there.  Or, it may mean that you simply will recognize an area where you need to make some personal adjustments and flex.

Look at your ministry.  What "type of student" comes to your ministry?  Why are there not other "types of students" there?

Arliss Dickerson is a part time college ministry consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook and print at amazon.com (type in Arliss Dickerson).

Commuter Outreach

Reaching students who live on campus has always been easier...at least in all the contexts I have served and observed.  I am at heart super practical and always just like to see and hear ideas.  Here is an idea for Commuter Outreach from Roger and Rose Bear at Indiana State University.

"Every month we do an outreach project on campus.  In September we focus on commuters.  We make welcome bags that contain a car air freshener, a gospel tract called "God Allows U Turns," and a cut-out of a car that says "You AUTO check out BCM" with our contact information.  We stood on the sidewalk at couple of campus locations and gave them to students as they walked in from the parking lots, and then gave out more at a commuter event sponsored by ISU.  200 students received these bags."

What do you do to intentionally reach out to commuters?


The National Collegiate Ministers Summit will be in Nashville, May 2-4.  Do you have it on your calendar?  It only happens once every three years.

Is This Generation X, Y, Z, J, or T? Or, is it "The Hang-out Generation"?

I must admit I am a bit fascinated by the titles given to each generation and the thing I wonder about the most is....who gets to name them?  That is a heavy responsibility.  So, you can let me know, if you know the answer.  As a friend of mine said yesterday, "Tell me something I don't know.".

I find the descriptions helpful.  I read the articles describing the characteristic of each.  Here is my title for the current college student generation.  They are "The Hang-out Generation".  In my role as the Interim College Minister at my church, I spend two days of set aside time on campus.  I meet with students who need to meet over an issue or just want to meet for us to know each other better....either by their request or mine.  One thing I do on each of these days is walk the campus through the student high traffic areas.  That has been a practice of mine for many years.

I have been struck by how many places the University has established "Hang-out Areas".  There are large areas with many tables and chairs in the main student center and there are lots of small cubby holes, chairs and tables different places.  There is a classroom building with an atrium and a deli....and lots of small table, chairs, and other groupings.  There are older classrooms who have a small table and two chairs stuck here and there.  These are recent additions.

Everywhere all over campus students are hanging out.  Some are hanging out with one or two others and in other instances, they are hanging out alone....with their phone either looking at something or talking to someone.

Here are my Three Take-Aways for College Ministry:

1.  We must take time to get out and about and connect with students in these hang out areas.  Heading across campus with no appointment or plan may seem a waste of time.  It is not.  I continue to be surprised by how often God opens a door for a long or very short conversation that he uses in the hang-out areas and spaces.

2.  For those of us fortunate and blessed enough to have some kind of designated, our own space...either in a campus Center or in our part of the church, we need to have "Hang-out Areas".  We have two bistro tables with two stools in our University area. I notice how one or two students land there.  We have a couch and chair area in another corner.  Two or three students will land there.  When they do not have a test that they run off to study for following one of our events,  I notice how much they hang out.  These areas help promote it.

3.  Some sort of simple food promotes and advances hanging out.  We have a coffee bar and there is iced tea available self serve....also something to munch on.  Many years ago when I served on campus, I noticed when we had some sort of food afterwards, it encouraged students to stay and talk to someone else.  When they got to know people, they usually came back.

If this is indeed the, "Hang-out Generation", we must go to where they are hanging out and we must provide places for them to hang out. Starbucks gets this and is making big money with it.   I hate coffee.....but I like students hanging out where we and they have spiritual conversations.  And, I will even meet them somewhere and buy their coffee......and we have spiritual conversations.

Are YOU hanging out on campus?  Do you have hang out places where you meet?

7 Things Every College Minister Should Schedule

All of us know the feeling of days where we have been crazy busy all day, but at the end of the day are not sure what we have accomplished.  I have found having some things scheduled that I do at the same time every week make a huge difference in me getting them done AND in FEELING I got some things done that matter.

1.  Prep Time - If you speak at your large group meeting or lead one or more Bible Study or Discipleship Groups, being prepared is huge.  And I think most of us would confess to going into some of those feeling less than prepared.  Schedule a set prep time and do it somewhere you will NOT be interrupted.

2.  Have a Set Time and Day(s) You Eat Where Students Eat - I am a huge proponent of eating with students in food courts, cafeterias, etc.  Sometimes I have one or more students I plan to connect to and other times it is just random.  This usually leads to meeting new people and great "Bump Visits"...those 60 second conversations God uses.

3.  Weekly Meetings with Key Leaders -  Student Leaders multiply our ministry and it builds deeply into their lives.  This is a priority on the schedule.

4.  Paperwork Time or Day -  Most of us don't love doing our paperwork, reports, etc.  But, they must be done.  I found Fridays to be the best paperwork day.  Friday mornings were my time to focus on paperwork.

5.  Follow-Up Time - Plan a time after each of your weekly events to follow up on new people.  I am convinced the sooner the follow-up the more effective and meaningful it is.

6.  Plan to Walk Through the Campus Student Center EVERY DAY - Again, we will have some great "Bump Visits" and it will keep us aware of the campus vibe as a whole.

7.  Schedule Non-Necessities BEFORE First Month - Do everything in advance that can be done before the first month of school starts so things that can only happen then take priority.  Your first month shapes your ministry for the whole year.

Monday and Tuesday Sale

The Amazon eBook version of FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY will be 99 cents Monday and Tuesday. It was written for the purpose of helping revitalize struggling ministries. Yet,  it is also can be a tool to those seeking to take their Ministry to another level.

Blessings to all in the College Ministry family!
Arliss

Is College Ministry in "The Post Event Era"?

A college ministry friend and colleague shared with me that the Interfaith Council regular meeting held on his campus the most recent discussion  was the feeling by some that we are in a "Post event culture".  Perhaps, this is the newest term to the college ministry discussions.  This meeting is a representative of College Ministers of all stripes and kinds who meet with the Dean of Students for regular communication with the state university and each other.  The variety of types of ministries represented would in itself have huge disagreements about philosophies, goals, and just the how-to's of college ministry.

Well, ARE we in the "Post Event Era"?  This same friend shared with me last year that they are seeing a shift from students coming to their large event first and then migrating to their small groups.  Now, many are coming first to their small groups and migrating to their large group event as they develop relationships and are more comfortable.  Is that a sign of the "Post Event Era"?

One of the problems with sweeping statements in college ministry is that there are such huge differences in so many things from the Bible Belt to the east and west.  Then, you throw in the differences in ministry theologies and approaches. Some things that are true in one region are not true in another.  Yet, there are those that say the Bible Belt should look to the eastern and western campuses to see what will arrive on their campus in a few years.  Many ministries with which I am familiar are experiencing some of their best days in their large group events.  Some are building new and larger college ministry facilities.

So, is there a cultural phenomenon that is affecting events?  My simple answer is YES!  Students increasingly do not know how to do personal relationships....face to face.  They are a phone text and internet generation.  As I passed through class room building hallways yesterday, there were scores of students waiting for their next class....not talking to each other but looking at their phones.  An upperclassmen last night talked of the number of freshmen who had told him they were having a hard time making friends.  They do not know how.  They do not know how to do face to face.

I must confess that I am an "event ministry person".  I believe in the value of large group events and how you can speak to a variety of needs and many more people than you can do that with on a one to one or small group basis.  But, it may be that we need to think more in terms of moving people from our small groups to our events rather than vice versa.  I am not of the notion that it is time to abandon our large group events.

I currently lead a large group College Bible Study event at my church.  We are intentional about it being relational.  We usually do some sort of get acquainted activity each week.  We have space set up for hanging out, mixing and mingling.  We have snacks out that promote hanging around and visiting.  For some reason, food makes it easier to visit and talk...face to face.

I believe that relationships are the currency of Christian ministry.  God moves through and uses relationships.  We must be about developing relationships with students, teaching them to develop relationships with other students, and then letting God use those relationships in ministry and witness to others.  Many years ago the Billy Graham organization did a follow up study of those coming to Christ in their crusades.  They found a disappointing percentage were becoming involved in a church following their conversion.  What they found was of those who did connect to a church, most of the time it was a result of a relationship to someone in the church.  God uses relationships.

We must provide opportunity and do things that help students develop relationships.  It is not just for their emotional well being....it is for the sake of the Gospel.  Are we in a "Post Event Era" or are we in a "Post Relationship Era"?  What are you doing around your events and in your ministry that promotes relationship development and connections?


FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY was written to help take a college ministry to the next level.  It is available in both print and eBook format on Amazon.  www.amazonbooks.com

What Are the Pillars of Your College Ministry?

As I am in my first fall of doing church based college ministry (as an Interim), I have given considerable thought to doing the basics that will benefit whomever comes to this position on a more permanent basis.  I want it to be built and strengthen on a solid foundation.  A pillar is defined as, "A tall vertical structure used as a support....or a person or thing regarded as reliably providing essential support for something."  (Wikapedia)

This has been an interesting challenge for me since I had recently written, FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY, and this ministry had gone from being large to being much smaller over a period of about three or four years.  I told someone, "I might have to tear up "Fixing" when this is over.".  That has not happened yet, but I wish I had had this experience prior to writing "Fixing".

Let me share SIX PILLARS:

1.  Good and solid Biblical teaching.
This can and likely should happen in both small groups and large group events.  It is the basis of who we are and what we proclaim.  I like and am all about students reading the latest good Christian books....but they should not be a pillar of our ministry.

2.  A Sense of Mission
One of things that is making our ministry work right now is many of our students have a real sense of mission about our ministry.  They are reaching out to friends and working at it being the best it can be.  They do not see the ministry as simply their private club.

3.  Committed and Capable Student Leaders
No ministry or organization can survive or at least thrive without solid leaders and I believe student leaders are essential to a healthy and strong college ministry.  We must enlist, attract, train and empower student leaders.  They reach those we cannot.  It builds them for future service and it multiplies the leader's time and efforts.

4.  A Plan or Strategy
A plan is a road map.  Where are you trying to go?  Do you have a plan to get there?  Just as on a long trip, there may be detours, your plan may change as you go, but having a plan is a must.  Just as every map must be unique or specific to the trip you are taking, your plan must be unique or specific to your ministry.  It involves your goals, resources, and planned actions. You cannot copy someone else's map or plan.

5.  Strong Outreach to Freshmen
Freshmen are the most reachable and most needy.  If your ministry is about touching lives for their benefit and the benefit of the kingdom, you must be trying to reach out to freshmen.  Yet, I have been very pleasantly surprised at the number of upperclassmen we are seeing that are responding to our outreach and invitations.  There is need an opportunity in every class.

6.  Consistency
There must be consistency in what is offered and there must be consistency in the leadership.  As I state in "FIXING" one of the reasons a college ministry can become broken is continual turnover of leadership (that has happened to the one I am currently leading.).  There must also be ongoing consistency in what is offered and how it is done.  Students know what to expect and they know what they are inviting friends to attend and commit to.  Every good ministry is continually tweaking from one year to the next, but it does not go through wholesale change every semester....or every week.  UNLESS, it is broken and needs fixing.

I am not arguing these are the only pillars....but can you say what your pillars are?  What is your ministry based on and supported by?


FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is an Amazon eBook aimed at helping ministries to to the next level.  It is available in or print or eBook format.

8 Reasons College Ministries Often Don't Cooperate

Through the years in different experiences I have been surprised at many college ministries (campus and church based) that do not cooperate with other college ministries.  A question I have often gotten when leading a training seminar for church lay people is, "Why are college ministries not more cooperative with each other?".

Eight Common Reasons for Some College Ministries NOT Being Cooperative:

1.  Different Theology -  Obviously, all ministries and churches do not share identical theology.  Some feel that if they cooperate with another ministry in any way, they are indicating approval of the other ministry's theology.

2.  Disagreement over Methodology - This is similar to the first in that some ministries feel that others are improper or even unethical in their methods.  Therefore, they feel to cooperate would be to indicate approval or agreement with their methods.

3.  Totally Self-focused - I have learned that some ministries genuinely wish all ministries well.  But, they are going to do whatever they feel is the most effective thing for their ministry, regardless of the effect on others.  This is seen sometimes in churches that do not cooperate with their own denomination's campus based ministry.

4.  Numbers Pressure - Some College Ministers feel such a pressure (either from supervisors or self imposed) to produce numbers. They fear that their students will see what is happening elsewhere and choose to go there instead.

5.  Tunnel Vision - This is best illustrated by a story I heard recently of a church who began reaching members of the football team.  The church College Minister went to the athletics ministry person on that campus who served as Chaplain of the football team.  They said, "How can we cooperate?".  The athletics chaplain said they did not wish to cooperate with that church because they wanted all the athletes to attend one particular church...the one he attended.

6. Desire to Reach More Students  - Some believe that if ministries cooperate it will simply lead to all those cooperating working with and sharing the same students and that more students will be reached if everyone just does their own thing.

7.  Just Crazy Busy - College Ministers are sometimes so crazy busy that it just is another thing that takes time or meetings.  So, in order to simplify their life, they just do not do anything with anybody else.

8.  Limited Finances - Often college ministries (both church and campus) operate with very limited budgets.  Sometimes cooperative endeavors involve some activity with a budget involved and everyone is expected to contribute.  They just feel they cannot afford to do anything that does not specifically benefit their ministry.

I am a strong believer in the benefit of different ministries being unique and I do not advocate the idea of let's just all join together and be one ministry.  But, I do believe there are places and times we should cooperate for the benefit of God's Kingdom as a whole and for the witness to the campus as a whole.  For example, many ministries join together for Easter or Easter Week events.  In many places the different college ministry leaders meet together on a regular basis for sharing, prayer, and exchange of information beneficial to all. We must always be attempting to do what is best for God's kingdom...not just what is best for our own ministry.

"Teacher, said John, we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us. Do not stop him, Jesus said, No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us." Mark 9:38-40 (NIV)

Arliss Dickerson's college ministry books are available at amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

Some Students You Never See

I am currently serving as the Interim College Minister at my church. We are now starting our fourth week of the fall semester and every year at this point, I struggle with the fact that there are students we have never seen.  They are those that were recommended to us so highly.  They are those whom we have sent personal messages to and they have never responded.  I wonder if they have connected to a Christian ministry or church somewhere else....are they in trouble....have they quit and gone home?

One student's name had been given to me with cell phone, etc and I had texted him some messages and never heard back.  A couple of weeks ago the friend who had contacted me with his information and had had asked me to contact him let me know he was not doing well and could I do something.  I indicated that I would again send him a message, but that he had never responded to any of my previous attempts.  The friend said, "Let me double check with his mom to make sure I gave you correct information.".  At that point, I sent him another message.  Within thirty minutes he responded....oh yes; his mom called him!  He has been at every collegiate event we have had since then.  Encouragement on both ends is huge.

We are seeing both freshmen and upperclassmen we have never seen before.  Some have been at other churches and some have not been anywhere.  I struggle with the best way to respond to students who have attend other churches last school year.  I want to reach students no one is touching...both Christian and non-believers.  But, I have also feel a special sense of calling to those who came to Christ very young and have never figured out what to do with it.  I don't want to build our ministry by draining another ministry, but I also want students to be somewhere they feel loved, connected, and challenged.  I realize some students have gone to a church because their friends did and later realize it is not a fit for them.  No doubt that is true for some who have come to our church.  It is too bad we don't have a system like pro sports where we can trade players.  Everybody is in on the deal and feels good about it.

A friend who serves as a campus based College Minister told me today of a new approach he has taken.  He now will walk up to a student sitting alone in the Union and say, "May I invite you to something?".  He says it is very different than just walking up and handing them a flyer or brochure.  You are asking permission to come into their space.  He said he almost never gets a negative response.

I am reminded again that we must continually speak about forgiveness in our early talks.  It is a strong belief of mine that many Christian students go away from faith involvement in college due to something they have done contrary to their previous beliefs and practices.  The urge and pressure to fit in is huge and many get swept somewhere they never meant to go.  Then, their sense of guilt or shame drives them away.

But, I just keep wondering about some students I have never seen.  I would be great with their sending me a message saying, "Hey Arliss, just wanted to let you know I have connected at ___________ church/ministry.".

Whether this is your fourth week, fifth, second or whatever week, keep on!  I still believe college ministry is the HIGH calling.  You will never know this side of heaven all the ways God has used you in the lives of students.  A man came up to me at a Sunday School training event I did and said, "You don't know me, but I was a student on your campus and you were out putting up lunch signs early one morning.  You came over and talked to me and encouraged me and I never forgot it."  He was teaching University Sunday School.

What I Am LEARNING About Fixing a Broken College Ministry

In late June I was asked to step in as Interim College Minister at my church effective later in the summer.  A long story put simply is our church for many years had a large and well known college ministry.  For a variety of reasons...some internal, some external and some self-inflicted, it has become a much smaller ministry and mostly not on students radar.  One of the reasons was it had been through a variety of leaders over a short period of time. The current leader was a staff member much loved by students and the church as a whole.  Yet, he was wearing multiple hats.  And due to some sudden staff changes, he was asked to put on a much larger and more demanding hat.  So, I was asked to step in as Interim College Minister.

As a College Ministry Consultant for Lifeway (Southern Baptists), one of the things I have done through the last few years is make suggestions about ministries, encourage College Ministers and I get to see a variety of ministries.  In that role, a year or so ago a friend called to ask what resources were available in "College Ministry Revitalization".  He had searched and not found any.  I knew of nothing.  So, I assigned myself the task of writing such a resource.  I spent the spring writing what I came to call, FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY.  It came out of some of my own experience in previous years and what I had observed in different situations.

Little did I know how quickly I would put to the test this supposed "expertise".  We are only two weeks into the school year, so we are not even close to a final grade. But, here is some of what I am learning.

1.  Student leaders are making a huge difference.  Their enthusiasm and energy are wonderful.  A new start has given them a new start.

2.  We are seeing new students....both freshmen and upperclassmen.  The upperclassmen are mostly students who went elsewhere in previous years and did not feel they connected.  They are looking for connection.  The word of a new start in our ministry has encouraged them to give it a try.

3.  A smaller ministry has some pluses for people who are looking for connections.

4.  Since I am the "Interim" I am giving our student leaders a ton of freedom in what they are doing.....and as a result they are doing more and great things....things I would never have thought to tell them to do.

5.  Paint and cleaning make a difference.  My two student Assistants decided that our meeting area needed painting and dressing up.  One is an art student and the other is an engineering major.  What they have built and painted is amazing and it has given our meeting place a whole new vibe!  Our University Sunday School also meets in that area and I went in the other day to find one of our Bible study leaders (not a student) in her room re-doing and decorating it.  She said what had been done in the larger meeting area had made her realize how drab their room was.  Excellence promotes excellence!

6.  I am part time....I am working at being part time.  It is hard....but what I have realized is I have time to THINK about the ministry and some things to do.  Often staffers working full time do NOT have time to think.  They just have to run from one thing to the next.  Thinking is way UNDER-RATED in college ministry.

7.  Students like to see your face on campus.  It is part of their knowing you care.  I love eating with students....and not just because I get to eat more french fries again.  Eating with students is huge in knowing and connecting to them and what is going on in their lives.

8.  Some students study.  A student came up to me the other night and thanked me for our event ending on time.  She said she had been to other college ministry events that had gone on and on....and on when she had a test to prepare for the next day.  She does not go there any more.

9.  In "Fixing" I write about the value of "the appearance of change".  I am more convinced of the value of this now than I was when I wrote it.

I don't know what God will do in this "Interim Experiment".  I told someone when I started that I may tear up my new book when this Interim is done.  But, right now I am enjoying the journey.....and I am even seeing some of it works.....wow, who would have thought it.


FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is an Amazon book available in eBook or print format aimed at helping ministries go to the next level.

The End of the Beginning for This School Year

Our Back-2-School Retreat usually came about three weeks into the start of the fall semester.  I called it the end of the beginning.  I have always loved all the special outreach events and connections made at the start of the fall semester.  There is the excitement of meeting so many new students and connecting to ones someone had told you about.  There is a special energy that goes with the start of the fall term.

But, I always was glad to see the end of the beginning.  For one thing, no one can maintain the pace that goes with the start of school events that happen continually and take extra planning and energy.  But, I have learned that it also can give a false sense of where things are in your ministry.  Just as students have what I call "Reality Week" the end of the beginning is reality week for college ministries.  Reality Week is what I call about the third week of school where students start having their first round of tests.  Many who have not done much studying to this point....particularly freshmen....realize they cannot continue on the 24/7 fun cycle.  That study and even sleep has to enter the equation.

It even affects your upper class leaders as well.  Where they have been available to work in the ministry almost 24/7 their reality of school kicks in as well and they have less time to give to the ministry and your errands and ideas.

But, I liked getting down to business.....getting down to where we do what we do.  So, here are some suggestions or questions for you to think about if you are at "The End of the Beginning".

1.  Who have we not seen we saw that first week that was so full of promise and possibilities?

2.  Are you giving as much thought to excellence in your regular events as you did in your special outreach events?

3.  Have you settled into a regular schedule of meeting with student leaders in encouraging, training and praying with them?

4.  In outreach to new people sometimes, we have not seen some upperclassmen who have been very involved the previous year.  Any familiar faces missing?

5.  Is there a leader or two in key roles that showed during the first couple of weeks that they need some special attention and encouragement?  Or, they may have even decided to drop out of their leadership role and good...not just hasty.....thought must be given as to what to do.  AND, help them not to let this run them away from the ministry with a sense of failure.

6.  If you have not already, start scheduling times to meet with and hear the stories of those who served in summer ministry....camp counselors, Summer Missionaries, etc.  For some coming back is hard.  For others, the summer was painful and they need to process it and decide what all it means and what they need to learn from it.  Often, students who served in the summer do not process it properly and the lessons of the summer are lost.

7.  Take a couple of extra hours for a make-up lunch with your spouse or to do something a little special with your kids.

"Being Confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion....."  Philippians 1:6

FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is an Amazon book aimed at helping ministries go to the next level.  It is available in print or eBook form.

Evaluating Your Start of School Events.....2 Questions to Ask

I have done and participated in a ton of start of school events in my 40 plus years in college ministry.  As Interim College Minister at my church this year, I am doing several and I am attending events done by others.

Usually we do not evaluate them well because we are just blindly rushing to the next event.  Through the years I decided some events were great fun and had a big crowd.....but...in the end when I really evaluated them.....they were not worth the time, effort, and sometimes, the expense.

The most common question or point of evaluation of a college ministry start of school event is, "Did we have a good crowd?".  I stopped having some events where we had "a good crowd" but when I looked at it on a deeper level I realized, it did not benefit our ministry.  We used to have a big Luau.  It was fun and we had big crowds.  After a few years we stopped having the Luau and had our first Worship event with food afterwards.  We did what we do and we were who we were.  Most who had come to our Luau did not know who we were or what and why we were. I am not in any way opposed to Luau's or any type fun event if it is serving the purpose for which you are holding it.

Here are the two questions I think we must ask about our start of school events:

1.  Did it benefit the students who attended in any way?
I honestly think one of our purposes in start of school event is to benefit the students.  Survival is one of those type events with its "Survival Tips", etc.  We might say an event did not accomplish much for our ministry but it was a help and blessing to those who attended.  We are doing college ministry to help and bless college students.

2.  Did it benefit our ministry?
Honestly, about ninety percent of why we do start of school events is to inform students about our ministry and or draw them to our ministry.  So, the question is not, "Did we have a big crowd?"  or "Did everyone have a good time?".  The question is DID IT BENEFIT OUR MINISTRY?  Were students informed about what we were doing OR did the event cause them to want to connect to our ministry?

As you begin to come to "the end of the beginning", ask these two questions about your events.


FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is an Amazon book aimed at helping college ministries go to the next level.  It is available in print or eBook form.

Why College Freshmen Drop Out of Church

In recent years surveys have indicated that most college freshmen active in church in high school are not connecting to church in college.  Some said, "Nine out of ten are dropping out."  Another said it's not nearly that bad, it is "ONLY seven out of ten".  So, why is it happening?  For most, I believe it is a combination of things.  Here are some reasons that I observe.

1.  High school seniors feel they have graduated from church.
My church does a beautiful Senior Sunday with a slide show in the services, introduction of each senior, often a special message or speaker directed toward them and then a really nice banquet type meal for students, parents and grandparents after the service.  It is first class.  This past May following that great Sunday, one of the graduating seniors attended Sunday School again over the rest of the summer.  They were done.

2.  College is busier.
I am convinced most do not go with the plan to drop church.  It is just a fact that college is busier than high school with either increased academic expectations or activities or both.  It is easy for a college freshman to just assume that church will fall in somewhere there, because it has in the past.  The first month passes and they have not connected anywhere and that usually is the end of it.  A Christian student has to be intentional about connecting to a church.  Intentionality is key!

3.  Parents ok dropping out.
I always hate saying this because it is an unfair statement in many ways.  Here is what I mean.  Many parents who are active believers and very involved in their church dropped out while they were in college and so they assume that their son or daughter will drop out but will come back as they did.  Somehow, somehow that message is communicated to the students.  I encourage parents to talk about and encourage faith involvement the same as they talk continually about keeping up their grades and maintaining their scholarships, etc.

4.  A moral failure.
Most college students go to college looking for friends and fun.  Often in finding friends and fun they are exposed to and participate in things they had considered wrong just a month before.  Sometimes, students get drunk or have sex due to new friends and an attempt to find a place they fit.  This "moral failure" on their part produces a sense of guilt or failure that drives them away from their faith involvement.  I tell College Ministers that all their early talks and messages must include talk of forgiveness...even when that is not the topic.

5.  Bigger college churches.
It is just a fact that the majority of churches are small.  Students have often grown up in and attended what I call "Cousin Churches".  They knew everyone in the church and their aunt was their Sunday School teacher.  At college most churches reaching out to students are larger and students who visit often feel uncomfortable and compare it to their home church.  It is different and feels very uncomfortable.

6.  We do not have a good "next step" system.
Many Youth Ministers feel their job is done when the student graduates.  Many churches do not have a good transition group or strategy from youth to what is next.  It is difficult to go from a high school Bible study group to a "Singles Group" with 30 year olds.  Where do they fit?

7.  Exposure to a variety of questions, different beliefs, and doubts.
Obviously, one of the things that happens at college is students are exposed to different beliefs, religions and skepticism about Christian faith.  A professor may openly ridicule Christian ideas and beliefs.  We must help students know that doubt and honest questions are not contrary to a healthy faith and that everything a professor says about faith and the Bible is not necessarily accurate.   But, it is easy to feel the person up in front of the class is an expert in all they say.

8.  Feeling overwhelmed.
A freshman girl said to me this week she was just scared.  It is not one thing she is scared about; it is just the bigness and change of it all.  Consequently, students tend to withdraw and isolate themselves because it just is overloading their system.

9.  Churches have separated youth from the rest of the church.
I believe a huge mistake that we are making in attempting to do the best job of youth ministry is that we are separating youth from the rest of the church.  We have special youth everything.  That is part of why they feel they have graduated from church when they graduate from high school.  I had a text message today asking me to check on a certain freshman guy who was not doing well.  He had visited a church Sunday but said, "there was a bunch of old white people there."  He is white and the church he grew up in has a bunch of "old white people" in it.  We must integrate our youth into the church as a whole.

Some of these reasons are issues we must address in how we do church and youth ministry.  Some of it goes to helping and encouraging parents in working with their sons and daughters prior to and while in college.  Part of it goes to understanding all that is happening in the lives of college freshmen and doing all we can to connect people to them who get it.

 It has been said that the two greatest times of change in a person's life are birth to age one and high school graduation to Christmas.  We don't leave new born babies on their own and expect them to survive.  Why should we expect college freshmen to be fine on their own?  The University President said to me once, "Parents have every right to expect someone to look to the spiritual welfare of their children.  I cannot do that, but I can help you do that.". Most colleges are not geared to or planning to help students spiritually.  That is up to us.  We have to do a better job of it.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

College Ministers and the News.....And Being Crazy Tired!

This is very different than any of my usual Blogs which are "how-to's" and "why's" of college Ministry.  This is opinion.

I have recently read different College Ministers (some I know and respect and others I do not know) saying we should not read or watch the news.  They say it is distracting.

I wholeheartedly disagree.  As Christians we must be very much aware of the world and what is going on around us.  Scripture admonishes us to pray for our leaders.  Being aware of what is going on makes for better praying.

Christians are often accused of being out of touch.  If we do not keep up with current events, we are out of touch.  Now, can you watch too much cable news and  become too into what is going on hour by hour?  Absolutely!  Also, remember that surveys indicate that people today want to watch news with which they agree.  Beware of just watching news that slants it your direction.  Watch and read news....not just opinion people.

That's the end of that rant.

I have just returned to a local college ministry position as the Interim College Minister at my church after just being a College Ministry Consultant.  You know a consultant is someone who borrows your watch to tell you what time it is.  I must admit that I had totally forgotten the crazy tired feeling that goes with the start of school...all the events you are doing or connecting to, etc.  When I got out of bed this morning I felt like I had been in a football scrimmage yesterday.  It took me a few steps to be able to even walk straight!  Hope you can walk straight.

Blessings to all....Keep  Doing it!


FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is available on Kindle as an eBook or in print.  It was written to help ministries re-build or to take them to the next level.

0-50 or 50-100: Which One Are You? By Ben Neiser

     Many people ask me about my particular calling to Utah and how I discerned and continue to know that God has called us to this context.  How does one know that you are a right fit for a particular ministry?  There are several keys to calling in ministry but I would like to focus on just one today--Spiritual Awareness.  How self-aware are you?  Many of us know our spiritual gifts and use them daily.....if not multiple times a day.  A lot of us know our strengths and our weaknesses.  We may also know our spiritual blind spots and presuppositions. that can lead to difficulties and barriers in ministry.  But, what I want to address is the total package of all these things and how they have played out in ministry over the life of your faith in Jesus.  How does the sum of these things help us discern whether the ministry opportunity is right for us?

     There are two basic categories in my mind:  The 0-50 Minister and the 50-100 Minister.  Yes, I mean 0-50 and 50-100 people.  These are two distinct types of ministers.  Trouble usually arises when the 0-50 tries to be the 50-100 or vice versa.  I've been in both roles before.  Before 2010, God placed me in specific roles for 7 years where I was a 0-50 Minister.  In 2010 I spent a year as an Interim Youth Pastor of a large church.  The group was 75 students and more than a dozen adult volunteers.  The church was very supportive.  The youth were engaged and the adults were encouraging.  But, I realized the Lord had not equipped me to lead a group dynamic like that.  I served there for a year.

The 0-50 Minister:
      The 0-50 is comfortable and excited about self-starting or acquiring something very small.  They are not anxious about the size and losing sleep over how to grow it overnight.  They enjoy the tight relationships with each individual in the ministry.  They are shepherds at heart.  The are Mentors at heart.  The enjoy the grind of deep growth in a new or young believer.  The usually will have an evangelistic bent.  The 0-50 Minister gravitates towards all things new, small, or non-existent.

      When the 0-50 Minister gets put in the position of having to be a 50-100 Minister problems occur.  Immediately anxiety starts to manifest.  They don't want to reinvent the wheel so they continue to build on another's foundation.  The systems, the structure, the events, the volunteers, the leadership - all of they keep not for their sake but for the sake of others.  But this is a position they have never been placed in before.  Before they entered into situations where there were very vague expectations and any growth numerically and spiritually would be a plus.  Now they come in with very clear expectations on how the growth numerically and spiritually should happen.  Most of the time the 0-50 Minister, if given enough freedom, will kill a major event or branch of the ministry to build something else or something similar from scratch.  WHY?  Because that is who they are.  That is how God has gifted and wired them.  They also can be seen as playing favorites because of a few close relationships that they have among the congregants, leadership or volunteers.  But they aren't playing favorites!  Again, it is who they are!  This is how they have always functioned in ministry.

Reality Check:
     Just like Paul argued that the ear shouldn't desire to be an eye, the 0-50 Minister should know who God has wired them to be and leverage that for His Glory in Kingdom growth.  There is a reason why Paul sends Timothy to pastor at Ephesus and doesn't go himself.  Inevitably, the 0-50 will take a crack at the 50-100 position.  They will think that they have paid their dues in the smaller churches/ministries and they are ready for the ministry "Big Leagues".  If you are wired like me, then you will get to a point when you won't want to do it any more.

What Happens When the Ministry Has Outgrown You?
     Full Disclosure - As I previously stated, I'm a 0-50 guy.  I don't want to presume too much about my faithful, Godly and gifted 50-100 Ministers.  Please understand my tone is not a negative one.
     The 50-100 Minister is comfortable in the crowd.  They are usually your "big event" speakers.  Most of their time during the week is spent preparing for a sermon or talk to the masses rather than meeting individually with congregants.  They love systems and processes that can properly organize and communicate the vision on a mass level.  The systems provide proper discipleship and equipping of the saints.  They evaluate on every level.  They tinker and tweak usually avoiding complete overhauls.  Starting from scratch makes them nervous.  They are usually anxious communicating in smaller more intimate setting.  They get anxious and lose sleep over the rate of growth of the group numerically and spiritually.  Over time the Lord has put those ministers in places where a ministry already existed and they have come in and grown, strengthened, deepened, and even multiplied it.
     When the 50-100 Minister is put in a place where they have to be the 0-50 Minister then problems arise.  They are uncomfortable with small and brand new.  They can get easily frustrated when things aren't developing quickly.  They are truly out of their element.  They are having to ask questions and come up with solutions to issues that they have never faced before.  They have to spend more time with people than with message prep.  If things don't build quickly enough, then they usually leave for another ministry that has systems in place that they can tweak, fix, or maintain.

The 50-100 Minister isn't a Church Planter.
      You might be asking, when would a 50-100 Minister want to be a 0-50 Minister?  In the realm of church planting is where I see this mainly play out. Now follow me on this.  When I say church planting, I don't mean a transplant or replant.  A transplant is where a church relocates 25-50 members to another location to start a church but in a sense they are already a church with systems and trained adult volunteers from day one.  I am talking about a team of maybe two or three couples that have to be evangelistic and make disciples from new converts.  Then a church is born out of those efforts.  I have seen this play out in my state.  The 50-100 Minister tries to stick it out as a lead planter with a group of 25-40 attending but only 12 are really bought in to the vision.  They plant with the hopes that in less than a year they they will be a a more self sustainable size.  When it doesn't happen at the rate they are used to, they usually burn out.

What is the point?
      Ok, let's get to the point:  Self-Awareness.  Know who you are.  Be who you are.  Which one are you?  What positions has the Lord put you in the past?  Have you ever started anything from scratch before?  I don't care if it was a small group Bible study when you were a college student.  Have you mainly taken ministries that are already built and made them better?  In what ministry situations do you find yourself anxious?  In what ministry situations do you find yourself flourishing?
      I have spent 9 years in ministry.  I served in leadership in a large campus ministry as a student for 4 years.  I currently serve a campus organization that has 25 students in attendance.  I'm not looking for the "Big League" ministry position.  I know who I am.  I know who the Lord has called me and equipped me to be.

Go, and do likewise.

Ben Neiser is the Director of Equipping and Multiplication of First Baptist Church of Provo, Utah.  He also serve as a volunteer with an evangelical campus organization at BYU.

EVERYTHING You Could Possibly Want to Know About Reaching College Freshmen!

Doing a specialized and intentional Freshmen Ministry is the single best way to reach, influence and impact more college students for Christ.  Here are the "QuickNotes" for everything you need to know about Freshmen Ministry.

WHY DO FRESHMEN MINISTRY?

1.  Freshmen are more available than any other group of students on your campus.

2.  Many students shipwreck their lives during their freshmen year.

FRESHMEN MINISTRY TRUTHS:

1.  Freshmen are looking for fun and friends..  The go where the potential for friends and fun is.

2.  Freshmen develop their friendships and habits during the first three weeks.  College Ministries must make the most of those first three weeks.

3.  Many Christian Freshmen violate their personal moral code early in the year as they try to make friends and find a place they fit.  Then, their sense of guilt helps push them away from faith and faith connections.

4.  Many Christian Freshmen will have doubts about their faith raised due to exposure to different beliefs, questions asked by new friends and professors who may ridicule faith or raise questions about it.

5.  Freshmen are often overwhelmed managing their life and adjustment.  Your ministry can be a lifeboat for them.

6.  Freshmen must understand that doubt and questions are NOT contrary to a healthy faith.

7.  The top 3 reasons  400 plus students said they attended a Christian campus event the first time were:  #3 Food; #2 An Appealing Event; #1 A personal invitation.  Where possible roll all three of these into one.  Your upperclassmen will be more likely to invite, the more appealing the event is.


FIVE THINGS TO DO:

Plan to spend wisely extravagantly for the start of the fall semester for events that will connect with freshmen.

Individual follow-up is key.  Make it a goal for someone to have an individual connection with a freshman within 24 hours of their attending one of your events.

Train your upper class students to invite, bring, and welcome new students.

Present the Gospel to students who have never heard it.

Speak about forgiveness in your early talks, presentations, and Bible studies (even when that is not the topic or theme).


Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry coach, blogger, and author.  His new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.  Type in Arliss Dickerson or the title.