Recently, I was asked to share "10 Essentials" for the Tennessee Baptist Campus Ministers Workshop. I prefaced these by saying, "I am assuming growing in your personal faith, studying scripture, and sharing the gospel with non-believers.". So, with those assumptions, here are my 10 Essentials.
1. Work the SEASONS of the ministry.
College ministry varies. There is summer recruiting, fall enlistment, spring leadership selection and Spring Break ministry, etc. Recognize and utilize the different seasons to the max.
2. Make and have a positive connection with University officials.
Do they know who you are? Do they have a positive view of the benefits (free) that you bring to the campus? When they invite you to something or ask you to do something, do it!
3. Develop student leaders.
They multiply our ministry by doing things we cannot. They touch students we cannot and it builds them up for ministry for the rest of their lives.
4. Be freshmen intentional and have a specialized Freshmen Ministry.
If 7 out 10 are walking away from faith in college, we must be at our best in connecting to them when they first come to campus. Many shipwreck their lives the first month. A Freshmen Ministry can be anything from one specifically freshmen Bible study group to a whole schedule of freshmen events, freshmen night, freshmen Survival, etc.
5. Do One on One meetings with leaders.
The most transformational thing we can do in a student's life is meet with them on an individual basis.
6. Learn from other Ministries......EVEN those with whom we DISAGREE.
Look at what others are doing.....on your campus....on other campuses....across the country. No ministry has the corner on doing it all the best way it can be done.
7. Know what "THE IT FACTOR" is and Practice it.
Everybody wants the cool, charismatic College Minister. But, charisma is NOT the "It Factor". The IT FACTOR is RESPECT.
4 Ways You Earn Respect:
1. Be where you say you will be when you say you will be.
2. Treat students with respect.
3. Avoid the "appearance" of improper conduct.
4. Continue to express personal interest in students' lives even after they let you down.
Remember, WE ATTRACT WHAT WE ARE!
8. Do small groups in some way.
Intense discipleship does not happen in large groups. Some ministries now report that students are coming into their ministry first through their small groups and then move to their large group worship, etc. A wise Texas College Minister once said, "the small keeps".
9. Play to YOUR personal strengths AND the UNIQUE Strengths of your ministry.
If you speak, then spend time preparing. If one to one is your strength, plan time to make sure you do that. Each ministry has something unique that it does best. Particularly if you are on a campus with multiple ministries, figure out what it is your ministry does best and do it...and highlight it. Lean hard into your personal and ministry strengths. Just don't ignore everything else.
10. Work with Alumni.
You can continue to bless and encourage them. They can speak positive words for you ministry. They can pray for you and your ministry. They can give to your budget.....or even your salary. One Baptist State Convention has now told their College Ministers that they must raise 15% of their salaries. If your ministry does not have an Alumni list....start one. Someone has to start it. You can bless the ministry for years to come by doing that.
Now, let's take a break and go play golf!!
Arliss
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