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
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