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.