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.
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