In a recent Blog, I wrote about Michigan Baptists saying they were changing their college ministry strategy due to some college campuses attitude toward campus based religious groups. Some had wondered if that were a turning point for how all of Baptists do college ministry. One of the points of that article was to say that different state conventions in Baptist life have a very different amount of resources they are investing in college ministry. So, it was not a "one answer fits all".
Here are 5 Factors in Determining a College Ministry Strategy:
1. RESOURCES
There are three (3) parts to this and they are
1. Money...Money doesn't make a ministry, but its hard to have a ministry without it. The amount of money a ministry has varies widely from one ministry to another.
2. Staff....The one person staff is significantly different than the multi-staff with ten paid interns.
3. Facilities...A ministry with a large on campus facility is in a much different place than the
ministry with no facility, one that is far away from campus, or one needing to use college owned meeting areas.
2. CAMPUS SETTING AND COOPERATION
Each campus is different in the type of students there, their availability, etc. The all commuter campus requires a different strategy than the residential campus. Some college administrations are super friendly to religious groups while others are not. Whether a ministry can be a Recognized Student Organization (RSO) is a significant factor to consider.
3. WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING
If there are five other ministries on campus, that will be a significantly different situation than to the campus where are there are no ministries. Who other ministries are reaching and not reaching is another factor. The style or strategy of other ministries is another factor.
4. EXPECTATIONS OF SUPPORTERS OR EMPLOYERS
What do the people who support the ministry or who pay the College Minister's salary expect? If it is a church ministry, maybe Sunday morning attendance is the number one goal. Different expectations and goals must determine strategy.
5. INDIVIDUAL GIFTS AND STRENGTHS
Some College Ministers are great speakers and others are best one to one with students. Quite simply, the strategy of the ministry must reflect the particular strengths of the College Minister....especially if it is a one person staff.
No ministry can be a carbon copy of another. Our strategy must be determined by the situation.
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