Many years ago, I realized that if we were going to reach a wide variety of students for our Back To School Retreat, we needed to offer a variety of things. So, I began to think about the widest variety of Breakout Seminars. We listed those in our promo materials about the Retreat. Plus, I realized that one thing we need to do in equipping our students for the life to come that we needed to be teaching life skills.
So, many years ago I started having my wife, Sue, teach a "How to Cook Seminar". She would make up a little cook book and give it to them. In the seminar they would always have a great time working on one or two of the things and then would have her little cookbook she made to take home. This weekend, we had our Retreat for the church where I serve as College Minister and she did her cooking seminar. The speaker shared that he and his wife were still using the cookbook from one of her 1999 seminars.
We have offered "Self Defense for Ladies" and "5 Questions to Ask Before You Marry", "Being a Better Leader", etc, etc. No, these are not all we offer. There are your "more spiritual" topics as well such as "Spiritual Gifts", "Understanding the book of Revelation", etc.
Our "Challenge of the Classes" Volleyball tournament was huge for students as part of the Retreat. We did it with Sophomores vs Freshmen and Seniors vs Juniors with the winners playing for the championship. A couple of years ago I was at Virginia Tech's Big Weekend, which is their Fall Retreat, and their volleyball tournament featured their Family Groups against each other.
Look at your Retreat and ask, "Why should a lost student come to our Retreat?' Or, why should a student who is not making their relationship to Christ a priority at this point come to our Retreat? When they get to choose two or three different seminars and hear the main speaker, plus connect to more committed students, who knows how God will use it in their life?
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format on Amazon.com for 99 cents each. His paperback, FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY, is specially priced for $3.99 right now.
Monday, February 25, 2019
Thursday, February 21, 2019
"How did you learn to do College Ministry?"
Recently, a friend asked me a question I don't think I have ever been asked before. He said, "How did you learn to do college ministry?". I had to think about my answer for a while. Simply put, it has been a lifelong process. But, here are key points for me in the process of learning to be a College Minister.
-I was active in BSU on two different campuses and on the leadership team. One was a small Baptist college and the other was a larger state university campus. I saw a variety of things done. Usually, we start out doing simply what we have seen done.
-My first job was at Henderson State University and I just picked up and continued doing some of the things that Nancy Philly Russ had done there before I came.
-We were required to go to Collegiate Week at Glorieta and Max Barnett was BSU Director at Oklahoma University; He was considered one of the top College Ministers in Baptist life and he did a seminar in the leader track every year for several years. I went to all of them. The key thing I learned from him was to have a plan and strategy. Then, work that strategy. Don't just show up for work each day and see what happens. Have a plan and work it. I have done that ever since.
-When I went to Arkansas State as the BSU Director, Ron Wells was the BSU Director at Texas A&M and was considered one of the top College Ministers in America and led a large ministry there. My boss paid for me to fly to Texas A&M and I followed Ron around for 2-3 days.
-A few years later I was at a regional College Ministers Conference at Southwestern Seminary and after a session, a group of us went to Grandy's to eat cinnamon rolls and talk shop. Someone said, "This is better than the conference. Wouldn't it be great if we could do this for two or three days?" So, the next summer a group of us met at the BSU Center at Arkansas State and did it for three days. We wrote questions on a white board and just went down the list. It was wonderful!
-For several summers I would pick out four or five College Ministers who I had heard were doing an excellent job. I would send them a stamped, self-addressed envelope and ask if they would be willing to send back to me a copy of any of their printed materials, posters, etc. I learned a lot.
-In about the second year of those summer gatherings, Dave Jobe, who was a BSU Director in Texas, shared an idea he had developed and was using called, "Freshmen Survival". It had made a huge growth curve in his ministry. All of us resolved to do some version of it. It was the single most important and beneficial decision or ministry adjustment that I ever made! Our ministry began to impact more and more students as a result.
-When I am on another campus somewhere, I walk through the different religious centers on campus. It is amazing what you can learn by looking at their facilities and what is on the bulletin boards.
-The National Collegiate Ministries Summit in Nashville has been that for me in recent years. And, I always try to go to something that I think will likely be contrary to my thinking or philosophy. It causes me to think hard. AND, I go to hear some people who I know who are doing the same things I am and learn some little tweak or detail that makes me better.
I guess this is how I am learning to do college ministry. How are you learning to do college ministry? My daughter gave me a book for Christmas entitled, THE COMPOUND EFFECT by Darren Hardy. In it he says, "If you want to grow in an area, befriend the person you think is the biggest, baddest, most respected person in your field."
"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)
Arliss Dickerson is a part time college ministry consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and the author of five books on college ministry in eBook and print at amazon.com (type in Arliss Dickerson).
-I was active in BSU on two different campuses and on the leadership team. One was a small Baptist college and the other was a larger state university campus. I saw a variety of things done. Usually, we start out doing simply what we have seen done.
-My first job was at Henderson State University and I just picked up and continued doing some of the things that Nancy Philly Russ had done there before I came.
-We were required to go to Collegiate Week at Glorieta and Max Barnett was BSU Director at Oklahoma University; He was considered one of the top College Ministers in Baptist life and he did a seminar in the leader track every year for several years. I went to all of them. The key thing I learned from him was to have a plan and strategy. Then, work that strategy. Don't just show up for work each day and see what happens. Have a plan and work it. I have done that ever since.
-When I went to Arkansas State as the BSU Director, Ron Wells was the BSU Director at Texas A&M and was considered one of the top College Ministers in America and led a large ministry there. My boss paid for me to fly to Texas A&M and I followed Ron around for 2-3 days.
-A few years later I was at a regional College Ministers Conference at Southwestern Seminary and after a session, a group of us went to Grandy's to eat cinnamon rolls and talk shop. Someone said, "This is better than the conference. Wouldn't it be great if we could do this for two or three days?" So, the next summer a group of us met at the BSU Center at Arkansas State and did it for three days. We wrote questions on a white board and just went down the list. It was wonderful!
-For several summers I would pick out four or five College Ministers who I had heard were doing an excellent job. I would send them a stamped, self-addressed envelope and ask if they would be willing to send back to me a copy of any of their printed materials, posters, etc. I learned a lot.
-In about the second year of those summer gatherings, Dave Jobe, who was a BSU Director in Texas, shared an idea he had developed and was using called, "Freshmen Survival". It had made a huge growth curve in his ministry. All of us resolved to do some version of it. It was the single most important and beneficial decision or ministry adjustment that I ever made! Our ministry began to impact more and more students as a result.
-When I am on another campus somewhere, I walk through the different religious centers on campus. It is amazing what you can learn by looking at their facilities and what is on the bulletin boards.
-The National Collegiate Ministries Summit in Nashville has been that for me in recent years. And, I always try to go to something that I think will likely be contrary to my thinking or philosophy. It causes me to think hard. AND, I go to hear some people who I know who are doing the same things I am and learn some little tweak or detail that makes me better.
I guess this is how I am learning to do college ministry. How are you learning to do college ministry? My daughter gave me a book for Christmas entitled, THE COMPOUND EFFECT by Darren Hardy. In it he says, "If you want to grow in an area, befriend the person you think is the biggest, baddest, most respected person in your field."
"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)
Arliss Dickerson is a part time college ministry consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and the author of five books on college ministry in eBook and print at amazon.com (type in Arliss Dickerson).
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
One Year College Minister Position Available
An established college ministry church has a one year College Minister position available. The church has a normal Sunday attendance of 500 and is located ten minutes from a major University campus. It has had a University ministry for many years which has varied in size and scope. The ministry provides four college student Sunday School classes teaching different curriculum with one of the classes focused on International students. There is a Wednesday night event for students which is primarily a speaking/worship time currently.
-They would be open to a recent college graduate or a Seminary student, etc.
-This person would serve under the supervision of a senior staff member who has served as
a College Minister in multiple situations.
-The salary for the one year commitment would be approximately $30,000.
-The starting time is open to negotiation.
I am assisting the church in their search. To submit a resume or for further information, you may contact me at arlissdickerson@gmail.com. All resumes will be forwarded to the Staff Coordinator.
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available for 99 cents each in eBook format at Amazon.com. FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY in paperback is currently specially priced at $3.99.
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-They would be open to a recent college graduate or a Seminary student, etc.
-This person would serve under the supervision of a senior staff member who has served as
a College Minister in multiple situations.
-The salary for the one year commitment would be approximately $30,000.
-The starting time is open to negotiation.
I am assisting the church in their search. To submit a resume or for further information, you may contact me at arlissdickerson@gmail.com. All resumes will be forwarded to the Staff Coordinator.
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available for 99 cents each in eBook format at Amazon.com. FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY in paperback is currently specially priced at $3.99.
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Monday, February 18, 2019
A Conundrum of College Ministry
A conundrum is defined as, "a confusing and difficult problem or question" according to Google. Merriam Webster says its "an intricate and difficult problem." My homemade definition would be that "it is a problem that is contradictory in its parts...yet all are true."
Here is a conundrum of college ministry. Having a solid core group that is close and loves being together is beneficial. Yet, that very plus can become a problem when it causes others to feel left out or not wanted. When your ministry group becomes a co-ed fraternity or sorority, it works against your ministry being more inclusive of new people. When new people come, they sense that this is a closed group. Core members tend not to invite people because they like the way it feels and their social and even spiritual encouragement needs are being met.
How does your large group meeting look and feel? Is it a tight group of friends or are there a wide variety of students there that don't exactly all fit together? Believe it or not, I think the second is a little more healthy for the long term benefit of the ministry and your outreach to the campus. One thing that communicates this closed group feeling is when the announcements are all "in code"...they only make sense to the core group.
I believe in social events within a ministry for many reasons. They are outreach events; they build a healthy fellowship....they help students learn to be social, etc, etc. HOWEVER, I think we should be careful that our ministry is not geared toward meeting ALL your students' social needs. That is when it has gotten to the point of working against your ministry being more wide spread and touching a wider variety of students.
If your ministry has a large group weekly meeting, thought should be given to how to make it feel comfortable for a wider variety of people. Some ways to do that are:
-Have different parts within the program (Different things speak to different people....drama, testimonies, videos, etc.). Even if each event is a Bible study by you each week, there can be different things done by students....and not always the same students.
-Intentionally ask students who are NOT in the core group to do things in front of the entire group. That is more likely to bring or connect other students not in the core group.
-Challenge your leaders to not always sit with the same people and even in the same places. Yes, college students can have their "regular pew" just like older Christians.
-Students have long laughed at my "freakiness about chairs and set-ups". Setting your room up differently on different nights helps break up the "regular pew syndrome".
Obviously, there is no magic formula for this issue or it would not be a conundrum. But, the first thing is to be aware and constantly working at connecting different students with different students. And, it also goes to my often stated belief, "Walk across the campus and through the Student Center every day." It is part of connecting to different students and never losing sight of a larger campus other than just your core group.
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format for 99 cents each at Amazon.com. His paperback version of FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is temporarily priced at $3.99.
Here is a conundrum of college ministry. Having a solid core group that is close and loves being together is beneficial. Yet, that very plus can become a problem when it causes others to feel left out or not wanted. When your ministry group becomes a co-ed fraternity or sorority, it works against your ministry being more inclusive of new people. When new people come, they sense that this is a closed group. Core members tend not to invite people because they like the way it feels and their social and even spiritual encouragement needs are being met.
How does your large group meeting look and feel? Is it a tight group of friends or are there a wide variety of students there that don't exactly all fit together? Believe it or not, I think the second is a little more healthy for the long term benefit of the ministry and your outreach to the campus. One thing that communicates this closed group feeling is when the announcements are all "in code"...they only make sense to the core group.
I believe in social events within a ministry for many reasons. They are outreach events; they build a healthy fellowship....they help students learn to be social, etc, etc. HOWEVER, I think we should be careful that our ministry is not geared toward meeting ALL your students' social needs. That is when it has gotten to the point of working against your ministry being more wide spread and touching a wider variety of students.
If your ministry has a large group weekly meeting, thought should be given to how to make it feel comfortable for a wider variety of people. Some ways to do that are:
-Have different parts within the program (Different things speak to different people....drama, testimonies, videos, etc.). Even if each event is a Bible study by you each week, there can be different things done by students....and not always the same students.
-Intentionally ask students who are NOT in the core group to do things in front of the entire group. That is more likely to bring or connect other students not in the core group.
-Challenge your leaders to not always sit with the same people and even in the same places. Yes, college students can have their "regular pew" just like older Christians.
-Students have long laughed at my "freakiness about chairs and set-ups". Setting your room up differently on different nights helps break up the "regular pew syndrome".
Obviously, there is no magic formula for this issue or it would not be a conundrum. But, the first thing is to be aware and constantly working at connecting different students with different students. And, it also goes to my often stated belief, "Walk across the campus and through the Student Center every day." It is part of connecting to different students and never losing sight of a larger campus other than just your core group.
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format for 99 cents each at Amazon.com. His paperback version of FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is temporarily priced at $3.99.
Friday, February 15, 2019
SUPER SIMPLE College Ministry
Someone said, "Explain how to do and understand college ministry the simplest way possible.".
Relationships bring students to your ministry.
Relationships connect students to your ministry.
Discipleship happens through relationships.
Students stay in your ministry or leave your ministry because of relationships.
Relationships are the currency God uses!
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry. The paperback version of FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is specially priced now at $3.99 on Amazon.com.
Relationships bring students to your ministry.
Relationships connect students to your ministry.
Discipleship happens through relationships.
Students stay in your ministry or leave your ministry because of relationships.
Relationships are the currency God uses!
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry. The paperback version of FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is specially priced now at $3.99 on Amazon.com.
Friday, February 8, 2019
The future of College Ministry?
My crystal ball is a little foggy, so I certainly do not know all that is to come. But, here are some things I see and things I think MAY happen.
First, let me share some information and a disclaimer. Many of you would be aware that New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is in the process of raising the money to establish an Endowed Chair of Collegiate Ministry. For reasons only they can explain, they have named it The Arliss Dickerson Chair of Collegiate Ministry and Discipleship. I choose to believe that in naming me instead of a famous pastor, evangelist, or wealthy contributor, they are recognizing all the folks that do everyday college ministry. So, besides my personal vanity, I am totally bought in for what that says and what it means for the future. They are planning to teach college ministry until the Lord returns. We need that in all and every way. I can, with some embarrassment, promote it because I believe in what they are doing and the commitment they are making.
So, as you have a chance, I would encourage you to share the word that New Orleans Seminary is making a permanent commitment to developing College Ministers. We can keep the little secret of the name just between you and me.
MIXED THINGS....GOOD AND BAD I SEE AND EXPECT:
-There are fewer students in the college ministry classes.
Our emphasis on the need for church planting and church planters has led many to believe that you are only doing God's will, if you are planting a church.
-We must sound the call that God is still calling people to do college ministry and that there are job opportunities and needs out there.
-Some state conventions have cut back on their number of College Ministers....AND....some state conventions have added some positions.
-As College Ministers that are employed by state conventions are asked to do more and more things apart from their campus ministry role, more will move toward raising their own salaries. Those raising all of their own salaries speak of the freedom to "just do college ministry".
-We must resolve in a positive way this false argument that says, "Which is the best way to do college ministry....the campus based "BCM model" or the campus based church plant?" This is a false and destructive argument that hurts both causes. Some places a campus church plant is the best answer and some places the campus based "BCM model" is the best answer. We need both and we need to learn from each other.
-Some campuses will become increasingly closed to campus ministries and some will become even more wide open to us due to the same issue....freedom of speech and the plurality of thinking. It is also the reminder that those of us who work on campuses MUST be good citizens that relate to the campus officials in a responsible and even respectful way.
-More big churches will do their own thing in college ministry.
-More medium and smaller churches will do away with their College Minister position due to the shrinking of finances or the re-direction of priorities.
-More people will be willing to give individually to support college ministry if we ask and demonstrate well what we are doing.
-The issue of on-line classes will continue to impact campuses and how we need to relate to this. Lots more students will go to college from their bedroom desk.
-The need for more long-term, seasoned College Ministers will increase due to the complexity of issues. This means making it financially feasible for a person with a growing family to stay for the long term as their experience makes them more and more valuable.
-As giving to foreign missions declines due to decreased church giving, the necessity and cost benefit of ministering to and reaching the International students who come to our campuses is more and more important. They can return home as the Lord's sent missionaries.
-We need to examine more the possibilities and how to do long term "Co-vocational College Ministers".
Let's put our collective college ministry minds together and work on this. And, if you know someone with some extra money laying around and they believe in college ministry, point them to "The Endowed Chair for College Ministry" at New Orleans Seminary. Tell them it is named after you because........IT IS!
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format for 99 cents each at Amazon.com.
First, let me share some information and a disclaimer. Many of you would be aware that New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is in the process of raising the money to establish an Endowed Chair of Collegiate Ministry. For reasons only they can explain, they have named it The Arliss Dickerson Chair of Collegiate Ministry and Discipleship. I choose to believe that in naming me instead of a famous pastor, evangelist, or wealthy contributor, they are recognizing all the folks that do everyday college ministry. So, besides my personal vanity, I am totally bought in for what that says and what it means for the future. They are planning to teach college ministry until the Lord returns. We need that in all and every way. I can, with some embarrassment, promote it because I believe in what they are doing and the commitment they are making.
So, as you have a chance, I would encourage you to share the word that New Orleans Seminary is making a permanent commitment to developing College Ministers. We can keep the little secret of the name just between you and me.
MIXED THINGS....GOOD AND BAD I SEE AND EXPECT:
-There are fewer students in the college ministry classes.
Our emphasis on the need for church planting and church planters has led many to believe that you are only doing God's will, if you are planting a church.
-We must sound the call that God is still calling people to do college ministry and that there are job opportunities and needs out there.
-Some state conventions have cut back on their number of College Ministers....AND....some state conventions have added some positions.
-As College Ministers that are employed by state conventions are asked to do more and more things apart from their campus ministry role, more will move toward raising their own salaries. Those raising all of their own salaries speak of the freedom to "just do college ministry".
-We must resolve in a positive way this false argument that says, "Which is the best way to do college ministry....the campus based "BCM model" or the campus based church plant?" This is a false and destructive argument that hurts both causes. Some places a campus church plant is the best answer and some places the campus based "BCM model" is the best answer. We need both and we need to learn from each other.
-Some campuses will become increasingly closed to campus ministries and some will become even more wide open to us due to the same issue....freedom of speech and the plurality of thinking. It is also the reminder that those of us who work on campuses MUST be good citizens that relate to the campus officials in a responsible and even respectful way.
-More big churches will do their own thing in college ministry.
-More medium and smaller churches will do away with their College Minister position due to the shrinking of finances or the re-direction of priorities.
-More people will be willing to give individually to support college ministry if we ask and demonstrate well what we are doing.
-The issue of on-line classes will continue to impact campuses and how we need to relate to this. Lots more students will go to college from their bedroom desk.
-The need for more long-term, seasoned College Ministers will increase due to the complexity of issues. This means making it financially feasible for a person with a growing family to stay for the long term as their experience makes them more and more valuable.
-As giving to foreign missions declines due to decreased church giving, the necessity and cost benefit of ministering to and reaching the International students who come to our campuses is more and more important. They can return home as the Lord's sent missionaries.
-We need to examine more the possibilities and how to do long term "Co-vocational College Ministers".
Let's put our collective college ministry minds together and work on this. And, if you know someone with some extra money laying around and they believe in college ministry, point them to "The Endowed Chair for College Ministry" at New Orleans Seminary. Tell them it is named after you because........IT IS!
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format for 99 cents each at Amazon.com.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Campus Based College Ministry Position in Louisiana
The Louisiana Baptist Convention has an opening for a Baptist Campus Minister to lead one of their campus BCM ministries..
REQUIREMENTS:
-College graduate with a Masters degree from a Southern Baptist Seminary or SBC affiliated institution.
-At least five (5) years experience as Senior Ministry Director in a church based or campus based position.
Send resumes or for further information to Mark Robinson (State Collegiate Ministry Director) at mark.robinson@louisianabaptists.org
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five how-to college ministry books available at amazon.com for 99 cents each in eBook format.
REQUIREMENTS:
-College graduate with a Masters degree from a Southern Baptist Seminary or SBC affiliated institution.
-At least five (5) years experience as Senior Ministry Director in a church based or campus based position.
Send resumes or for further information to Mark Robinson (State Collegiate Ministry Director) at mark.robinson@louisianabaptists.org
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five how-to college ministry books available at amazon.com for 99 cents each in eBook format.
Monday, February 4, 2019
College Ministry Endowed Chair
Sue and I are excited to be in New Orleans to be involved in the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary discussions and planning for their new endowed Chair of Collegiate Ministry. They are lifting up College ministry.
I will look forward to sharing more as this develops. I'm grateful for NOBTS' encouragement to College Ministers and all the help/support they provide!
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available for 99 cents each in eBook format at Amazon.com.
I will look forward to sharing more as this develops. I'm grateful for NOBTS' encouragement to College Ministers and all the help/support they provide!
Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available for 99 cents each in eBook format at Amazon.com.
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