An AWKWARD Blog Post!!

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is in the process of establishing and raising the money for an Endowed Chair of College Ministry.  What is awkward about writing about this is, that it is named after me.  This was a surprise announcement to me made at the National Collegiate Ministries Summit in Nashville about a year ago.  I am vain enough to be totally honored by this announcement.

What is unusual about this is, normally an endowed chair (which takes a lot of money) would be named after a famous preacher or a wealthy individual who had or was about to give the seminary a large sum of money.  I fit in neither of these categories.  When an Endowed Chair is named for a famous preacher, his many admirers, church, etc will give and the Chair is funded.  A case can be made that the position could have been named the Louie Giglio Chair for College Ministry.  Louie has spoken to thousands of college students and young adults.  Many would classify him as the number one influencer of faith among today's college and young adult generation. One offering at a Passion Conference could likely fund it.  Or, an argument could be made to name it the J. D. Greear Chair for College Ministry.  Greear is the pastor of a large church which is known for reaching college students and young adults.  Plus, he is one of the younger persons to be elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

So, why the Arliss Dickerson Chair for College Ministry and Discipleship?  Since I had no hand or knowledge of this decision prior to its announcement, I am sharing my thoughts...not my knowledge.  I believe it is the ultimate demonstration of what New Orleans Theological Seminary is doing in very quietly being involved in helping every day college ministry.  I have just returned from the annual meeting of the BCNet at the seminary campus, which is a gathering of multiple committees made of campus and church College Ministers who volunteer their time and efforts in furthering college ministry throughout North America and beyond. Part of the expense of that event is covered by the seminary.   The seminary sends faculty, at seminary expense, to speak at collegiate and College Minister events throughout the year and each year give some grants to local campus initiatives.  This is in addition to their college ministry track of classes offered.

I believe putting my name....an every day, not famous College Minister's name on it.... illustrates  their everyday efforts to bless college ministry.  My name is there as a representative of every College Minister who does not get the recognition, appreciation and support they deserve.  You could substitute your name or the name of a College Minister that God used to bless your life and it would be EXACTLY appropriate.  

I have been told recently that no Southern Baptist seminary other than New Orleans is offering any specific college ministry courses.  If that is correct, that causes me great concern.  Every area of ministry has specific issues, skills, etc.  When we say we are losing this generation, that is not the best preparation for reaching college young adults.  

So, my point in this AWKWARD post is even MORE AWKWARD in that I believe for those of us who believe in the need for college ministry, we need to be helping to see that this Endowed Chair gets funded.  Someone asked if I knew some acquaintances who might give $10,000.  My response was, "Everyone I know fits in the $25 category."  Are there those we know who could potentially give significantly or is it simply a matter of all of us who can give $25 here and there doing it and keeping on?  This great cause (reaching college students with the Gospel of Jesus Christ) is what is involved here.  

If you do college ministry, I hope anytime you see a mention of this proposed chair that you will substitute your name there.....The ________________  Chair of College Ministry and Discipleship.  That will be ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!!  Oh yeah, MAYBE mention it to some alums or parents who have a burden for reaching this generation?  And maybe even craziest of all,  write a $25 check or go on line and do it?  I am.....even though it is AWKWARD.  

Arliss Dickerson is a part time college ministry consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook and print at amazon.com (type in Arliss Dickerson).

Seasons of a Leader's Life

I have written and spoken a great deal about doing college ministry at various ages.  My latest Blog in that area, "What is the PERFECT Age to do College Ministry", continues to be one of my most read.  I have tried to speak against the idea that college ministry is just for the young or that you do it until you can get a church to pastor.  Since many, if not most, of the larger college ministries are led by seasoned veterans, there must be something to this idea that college ministry is not just an entry level position for ministry and we need people to serve for the long term.  Part of that is understanding what and how to do it at different ages.

I have just begun to read Jeff Iorg's book, SEASONS OF A LEADER'S LIFE.  Dr. Iorg is president of  Gateway Seminary (formally Golden Gate Seminary) and although I have only met and chatted with him briefly, I am a fan of his writing. Dr. Iorg says that there are three seasons for a leader:

LEARNING - "These emerging leaders recognize that their early years are primarily learning years....a time to gain information, solidify convictions, test theories, and practice skills."

LEADING - "While good leaders are always learning, at some point the primacy of the learning phase gives way to the reality of the leading phase.  Leading replaces learning as the main goal.  Leaders who paid attention during the learning phase now have resources to draw from to know what to do.  This longer season....sometimes decades long....is the prime of a leader's life when their most significant contributions are made."

LEAVING A LEGACY - "Eventually, leaders recognize their time to lead is passing. The final phase of a leader's life, the final contribution, is formalizing a leadership legacy.  Your legacy is the wisom you have gained, the people you have influenced, and the convictions you modeled which inspire subsequent generations.  Leaving ia living legacy is more important than leaving a monument."

As part of Iorg's writing in each area is scripture from the life of Peter that examines leadership principles and what Peter's life teaches about leading.

If you like leadership, if you are continuing to try to utilize to the best possible extent the age or season you are, you will find this book very helpful.  I highly recommend it.

Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format for 99 cents each at amazon.com.  FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is available in paperback for $3.99.

Questions to Ask About Your College Ministry

1.  What is the MAIN reason students attach to your ministry?
-If you don't know what it is, how do you make sure you continue to do it well?

2.  What is the PERCEPTION of your ministry by those outside of it?  Why is that?
-If there is a negative perception, how do you begin to correct that?'

3.  What is the STRENGTH of your ministry?

4.  What is the ONE thing you would do, if your budget were larger?  Who should know that?

5.  What is one NEGATIVE issue that needs to be addressed?

6.  Who are one or two students with great POTENTIAL that you need to give an opportunity to serve.....OR.....give a second chance?

7.  What is a WEAKNESS of yours personally that is showing itself in the ministry and WHO is someone who could be enlisted to help in that area?

8.  How are you planning to talk about CALLING and FORGIVENESS  this fall?

9.  WHO are some students who have walked away from your ministry that you need to reach out to this summer?

Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format at amazon.com for 99 cents each.  FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is available in paperback for $3.99.

Collegiate Ministry Opening: Associate Director, Mississippi College BSU

The Baptist Student Union ministry on the campus of Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi has an opening for an Associate Director.  The salary is $31,000 with some potential to increase depending on experience.

The Associate Director works closely with the staff and student Lead Team to carry out evangelism, discipleship, and a well-rounded BSU campus ministry at Mississippi College.  The Associate Director oversees the Missions and Community Missions areas and assists heavily with campus outreach, leadership development, discipleship, international student ministry, follow-up and service to the campus.

EDUCATION:  Undergraduate Degree and classes taken towards Masters level degree; Seminary Masters preferred.

EXPERIENCE:  Leadership staff in student ministry, missions or discipleship or involved in a campus ministry during their college years who also has experience in a cross cultural missions setting or summer missions.

SUBMIT all resumes to:  Mandy Phillips (BSU Director) at mphillips@mc.edu


Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available for 99 cents each at amazon.com.  His book, FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY, is also available in paperback.

2nd in a Series: Freshmen Orientation/Welcome Table Ideas....Giveaways

In my previous blog in regard to Freshmen Orientation/Welcome Table Ideas I shared what three different campus based College Ministers are doing at their tables this summer.  One question that comes up either in planning for them or evaluating them is what to give away and what can you afford.  There are two categories of giveaways.  There are those that everybody receives and those that are won and used as an incentive to sign up or fill out contact information.

SIGN UP INCENTIVE GIVEAWAYS:

-I mentioned in the first article that last summer we drew each Orientation week for a $25 WalMart Gift card from everyone that filled out one of our Info Cards.  All religious groups joined in this effort at our invitation with each group receiving the entire list.

-Free lunch for a year form Chick-Fil-A for one winner. (I don't know if they had worked out some sort of deal with a local Chick-Fil-A or if they simply paid the cost of this in some way.

-A Hammock -  One church  ministry prominently displayed at their table the most popular high end hammock and did a drawing at the end of the summer for one winner.

-A campus based ministry gave a Gift Basket to one drawing winner each week.

-$5 Gift Cards to Starbucks were given to a variety of people

GIVEAWAYS FOR EVERYBODY:

-Pen with a website or weekly event name and time on it.

-Bottles of Water with a label on them with the ministry message...website, ministry name.

-Pop Sockets

-Sunglasses

-Koozies

-Flashdrive

-Bumper Stickers for the school with ministry insignia on it

-Phone Charger

-Can Opener

-Free Tickets to the first Lunch Program with a description of the event.

-Do Not Disturb Door Hanger with the Welcome Week Schedule on one side in addition to ministry info.  Another did the Door Hangar with a list of places giving student discounts. Another listed important campus dates from home football games to last day to drop/add a class, etc.

-Sarah Farley at the University of Georgia indicated they give away a popular candy,  Ring Pops, which no one else is offering and that students see others with them and come to request them.

-One ministry has a huge bowl of all the most popular chewing gums and invites students to pick out their favorite.

-Tee Shirt for everyone that fills out an Info Card...or the first 50 as Chad McClurg at Louisiana, Monroe indicated.

-One ministry set up on campus with cold drinks about mid-way through the route for the campus tours that all groups took which came with their promo card.

-Another ministry set up a Coke Wagon at a location outside of a building where students were waiting for their new schedule to be printed out.

None of these may fit your situation or budget.  However, they may stimulate an idea that will work for you.  What can you do that NO ONE ELSE is doing?  Our third in this series will be more general thoughts on doing a Welcome/Info Table well.  But, I still am glad to share new ideas for giveaways, if you will pass them along.

Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format for 99 cents each at amazon.com.  FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is also available in paperback.

College Ministers Getting More Done and FEELING It

Anybody who has done college ministry long has the feeling of often working like a dog, putting in long hours and still not sure if much was accomplished.  Part of that is a result of working with people and just not knowing all that God is doing in their lives and how He might use what you have done.

Daniel Pink in his best selling book, WHEN, THE SCIENTIFIC SECRETS OF PERFECT TIMING, shares how to end the day with a sense of accomplishment.  These words are his with some editing on my part.

"When the workday ends, many of us want to tear away....to pick up my children, race home to prepare dinner.....but the science of endings suggest that instead of fleeing, we're better off reserving the final five minutes of work for a few small deliberate actions that bring the day to a fulfilling close.

1.  Begin by taking two or three minutes to write down what you accomplished since the morning.  Making progress is the single largest day-to-day motivator on the job.  But without tracking our "dones," we often don't know whether we're progressing.  Ending the day by recording what you've achieved can encode the entire day more positively.  On good days, the exercise delivers feelings of completion, on bad days, it often shows me I got more done than I suspected.

2.  Now use the other two or three minutes to lay out your plan for the following day.  This will help close the door on today and energize you for tomorrow.

3.  BONUS:  If you've got an extra minute left, send someone....anyone....a thank-you email.  Gratitude is a powerful restorative.  It's an equally powerful form of elevation."


While his books are NOT New York Times Best Sellers as Pink's books, Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format for 99 cents each at amazon.com.  His book, FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available in paperback.

Freshmen Orientation/Welcome Table Ideas - 1st in a Series

With summer in full swing, many are in the midst of Freshmen Orientation events or planning for start of school Welcome Fairs, etc.  What do you do?  What do you give away that will help new students be aware of your ministry?  In my next Blog or two, I will share some examples of different giveaways, etc, etc.  Here are three (3)  examples of Summer Orientation approaches.

SARAH FARLEY, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA BCM shared this:
"I think its important to have candy that not everyone else has because you want people to ask,  'Hey, where did you get that?' They love ring pops and it works!  I had several come up tonight just because they saw people with  one and and wanted one.

I'm getting them to sign up and give me their information.  I went old school and we do paper cards for them to fill out.  We are seeing studenst be pretty receptive!  Two things I think are big deals:
-We ask them their name and call them by it and tell them welcome!  We use the words COMMUNITY and FOR ALL BACKGROUNDS.

 I think the big deal is that we are using the words like this:  Hey, my name is Sarah, I/m with BCM - we are a student led religious organization that wants to help students connect with other students, build community and learning about Christ.  We are not just for Baptists, we are a place for every college student-no matter what your faith background is or even if you don't believe or have one, we have a place for you and would like to have you be part of our community.  Here fill this out and we will contact you about getting involved.

That has been a game changer....using the words community and no matter what your background is....I had 3 tonight that were "nones" and 1 Hindu (all Americans) sign up to get involved.  We are very clear about using Christ but by adding the words community and for all religious and no religion, I think it has helped."


CHAD MCCLURG, UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA, MONROE (ULM) offers a free tee shirt to the first fifty (50) who sign up at each Orientation.  They have four (4) different color attractive tee shirts that can be picked up at the BCM Center.


MARK WHITT, MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
"We are handing out BCM sunglasses along  with a promo card with our first Welcome Week event (late night pancakes on Move-In night) on one side and the entire Welcome Week Schedule on the other side.  Our card is round (like a pancake).  These same cards will be handed out during Move-In and first campus event a few hours before pancakes start."

What are YOU doing?  What's the best thing you have seen done? What is a CRAZY IDEA you have thought about doing???  Let me know, arlissdickerson@gmail.com.

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 is available in paperback.

College Ministry Intern Position Available for Fall

The Baptist Collegiate Ministry  at Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta is looking for a male intern for this fall.  Georgia State is a richly diverse campus and the BCM reflects this diversity, with both American and International students involved.

It is a paid position that includes housing.  The internship gives an opportunity to develop collegiate ministry skills in a team based setting with mentoring and support.  The intern is allowed to take one to two seminary classes each semester, if desired.

Contact Teresa Royall at 770.910.4316 or troyall.bcm@gabaptist.org for questions or interest.

This word from Arliss:  The Georgia Intern Program is highly thought of throughout the country and many of their former interns are now serving as a staff member or lead College Minister on many campuses.

Arliss Dickerson is the author of five college ministry books Available in eBook format for 99 cents each at Amazon.com. FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is also available in paperback.

What Do You Hand Out at Freshmen Orientation or Welcome Booths?

New Student Orientations are in full swing on many campuses and then there is the coming of the start of school in August/September when college ministries are handing out promo materials for their ministry.

But, what do you give out that students will look at or even better hang onto?  I want to do a long list and so, would you send me YOUR ideas, things you have done, things you have seen others do, or even things that have crossed your mind?  Please!

Here are just a few to get us started in this discussion and sharing of ideas.

Bottle openers with your ministry time and website on it.

Door Magnets are done in a variety of ways.........with the football and basketball schedule on it......with phone numbers for food places that deliver......with a list of eating places that give student discounts.....with a list of three or four key phone numbers on campus.....with a list of all important dates on campus (last day to drop or add a class, fall break, etc).

PLEASE send me your ideas or thoughts that I can pass on.  I NEED YOU! You can email me at arlissdickerson@gmail.com.  You can message me on Twitter @arlissdickerson.  You can facebook me.  You can even text me at 870.761.2235.

One last Tip:  The most important thing on a brochure or flyer besides your ministry info is at least one good picture.  Pictures tell more than pages of written info.

Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook for 99 cents each at Amazon.com.  FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is also in paperback.