The 3 Indisputable Laws are:
1. EVERY campus is different.
2. EVERY leader has different strengths, gifts, and abilities.
3. EVERY ministry has different resources
LAW #1 EVERY campus is different.
One of the reasons that we cannot produce the "perfect model of campus ministry" and simply institute it on every campus is because every campus is different. The type students that go there are different than other students that go to other campuses.
Factors in difference can be obvious like size, type college (religious affiliated, engineering, arts, etc). But, the differences can be very subtle. Several years ago the campus where I was serving had torn down the Student Center to be build a larger, nicer, and more modern one. Due construction delays, foreman being fired and replaced, etc, it took way longer than planned. It affected the whole campus atmosphere and even the type students who chose to come to school there during that time.
A while back one of our college ministry churches hired a one year Intern type to lead their college ministry for just one year. He had come from a very ivy league type university where academics were primary and students came from all over the country to attend. The students where he had gone to school were very social action oriented. The campus where he was serving attracted students primarily from a seventy five mile radius. They were not social action minded. He based his large group worship events around world hunger and other very relevant topics. However, that was not where his students were. Another church opened the fall doing a "Love, Sex, and Marriage" series. They more correctly read the students on that campus.
QUESTIONS TO ASK IN UNDERSTANDING YOUR CAMPUS:
1. What is the average student like?
2. What FELT NEEDS are they experiencing? (You may correctly see they have certain needs, but that is not what they would say their needs are..}
3. Are there other ministries on or relating to campus that are doing things positive or negative that affects the overall atmosphere and view of Christian ministries?
4. What campus activities or normal schedule affects students time and availability?
-On some campuses all Greek organizations meet on the same night.
-Weekend night football or basketball games on some campuses are the total focus of students.
-Some campuses have developed the habit of certain nights being "the party night".
-Is there one night that most campus clubs meet?
5. Do students primarily stay on campus for weekends or do most students go home for the weekend?
6. What are weekend study habits?
-One College Minister who serves at a well-known Ivy League college says that his students will not be gone for a weekend retreat for more than one night. Weekend study is a must for them.
AND, campus atmosphere changes too. So, never stop being one who studies your campus atmosphere and traits. The more you understand your campus, the more it will benefit your ministry.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment