Tee Shirts and College Ministry

Some years ago at a meeting I heard an older College Minister say, "I am not running a tee shirt shop.".  Someone in the back muttered, "Then, you aren't working with college students.".  Tee shirts and shorts tend to be the college student uniform.

Where do tee shirts fit in a college ministry?  Some years ago I proposed to our leadership team that we not do tee shirts for our Back-2-School Retreat and that we do caps or vizors.  My students looked at me like I had just said, "I've decided to get rid of the Bible."  One spoke  up and said, "Tee shirts are the reason we come to college."  Well, that settled that new idea!

I first really began to realize the VALUE OF TEE SHIRTS several years ago when the Baptist Student Ministry at Texas A&M was told that to continue to be a recognized student organization they had to run their money through the school.  That was a non-starter and so not being a recognized student organization meant they could no longer post flyers, advertise on campus, do information tables, etc, etc.  Their solution was to do tee shirts that advertised their weekly large group worship event with time and place.  And, they asked their students to wear them each week on that day.  It worked great.

Instead of seeing tee shirts as a necessary evil, I would propose that you THINK STRATEGICALLY ABOUT YOUR TEE SHIRTS!  I know that sounds a little too grandiose.....but seriously.

TEE SHIRTS CAN SERVE 4 DIFFERENT PURPOSES:

1.  WITNESS
Lots of tee shirts are done with a scripture passage that is done in good taste and can be quickly read.  This sort of tee shirt has often gotten a bad name as a result of what might be called, "In your face scripture shirts."

2.  PROMOTIONAL
These are ones that promote your ministry.  They can have the name of the ministry and even a time and place.  Obviously, quality, attractive art work is key in any shirt.  Someone has said that half of the reason students pledge a Greek organization is to be able to wear a shirt that says, "I belong.".  All of us want to belong.  Many ministries budget to give away shirts or sell them cheaply at the beginning of the year in order to promote their ministry on campus.

3.  RECOGNITION/APPRECIATION
Many ministries have a banquet of some sort in the spring where they recognize outgoing and incoming leaders and give out awards.  One way to recognize leaders and express appreciation at these events is to give them a special tee shirt that is different than any of your other ministry shirts.

4.  SIGNING UP
Many years ago we began to make a tee shirt part of the cost of our Back-2-School Retreat (although we budgeted in order to reduce the cost).  Students got their tee shirt as soon as they registered and paid.  In order to get their shirt and have first pick at sizes, students would quickly begin to register.
By the way, I am not a fan of "free Retreats".  If students do not have to pay to sign up, then they have made NO COMMITMENT and are very likely not to show up.

FINALLY, on this deeply theological topic of tee shirts, I have always said, "I don't care if I like the shirt....I want the students to like it well enough to wear it."  So, it is important to involve some students in the design and selection.

Students wearing attractive shirts around campus with a Christian message and/or the name of your ministry on it is a plus.  Remember, the whole reason students come to college is tee shirts!

AN ADDITION:
Kevin Cox, College Minister at Clarke College Worcester, Mass, sent this message in regard to tee shirts in a ministry.  T-Shirt's are our best advertisement.  I would add a 5th value.  They help build cohesion in a group or momentum for an event.  All year long the students who didn't attend Fusion conference see other students wearing them and say, "I want to go next year."  And when your ministry doesn't have a building/location, T-shirts make them feel like they are part of something real.  Other students at fairs and such recognize this too and it gives a tangible, visible expression to the community you are developing on campus.

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