WARNING: The greatest danger for you for fall is to try to compare it in some way against other falls. It just cannot be done. There are multiple reasons.
I am a huge proponent of keeping records that show involvement and attendance for each week for different events. It helps to see Week 5 compared to Week 5 last year, two years ago, etc. But, that is all out the window for this fall.
There has been no fall like this one. Normal contacts cannot be made at Summer Orientations, etc. Senior Sundays were cancelled or done remotely, etc. College Ministers in the past who received hundreds of names in some instances are now scrambling just to get some contacts. Fewer students likely will have received any information about your ministry prior to coming.
Students are coming with baggage that has not been brought to college before. What will the cancellation of the last nine weeks of school, no friend good-byes in many instances, and the fears of parents in sending their freshmen off to school cause attitudes and thoughts to be?
Finally, many college administrations will have different rules in place that may affect the size of crowds, events, etc. This has never happened before.
Begin now realizing this fall will be like none other and do not, DO NOT try to compare it against any other fall. It will be painful to your soul and is not fair. Don't do it!
Begin now to pray, "Lord help me to be available to you and your Spirit this fall." Make your best plans and options and then be prepared to adjust from there. But DO NOT COMPARE ANYTHING THIS FALL TO PAST YEARS!
Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry/leadership consultant and the author of five books on college ministry available at amazon.com (type in Arliss Dickerson). "ALMOST Everything About College Ministry" will be available in early summer.
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