Blake Chrisman read my different blog posts on types of College Ministers and sent me his take on it which I thought needed to be shared. They are good and thought provoking. for personal evaluation. Here are Blake's thoughts:
College ministers are some of the most committed and passionate people I've ever met. It takes a unique drive to continue building into a new group of 18-year-olds year after year. These leaders love Jesus and are focused on fulfilling the Great Commission.
In my 13 years on the college campus, I've seen a few types of college ministers you don't want to be. If you spend any amount of time on campus you'll inevitably run into one of each.
These 6 different types of college ministers have an element of good in all of them - that's why they are so common. But carried to the extreme, they lose their effectiveness at making disciples. You can learn something from each one!
#Note: I've labeled all of these as men for the sake of the article. They could just as easily apply to women campus ministers.
#1 THE STRATEGIST
The Strategist comes to campus every fall with a new strategic plan. he's read the latest Maxwell leadership book, watched a webinar, and is ready to roll out a whole new set of programs. The large group meeting is on a different day. The small groups are called "cell groups,' then "life groups,' then "community groups." The strategist is sharp but ultimately confuses the staff and student leaders.
In college ministry, we always need to be innovative, but consistency counts. The farmer can find new tools, but he can't change the regular rhythm of cultivating soil, planting seed, watering, and harvesting. You don't want to short circuit momentum with constant changes. give new plans a few semesters to work themselves out.
#2 THE GENERAL
The General runs a tight ship. He is heavy on accountability. His student is 2 minutes late to d-group? He's kicked out. Didn't finish your bible study prep? You don't get to talk! Mess up on your Scripture memory? That right, that means push-ups! The General can produce disciplined students, no doubt. But he often lacks deep, authentic relationships. He often leaves behind a wake of bitter, burnt-out believers.
We need healthy accountability in our ministries, but with grace. Most of our students are young in the faith. when my 1-year-old take her first steps I don't yell at her because she's not running. College ministers must be encouragers. You need to celebrate the wins and build up your students more than you rebuke and correct.
#3 THE SEMINARIAN
The Seminarian can be found at the campus Starbucks with his latte, doctrine book, and Logos software open on his laptop. He is always learning, reading, and prepping for his next talk. He attracts a few intellectual Christians but struggles to reach the lost.
There is a second version of the Seminarian , one who is ACTUALLY in seminary all the time. He takes 6-12 hours of classes. He is rarely on campus. He calls himself a campus minister but it's really just a side gig whele he can finish Seminary.
Seminary is a great tool (I got my Master's while working on campus." And studying theology is amazing. However, when school is in session our primary focus needs to be meeting with students, not personal development. A college football coach isn't in his office studying the playbook on Saturdays in the fall. build some extra time for seminary or personal development in the off season, but don't let it take away from the crucial time to labor on campus when that fall semester starts.
#4 THE COLLABORATOR
The Collaborator is the sweetheart of all the college ministers. He wants to partner with other ministries on everything. You can count on him to come to the campus ministers' meeting with an announcement: "An exciting speaker is coming to campus!". Guess what? He needs other ministries to volunteer to help. Don't worry, your ministry's logo will be included on the flyer. He reiterates how crucil it is for students to see the "body" of Christ working together on campus.
I'm all for supporting each other in our ministries. There should be a fellowship and comradery among college lministers on campus. It shouldn't be a competition. However, God has gifted us in different ways, often to reach different groups of students. He has called YOU specifically to make disciples on campus. Do it! Can you do an occasional event together? Sure. But don't try to rope in others to help pull off your event all the time. Be passionate about your ministry and let it rip.
#5 THE EVENT PLANNER
The Event Planner thrives on excellence. He spends hours designing a logo and flyer on Canva for an upcoming dinner. The stake sign didn't print quite right so he sends it back to re-do. One the day of the dinners, he has to go pick up groceries, tablecloths, fancy name tags, and decorations. He spends the last few hours with his entire staff at his house making a homemade dessert. By the end of it, he and his team have spent more time shopping at Target than they did inviting students.
As campus ministers, it's great to value excellence. But we have to know when the cost exceeds the value. It's not wise to spend 10 hours preparing for an event when 2 hours could accomplish 80% of it. How many more students might have been impacted if those extra hours were used to invest and invite? Know where to draw the line onpreparation. Use events to drive meeting students and building community.
#6 THE "BESTIE"
The Bestie is, in a lot of ways, the opposite of The General The college minister is buds with every guy on campus. He is lifting with them at the guy. He's playing pickup basketball. He rarely texts because he's in every snap chat group. The question for the Bestie becomes, "Is he developing his disciples' depth in the Scriptures or their NBA2K skills?" Students arent' quite sure if he's a campus minister or just another student taking a victory lap. He draws guys in but rarely produces a disciple. After the initital fun wears off, students no longer feel challenged to grow and find somewhere else to go deeper.
Most college students don't need more friends. They have plenty of those. Wheat they need is a mentor who is going to challenge them to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. Yes, you should build authentic, fun relationships with students. But don't compromise depth in the Word and authority to speak truth into their lives. Get students in the Word when your're with them at the gym. Helpt them share the gospel after the pickup basketball game. Challenge them. They'll look back and thank God for your influence!
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE:
Jesus was laser focused. He didn't allow distractions to sidetrack His mission to bild into His disciples. As campus ministers, we must prioritize the main things: building relationships with the lost, sharing the gospel, discipling new believers, and equipping the next generation of laborers. Donn't get off track!
I'm convinced every campus minister has great intentions when they step foot on campus. They labor among the most strategic group of people on the planet. It's worth it to evaluate our weaknesses and sharpen ourselves to make an even great impact for God's kingdom."
Blake Chrisman is the Regional Director of Lone Star StuMo North in Fort Worth, TX. for more good stuff by Blake go to blakechrisman.com/blog
Arliss Dickerson's new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is now available at amazon.com.
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