Do You Have a College Ministry Elevator Speech?

An Elevator Speech is known as a 30-60 second pitch, if you were to meet someone in an elevator for whom you wanted to work for or convey some important information to.  You got 30-60 seconds till the door opens and they are gone. 

Through the years as a College Minister I have often been asked to bring "a short report" or to "say a word about your ministry".  I have found that many people in that situation spend half their time saying they don't have enough time to tell you all they want to tell you.  That is a waste of an opportunity.

I think a College Ministry Elevator Speech should be 3 to 5 minutes long.  And, you should be able to do it on a moment's notice.  Here is an outline for such a speech.

1.  TELL THEM SOMETHING GOOD THAT HAS HAPPENED.

"Last weekend we had the best Back-2-School Retreat since I have been at..... We saw this happen.

Or, "Last year we had 5 Dorm Bible study groups and this year we have been able to start 10."

While figures can be impressive, I believe the most "STICKY STORIES" are about an individual.  "I want to tell you about Bobby who this week committed his life to full time ministry after being a top pre-med student."  Or, yesterday two roommates shared with me they had re-committed their lives to Christ and that one was getting out of her sorority to be more involved in our ministry and the other shared she wanted to stay in the sorority to influence it for the Lord." 

2,  WHAT IS A BRIEF SNIPPET OF YOUR VISION FOR THE MINISTRY?

It could be, "I believe that we can reach into a wide variety of groups on campus and through that touch the campus as a whole."  Or, "I really see an openness to the Gospel on campus right now among non-Christian students."  Or, the University administration has really seen we are trustworthy and they are beginning to open doors for us in lots of different ways that can help us impact the whole campus." Or, "Through our ministry for the last couple of years, we have been able to develop some student leaders who really have the desire to influence the campus."

OR, SHARE YOUR LIFE/MINISTRY SCRIPTURE.

Mine is, "And the words you heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." 2 Timothy 2:2

3.  WHAT DO YOU NEED OR WANT?

"We need you to pray for our Dorm Bible study groups."  Or, "We need some volunteers to host a student Bible study in their homes."  Or, "Please pray that we can grow our budget to meet the needs and opportunities we are being given."  Or, "We need another church or group that could provide one of our Outreach Lunch Programs."

4.  ALWAYS, ALWAYS SAY THANKS!

"Thanks for caring about our ministry and encouraging me."  Or,"Thanks for your financial support of this ministry...we do not take that for granted."  "Just thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my heart with you. It is encouraging to me."

AND NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GO OVER TIME!

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry coach, blogger, and author.  His new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.  Type in his name or the title.

Trusting and Adjusting by David Buschman, Campus Minister, Princeton University

David Buschman is one of those great Baptist Collegiate Ministers whose salary was terminated some years ago and began raising his salary.  He continues to serve at Princeton University building on his several years of investment there.  This is from a newsletter sent to his supporters and prayer partners that very well describes some of what is happening in college ministry in situations where students are not on campus or activities are limited.

We are making headway in this most unusual semester of campus ministry.  At first, I didn't know where to begin and a few technology snags made it worse, but I assume everyone has a version of that story now.  I prayed and reached out to students amid their own disappointment and uncertainty.  In July, they learned that fall sports were canceled; in August, that the would not be allowed to return to campus this academic year.  It's all virtual classes at PU without students on campus, plus a new academic calendar culminating with exams prior to Christmas, so we're adapting.

There's no manual on doing campus ministry in global pandemics yet the Gospel truths remain and the Great Commission stands.  As a friend put it, "We're all freshmen now!"  Let's do campus ministry without food, retreats, music, mission trips and being in the same room.  Huh?

As students wrapped their heads around this new reality, and responded to me, I learned that much of the large and small group ministry events we offered in April & May proved helpful & important to them, and they want us to continue.  (Wish I knew that at the time, but welcome to the world of young adult non-feedback!)  They desire to pursue Godand stay connected with each other in this ministry.  It's been quite heartening and our first few large and small group meetings have been strong and well attended and as good as any we've had.  Praise God.  I'm amazed.

Students are helping me reach out to frosh and set up virtual student activities fairs.  While its been harder to find new students, we're reaching them gradually.  

As it turns out, students are clustering in living arrangements with classmates & teammates wherever there's ample WIFI.  Some have gathered in nearby Princeton area, but most sought areas where they could train, live, and be less restricted than NJ--eg..FL, SC, CA, CO, UT, VA.  It's wild--they have pooled "room & board" monies and tried to make the most of it while also managing school demands.  As one remarked, "Otherwise it's all the rigorous academics of college with none of the desirable features (i.e. peers, extra-curriculars, meals together, etc.).  And many will move each new month.  About 20% have taken a deferral year.  Some remain at home or more isolated, which presents distinct psychological and scheduling challenges.  So I lead a campus ministry scattered across multiple time zones and living situations.  Who knew?

In light of activities have have been removed, my accumulated years of relationships with administrators & coaches & staff have proven invaluable.  No access to my office.  No popping in to athletic practices & games and no lunch visits with prospects.  No handshakes and fist bumps or light-hearted banter (Ok, well, maybe some banter).

I'm embracing days full of ministry opportunities as I text & call students, and host Zoom gatherings.  It's more screen time than I prefer but there's solid discipleship happening.  I'm pleasantly surprised.  Two months ago I wasn't sure how this ministry would look, and knew I'd be stretched as its leader.  Now I'm charging ahead striving to connect students with God and each other and God's mission for their lives and I have plenty of students in which to invest & train.  As I reflect, I'm bemused by it all and hopeful in God's calling.  I'm also grateful for your support which it makes it possible for me to share God's love & truth with these collegians.

Trusting and Adjusting,

Busch & Lynn

I (Arliss) might add that many of these who are raising their salaries have lost regular monthly income due to the current economic situation, job loss, etc.  So, sending a one time gift or committing to do a regular monthly gift is an extra blessing and often needed in these days.

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry coach, blogger, and author.  His new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.  Type in his name or the title.

An Additional Resource for College Ministers

 The Association of Southern Baptist Campus Ministers was a national organization that met as part of the Southern Baptist Convention for many years with some of the top SBC Campus Ministers leading it.  The organization had a professional Journal entitled, "The Campus Minister".  The ASBCM met annually as one of the pre-SBC Convention events and one of its purposes was to help Southern Baptists see College Ministers professionals on a level with any other ministerial calling and to make Southern Baptists as a whole more aware of college ministry.

Dick Houston, former Baptist Campus Minister in Georgia, has posted these resources on line at student.org.  It is called "The NEW Cyber Student Center".  Check it out for scholarly type articles on college ministry.  Special thanks to Dick for this work to continue to benefit a newer generation of College Ministers.

So, go to student.org to check it out.

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry coach, blogger, and author.  His new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.  Type in his name or the title.

More on 2 College Ministry Truisms or Principles

 In my blog article, "The 3 Year Rule or Principle in College Ministry", I listed two college ministry truisms or principles that affect significantly all of our ministries.

LARGE COLLEGE MINISTRIES TEND TO HAVE LARGER BUDGETS.  SMALL COLLEGE MINISTRIES TEND TO HAVE SMALL BUDGETS.

Money will not make a ministry.  Throwing money at it is not a solution.  BUT, it is hard to have much ministry apart from a workable budget.  In response to my "3 Rule" Blog article, a friend commented this, "As with everything in life, invest for what you want, not what you have."  That is a lot of wisdom in a few words.  What sort of ministry does your church or campus based ministry need, want or aspire to?  Does that budget reflect that goal or aspiration?

Obviously, a ministry of twenty students does not need a $50,000 budget.  But, is the budget pointed toward where the ministry is trying to go.  Or, has the budget helped to establish "the lid".  A "ministry lid" can be established by the size of the facility, the size of the staff, the number of strong student leaders, etc.  Lots of things go into establishing "the lid".  Yet, budget just might be the most significant.  Part of having an adequate budget for the desired ministry is having a vision and articulating that vision.  Does the church have a picture of the vision that might affect how they budget for the college ministry?  Do the churches and individuals who support or might support the campus based ministry know the vision which might encourage them in their giving?

Can you state the vision for your ministry in an "ELEVATOR TALK?  An "elevator talk" is a short description that explains a concept in 30 seconds that any listener can understand.  But, it cannot be some generalized, "We want to reach the whole campus."  

Decide what budget it would take to do what you are trying to do and begin to work toward that budget.  Developing budget is usually done over time.  So, start now.

LARGE COLLEGE MINISTRIES TEND TO HAVE LONG TERM LEADERSHIP.  SMALLER COLLEGE MINISTRIES TEND TO HAVE LOTS OF SHORT TERM LEADERSHIP.

Turnover causes disruption.  Constant turnover in leadership causes greater disruption.  Some ministries will never be large for a variety of reasons.  Yet, they do not reach their realistic potential because of the continual turnover in leadership. The SINGLE BEST WAY TO GROW A MINISTRY is to get the right person in leadership and make it possible for them to stay long term.  I believe the number one cause for turnover is DISCOURAGEMENT or FRUSTRATION.  College Ministers often feel alone and that no one else cares.  Part of that comes from people not understanding what a College Minister does and not recognizing the importance of it.  Church College Ministers often tell of "additional duties" being added.  My favorite is the College Minister who was put in charge of the Church Day Care.  He did not stay too much longer after that.

College Ministers must look for friends and develop support groups apart from students.  People who care about college ministry must be intentionally supportive and encouraging.  Salary and benefits are another major issue.  If we want long term leaders, we must pay them so that as families and expenses grow, they can meet those obligations without making a move.

THIRD, we must continually battle the idea that COLLEGE MINISTRY IS ONLY FOR THE YOUNG.  College students have lots of buddies.  They need and want mentors with experience, knowledge and know how.  That is another reason that larger ministries tend to be led by older College Ministers.  They have developed the skills and experience to develop and lead larger ministries.  As a result, people tend to trust and invest in their ministries.

So if you are a College Minister, work on your "elevator talk" and get out and make another friend.  And, whether you are a College Minister or not, be encouraging a College Minister.  Sending a $25 check is always an encouragement!  But, a phone call and kind work go a long way too!!

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry coach, blogger, and author.  His new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.  Type in his name or the title.

The 3 Year Rule or Principle in College Ministry

"It takes three years for a ministry to become that of the leader and for it to begin to function at maximum effectiveness."

We don't know who said it first.  But, those that have done college ministry any length of time and observed other ministries know that it is true.  When there is an exception to it, it usually is related to a new College Minister being a gifted and charismatic speaker.  And, the ministry is built around that.

 So, what does "the three year rule" mean and why is it true?

1.  Each College Minister has his or her own set of gifts and strengths that may be very different than the previous one.  It takes some time and experimentation to find how they best apply in that situation.

2.  Three years will bring in three classes that have come in under the current philosophy and function of the ministry.  They are all on the same page.  Continual change brings continual disruption.

3.  It takes three years to raise up a strong group of leaders who have bought into the style and philosophy and have been trained and to lead and model what the ministry is all about.  A college ministry is only as strong as its student leaders.

4.  It takes three years for the College Minister to learn the uniqueness of that particular campus setting and church, if it is a Church College Minister.

5.  If for any reason the ministry has had a negative reputation, it takes three years for that to be erased and for three classes to not know or hear of that negative.

6.  It takes some experimentation and development to define and refine what the particular strength of that ministry with the current leader is and to begin to maximize it.

7.  Resources are a definite factor in what a ministry can do.  As a ministry grows and develops and individuals, a church, or multiple churches buy into what they see happening, they will begin to provide additional support.  Most small ministries have small budgets.  Most large ministries have large budgets.  That is not a coincidence!

8.  Many freshmen visit a ministry and do not stick for different reasons.  But, when the ministry and ministry leader is the same over the years as when they first visited or attended, they are more likely to circle back in following years when they recognize the need.

9.  The reputation of the ministry will spread and alumni, churches, parents, friends, and older brothers and sisters will start sending new students to the ministry.  This is one of the "miracles" of a large on-going ministry.

10.  Trust is built with campus administration and in many situations they begin to open doors for the ministry or at least not be obstructive as is sometimes the situation. College administrators like and help organizations that draw students and help them stay. Trust does not happen instantly.

So, at or after three years will a ministry be doing all that it can do and reaching the maximum number of students???  NO!!!!  It is like shifting a manual transmission car.  It is now in the gear that can get it to maximum speed.  It is at its full function and can build on that for years to come.  That is NOT to say that there will be no growth or positive ministry during those first three years.  Those positive developments are part of getting to full speed. Several years ago, our ministry was having Freshmen Survival with a large number of students involved.  A new College Minister from another ministry came in, saw what we were doing, and said, "I am going to do this just like this next year."  I laughed to myself and thought, "It took me ten years to get to this point."

In many ways, three years is the starting point.  Most strong college ministries are led by long time leaders.  When there is a continual turnover of College Ministers, a ministry will continue to struggle or at least never get into third gear to go to maximum speed.  The right person in the right place still takes time.

Arliss Dickerson's new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.  Type in his name or the title.

Can Your Church Afford a College Minister?

A friend was telling me about a church he attended where they decided to let their full time College Minister go because he was "only averaging about 20 students". The church was paying him a full salary with benefits and decided it was not a good investment of their money.

There are lots of questions and issues here.

WAS HE WORKING HARD AT REACHING STUDENTS?
While I believe that God is at work in any ministry that is challenging non-believers to come to Christ and encouraging believers to grow, nothing beats hard work.  If this person has not been working hard, has that issue been addressed in evaluations and coaching as time has progressed?

DID THIS PERSON HAVE EXPERIENCE DOING COLLEGE MINISTRY OR BEEN MENTORED OR TAUGHT HOW TO DO COLLEGE MINISTRY?
This goes to past background as well as providing opportunity and funding to attend conferences and go look at other ministries to learn best practices.  Has an "Expert Evaluator" been brought in to provide objective evaluation and coaching?  We owe it to young ministers to help them learn to do what they are called to do.

WAS THERE A GOOD STRATEGY DEVELOPED AND BEING UTILIZED?
Every campus is different and the resources of every ministry are different.  So, was there a strategy that fit being utilized here.  Hard work and the wrong plan still usually equals the wrong plan.

HOW LONG HAD THE COLLEGE MINISTER BEEN LEADING THE MINISTRY?
It usually takes three years for a ministry to become full blown.  That is three years of the ministry utilizing and implementing a good strategy.  It is three years of students coming in under the same philosophy.  It is three years of developing relationships on campus.  It is three years of understanding that particular campus. It is three years of developing student leaders.  One of the main reasons church college ministries falter is continual turnover of the College Minister.  (You can check out my Blog, "4 Killers of Church College Ministries".)  Ground is lost and students are lost every time there is a change. Is it Year One, Year Two, or Year Three?

COLLEGE MINISTRY NUMBERS ARE DIFFERENT THAN OTHER CHURCH NUMBERS.
If 500 non-college adults attend the church over a three year period, that will be mostly the same 500 people. A college ministry gains and loses students every year due to graduation and transfer.  Reaching 20 students a year over a three or four year period will result in touching the lives of 50 to 75 different students at least.  So, in evaluating numbers, the question has to be, "How many DIFFERENT students are we touching over multiple years?"

BUT, HERE IS THE MAIN QUESTION:  HOW MUCH OF A PRIORITY IS THE COLLEGE MINISTRY?
That is not meant as a snarky comment or question.  No church can meet every need or address every situation.  Ministry priorities of churches vary related to situation, resources, opportunity, etc.  If every ministry is a priority...NO ministries are priority!  If college ministry is one of the priorities, then that settles the issue.  If we are reaching twenty every year, we will keep reaching twenty until we reach more.  It is a missionary commitment, just like sending missionaries overseas.

Some churches in struggling with this issue do a combo position, but there must be honesty about it being genuinely a combo position and that time and resources are rightly divided.  And, expectations are realistic and fit with the division of time and focus.  Also, as the ministry grows, will the position become college ministry only?

Not every church should have a College Minister.  But, every church close to a college campus needs to consider it. And, some churches need to have that as ONE OF THEIR MINISTRY PRIORITIES.
What would you say are the ministry priorities of your church?

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry coach, blogger, and author.  His new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.  Type in his name or the title.

College Ministry and School Spirit?

 In the different personality tests I have taken through the years for work, fun, and team building, one characteristic that always comes out for me is loyalty.  I am all about being loyal to whomever and whatever that relates to me.  I am all about being for the school you went to.  That just seems a natural instinct to me.  But, in doing that in our ministry, just out of my personality, I learned something valuable.

Leader type students on campus tend to be about school spirit.  They choose a school.  They don't just go there because it is their only option.  They choose it.  So, they are for it and all about it.  Some college ministry gurus advocate reaching Greeks because they are leader types and that will build your ministry and reach more students in that other students follow leaders.  I agree with that fifty percent.  I am all about reaching and building up leaders which builds up your ministry.  My other fifty percent is that not all leaders are Greeks and for many reasons Greeks and non-Greeks do not seem to mix well as groups for a variety of reasons.  That is a topic for another day.

I believe strongly in a ministry that is aimed at one campus being all about that campus and the school spirit attached to it. Obviously, a ministry reaching out to a multiple campuses has to operate differently.  Our ministry tee shirts usually had something related to the mascot or the school as a whole.  Sometimes, we were able to use official school images and sometimes we had to create our own.  We encouraged students to attend school wide events, ballgames, etc.  We built our Back-2-School Retreat around the first home football game, if the date worked.  We talked about "fun and exciting college weekends".  When I did a church college ministry later on, I learned that Sunday morning attendance was best on home game weekends....especially when we were winning. We tried to build on that even more with our special events such as Welcome Lunch, etc. 

Leader types are spirit types.  Yes and I do believe that leader types bring other students!

One day a new church staffer who had been given the responsibility of doing college ministry in addition to his main responsibility showed up on campus the first time wearing a jacket with the logo of "that other school".  He had not graduated from it.  He just was a fan.  Some would say, "no big deal".  I say it matters to some.....and that some are leader types.  

I have a friend who is serving at a "mostly commuter campus" not known for its school spirit. It is a large school.  He has adopted the motto, "We love our campus!".  He promotes school spirit.  Funny thing:  the administration loves him!  Doors open when an administration loves you and your ministry....AND see you as a partner. A school that may not be a magnet to Type A students has SOME Type A students.  We all need some Type A students in order to reach more "Non-Type A students".

How is your school spirit?  Does your ministry relate well to your campus?  How are you doing with leader types?  A College Minister friend tells of a meeting with a group of church staffers who were meeting together to talk about their ministries, learn from each other, and encourage one another.  Most were lamenting their ministries not doing well. He asked, "How many of you went to the football game this weekend?"  None of them had.  He said, "How do you expect students to be interested in you, if you are not interested in them and their activities?"

Loving a campus helps students and campus administrators know you love and care about them.  Go Team!

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry coach, blogger and author.  His new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.  Type in his name or the title.

Should College Ministers be Furloughed?

Should College Ministers be furloughed?.....that question had never even passed through my mind even once.  Then, a College Minister shared with me that there was some concern among some of his colleagues that if their colleges went all on line this year, they might be furloughed.  That was a total new and even foreign thought to me.

A few colleges have furloughed some or all of their coaches since there are no sports this fall at those campuses.  Is that the same thing?  Is that comparing apples to apples?  I am a proponent of in person large group campus Christian worship and Bible study events.  I love them for tons of reasons. I am never for getting rid of them.  Yet, I believe the most transformative thing we can do with a college student is meet with them one to one regularly. 

As all our studies indicate, this younger generation is going away from faith and church in growing numbers.  So, should we furlough those that are trained and committed to reaching out to them?  Is that the same as not having a football, volleyball or golf season?  If a ministry has a Center on or near the campus, should they shut it down, sell it, rent it out?  What if we get a vaccine and all goes back to "normal" next year?  Oops, we shut down and went out of business.  Let's start from scratch.

When colleges shut down on campus classes last spring, College Ministers went on line and began having one to one, large group, and small group Bible studies.  Many reported non-Christian students coming to faith during this time as many were wrestling with questions about life.  Mental health professionals report a much higher incidence of depression and thoughts of suicide in young adults during this health crisis and the loss of normal events and activities.  College Ministers are on line and meeting one to one with students and responding to their questions and doubts.

I can imagine some saying, "You don't understand; it's a matter of finances.".  There is concern that offerings to churches will continue to drop as many struggle with job loss and so denominations like Southern Baptists will have to make cuts.  I understand balancing budgets.  I still remember when the coke machine profit was the second largest contributor to our campus ministry.  I get hard financial decisions.  But, it seems that college ministry often takes the first or disproportionate hit. 

Maybe it comes down to this.  Is reaching out to young adults on college campuses a luxury or a mission?  What will our churches look like ten to fifteen years from now, if we give up on college ministry?  Where will the new missionaries come from? One could argue, "furlough is not giving up.".  But, at the very least, it would be a giant step backwards.  How many seasoned veterans would be lost who simply had to seek other employment?  How many ministries would survive being shut down and then starting again from scratch?

When our church went totally on line, not a single person in our church said, "Maybe, we ought to furlough the preacher.".  Even when college campuses go totally on line, there is ministry happening with and to young adults.  Is it all we would like it to be?  No!  Are there some good things happening?  Yes!  Should College Ministers be furloughed?  Not if we are thinking missional and strategically.  College ministry is not a luxury....it is a necessity, if we care about the future.

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry coach, blogger and author.  His new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.  Type in his name or the title.

5 Quick Thoughts in a Pandemic Fall

1.  Who came to everything last week and has disappeared this week?
Freshmen get easily distracted.  Remember, that freshman last week who was especially interested, showed leadership potential or was a non-believer who was super open to the Gospel?  Double check on him or her or them.

2.  Send an individual message to the list of pre-school contacts you had checking on them, inviting them to something, etc.
Sometimes, we do an excellent job with this list prior to school starting and then do not use it again.  If the list is too big to do all....do as many as possible.

3.  We all have gone into the Pandemic Fall with certain assumptions that shaped our plans.  What needs adjusting or changing?  What is not like you thought it would be at all?

4.  Likely your student leaders are working extra hard.  Don't forget to express extra appreciation to them in some way or the other.
Even if they are not doing as well as you had hoped, it may be their frustration with the weirdness of it all and NEED your extra encouragement.

5.  Keep guarding your relationship to the school.
If your ministry is suffering under the school guidelines, it is easy to think, "just chuck it all and operate normally".  There will be other falls and years after this one.  Beware of burning bridges in a week that it might take years to repair.  And, we still have the responsibility of doing right by and for our students.

"Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry coach, blogger, and author.  His new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.  Type in his name or the title.

Thanks for the Positive Words About ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY!

I am grateful for many who have sent me a personal message about my new book, "Almost Everything About College Ministry:.  My goal was to do something that would be helpful to both the brand new to college ministry and those that are wise veterans, but still growing and learning.

A College Minister I did not know called this week to tell me that they were establishing a large library with materials for both Christians and non-Christians.  He said they were placing "Almost" in their section for students considering full time ministry. My hope is that God might use it to help some see that God is calling them to the college campus.  I have been pleased to hear from some "Intern" types who have said they have found it helpful or that their staff was using it as part of their study and weekly meeting time.  One surprise message I got was from a pastor who was reading it.  It had not occurred to me that pastors might read it.  But, I think the more our pastors see the challenges and how to's of college ministry, the more it will increase the possibility of what churches can do both in their own ministry and in the support of campus based college ministry.

One of the reasons I started writing college ministry materials many years ago was the realization that there was so little published in our field.  Selling college ministry books is not the way for a book publisher to survive and thrive.  And, with major publishing companies not doing these type materials, those that are out there do not get promoted.  So, many are not ever aware of them.  You do me, and I hope our college ministry family, a great favor when you pass the word about materials you find helpful.  Now that Southern Baptists, at this point, have no national office, I would not anticipate we will see any new materials published in the near future from Baptists officially. But,  I think there will be some positive developments down the road.

A friend called recently to ask, if I were already at work on "Everything Else About College Ministry".  I am leaving that for one of you to write.  One of my goals has been to encourage and prod more College Ministers to write something.  We need to continue to learn from each other.  Everyone does not need to re-invent the wheel.  Pass on what you are doing.  And, I am glad to post brief articles by others in my Blog, collegeministrythoughts.blogspot.com.  Please send me something and I will do my best to use it almost immediately.

Again, thanks for the encouraging words and beneficial criticisms for "Almost".  Also, ONE WAY YOU CAN HELP is to post a "Customer Review" on the amazon page for "Almost".  It does not have to say it is the greatest thing since college tee shirts and can say what you see as the pluses and minuses of the book.  Believe it or not, those reviews are beneficial to the book and others getting it.

Blessings to all of you, not just in the Baptist college ministry family, but to all in the wide college ministry family.  Keep doing it.  Don't be discouraged!  God is always up to way more than we know!!

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry coach, blogger, and author.  His new book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.  Type in his name or the title.