2 Important Characteristics for College Ministers

 Aside from continuing to grow in relationship to the Lord and being faithful to God's calling, In juggling all the different parts of college ministry,  I think there are two characteristics that are most significant in determining a College Ministers success.

The first is RELATIONSHIPS.  A College Minister must be able to take joy in relationships and relationships with a wide variety of people.  Liking and relating well to pastors is vastly different than relating well to the tatooed skater on campus  Even within students the wide variety of types of students is huge.  And, one of our necessities is to see in students not just who they are, but their potential.  We have to see things in them that they do not even see in themselves at this point.  And, to be able to call and affirm what we see in them, they have to know we like them and that they can trust us.  Obviously, all of us are more comfortable relating to certain types of people.  But, part of relationships is just being willing to try.

With whom are you most comfortable?  What types of relationships are a struggle for you?  Do you work at knowing a WIDE variety of students on campus?  When you walk across campus every day, who do you speak to and who speaks to you?  By the way, are you walking across the campus EVERY day?

The second characteristic is CONSISTENCY.  Consistency is "keeping on" when it is not easy to keep on.  It is being dependable.  I would even go as far as saying consistency is students knowing when and where they can find you, if they need to.  It is being where you said you will be and when you said you will be there.  It is the ministry being consistent in who and what it is.  Supporters know what they are supporting.  Churches and parents know what they are sending their students to.....or at least encouraging them to be connected.

There is a thin line between healthy consistency and being outdated.  Your ministry can be both dynamic and consistent. When you tell students something, do they naturally assume they can count on it?  Do pastors or fellow church staffers know you are interested in them and not just trying to get something for your advantage?  Does your ministry adjust as needed but stay true to its basics?  Are YOU willing to change when necessary?

CONSISTENCY and RELATIONSHIPS pretty well are about 75% of what determines what happens.  Is that too high.....OR too low?  Keep on juggling!

Arliss Dickerson's book, ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT COLLEGE MINISTRY, is available at amazon.com.