Why do some students connect to a ministry and some do not?
I believe the simple answer is RELATIONSHIPS. Students go where they feel known and cared about. Friends are the X Factor. What do friends do? Or, WHERE have I met and made friends?
I believe it is more imperative than ever that we work at providing opportunities and avenues for students to connect personally with others. AND, we have to remember that because of texting, etc students are not as good at making social connections face to face as they used to be. It does not happen as automatically as we might hope and expect.
What are some possible "Connecting Points"?
-Big Buddy/Little Buddy is where an upperclassmen is paired with a freshman. They meet at least once a week to visit and to pray or do a fun activity. This also helps train upperclassmen in the importance of reaching out to younger students and can lead to a mentoring relationship.
-Fun Trips such as a Float Trip . It can be a one day experience or longer.
-Disaster Relief Trips: Due to all the destruction by storms lately a lot of ministries are doing DR trips which appeal to a wide variety of students AND promote personal connections as they work side by side. Some campus administrations have even given money to campus ministry groups doing DR projects.
- Fun Golf Tournament: I put the word fun here because I think it has to be clear that it is not just for "serious golfers". Prizes will be "Funniest Shot"; "Most Lost Balls"; "Most Likely to Injure Someone", etc with a steak cookout to follow.
-Golf Clinic: Have a two hour session with some clubs and balls provided and someone who knows enough to share tips and just promote fun. It does not even require a golf course...just a big field.
-Cooking Class: It can be a one time event or a multi-session happening. As more students live in apartments and there is more emphasis on eating healthy, knowing how to fix some basic and fun things is of great interest. I lean toward things such as this being a one time event.
-Yoga and Bible Study: Sweating together promotes getting to know others and quickly does away with inhibitions. Your PE Department may offer Yoga options, etc, but you can add the spiritual spin to it.
A growing phenomenon now being quietly discussed in education circles is the increasing gap between the number of guys and girls attending college. More and more guys are opting out of college. Some colleges with very strict entrance requirements are quietly relaxing some of those to just get more guys. It is not just college ministries that are wrestling with reaching guys. So, connecting guys is an even greater concern and issue for us as well.
Will any of these work for you?
Who knows! Here is the point, I believe we have try more things that are simply aimed at helping new students make personal connections. I hope to share some "Connecting Points" in the future that different ministries have done that help students connect. Let me hear from you.
Arliss Dickerson's college ministry books are available at amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX
No comments:
Post a Comment