6 Steps in Being a BETTER College Minister

 We are who we are!

The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:11, "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances."   Then in verse 12 he says, "I have learned the secret of being  content in any and every situation."  I would call this "secret" comfort with who we are and our calling.  This comfort can help us do a much better job.  When we are at peace with ourselves, it is much easier to be at peace with others and focus our energy on what we are doing.

6 Steps or Realizations that Make us a BETTER College Minister:

1.  You realize your strengths.  These are the gifts and abilities God has placed your your life and wants to use.  It is not vain to admit, accept and allow God to use them to the fullest and for His glory.  To be all God wants you to be, there must be an acknowledgement of what God has put into our life.

2.  You have admitted your weaknesses and learned to offset them.  You know you are not perfect and that realization can help you serve even better.  It opens up the door to give others the opportunities to serve in areas that are not your strength.  And, you can allow them to do so.

3.  You know what you know.  Experience is a great teacher and the longer we serve the more we know what works, what does not and why.  We understand our campus situation better with each year.  But, we keep learning.

4.  You are not in your position hoping to be the pastor of First Big Church.  You know that there is nothing more important than what God has called YOU to be at this time.

5.  You have accepted your age and the strengths and weaknesses of that age.  There are blessings and strengths to every age in college ministry.  As we acknowledge that, we can lean into the strengths of our current age and be grateful for that age and the opportunities that go with it. Pretending to be another age is hard and flat just does not work.  You can be older without being grumpy!

6.  You are not trying to copy the latest poster boy or girl of college ministry.  God uses real people, not imitations of someone else.  Imitating someone else takes a lot of energy and posing.  Being yourself is freeing.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

Missouri State University BSU Raising $16.5 Million

 The Baptist Student Union at Missouri State University in Springfield is in the process of raising $16,5 million to build a commercial building adjacent to campus where their BSU Center now sits on property owned by the Missouri Convention. The location is just steps from the University President's office and is prime real estate. The project is being led by Gene Austin of the Missouri Baptist Convention and Chris Wilson, Missouri State Campus Minister.  The Missouri Baptist Convention has committed one million dollars to the development of plans and preliminary work. They have secured a grant writer and are pursuing a wide variety of funding options.

The vision and plan is to build a large multi-story building that would house apartments, businesses, the Baptist Student Union ministry and a Chinese Baptist Church that ministers to the campus.  The income from the apartments and businesses would provide funding to the BSU ministry.  In addition to the ministry space, there would be two apartments that would be provided to Campus Ministers which would augment their salaries.  

In some ways, this is similar to what has already been done in Texas and what is being discussed in Georgia. The Baptist General Convention of Texas sold their property at the University of Texas and a developer built a large multi-use commercial building and the Baptist Student Ministry purchased space in the new building to house their ministry.  The Georgia Baptist State Convention has been involved in talks with developers to possibly sell or lease their property next to five campuses to build such a multi-use commercial building. The Georgia BCM ministry would then lease space in the new buildings from funds received from the lease or sale payments. 

The vision is for the Missouri Baptist Convention to manage the new building and that the income would provide continued stability and growth for the BSU ministry and the benefit of housing to the Campus Ministers.  It is their hope that area businesses, community leaders, and generous benefactors  would believe that this project is such a major plus to the area, the university, and the city that it will receive a wide variety of financial support.

While some Baptist State Conventions are continuing or increasing support of collegiate ministries, others are looking for alternate ways to provide on going ministry funding.  Some see these approaches as positive, creative thinking and others see them as less than satisfactory.  I would encourage you to pray for Chris Wilson and Gene Austin in their leadership of this project and for different collegiate ministries that look for the best way forward in these coming days.  Let's continue to learn from each other.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

Truths Affecting EVERY College Ministry

1.  EVERY leader has different strengths, gifts, and abilities that will affect the shape and style of the ministry.

Some ministries are built around the leader's ability as a speaker.  Obviously, not all leaders have that gift or ability.  That is not necessarily a negative.  It just is a difference that will determine some of the shape and style of the ministry.  That leader must identify their strength and lean into that in shaping the ministry.

2.  EVERY ministry has different resources that will affect what can and cannot be done.

Some ministries have large budgets, but most do not.  Often, we lament what we do NOT have...usually money.  Part of the key in developing the best possible ministry is identifying what resources the ministry does have and utilizing them.  Lots of volunteers, then organize and use them.  A good location, then play to that strength. Focus on what you DO have.

3.  EVERY campus is different.

Some campuses are Type A student campuses and others are much more laid back.  Some are dorm centered and others are commuter centered.  These differences not only must affect schedule, but they also affect what students will respond to and do.  Part of the reason that larger ministries are usually led by long term serving College Ministers is they have learned to read their campus and understand it.  Beware of trying to copy a ministry on a campus that is vastly different than the one where you serve.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

 

Sorority Houses and Campus Christian Centers

 I recently posted this message on my Facebook account and was surprised at the number of comments I got regarding it.

"I drove thru a large southern university down Sorority Row.  Mixed in were a few Christian ministry Centers.  The sorority houses were large, gorgeous, well landscaped, and very new looking.  The religious centers were much older and smaller.  One needed some TLC.

Maybe we Christians ought to take a lesson or two from the sororities about how to be on a college campus."

My thought is that we ought to be challenged by what we see Fraternity and Sororities doing on campus in their buildings.  Some would argue that they can do that because of their alums.  Ok and sure.  College Ministries have alums and I would even argue in many situations there would be more campus ministry alums than Greek alums.  This is not an anti-Greek post.  I am complimenting them in what and how they are doing.  In my drive down Sorority Row, I was struck by how the ministry centers did not compare very well.

FIRST, Why is it ok and NORMAL for Sorority houses to be bigger and nicer than Christian Centers?  We should be challenged by what our Greek friends are doing on campus.

I believe that the outside of a building sends a big message about the inside!  What message does the outside of your campus center send to students, alumni, supporters and even the campus administration???

Things to Look at and Consider:

1.  How does the grass and bushes look?  Is it mowed?  Is it edged?  Are the bushes neatly trimmed?  I would go as far as to say that in super dry weather, if possible, water and get it looking respectable.  Any ministry regardless of resources can keep the yard looking good.

2.  Is there junk piled around the edges or at the back?  When I drive around campus religious centers, I am often struck by how junk is piled around the side or back.  

3.  Are there church work groups that would come paint or do other outside work, if they were aware of your need or were challenged to do it? Virginia Tech BCM is well known for their Alumni Work Weekends (its all those crazy engineer alums!)

4.  What about listing the cost of different fix-up projects in your alumni news  I think people respond to specific needs that somehow clicks with them.  We might be surprised who would send $500 for that landscaping project.

5.  Would a professionally done landscaping project make a significant difference in how the building presents itself?  That is a whole lot cheaper than a building re-do.

6..  We often get "blind" to how our own facility looks.  Ask a couple of people who have GOOD and EXCELLENT or even EXPENSIVE TASTE to look at your Center and tell you what they think and what suggestions they would make.  Realtors often say one tip to selling a house is to paint the front door an attractive and fresh new coat of paint.  How does your front door and entry area look?

3 Conclusions:

1.  The outside appearance is MOST important in summer and first 3 weeks of the fall term.  In the summer, alums on vacation drive through the campus.  Parents and students come to campus for Freshmen Orientations.

2.  You cannot immediately have a new and bigger Center, but you can make sure it presents itself as best as possible.  Make sure it looks like somebody cares!

3.  Let's not just accept the fact that it is ok for our Christian Centers to look outdated and uncared about.  Let's be proud when we drive by a campus Christian Center.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

Job Opening: Asso. Director, Impact 360

 Impact 360 is looking for an Associate Director, Student Learning & Living - Impact 360 Fellows in Pine Mountain, Georgia.

The person must have 5 years of relevant work experience in student life and spiritual formation of college students  They must have demonstrated skills in communicating biblical life principles to students. The job require travel for the facilitation of student programming averaging three nights a month and an occasional weekend.  Must be physically capable to lead outdoor adventure activities and multip-night excursions in a wilderness setting.

Located in Pine Mountain, Georgia, Impact 360 Institute has been cultivating  leaders who follow Jesus since 3006.  through biblical worldview education, community based discipleship, leadership coaching, and missional opportunities, students are equipped  to live as change-agents in the world.Impact 360 Institute  serves High School graduates through their 9 month Impact 360 Fellows experience, teenages for one and two weeks through Impact 360 Immersion and Propel, and young professionals through Impact 360 Masters.

For more information or to submit a resume, contact Robert Coppedge at 479.220.2990 or Robert.Coppedge@impact360.org

Arliss Dickerson's book Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is available at, amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9

8 Questions to Ask About Your Start of School Events

 If the first two to three weeks define our whole school year, then we must continue to evaluate our plans as realistically as possible.

8 Questions to Ask:

1.  Do my events the first two weeks have at least some fun element attached to them?

I am a little contradictory here in my feelings.  I am all about doing fun events to meet and connect with new people.  HOWEVER, I think it is possible to be so fun event focused at the start of school that new students have no idea who or what hosted this event.  In recent years, I have leaned  more toward getting into regular events real quickly but with fun and food attached.  If it is a Lunch Program, there can be a very appealing speaker (We had great responses with some of our Christian coaches.).  If it a night worship event, it can have food before or after and some very fun ice breakers in the midst of it.

2.  Am I serving student friendly food and making that clearly known in the publicity and promotion?

Food serves three purposes.  It helps student decide to come.  It makes it easy and more likely for your upperclass students to invite others and when it is done at the end, it makes it easier to hang around to talk and connect.  Eating can be a super hand out and connection time.

3.  Am I teaching and training my core students the importance of their actions at these opening events?

If returning students are just hugging and visiting with friends from last year, new students will quickly feel left out.  Or at best, they will not connect to anyone who will help them return.  Don't just assume your core students will know how important their actions are at these first events.

4.  Do I have a QUICK follow up plan?

Not only is it important to follow up on those who have come for the first time, but it matters how quickly it happens.  Make it a goal to have a contact with every new person within 24 hours of their visit.  If possible, it is great if they can get BOTH a student and staff follow up.

5.  How does my budget or level of excellence in these first events compare to a fraternity/sorority enlistment/rush event?

Some would argue that is not a fair apples to apples comparison.  But, many students will make that comparison.  Is it ok for Christian events to be second rate?  And, excellence is not just about money.

6.  Are my website/social media posts and starting schedule up to date NOW?

I see lots of college ministry websites that still have up their information about their Spring Semester wind up events.  Many believe that the first time many students visit your ministry is on social media.

7.  Am I using one or more good pictures in my promotion?

Pictures answer lots of questions and make it possible to not have a lot of text that usually will not get read.

8.  Do you have an inviting title for your first worship/Bible study event?

I will confess to wanting to get students to come who are not just out looking for a worship event to attend as their first priority.  My best example is years ago in brainstorming with our Leadership Team, we came up with the title,  "7 Red Flags in a Dating Relationship".  That was the title for our first worship event.  As a part of it, I talked about what the Bible said about healthy relationships.  It was NOT a bait and switch, but it had a lot of God in it.  A time or two we even used a movie title and started with a clip from that movie to set up the talk.  You get the idea....now what do YOU think?

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

3 Steps for Excellence in College Ministry

 A few College Ministers are gifted speakers.  They draw large crowds and students are drawn to their style and great presentation of biblical content. There are others who have that magnetic, charismatic personality.  People instantly like them, want to be around them, and follow them.  Then.....there are the rest of us.

There are only a handful of gifted speakers and charisma is not a gift we all have.  But, we still are called of the Lord to reach students.  I believe there are three characteristics/actions when practiced make for an excellent College Minister and college ministry.

3 Difference Makers:

1.  Effort - Working hard gets a lot done.  Showing up every day when you are supposed to and giving it your best goes a long way toward God given results. Effort demonstrates we care and encourages as well as inspires others.  It rubs off on the students who lead in our ministry.  They see the example of effort and it encourages them to give their best effort.  Supporters find it easy to support someone they see who gives it their very best effort every day.  Effort honors the Lord.

2.  Consistency - Being the same person every day matters.  Doing what you say you are going to do matters.  Students and others know they can trust your word and that your best effort will be given every time.  You model what you expect from students.  "Let your yes be yes and your no be no." Matthew 5:37.  The ministry is consistent.  It is not something new every year.  It is tuned and adjusted as needed, but there is an on-going plan. Students and supporters know what to expect and the ministry builds one year on top of another.

3.  Intentionality - You have a plan and you work that plan.  You show up every day and work that plan.  The plan adjusts as the campus changes and as student leaders demonstrate different gifts each year.  But, there is a purpose to what is being done. There are priorities and those priorities are represented in what is done and how it is done.  Experience matters and helps benefit intentionality.  Usually the largest college ministries are led by older and more experienced College Ministers.  Their experience gives them wise intentionality.  Younger College Ministers can be intentional about learning from others and being a student of their campus.  Be intentional about having a plan and working that plan!

Even if you happen to be gifted as a speaker or have a charismatic personality, the impact of your ministry will increase as you practice these three difference makers. And, likely if are especially gifted and not practicing these, your are likely short changing your ministry and your own growth.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

Connecting with Freshmen....by Steve Masters

 Steve Masters is the Baptist Campus Minister at LSU and a long time friend.....ever since I did not hire him when he finished seminary....another story for another day.  I believe Steve is one of the best in the country at getting freshmen names and connecting with them.  I have asked him to share some of what he does and will share bits and pieces of his tips over the next few weeks.  Because of Steve's long tenure at LSU and generous alumni, he has resources many will not have. But, I encourage you to find the one or two things that might help your summer outreach.....and be challenged by his dogged and relentless effort..

7 Things LSU BCM Ministry Does:

1.  We attempt to call every freshman we have a name of.

2.  We text them all.

3.  We send them an E-newsletter.

4.  We mail all of them a hard copy Freshmen newsletter.

5.  We mail a letter to all of their parents and ask them to mail us back a parent's survey about their son or daughter..

6.  In late July we divide up the names of the freshmen and ask our local collegiate churches to text and email them and invite them to get involved in a local church.

7.  On the third weekend of July we are sponsoring Tiger Weekend on a Friday night and a Saturday.  It is an orientation for new freshmen at LSU.  It will be hosted by our upperclassmen leaders.  This is our first year to do this.

Steve Masters

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

If You Have a Freshman Starting College, They Probably Won't go to Church.....and What You Can do

 Approximately 7 out of 10 high school seniors who are active in church make NO spiritual connections in college.  And, that does not count those that disappeared from church when they got their driver's license.  So, odds are that includes your son or daughter....or will when school starts this fall.

I have spoken at lots of Senior Graduate Sunday Luncheons.  At those, I usually share this figure (the 7 out of 10) and the parents sit there and smile at me.  At first, I thought they were not listening.  Then my wife explained it to me.  "Dummy they ALL think their son or daughter is in the 3 out of 10."  Since then, I have realized a third possibility......Parents don't care!

I don't mean to be harsh.  But, I have realized that many parents do not expect spiritual connection in college because they had none when they were in college and they came back to church.  I believe in some way or other that message is communicated to their college bound sons and daughters......"We know you won't go to church or be in a campus ministry and that is ok."

There are two problems with this.  First, if they do come back, they bring the issues and decisions they made while they were away from the Lord and spiritual influence.  They make life choices and often pick a spouse during this "vacation from God".  Here is the worse news:  studies indicate today that many who go away during college are not coming back.....at least not right away.

Here is a less than perfect suggestion......parents should expect and communicate that they expect spiritual involvement in college .  Do you communicate an expectation of good grades or keeping a scholarship?  Most likely you do.  So, why not communicate spiritual expectations?  Just like good grades, you cannot mandate it, but you can express and encourage it. That means asking questions about grades, classes and involvement/attendance at church or campus Christian events.

A message many high schoolers are getting is that graduation is also graduation from church.  One person who has studied this has said, "Parents are not getting what they want from their student, but they are getting what they deserve."  What he means is, don't expect something from your student that you do not practice yourself.  Your involvement does not insure their involvement, but it increases the odds.

If you have a son or daughter going off to college in a few weeks, you can make sure the Baptist Campus Minister or a local church college ministry has their name and contact information PRIOR TO THE START OF SCHOOL  Many of these are calling, texting, emailing and mailing to incoming students even now about Welcome Week events and other connection opportunities.

Their first friends and connections will help determine their habits.

What a freshman does their first 2-3 weeks of the fall often determines their habits and practices for their college career.  You can increase the odds of their connecting well by what you do and say AND letting someone know they are coming.  Now is the perfect time to do it!

Want MORE help for your Freshman?  Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

10 Things Parents of a College Freshman Need to Know

 1.  College is usually harder than high school and your daughter or son may study as hard or harder, but not make the same grades as in high school.

2.  The friends and habits a student  develops during the first three weeks often determine their whole college career.  Make sure they understand the importantce of starting right with a clear set of priorities.  They must be intentional that first couple of weeks!  Students can ship wreck their college career or  evern their adult life during this brief time.

3.  Seven out of ten high school seniors active in church make NO spiritual connections while in college.  If this is a priority in your family, discuss how to make it part of the first three weeks.  Many do not intentionally turn away from their faith.  It just gets lost in the beginning with all the busyness.  If you encourage and expect good grades, why not encourage faith connections?

4.  Parents cannot see or receive their son or daughter's grades without a signed form that can be obtained from the Registrar's Office.  This is part of federal privacy laws.  It does not matter that you are paying the bill.

5.  Students who live in dorms tend to make better grades according to national studies.  It is all about being connected to college life and feeling like a college student.  Students living away from campus can feel isolated and alone, especially during freshman year.

6.  National studies also show that students who are active in campus organizations are more likely to stay in school and graduate.  Again, it is about being connected and feeling connected.  Obviously, this is where ministries like the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BSM, BSU, BSM) are a huge plus.

7.  A recent study shows that students tend to marry someone they date.  Really!!

8.  You should know where your son or daughter lives and how to contact them or how someone else could contact them (dorm and room number, apartment and number.....not just cell phone).

9.  The average is for a student to change their major 3 to 4 times.  That is why it is best to take required basics the first semester or two.  This allows times for adjustment and further determination of a major.

10. Psychologists say the two greatest times of change in a person's life are birth to age one and high school graduation to Christmas.  That is why it is important to stay connected and involved during this time.  But, avoid making all their decisions for the.  Learning to make decisions and choices are part of the adulting process of college.

SOME SUGGESTIONS:

Make sure the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, another campus ministry, or a college ministry church has your son or daughter's contact information prior to school starting.  Where they go at the start determines who they meet and what connections they make.

If your daughter or son will be living at home, do not ask them to function on the home schedule of meals, etc.  Consider buying a meal ticket on campus or depositing to an account where this money can be used to purchase food on campus.  This is not only convenient, but it helps them connect more to campus and "feel like" a college student.

If joining a sorority or fraternity is something might be an option, consider the possibility of delaying that until after the first semester.  This allows time to really know what a group is like and to adjust to class, etc.

Make sure your student understands that if they plan to drop a class, it is important to OFFICIALLY drop it....not just sstop going.  HOWEVER, if a student drops below twelve (12) hours, most schools do NOT consider them fulltime and scholarships, etc can become null and void.  In some instances, they must move out of dorms or other school housing.  Also, a students car insurance rate based on them being a student can become null and void.

Want MORE help for your Freshman?  Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

Bulk Pricing on "Tips for College Freshmen"

 Some College Ministers have contacted me to ask about the possibility of bulk pricing on Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, in order to use it as a give away.  One is using it with a QR Code on it attached to his ministry.  Another is offering it at his Orientation table, if an incoming freshmen will give him their contact info.  Or, anyone can go to that ministries' website and fill out a form and it will be mailed to that freshman.

If you are a College Minister interested in using it in some way with incoming freshmen and need a significant number of copies, contact me.  The Amazon regular price is $6.99 and at bulk price, it will be $5.99.  Just email, Facebook, or text me.  Hope your fall is the best ever.

Arliss

Arliss Dickerson's boo, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.