Upgrading Your End of the Year Mailing and Thank You Notes

 If you know me, you know I am all about thanking those who have helped you or blessed your ministry.

One updated way to do that is with picture cards.  Many of us send Picture Christmas Cards to family and friends with pictures of our family, the new baby, our trip to the beach, etc.  Why don't you do that with a ministry card?  It can also be a New Year's card, if this week is already scheduled out.

You can put one or more pictures made at your ministry on the card.  It can be a big group picture, a picture made at one of your programs, etc. A picture is worth 10,000 words.

Who Could Such a Card Be Sent To?

-All the pastors in your area

-The pastors of all the churches that support your ministry

-All the individuals who gave money during this year.

-All the volunteers who served meals at your ministry.

Fair Warning:  These cards are a little expensive ranging from a little over a dollar to two dollars.  However, one way to cut that expense would be to just make a bunch of pictures and stick one in all of those HANDWRITTEN thank you notes you are doing.  You know how cranky I am about writing handwritten thank you notes!  Those pictures would cost you about 40 cents each.

Don't Forget:  There are people who get end of the year bonuses, often on the last day of the year and quickly make donations to qualify for the tax deduction this year.  Is your ministry even on their radar?

So, what kind of thank you notes and messages are YOU sending out?

Merry Christmas!

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

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The Healthy Spot Between Who Cares & Never Satisfied?

 There was an excellent article recently warning College Ministers against pragmatism or simply doing something because it draws a crowd and not trusting the Lord.  I wrestle with that in that I am very pragmatic.

Some years ago a student said, "We should name our worship band Free Beer and we could advertise Free Beer on Thursday Night."  That certainly would have drawn a crowd for one night....and gotten me fired the next day.  Obviously, that would be an over the top extreme example of doing whatever to draw a crowd.

Is there a healthy point between just doing stuff that gets students to come and just trusting the Lord in our ministry?  I think there has to be.  

-If there are 5,000 students on our campus, we must care about 5,000 students.  Every situation is different.  In some settings with a good budget and a nice facility in the deep south, reaching a fairly large number is possible.  On a 5,000 student campus with no budget, no facility and an antagonistic administration, reaching a much smaller crow is likely.  Yet, I believe God can be and is at work in both situations.  

We must each be responsible to our particular setting and situation.  I have a friend who regularly receives large checks out of the blue from his alums.  He can do almost anything he chooses to boost the ministry.  Another friend said he worked to have funding to serve Iced Tea after his event once a month.  Their situation is different.

A friend shared that he was visiting with a BCM College Minister who led a small ministry and told him some things their large ministry had done for Welcome Week.  The leader of the smaller ministry tried some of the suggestions and had more students visit his ministry the first couple of weeks than ever before.  But, he did not do anything different with follow-up, etc and they immediately went back to the number they had always had. Were those the ones the Lord wanted there or was it a failure of practice?

Keys to a Healthy Balance:

1.  Are we continuing to learn from others?  No matter how long we do college ministry, we can keep learning.  Learn from old vets.  Learn from new guys and gals that have new thoughts.  Keep learning!

2.  Remind yourself every year cannot be bigger and better than the year before.  It just cannot.  The campus schedule changes.  Student leaders graduate and new ones are still learning.  Recovering from the blows of the Covid Years takes time.

3.  Be faithful and work hard.  Keep doing the things you know to do and trust God in the process. Sometimes, it just takes multiple years for things to develop and mature.  I could do things at Year 10 that were not remotely possible before that.

4.  Do not compare your ministry to other ministries....particularly the "Poster Ministry of the Year". One of the greatest killers of College Ministers is comparison.  No two situations are alike.  Resources vary, campus situations are different.  Our gifts are different.  Learn from others, but do not compare!  Years ago a ministry was held up as an example of things to do because of their large numbers.  Some time later we learned the College Minister was lying about his numbers!  Just wow!!

5.  Feeling alone and no one else cares causes us to do and think dumb things! This is the other big killer of College Ministers. Find and develop two or three friends who get college ministry that you can talk to and share your thoughts, frustrations, etc with.  But, don't dump it all on your spouse!

Being in the Healthy Spot is always a work in progress.

At the risk of sounding way too pragmatic, Reaching More College Students is FREE THIS WEEK.  GET IT HERE:  Amazon.com/dp/B0CDHP4MD1.  By the way, you would do me a huge favor, if you would write an honest review on the Amazon site.

Arliss, arlissdickerson@gmail.com

By POPULAR DEMAND, Sue's Sausage Ball Recipe

 SUE'S SAUSAGE BALL RECIPE

2 and 1/2 cups Bisquick Baking Mix

1 Pound Hot Sausage

1 Pound shredded cheddar cheese (4 cups)

Mix all ingredients together (large Kitchen Aid Mixer works well)

Form mixture into small balls and bake at 350 degrees in oven until golden brown (15-20 minutes approximately).  You may make all the balls ahead and freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet until firm and then store them in the freezer in a zip lock bag until you are ready to bake them. 

 This makes about 4 dozen pieces depending on the size you make them.

Sue says the SECRET is the hot sausage.  She prefers the Williams brand but cannot always find it.  

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

 

 

Does Your College Ministry Have a Lid on It?

 The lid is a number you just cannot grow past.  Students graduate and you reach new students, but the number being reached stays about the same.  Or, you grow up to a certain number and then fall back.

Some Causes to a Ministry Lid:

1.  Bad Reputation on Campus - Often a bad reputation is caused by misbehavior or perceived misbehavior by students involved in the ministry.  Or, it can be some enthusiastic attempts to share the Gospel that violated some campus rules or standards.  Stressing to student leaders the importance of their behavior and how they are seen as representative of the ministry can be key here.  If campus rules have been broken, it is imperative to work at making it right with campus administrators.  An unfair cause is what some other campus ministry has done and all ministries are perceived that way

2.  Time and Day of your Large Group Event - Campus schedules change, campus rhythms change.  A bloc of classes is now scheduled on your big night.  Or, maybe the night or day is still good, but the time is not.  Look at what is happening on campus at your time.  Or, is it too early or too late in the week?

3.  Resources - It just may be that your budget is the cause of your lid.  One way to work at changing that is to lay out a plan or some options that could be accomplished with some additional funding.  Share that with alums or other stakeholders.

4.  Student Leadership Organization - It takes more leaders to reach and keep more students connected.  Have you maxed out your leadership structure.  There are some options for this in my Reaching More book.  Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.

5.  Wrong Strategy -  Strategy is the intentional plan for the ministry.  There are two common mistakes in strategy:  Copying another ministry with different resources in an entirely different campus setting and the strategy has not been tweaked and adjusted as the campus has grown or changed.

6.  Your Facility or Your Setup - If you have outgrown your meeting space, is it time to move?  Can you rent somewhere?  Can your borrow a church or large conference room?  Arrangement is another thing that establishes a lid.  Experiment with setting up your meeting room in different ways.  I know it may sound over simple, but the "feel" of a room often has more effect than we know.  Or, is it dirty or need a new coat of paint?

What would YOU like to see Arliss write about?  Send him your suggestion at arlissdickerson@gmail.com.

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV

Four of My Guiding Principles in College Ministry

 1.  I am committed to the idea that it is not the grand gesture or event done occasionally that makes the difference but rather, it is the little things done right again and again that makes the difference.

2.  Raising up capable godly leaders is not rocket science but rather it is teaching and challenging them to do things well.

3.  We must help students be who they are.

4.  God is always doing more than you know.

Arliss

You can check out A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Almost Everything About College Ministry at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX

Where Did College Ministry Start?

 Who did college ministry first and where?  There are many anecdotes told about this person and that church beginning a ministry to college students.  One Baptist story is that Marion Leavell sat in an open vehicle on the Old Miss campus in the 1920's with heated bricks wrapped in newspaper to stay warm. From this "office" she counseled students and loaned books.

Following is a brief summary of the start of different national college ministries in their early days:

Dr. Charles Ball, Professor of Missions at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, made a motion at the Texas Baptist State Convention in 1914 to establish The Baptist Student Missionary Movement.  Following that, in 1915 at the Southern Baptist Convention, a committee was appointed to further consider this movement as a ministry to the United States and Canada.

Wesley Foundation, which is a ministry of the United Methodist Church, began in 1913 at the University of Illinois.  It claims ancestry to the Holy Club, a group of students at Oxford University, formed in 1729 by John and Charles Wesley.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship traces their roots to a movement of British university students starting at Cambridge University in 1877.  InterVarsity was on campus in Canada in 1928.  In 1937 the Canadians sent Stacy Woods, the Canadian Director, to meet with students at the University of Michigan where they formed the first U. S. chapter.

Bill and Vonette Bright founded Campus Crusade for Christ in 1951 at UCLA.  In 1952 Bill Bright wrote The Four Spiritual Laws, which is likely the most widely known and used Christian tract of modern times.

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes began in Oklahoma in 1954 when the Basketball Coach at Eastern Oklahoma A&M wrote a letter to 19 well known athletes and coaches stating his dream of a ministry to and with athletes.  The national headquarters was established in Kansas City in 1956.

The Navigators was established in 1958 at the University of Nebraska by Leroy and Virginia Eims.  Eims later wrote the best selling and still widely used book, The Lost Art of Discipleship.

Chi Alpha, a ministry of the Assemblies of God, was established at Missouri State University in 1953.  J. Robert Ashcroft and J. Calvin Holsinger were the original organizers.

Campus Outreach began in Birmingham, Alabama in 1978 by a local church.

Student Mobilization was started at the University of Arkansas in 1986 by Steve Shadrach.

There are a wide variety of more regional ministries such as MBSF, RUF, and Church of Christ ministries with a variety of dates and starting points.

Where did college ministry start? It started in the heart of God who planted it in the hearts of many men and women across the world.

This information is taken from a variety of informal histories, dates under pictures, etc. and is adapted from Almost Everything About College Ministry Amazon.com/dp/b08CMD9CXX.

Four Reasons We MUST Do College Ministry

 1.  A significant number of Christian college students walk away from church and even their faith in college.

Some walk away due to questions and doubts that come as a result of being in a new environment and hearing questions raised they have never heard before.  Many simply never connect to a faith group either on campus or in an area church.  Ministries being on campus or aimed specifically at students make a difference in connections and helping student grow as a result of their doubts and questions.

2.  As the number of non-Believers grows, college is a key time to share Gospel News with them as they search for what will shape their lives in the years to come.  

Studies show that as a person grows older they are less and less likely to come to Christ.  College is the last "good opportunity" for many to hear and respond.

3.  The number of pastors, missionaries and other vocational ministers retiring or aging out of fulltime ministry is at a high level.  College Ministry is sharing the call to ministry and discipling the future leaders of our churches.

A growing number of churches indicate increased difficulty in finding a pastor or other church staffers.  The need to be talking with Christian young people about God's call to vocational ministry must be a high priority.  Discipling them during their college years will be key to their ministry preparedness and success.

4.  There are 1,057,188 International students from 210 different places of origin studying in the U. S. this year  Most will return to their countries to become the financial and political leaders of their countries.  We can share Christ with the world by reaching out to and ministering to this group.

If we were to do International Student ministry well and on a large scale, it would not be necessary to send missionaries to other countries.  Many of these students come from countries that are not open to Christian Missionaries.  One missionary shared the story of a move to remove all missionaries from the country where they served.  The Vice President of the country had been a student in the U.S. and was befriended by Christians.  He intervened on behalf of the missionaries and they were allowed to stay. 

Adapted from Almost Everything About College Ministry Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

Arliss Dickerson

Bored During the Holidays?

  Looking for a quick read that will benefit you and your ministry? They are listed in order of the most popular by sales.

Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9

This is a book that churches give on Graduate Sunday and as a graduation gift by individuals.  Each tip is just a paragraph or two long.  Some college ministries use it as a gift to a n incoming student who will give them their contact information.

Almost Everything About College Ministry Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX

"Almost" was written as a resource with chapters aimed at veteran College Ministers and others aimed at newbies.  It has been used as a class text and as a staff book for discussion.

Doing College Ministry Better/College Ministry Basics (Kindle) Amazon.com/dp/B00EO5MDSO

This was my first book distilling the best practices of some the more successful campus based College Ministers.

Fixing a Broken College Ministry Amazon.com/dp/1521876665

A College Minister called me and said, "I can't find anything on bringing a ministry back that is really down." I looked and found there was not any such material.  

A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV

This includes 10 common mistakes College Ministers make and what I believe are the five building blocks of all strong ministries.  It includes my most requested talk for College Minister conferences which is, "The Four Seasons of a College Minister."  It is how to do college ministry at any age.

Reaching MORE College Students Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN

There are 12,000,000 full time college students (and 6,000,000 part time) in America.  The best guess is that all Christian ministries are reaching about 5 percent. It was written both as a challenge AND with ideas how to increase the number being reached.

Thanks for being a part of the great College Ministry Family.  I am sorry I cannot give a copy of each of these to all of you.  Many blessings to you and yours during this Thanksgiving and Christmas Season.  

REMEMBER: God is ALWAYS doing more than you realize through you and your ministry!

Arliss

3 Views of Your College Ministry This Semester

I am all about evaluation at the end of a semester.  There are 3 views of the semester you need to consider.

VIEW 1:  Ask your student leaders their view of the semester as a whole.  

     1. What spoke to them and where did they see God at work?

      2,  What was the best thing that happened all semester?

      3.  What is one thing we should change or tweak?

VIEW 2:  Invite 4 or 5 freshmen for cokes or coffee and ask them their thoughts.

    1.  How did they hear about the ministry and what caused them to come the first time?

    2.   What was their VERY FIRST IMPRESSION?

    3.    What was the main reason they stayed involved the whole semester?

    4.     What helped them the MOST?

VIEW 3: Your thoughts and feelings now.

    1.  What made the biggest difference for good this semester?

    2.  What was not worth what it cost in time or money?

    3.  Is MY TIME being spent the best way possible? Remember, you are the NUMBER ONE tool and asset of the ministry.

    4.  Is there one tweak or change that needs to be made to our large group event?

    5.  Who all do I need to thank with a personal note, a phone call or take them to lunch?  

Arliss Dickerson's book, Almost Everything About College Ministry, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXXand Reaching MORE College Students is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.

Young Adult Ministry is MESSY!

 A young couple just out of college is living together.  They are attending a church and the church will not do their wedding.

I shared the story a while back about a friend who called to ask, if I could help her son.  He and his girlfriend live in another city and attend a large church there.  They go to a young couples Sunday group and she is in a Women's Bible Study and they contribute to the church  They made an appointment at the church to talk about a possible wedding, but received an email the day before the appointment to say that no one on the church staff would do their wedding or pre-marital counseling.

"What's the difference between them and a couple who maintain separate apartments but sleep together a couple nights a week?" my friend asked. Her point is that her son and his girlfriend are more honest.

If a couple comes to you to ask, if you will perform their wedding, do you ask if they currently sleep together occasionally?  Or, do you ask, if they live together?  Is there a difference?  Or, do you ask any questions?

Some College Ministers and Pastors I know have certain stipulations they give and will perform the ceremony, if those are met.  Some will not perform the wedding of a Christian and non-Christian.  But, they will perform the wedding of two non-Christians, if they consent to pre-marital counseling which involves presenting the Gospel.  Others say they will do a small more informal wedding for a couple who have been living together.  Some indicate they will do the wedding, if the couple commits to live apart leading up to the wedding.

I think there are good arguments on all sides of this discussion.  But, here is one thing I think should be a universal answer, "I will be glad to do your pre-marital counseling.  Thank you for asking me." All of us in ministry are concerned about the state of marriage and the number of divorces.  If we perform the wedding of a couple who lives together, are we condoning that behavior? How do we draw people in and not push them away?  How do we stand on our principles and beliefs....with Grace?

It is messy!  I called a friend in that city and he said he would be glad to meet with them and possibly do the ceremony......and at the very least, he would offer to do their pre-marital counseling. 

So, how do you operate?  Will you do the wedding of anyone who asks?  Do you ask any questions?  Do you have any stipulations?  Here is the point, IF YOU HAVE NOT FACED THIS SITUATION, YOU WILL.

"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh."  Ephesians 5:31

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

How L-O-N-G Should You Speak AND H-O-W Can You Speak Better?

In recent years there has been a trend for Christian speakers to speak longer. It is sometimes insinuated that if someone does not speak for a lengthy time, they are not being deep in what they say.  I worked on a national collegiate program where we had to change the schedule because the speakers kept going over their allotted time and fouling up the rest of the session.

Is there a perfect time length to speak?  Maybe not perfect, but here is what some "experts" know and say.

TED Talks are 18 minutes long.  Nobody gets more than 18 minutes.  TED Talk Curator, Chris Anderson, says, 18 minutes is "short enough to hold people's attention, precise enough to be taken seriously, and long enough to say something that matters."

Biologists say the brain starts to tune out after 10 minutes.  So, it is at the 9-10 minute mark that a gear has to shift, a prop used or something done to bring the audience back again. One speaker who speaks at large events says when he sees an audience's attention beginning to wane, he holds up one finger and says, "Let me tell you a joke."  Or, he says something startling.

TIPS FOR SPEAKING WELL FOR 15-20 MINUTES:

   1.  Tell a story.  Students love a story.  Ed Seabough, who was one of the famous Christian campus communicators of the 70's was one of the best story tellers I have ever heard.  He told me that he practiced telling his stories.  They did not just come off the top of his head and consequently, he told them with maximum impact.

    2.  When their heads go down, they have quit listening.  There is something in a college student's makeup that causes their head to drop when they quit listening.  It is at that point that you do something to draw them back or give up and quit.

    3.  Start by asking for a response or telling a story.  "How many of you have ever embarrassed yourself in front of a thousand people?" or it can be as simple as, "Have any of you skipped class this week and will admit it by holding your hand up?"  When I do something like this, I usually have a $10 or $15 Gift Card to a popular student fast food place and give it to the one or one of the ones who held their hand up.

    4.  The BEST Tip: Never do a talk without having practiced it out loud at least twice....just exactly as you plan to do it.  Stand up in a room by yourself and pretend you are speaking to a crowd and do it.  You will find some things don't sound right and need to be changed.  Change them and do it again..

    5.  Know exactly what you will say to close.  Often speakers don't close, they just quit.  Plan what you will say to close..

How LONG do you speak?  Why do you speak that length?  What is one thing you could do to speak better? 

Arliss Dickerson's book, Almost Everything About College Ministry, is available at amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX and Reaching MORE College Students is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.

The Character of a College Minister

 "As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."  Ephesians 4:1-3

Most of my writing in college ministry is focused on the competency and the College Minister, yet I believe that we must acknowledge and point to the equal importance of the character of the College Ministers.

"Live a life worthy of your calling" is a reminder to all of us who serve in ministry that who we are will always affect our ministry.  We cannot ask or expect students to be more than we are attempting to be.  If a leader does not demonstrate character, then the ministry will not demonstrate character.  The ministry will always to some degree or other be a reflection of the strengths and weaknesses of the leader.

Paul lists five expressions of the character of a Christian and particularly one who leads other Christians:

1.  Humility - This humility that Paul speaks of is not one of seeing no value in ourselves, but rather as Romans 12:3 says, "Think of yourself with sober judgement."  It is to think of ourselves as God sees us both strengths and weaknesses.

2.  Gentleness - Scholars say the term translated gentleness refers to the point between two extremes.  We must be aware of the power of our words and actions and how they affect the students in our ministry and those not yet in our ministry. Quick word spoken in anger can be destructive to relationships and ministry.  When we are out of control in words or actions, we are not honoring the Lord.

3.  Patient (Long Suffering) - This characteristic can be applied to mean being willing to give a ministry time to develop or a student time to develop and mature.  Remember, it usually takes about three years for a ministry to begin to be as we envision it being.  Are you willing to give the ministry time?  Are you willing to give that bright freshmen the time to grow into the potential that you see in them that God can use?

4.  Bearing with one another in love - When we love someone in a godly way, we continue to love them when they do not act in a way worthy of love.  Students will let you down.  Student leaders will sometimes not do what they know to do.  Just as the Lord never gives up on us, we are to be people that never give up on students.

5.  Unity through the bond of peace - There are different ways this may be expressed in college ministry. If there are multiple Christian ministries on a campus or reaching out to the campus, it means knowing and acting on the belief that God's kingdom is bigger than you and your ministry. It can mean not being critical of others ministries and even looking for ways that ministries might possibly work together for the good of the campus.

A ministry will always to some degree be a reflection of the strengths, weakness, and character of the leader.

This post is adapted from my book,  A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula,  Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

One of the SECRETS of Successful College Ministers

I wrote an article where I said that the "IT Factor" in College Ministry was respect....not Charisma.

A friend who supervises College Ministers said he agreed, except, I left out the part about hard work.  I agreed with him.  All the College Ministers I know that have done it well for a long time work really hard.  I have heard there are College Ministers that do not work hard, but they usually do not last long in college ministry

Nothing substitutes for hard work.  But, there is more than one way to work hard.  I have a friend who works night and day and weekends.  Then, he will take a week's vacation in the middle of the semester.  I could never do that....not in the middle of the semester.  I paced myself more on a regular pattern.  Our "Work Hard Patterns" are different

Some Suggestions for Working Hard:

    1.  Find what work pattern works best for you.  Are you the go hard night and day and then take a few days break?  Or, are you the consistent schedule person?  Don't just copy your hero or role model. There is more than one way to work hard.

    2.  Don't forget that hard work done wrong or ineffectively is still ineffective.  Beware of trying to substitute hard work for a good and workable strategy.  Being stubborn and hard work often go together, but can be fatal.  A sharp tool accomplishes more.  Work hard smartly.

    3.  Beware of "driving others" with your own hard work ethic.  It is easy for others....especially student volunteers.....to think we have unrealistic expectations.  And, different generations have different ideas about when and how to work hard.  While modeling good hard work for your student leaders, never forget that they are volunteers.

    4.  Don't forget GRACE.  If I am totally honest, there is a little bit of me that feels you need to "earn your way to heaven"......God loves us even when we do not have 500 at our program.  Work hard and trust the Lord.....and accept a little GRACE.

    5.  Have a schedule that makes it possible for others to connect with you and know when that is.  Working from midnight to 9:00 a.m. may work personally for you, but it does not make you readily available to others.....AND, even may give the impression that you do not show up for work much.  I am all about having some posted hours or making it generally known that you are in your office or available at certain hours.  Then, be faithful to that schedule.  Being available is a must.

    6.  Do not cheat your family to work hard.  Sometimes, it is hard balance.  Yet, work at balancing it.  My daughters laughed at all the different times we ate supper together, so I could go back to the campus.  But, we ate together.

7.  If you have a boss or supervisor, make sure they know about and are on board with your work hard schedule.  If you are working well into the night and showing up at the office at noon, do they know what you are doing?  Or, do they think you are not working?  I had an Assistant once who came to work at Noon and workedS till ten that night.  She was great at it and we were both aware of what the other was doing.

Keep working hard.  Nothing substitutes for hard work, but be a smart hard worker!

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men..." Colossians 3:23

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

Building an Alumni Data Base for a College Ministry

 "A College Minister should be fired, if he or she does not work with alumni." is my way out there statement.

The most common reason I hear is, "There is no alumni list where I serve."  Someone has to start it and if no one before you started it, then you are the one.  Just start! If there is already one, then you must continue to develop and update it.  Nothing goes out of date quicker than an alumni list.

Starting an Alumni list:

    1.  Just start.  Who have you met at church or in the community that says, "I used to go to the BSU/BCM/Red Wolves for Christ, etc.  Get their mailing or email address.  

    2.  Send out a letter or social media message asking them to send you the names and contact information of any friends who were involved in the ministry when they were.  Even if they do not know any contact info, just getting some names will be helpful. List the names you may have gotten.  

    3.  Keep the letter to one page but just share some of the good things happening in the ministry in a paragraph or maybe two.  DON'T MAKE IT A FUND RAISING LETTER!

    3.  Look at pictures that the ministry may have on the wall or in scrapbooks, etc and make a list of all the names.  Some may be ones you will recognize in the community and you can get an address.

    4.  Buy lunch for any alums you have met and find out if they have contact info for any of those on your list.

    5.  Some colleges publish an alumni book and people have listed organizations they were active in during their time in school. Buy or borrow one and go through it.  

    6.  Another way to start is this spring list all of your ministry graduates and start with them and add to it each graduation.  I am aware of one ministry that adds all of their freshmen to their alumni mailing list, so as to not lose them over the next four years.  That Campus Minister shares that one of his biggest alumni donors was only involved her freshmen year.

    7.  At graduation get a copy of the graduation program that lists all the grads and go through it looking for names of students who were involved some time during their college career, but were not active the last year or two.  Not all that dropped out did so because they did not want to be active.

    8.  Look at annuals from the past and if there is a picture of your ministry group, it will often have names of those pictured.

    9.  Contact former Campus Ministers and ask for any alums they have current info on or ask them to post a request on social media.

Updating and Maintaining an Alumni List:

    1.  Always request an address correction on bulk mailouts.  You will have to pay for those returned, but it will be worth it in getting new addresses or at least knowing not to continue to send to someone at that address in the future. If you find an old outdated list, do a mailing with this request on the outside and it will quickly update your list....most likely paring it down, if there has not been recent mailings.

    2.  When possible, keep a woman's maiden name in the name on your list such as, Sue Pollock Dickerson.  That specifically identifies them and helps when sharing information about them in the newsletter.

    3.  Mail to the specific person, not to Mr. and Mrs. or The Jones, etc.  When there is a divorce or death, you can lose the one who the newsletter was actually intended for.

    4.  In a newsletter do a list of names of those whose addresses you have lost and ask anyone to share an update that has it.

    5.  Having alumni news and fun pictures from the past is the key thing in alums WANTING to receive the information you mail out.

    6.  Always, Always, Always, Always enclose a return envelope to get back any family information for future newsletters, contact info of other alums and possibly a contribution.  We found that those envelopes continued to come back for the next several months.

When do you do some of this work?  December and May are great times for alumni work.  Writing down a quick squib about some news you see on an alum on social media and throwing it in your Newsletter File Folder can be done throughout the year.

 Even if such a list does not bless you in your time on that campus, it can bless your successors.  It will bless the ministry in years to come.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Almost Everything About College Ministry, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX and Reaching MORE College Students is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.

Four Summer Ministry Positions in Memphis

Send Relief Memphis Ministry Center has four positions available for May28-July22. The work of Send Relief Memphis Ministry is to serve alongside church planters and compassion ministries in establishing relationships to bring a holistic transformation of both individuals and whole groups through a Christ centered compassion ministry.

In Memphis there are some deep generational wounds between races, family members and neighbors in the community.  The work is to see churches build relationships that empower neighbors to thrive.  You can find program details and requirements at www.gensend.org/program-details.  

For information, contact Kevin Cox  at kcox@sendrelief.net or 508.215.8051. 

Arliss Dickerson's book, Reaching More College Students, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

College Ministers Should be Fired, if They Don't Work with Alumni!

 "College Ministers should be fired, if they don't work with alumni." is a pretty way out there statement.  But, it is my way of saying how important I think it is.

 First, alums know the value of college ministry and are the best and often influential ones to speak into the questions of funding and the cuts that are being made or considered in some areas.

  Second, alums can pray and send students to our ministries.

  Third, they can give financially.  It does not take big gifts for alums to make a difference.

But, working with alumni is hard and time consuming.  Yes and Yes!  However, it can be done during time when students are gone such as Christmas or summer break and or with a few key events.

Homecoming is often the easiest event to build around. Yet, some have had success with a Summer Picnic or Regional Gatherings at someone's home or at a restaurant.  Have you ever been to an alumni event and there was not a single person there you knew?  I have and it is not the fun thing you had in mind when you went.

Ideas for an Event Alums Want to Attend:

    1. The biggest key is, "Will there be someone there I know and would like to see?"  Some have solved this by announcing that former much loved staff members will be present.

    2.  Enlist alums to be hosts for the event and announce in the advance publicity who the hosts will be.  They can be former leaders in the ministry.  Hosts could be enlisted from each decade.  When the invitation or publicity contains this information, alums know there will be someone there they know....and would like to see.

    3.  A new idea is to honor and recognize an outstanding alum that will be recognized as the "BCM Alum" of the Year".  This person could be picked by the ministry staff or ask for nominations from alums, etc.  Then, this person could be announced in advance or revealed at the Drop-In, Banquet, Luncheon, etc. Encourage those alums that are making a difference in the world!

    4.  Focus on a Decade.  "We will be recognizing the 80's Alums this year".  Yet, everyone is welcome to attend. Obviously, the key Hosts that year would be 80's alums.

    5.  Have a tailgate party with hot dogs and "whatever anyone brings".

    6.  Newsletters are an obvious, but they must contain lots of news about alums and not just be a fund raising piece.  Twice a year is best for maintaining current addresses, but once a year certainly beats none.  Keep a folder and throw tidbits of information in it on different ones you hear throughout the year and at newsletter time, you are not starting from scratch.

    7.  Make your Homecoming Gathering an "Alums and Parents" event.

    8.  When it is over, post pictures on social media that make people want to come next year.

Obviously, this is focused more toward campus based ministries, yet I believe that church college ministries should also connect to alums for the benefit of the alums and college ministry as a whole. Hey, do they come to town for Homecoming, what about coffee and sweet rolls before Sunday Church Homecoming Weekend?  You can spread the word on social media.

Sometimes, those who were active in a college ministry have not continued their growth in the Lord and YOU can be a factor in helping them turn back toward the Lord.  

Also, alums in leadership roles in churches sometimes need and look for wise counsel from ministry leaders.  You can be that wise counsel!

Arliss Dickerson's book, Almost Everything About College Ministry, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX and Reaching MORE College Students is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.

The Chairs Matter (and the Tables)

I like meetings.  I like meetings where people are glad to be there and things get accomplished.  There is a reason for the meeting and progress is made.

I like meetings where people participate.  If people are in a meeting and never say anything, I feel like they are not really present.  I think they did not contribute and possibly gained nothing from being there.

I was in a meeting recently where the one presiding did an excellent job.  He was warm and obviously had a plan for the meeting.  Different reports were given, but it did not seem that most present were involved. 

A deeply held belief I have is that the setup of the room can have a major effect on a meeting.  There were approximately 25 people at the meeting.  It was held in a room with about twenty tables and chairs around them for about 100 people or so.  People were seated all over the room.  Some were at the back and others were here and there seated in groups of two or three and even a few were seated alone.

6 Things I Believe About Room Setup:

1.  The setup of a room can kill the effectiveness of a meeting.  

2.  Just as a reason for the meeting and a plan or agenda are necessary, so is a setup that will promote people's interaction and involvement.

3.  Too many chairs has a negative effect.  It feels like lots of people did not come, whether that is true or not.

4.  The setup affects people seeing the expressions of those speaking as well as just hearing what is said and that affects their involvement.

5.  Different groups respond differently to different setups.  We sometimes have to experiment to find what works best with a group that has regular meetings.  Do they do better sitting in a circle or sitting around tables, etc?

6.  Chairs (and tables) pushed here and there in a haphazard way tend to project a negative feeling. Straight rows and angles make a difference.

As College Ministers, we need to not only have good and effective meetings, we need to teach our student leaders how to have and lead good and effective meetings.  That is part of our role in building up the church in the future.

3 Other Things That Improve Meetings:

1.  Healthy Laughter - When people can laugh they are more relaxed and real with each other.

2.  Taking 5 minutes or so to ask about everyone's day - Many people come to meetings after a full day of classes or work.  It might even call for then praying about one or more things mentioned.

3.  Snacks or Drinks - It helps people relax and it says, "We care and appreciate your time."

Arliss Dickerson's book, Reaching MORE College Students, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

"Right-Size" Your College Ministry

 Recently, I was able to be on a Zoom Meeting with the New Campus Ministers Fellowship.  Steve Roper, who is a former College Minister and is a counselor in talking about "Self-Care" used the term, "Right-Size your college ministry".  I had not heard the term right-size used that way.  As some of you might remember, I have spoken against the idea of College Ministers just being "Happy with their 50" and my point being we need to commit to reaching as many as possible./ Yet, I believe it is possible to be trying to do too much.

Steve makes the very valid point that some College Ministers are not at a good point self-care wise because they are trying to do more than their ministry can reasonably do.

So, What does Right-Sizing Involve:

    1.  Resources - Whether we like it or not, our resources are a significant factor in what we can do. You have to pay the bills.  Having a free steak dinner for students every week on a once a month pizza budget is not workable.  Sometimes, College Ministers with a Center tend to spend all their resources on students and nothing is done to maintain the facility. People are more important than buildings is a strong argument. But, that will bite you at some point.  A building is a tool and to be used to the maximum benefit, it must be kept functional and attractive.  So, are you trying to do more than your resources allow?  How do you adjust?  Part of my answer is to share with others your vision for growing the ministry IF the resources can be grown.

2.  Staff is a significant factor in Right-Sizing a ministry.  A friend of mine was in a campus situation where he had a full time Associate.  Funding changes did away with that position and he was working by himself.  But, he continued to try to do everything that two had done.  That is a recipe for burnout.  What is your reasonable capacity?  Also, when a College Minister tries to do the work of two people, they often are not doing well what they are attempting to do.  I know many feel the pressure to produce numbers and to always show the ministry is growing.  Yet, it may be unhealthy to them.  The other side of it can be, "Is your ministry "Right-size" for a multiple staff?  In other words, is a multiple staff doing more or better than one person can do?

3.  The campus situation is always a factor in Right-Sizing a ministry.  Some campuses are easier to work on.  They just are more receptive.   Are you being honest with yourself in terms of your expectations for your ministry on that particular campus?  Or, are you comparing your ministry to the "Poster Ministry" of this year?  REMEMBER:  Comparison is one of the two most deadly killers of College Ministers!

Is your ministry "Right-Sized"?  How is your balance in work and self-care?

Arliss Dickerson's book, Almost Everything About College Ministry, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX and Reaching MORE College Students is at Amazaon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN

My Mother Made Deviled Eggs

 The church I grew up in did like many did and still do in providing a meal for a family the day of the funeral for their loved one.  Someone from church would call my mom and , "Earlene, we need your Deviled eggs."  and she would say, what time and what day?  Then, my mom made Deviled Eggs and took them to the church that day for the family's meal.  They didn't say would you or could you....they would say, "Earlene, we need your Deviled eggs."  She did this well up into her 80's.

A few years back I served on a key committee at my church.  There were 8 or 9 of us on the committee....most were very active in the church.  I was surprised at the number of them that never once showed up for a meeting.  I assume they had agreed to serve.  I decided some years ago that if my church asked me to serve in some way, I would try to say yes…..and then I would show up when they had the meeting or whatever the responsibility was.

Is there something your church knows they can count on you to do?  I do it partly because my mom made Deviled Eggs.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Almost Everything About College Ministry, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX and A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

Four Types of College Ministers by Tyler Hoffpauier

 Every Campus Minister I know has a somewhat different philosophy, but I think they fall into four main categories.  (You can probably think of more.)

The Evangelistic Philosophy 

Campus ministry is all about evangelism.  If we aren't leading students to Christ then we aren't doing our job.  After all, campus ministries are the evangelistic arm of the church on the campus.  We have to reach students in order to reach more students.

The Future Leaders Philosophy

Campus ministry is about preparing students to be contributors to the church after college.  Students in this ministry are future Sunday School teachers, deacons, and worship leaders.  Students are exposed to missions and evangelism because those are things future leaders of the church participate in.

The Relational Philosophy

Campus Ministry is all about real relationships.  It is the job of the Campus Minister to demonstrate life on life interaction.  The Campus Minister walks with a group of students from salvation to spiritual maturity.  They are a constant companion and a friend who students feel they can share their deepest secrets with.  The minister is a guide, role model, mentor, and counselor for students.  The student then invests in others.

The Big Event Philosophy

Everything is about creating the best and biggest event.  If it is not going to be big, I don't want to do it.

So, is it Evangelistic, Future Leadership, Relational, or Big Event best?  My answer is, YES!  I think to some extent Campus Ministers have to be all all four.  The context of the campus dictates what approach to take.

Tyler Hoffpauier is Baptist Campus Minister at Arkansas State University.

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Reaching MORE Students is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.

19 Things I Know About College Ministry

 1.  Some things happen because of God and there is no other explanation.

2.  Student leaders matter.

3.  Students need affirmation.

4.  Your gifts and strengths as a College Minister are your greatest tools.

5.  Every campus is different (And every year).

6.  You can't make it alone.

7.  Some things will destroy your ministry (some quickly and some slowly).

8.  The WHOLE campus is your calling.

9.  Respect of a College Minister way beats adulation and cool.

10.  Expectations affect outcome.

11.  Examples build or destroy.

12.  Consistency is huge.

13.  What people on and off campus think of your ministry matters (Perception & Awareness).

14.  Freshmen need you....and you need freshmen.

15.  Students have to own it.

16.  You are not the only one doing it right (learn from others).

17.  Be grateful and show it!

18.  Take a walk across the campus EVERY day.

19.  You gotta have a plan.

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Reaching MORE College Students is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.

Check out "Understanding Biblical Mental and Emotional Health 101"

 Darrin Crow has written a new book, "Understanding Biblical Mental and Emotional Health 101" that can be a plus to College Ministers in dealing with students who increasingly are struggling with mental health issues.  It is the second he has done in a Biblical Thinking series.  The first was "Understanding Theism 101".

Darrin is the founding pastor of HEART of Junction, a church in Grand Junction, Colorado and has worked with university students for his entire life. He served as College Minister at Mesa University and taught at Colorado Christian University. Darrin credits legendary College Minister Max Barnett with being one of the key influencers in his life.

In the Dedication, Darrin shares the story of Ondalan, a young man he met and who began to attend his church.  Ondalan was a young Native American who had dropped out of high school and had no real hopes or dreams for himself.  He was not a Christian, but connected to the young people at the church and attended regularly.  Tragically, Ondalan shot and killed himself.

Each of us in our ministries may have dealt with our own Ondalan or may in the future.

The book is divided into four sections:  The Foundation for True and Lasting Change; Biblical Thinking; A Plan for Moving Forward and The work of Becoming Whole.

Some of the Chapters are:

An Honest Look at my Starting Point

Soul Damage

A Biblical Understanding of Love

Traps that Ruin My Life

A Personal Vision of God's Plan for Me

Intentional Movement toward a Better Self

Becoming a Person of Value to Others

Go to Xulon Press or Amazon Books and check it out for yourself .  

Thanks to Darrin for his help to all of us in dealing with students and their mental health issues. Please let me know of college ministry books that we can add to our list and let the college ministry family know about.  We particularly want to highlight any books that members of our college ministry family have written. You can email, facebook, or call me.

Arliss

arlissdickerson@gmail.com

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Reaching MORE Students is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.

7 Deadly Sins of a College Minister

1.  NOT getting the contact info of a student who attends your ministry event for the first time.

2.  NOT having a clear understanding of spoken and unspoken expectations of employers, stakeholders, or supervisors. (Yes, unspoken expectations can bite you.)

3.  A campus based College Minister NOT having clear on-going communications with supporting churches.

4.  NOT writing personal thank you notes to contributors and others who are making it possible for you to do what you do.

5.  Loose handling or poor accounting of finances AND cash payments handed to you by students.

6.  NOT balancing family, ministry, and personal and spiritual self care.

7.  NOT being clearly appropriate and above reproach in opposite sex relationships, meetings, etc. (This is not just about how it is, but how it LOOKS.)

Arliss Dickerson's book, Reaching MORE College Students, is available at amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN and A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula is at amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

How Much Should a College Ministry Spend on Welcome Week/Fall Outreach?

 I have shared the story many times previously about how a number of years ago I talked with a college student friend who was attending a large well known university and was in their top fraternity.  I asked him how much they spent on their Rush/Recruitment for the fall.  I was blown away by the figure and that is when I started saying, "Spend wisely extravagantly the first two weeks of the fall."

So, HOW MUCH should you plan to spend?  I realize this blog is read by College Ministers who vary from having lots of resources to those whom serving ice tea after your meeting once a month is a big deal. This would be aimed at those who have some resources and or might use this information to challenge their financial supporters in what they might do.

One point of comparison might be to ask the question, "What are the fraternities and sororities doing to connect with and enlist new freshmen?"  In many ways they are doing the same thing as your ministry, they are trying to enlist a whole new class. I wrote an article a while back saying that I thought campus religious centers ought to be as nice as sorority and fraternity houses.

What are some examples of Welcome Week/Fall Outreach expenditures?

One ex-frat friend told me his fraternity on a campus of 10,000 students spent $5,000 to $7,000.

A sorority on a large, nationally known campus of 30,000 that is very Greek oriented reported spending between $40,000-$45,000.  I am learning that sororities spend more than fraternities. The College Minister on that campus indicated that he spent $13,500.

A College Minister at a large church with a large college ministry told me that he spent $20,000 to $25,000 each fall (about half his annual budget).  He indicated that $2500 to $5,000 of that was on tee shirts to give away.  But, also remember, many things that a church can do and utilize do not necessarily come out of the college ministry budget.

A College Minister on a campus in the west indicated he spent $10,000 - $15,000 each fall that he raised from his supporters specifically for that purpose.

A College Minister on a campus of 30,000 indicated that he spent $8.000 in all of their August efforts.

So, what is the bottom line answer?

1.  Different size and type campuses will call for a different investment.  But, looking at what the Greeks spend on your campus is a good place to start your thinking and as a possible challenge to your financial supporters.

2.  I do not believe that college ministries have thought BIG enough when it comes to what we do in our fall outreach.

3.  If the first two weeks determine your ministry for the whole year, what percentage of your budget should go into it?  Should Fall Outreach be an "Alumni Challenge"?

4.  Money will not make a ministry.  Throwing money at things is NOT the answer.  Consider what the line is between a wise but extravagant expenditure and simply wasting money.  Again, that answer will vary campus to campus and budget to budget.

5.  NOW is the time to begin to consider what you might do next fall and how to plan and budget that way. 

Am I saying your ministry should spend $40,000 on Welcome Week/Fall Outreach?  ABSOLUTLEY NOT, but I am saying, Spend WISELY, EXTRAVAGANTLY the first two weeks of the fall.  

What would be wise on your campus and for your particular ministry?

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula is available at amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Reaching MORE College Students is at amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.

6 Pillars of a Strong College Ministry

1.  Attractive and solid biblical teaching.  If we are not teaching the Bible, we are just another club on campus.  Even students who have grown up in church know less and less about scripture.  But, we must work at making it understandable and relatable to college students.

2.  A sense of mission.  Students are caught up in the idea of reaching out to friends and to the campus as a whole.

3.  Committed and capable student leaders.  Students reach other students.  Students who have learned to lead make for stronger local churches when they graduate and connect where their career has taken them.

4.  A plan or strategy that fits that particular campus and gifts of the leader. Every campus is different and every ministry leader has different gifts and abilities.  We must have a plan that fits that campus.

5.  Strong and intentional outreach to Freshmen.  Freshmen are the most available of any group on campus.  Many chart the direction of their whole life during that first year.  Others ruin the direction of their life that first year.

6.  Consistency.  Everything does not change year to year.  It may be tweaked, but not started from scratch every year.  Students know what to expect.  Financial supporters know what is being done.  Parents and churches know what they are sending their young person to.

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Reaching MORE College Students is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.

Does Your Ministry Have a Culture of Excellence?

 Are things well done in your ministry? Do student leaders work at doing well and what they do being well done? No ministry is perfect and no one in or leading a ministry is perfect. But, the more there is a culture of excellence, the better our ministry will do in terms of reaching college students for Christ.

Developing a Culture of Excellence:

1.  Excellence is taught in little things.  We cannot do the mundane things in a slipshod way and then expect big or major tasks to be done in a first class way.

2.  A leader cannot expect anything he or she does not model.  No leader is perfect, but we are the standard by which a ministry is measured and by which the culture is established. The longer we lead a ministry, the MORE it is a reflection of who we are.

3.  Does your meeting room or facility demonstrate excellence?  This is not about it being lavish or high dollar.  Rather, is it clean?  Is it organized? Is it arranged well?  A restaurant consultant once told me there are three things he looks at first when he goes to consult with a struggling fast food restaurant:  Temperature, Lighting, and then Uniforms of the Workers. They all speak to excellence and a spirit of caring.  Does your meeting space or Center look like you care?  NOTICE:  These all affected their perception before they got to the food.  Just because you are telling the Good News of Jesus does not make it okay to be sloppy in everything else!

4.  We must continually evaluate and teach students to evaluate.  Helpful evaluation is not about being critical, but rather it is trying to see things as they are and how they can be made even better.  It celebrates what is done well and asks what can be improved.

5.  Good leaders admit when they goof.  Sometimes, we just need to apologize.  We missed an appointment or whatever.  When good leaders goof, they admit it and apologize.  That points to valuing excellence and things being done well. It also demonstrates there is understanding and grace.

6.  Always express gratitude for what your student leaders do.  They are volunteers.  Occasionally brag on them and make sure they know you do not take them for granted.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your hearts, as working for the Lord, not for men."  Colossians 3:23

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Reaching MORE College Students is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN

A List of College Ministry Books

 There are not many books on college ministry. Publishers do not see us as the gold mine of target groups. Several of these have been out a long time.  Please let me know of others AND let me know when YOU self-publish one.  Some I am familiar with and others are new to me.  All are at Amazon Books unless otherwise listed.  

Tips for Starting a College Ministry - Paul Worcester (Free eBook at College Ministry Today)

Winning the Battle to Belong....The Key Ingredient to Reaching College Students - Brian Smith SR.

Offered as Worship....Attributes of a Disciple - Bill Morrison, BCM Campus Minister, UAB

College Ministry in a Post Christian Culture - Stephen Lutz

Calling Out the Called - Scott Pace & Shane Pruitt

College Ministry from Scratch - Chuck Bomar

College Ministry 101 - Chuck Bomar

After College:  Navigating Transitions, Relationships and Faith - Erica Reitz

Christian Guide to Beginning a College Ministry - Michelle McCain, Marjorye Robinson

The Fuel and The Flame - Steve Shadrach and Paul Worcester

The College Chaplain:  A Practical Guide to Campus Ministry - Stephen L. White

When God Walked on Campus - Michael F. Gleason

Heart of the Campus:  Ministry principles and strategies for focusing on student leaders - Steve Shadrach (I actually read this little book in the airport in Denver one time and it was part of the start of my idea to write college ministry books that could be read in an hour or two.)

Paradigm Shift:  Why International Students Are so Strategic to Global Missions - Dr. Jack D. Burke

The Idea of a Christian College - Arthur Holmes

Why College Matters to God - Ostrander

Disciples are Made Not Born - Walter Henrichsen

The Master Plan of Evangelism - Robert Coleman

Daws:  The Story of Dawson Trotman - Betty Lee Skinner

How to Give Away Your Faith - Paul Little

Understanding Biblical Mental and Emotional Health 101 - Darrin Crow 

These are my contributions to the cause:

Almost Everything About College Ministry

A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula

Fixing a Broken College Ministry

Reaching MORE College Students

Let's add to this list. What is a college ministry book that has helped you OR that you have written? I will promo your self-published college ministry book.

Arliss Dickerson

arlissdickerson@gmail.com

"Secrets" of Veteran College Ministers

 After doing college ministry for a number of years and then as a part time consultant for the College Ministry Office at Lifeway, I was fortunate to be around a lot of veteran College Ministers who do it really well.

Here are their "Secrets"

1.  They keep looking and learning new things.  They never feel like they have it all figured out.  They are always looking at other ministries and asking questions.  They are willing to be open to and learn from those who are not as experienced or as "successful" as they are.

2. They do not make sweeping changes every year.  They just tweak and adjust a little here and there.  But, they will make a major change when they are convinced it is needed.  

3.  They continue to be students of their campus.  They realize that campuses adjust and change a little every year.  Schedules change, etc.  When warranted, they adjust to meet the change of their campus.

4.  They build up their ministry by building up their student leaders (both spiritually and numerically).  They look for and develop leaders.  And, they are not afraid to let them lead.  Yet, they are willing to say no when necessary.

5.  They look for and allow others to counter-balance their weaknesses.  They are not afraid to promote others or put them in the spotlight.

6.  They understand that a ministry of any size must have significant funding.  They give some time and energy to raise money, express appreciation for the funds they receive, and develop a budget to maximize their ministry.

7.  They give time and priority to doing what they do best.  If they are an organizer, they organize.  If they are a speaker, they give time to prep and speak well. If they are a people person, they get out and "people".  If they are athletic, they connect with students that are. They have both admitted their weaknesses and leaned into what they do best.

Which one of these do you need to give a little attention to and which are you maxing out your personal strength (and ALL ages have a strength)?

Arliss Dickerson's book, Reaching MORE College Students, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN and A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula is at Amazon.com/dpB0BZ6Q7HSV.

Some "Attractional Topics"....for College Ministry

 I wrote recently that I am a big believer in "Attractional Topics" for the first 2-3 weeks of the fall semester for collegiate worship events.  As a result, I have gotten some questions asking for some examples.

HERE ARE SOME "ATTRACTIONAL TOPICS" I HAVE SPOKEN ON AND SOME FROM OTHERS:

Separating  Basic Christian Beliefs from Just Church Stuff

Five Things Every Christian Ought to Know About Sex

Sex isn't New, but You Wish that it Was

Dealing with a Dark Past 

Is Doubt a Four Letter Word?

Finding Out What God Made me to Be (Spiritual Gifts)

Five Ways to Mess Up Your Life

Making Social Life, School and Church Work

How to Take Relationships Deeper

The Difference in REAL Love and Hormones

How to Have a Marriage Better Than Your Parents

Dealing with Guilty Feelings

Questions to Ask BEFORE You Marry

Dealing with Temptation

SOME FROM OTHERS:

Two Truths and a Lie

Are Some Sins Ok?

What Does God Say About Gender?

Feelings

Are Some Sins Really Ok?

How to FEEL Forgiven

REMEMBER:

1.  Don't Bait and Switch....talk about what you said you were going to talk about...not just a casual mention.

2.  Be aware if you speak on Gender or Homosexuality and the topic is advertised, there may be some come who will be hostile.

3.  Realize some of the best things that come out of it will be one to one conversations later.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Reaching MORE College Students is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

"Attractional Topics????"

I am a big fan and advocate for what I call "Attractional Topics" for college ministry worship events.....especially during the first two to three weeks.

So, what is an "Attractional Topic"?  It is a title or topic that would be of general interest to students who might not automatically come to a college worship event for the first time.  My best example is "7 Red Flags in a Dating Relationship" that I did years ago as a result of our Leadership Team saying they wanted me to do a topic for our first Thursday night worship that would be good to advertise, etc.  They came up with the rough idea for the title and I spent all summer working on it.  Some would say, but that is not a presentation of the Gospel.  In it I talked about what the Bible says about relationships and forgiveness.  That is Gospel.

3 Reasons to do Attractional Topics:

    1.  It communicates to students that it is NOT just a plain old worship service like they have been to  a thousand times or have never attended.  Here is the deal and I know it is a big surprise. Some have grown up in church where it just was not very good or engaging. Sure, that is stunning news. It has never entered the mind of many non-Christians that going to a Christian event was even an option. Why go?

    2.  It is specifically relatable to their needs and interests.  It communicates something about your ministry as a whole.  It helps students see that going there can be to their specific benefit, whether they have been all about church or not.

    3.  It is easy for your upperclass students to invite.  Surveys show that the number one reason a student goes to a college worship event the first time is "someone invited me".  Having a good title/topic makes it easier for your students to invite others AND makes it more likely that they will invite others.  Saying, "Hey come to this thing we are having tonight at the BCM about red flags in a dating relationship" is a whole lot easier than saying, "Hey, want to come to a religious service with me?" 

You do not have to do some off the wall topic to have an "attractional title".  The passage of Paul and Barnabus is a story about "When Relationships Break Up....And What to Do About it".  You get the idea. I am even all about an "attractive title" every week, when possible  You can do that with almost any scripture you might be speaking on.  If you cannot think of a title out of it that would be of interest to students, why are you speaking on it?  But, just to reiterate, I think "Attractional Topics" are of huge value the first 2-3 weeks!

Remember the TOP REASONS 500 students said they attended a campus Christian event the first time:

1.  Someone invited me

2.  Appealing Event

3.  Food 

WARNING:  Do NOT Bait and Switch!  Talk about what you say you are going to talk about.  I heard a College Minister speak on an "Attractional Topic" and he basically spoke on it for about 30 seconds at the end.  Do what you say you are going to do.

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

You NEVER, EVER get back those first 2-3 weeks or first 2-3 Sundays.  Are you making the most of them?  You will live with the result the whole year.

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q&HSV and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

5 GOOD Things and 5 Not So Good Things in SBC College Ministry

The GOOD Things:

    1.  Many college ministry veterans express the feeling that we have some of the best young College Ministers we have ever had.  The future is bright and many of them are already in key positions.

    2.  Paul Worcester serving as National Collegiate Director at the North American Mission Board is a big plus to our ministries nation wide. Paul continually travels the country speaking at collegiate events and College Minister events.  His emphasis on "Gospel Conversations" has been widely adopted and has become a staple.

    3.  There is a renewed emphasis on encouraging and developing college students sensing and responding to God's call to vocational ministry.   Steve Masters led in developing the sbccalled.com website that has a wealth of information beneficial to both students and College Ministers.  Shane Pruitt's new book, "Calling Out the Called:  Discipling Those Called to Ministry Leadership" is being used widely and Shane is developing other resources to go along with it.

    4.There continues to be a significant number of College Ministers who are raising their own salaries to serve in locations where there are no state or local resources to provide for SBC college ministry. And in many situations, they are the only Christian ministry.  The temptation is to start naming examples, but there would be some left out that ought to be at the top of the list.  Whatever we can do to help and encourage them needs to be done.  They are heroes of college ministry!

    5.  State Baptist Collegiate Ministry leaders have stepped up to continue Collegiate Week at Falls Creek, The Collegiate Ministers Summit, and Beach Reach and that is a huge plus.  These events were formally planned and coordinated by Lifeway. This is simply "volunteer work" on their part and in addition, many are providing the finances to make it happen and to fund BCNet. This is a group of committees leading in several crucial areas.  Plus, BCNet committees are also staffed by church and campus based College Ministers who are volunteering their time and investment in our national movement.

The Not So Good:

    1.  Over the past several years the number of campuses being served has declined.  At one point, we were reporting some sort of ministry on approximately 900 campuses.  In recent years, the best estimation by some is that we now have ministries on about 700 campuses or so. 

    2.  There have been reductions in full time BCM Campus Ministers in some states over a period of the last several years.  Some years ago the North Carolina Baptist Convention significantly reduced their number of full time College Ministers.  In the last five years the Georgia Baptist Convention has greatly reduced their number of full time College Ministers. This year Arkansas stopped allowing local BCM ministries to have additional staffers that raised their own salaries.

    3.  Lifeway's elimination of the college ministry position along with the three part time contract worker positions has reduced our support of local ministries and national programs.  Several years ago there were as many as 15 full time people serving in the National Collegiate Ministries office at Lifeway.  This number was gradually reduced to the one full time person and three part time that were let go during the funding cuts brought on by the Covid pandemic.

    4.  To my knowledge, there is no person in SBC life who has full time responsibility for International Student Ministry.  Perhaps the greatest ministry opportunity we have are the thousands of students coming to our campuses from all over the world. Many of them countries closed to our missionaries. In 2021 there were 763,760 enrolled in the U. S.  In 2020, it was over 1 million.  Most return to their countries to become the political and economic leaders.  While there is International Student ministry being done in many local situations, there is no one with that as their prime responsibility sounding the call, providing training, and encouraging these ministries on a national basis.

5.  We are not sending out as many Student Summer Missionaries as we formally did through the North American Mission Board.  At one point, there were 1500-1600 students serving in short term summer ministry opportunities every year with 350-400 Semester Missionaries.  This strengthened the ministries in a wide variety of places and provided an experience that God used to call students to vocational ministry. NAMB is currently sending out 350 to 400 students each summer to assist in church plants. The International Mission Board is sending out a significant number of students in different mobilization efforts. Some State Baptist Collegiate Ministries have continued to send out Summer Missionaries. So, there are some good things happening as well as some losses.

Much good is happening that God is using and we need to celebrate it and encourage those that are doing it.  But, as we lose some things over time, it is easy to lose sight of the overall sum of the effect on ministry to the 18 million U.S. college students.  Many churches have greatly expanded what they are doing to reach and minister to college students.  Many volunteers are serving to fill voids left by the loss of full time College Ministers.  God is still at work on college campuses.

Let's both celebrate and resolve to do more!

Arliss Dickerson's book, Almost Everything About College Ministry, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX and A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

The Recipe for Success for a College Freshman

 Everything that tastes good has necessary ingredients.  The ingredients for a good freshman year that leads to a good college career are pretty simple.

1.  Intentional Priorities - Decide what is important to you.  Make those things the center of your activities at the start of school.  If your faith matters to you, make that a priority.  Many, without intending to do so, stop practicing their faith in college simply because they did not make it a priority in the beginning.  Priorities help someone decide what to do and not do when there are lots of choices.

2.  Friends - Everybody wants and needs friends.  Your friends have a big influence in where you go and what you do.  Make friends by your priorities.  If your friends have similar priorities to yours, you are more likely to continue to practice and live by those priorities.  Connecting with the Baptist Collegiate Ministry on campus will open up the possibility of lots of great friendships. Some wise person has said, "We become like those we hang out with the most."

3.  Schedule - One thing that goes a long way in determining she success of your college career is having a workable schedule that involves sleep, eating well, and studying.  Be intentional in planning and living by a weekly schedule that has time for sleep, study, and fun.  The more you function on a regular schedule, the more likely you are to be able to function at your best.

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

Long Days of Fall: Keys to Success for Fall Kickoff by Adam Venters

 The fall semester is finally here and if you are in a College Ministry this is metaphorically the Super Bowl.  Students are coming back in droves.  Campuses are busier than they will be the rest of the year and students are extremely nervous and extremely excited all at the same time.

As I was putting together a plan of what I would be trying to do over the next few weeks, I started to think about some of the personal habits that help me get through the long days of the fall and still be a functioning human.  Most of the events that tend to be a hit are things with free pizza, pancakes, ice cream, and one of my favorites is a "Death by Chocolate" event.  While all of that gets a buzz, surviving on pizza, chocolate and energy drinks might not be the best long term strategy.

Here are a few keys to surviving the hustle.

1.  Master the 14 hour day.  I calculated my schedule out and in the new two and half weeks, I am going to put in well over two hundred hours.  It's just that time of year when the time you spend now compounds later.  So, put in the work now and allow for more family and personal time later on as you reap what you sowed.

2.  Pray.  Pray. And Pray some more.  Pray over ever label, flyer, path, pack of ram and bottle of water that you pass out.  Every chair that is sat in for worship events or pizza parties.  God uses it all.  I was reminded of this as we sent out text messages for this fall asking students if they wanted to receive updates about events this semester.  One person responded back, "Yes, I need to know when you all are doing stuff because I've been frar from God and need t reconnect with him."  Wow!  One simple text asking about events turns into that.  Never underestimate what God is doing behind the scenes.

3.  Prayer walking campus in the earlier hours before campus starts moving.  There are a couple reasons it is good to prayer walk the campus.  First, in the south it's hot so it's the best way to get some exercise in without feeling like you are going to melt on the sidewalk.  Second, often times the big events are set up on campus the night before.  I've been on several campuses and while I try to stay informed, the schedule is busy and something wasn't on your radar can all of the sudden get on it when you see a massive tent in the middle of campus with chairs under it.

4.  Arrive early, stay late and walk slowly through the crowd.  Often times when a lots of things are happening back to back over many days, I tend to turn into the biblical character Martha, who gets scolded by Jesus for working too much and not sitting at his feet like her sister, Mary.  We all have to set up for events, which is the reason to arrive early, but there is something to being able to get off of focused on the tasks and focus on the people.  Now is the best time to hear a story, find out something new about someone, and just listen to all that God is doing to bring peple to these particular moments.  And the only way to hear them is to walk slow.  Don't neglect  to shake all the hands you can.  But take your time.  Think of how Jesus interacted with people.  He had a goal and a mission but he was never in a hurry.

5.  Healthy habits help the long haul.  Let's face it.  Unfortunately, eating healthy and sleep are gong to be a minimum the next couple weeks.  I was told early in my college ministry career that during Welcome Week you'll almost want to sleep at the BCM Center so that you can have more time on campus.  And the longer I do campus ministry work that proves to be true.  The more time I spend on campus in the early days of the fall the more impactful those days seem to be on the rest of the year.  Because of this, in order to keep the pace with long days in the hot and being mostly outside, I increased my workout regimen, especially cardio by a significant amount.  This helps me have the energy I need and also not be as exhausted going from one day to another.  Consider things you can do to help stay healthy in a busy season.

6.  Don't waste your meals.  There are two strategies for meals during this time.  Think about your meals on campus and with your family.  And the first may happen more with the first than the second in this season.  Never eat alone.  You don't have to spend all kinds of money eating the campus dining, but I would eat some.  And I would invite as many students to each meal as you possibly can.  Even if you roll in with a sack lunch.  Don't eat alone. I will eat on campus twice most days and it will mostly be for lunch and dinner.  For my family, I am planning on having breakfast with them.  If your family is like mine, we tend to roll pretty quick in the morning.  With two kids in elementary school, I'm not going to get as much time with them at meals as I normally get.  But, the meals I can have with them, I'm going to make it a priority and to be present.

7.  Have a game plan.  This is may be the most helpful thing.  Map out each day for the next three weeks.  It does not have to be extremely detailed but a morning, afternoon, evening, night plan.  Several yeas ago I worked at a major chain company for coffee and they had a cadence for what we were supposed to to in 30 minute intervals.  Well it didn't take long before you had the pattern memorized and embedded into your brain.  But every so often, I would come in and I was just off.  I couldn't remember stuff.  Everything seemed to break.  I was working hard but not working right.  When that happened, I would go to the back and write the cadence for work down on a napkin and literally follow it step by step and remind myself exactly what I was supposed to be doing.  In a similar way, mapping out a game plan before the madness starts can help a whole lot.  I can tell you that you are about to get way more than you can handle.  So, having a plan already designed helps you stay on course for the 2-3 week haul of the fall kickoff.

Adam Venters is the Baptist Campus Minister at the University of South Carolina.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Reaching MORE College Students, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN and A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

GLITZ vs SUBSTANCE in College Ministry

 A pastor friend of mine said he wanted his church college ministry to be one of "substance not glitz".  I agree with him........50%.

Substance is all about communicating the truth of the Gospel.  It is about facing and talking about the tough issues of the day that students are encountering. It is about helping them see how the Gospel connects to those issues and how it connects to them. But, here is the thing......doing it to an empty room is not too helpful!  Some ministries are proud of the fact they do not have big crowds.....that must mean they are doing nitty gritty substance.  Or, it just may mean they are dull.

Here is the thing.  Everybody wants and needs some celebration.  In the stress and strain of the college world, there needs to be some fun and celebration.  College freshmen come to school looking for two things immediately........... fun and friends.  Plus, I have learned that most college freshmen think like.....wait for it......college freshmen.  Who knew?

Even the most serious who are planning to make straight A's and go to Med School or get a PhD in something are looking for fun.  Expecting college freshmen to look and think like the later on adults we want them to be is at the least unrealistic.

A healthy college ministry mixes some glitz in with the substance. It starts out in the fall with some glitzy fun and evolves to the substance.....sometimes even at the same event.  Some years ago there were two churches in one college town that were working hard at reaching and ministering to students.  They each had large group events on Wednesday night.  One opened the fall with a month long series on world hunger.  The other opened the fall with a month long series on love, sex, and dating.  You know I do not have to finish that story!  By the way, the College Minister who opened with the "glitzy" series is one of the most serious Bible teachers I know.

Depth is important.  Substance matters.  It matters more when there is someone there to hear it.

Some of the most "substance driven" college ministries I know have some of the "glitziest events" at the start of school.  Even I flinch at some of them.  But, choosing between substance and glitz is a false choice.  Even serious people have parties.  Why should a non-believing college student want to go to a 14 week study on the book of Revelation?  One or two might.  If reaching one or two is your goal, ok.  If starting where students are and growing them to be serious disciples is your goal, where you start matters.

Here is an even crazier thought:  I think in the midst of doing the glitz.....like talking about love, sex, and dating or whatever......we can be talking about biblical stuff like forgiveness and purpose in life, commitment, etc.

I believe Jesus laughed and had fun.  Notice that tax collectors and sinners wanted to be around him.  I don't think that meant he had no substance.  Being dull is not the same as having substance.  Proclaiming the Gospel to an empty room is not more holy!  I walked across our campus one day and there was a man standing on a ladder screaming the Gospel.  I stopped and listened.  I was the only one who did.  I agreed with everything he was saying.  It was full of substance, but it had a mean and angry tone.  It was full of substance.....with NO Glitz........and not one student stopped to listen...not one!  He sure was not glitzy. He had substance.

"There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven......a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance."  Ecclesiastes 3:1 and 4

Arliss Dickerson's book, Reaching MORE College Students:  Next Level College Ministry is available at amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.  Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is at amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.