"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.