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.