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.