1. It is not a club....it is about God. There are a ton of good things that need doing on campus and needs that college students have. Yet, as we should be involved in many of these, we cannot lose sight of the main thing is drawing students to a relationship to Christ and growing that relationship is why we are there. Don't let the good crowd out the most important or let it become secondary.
2. Student Ownership is key in students committing to and investing in the ministry. A healthy and vibrant ministry must be owned by the students. In other words, they have some say in what is happening and are willing to invest of themselves in the ministry. Beware of the dangers of a ministry where the students are just "regular visitors".
3. The personality of the Campus Minister will shape the ministry both in strengths and weaknesses. The longer a Campus Minister leads a ministry the more it will reflect his or her personality. That must be a challenge to continue to grow personally and enlist, involve and set free those who can offset the weaknesses of the College Minister. And the College Minister must identify and max out his or her strengths.
4. Every campus has a unique personality which must be a factor in the shape of the ministry and that personality adjusts a little bit every year. We can never copy a successful ministry on another campus and transport it to our campus. Obviously, there are guiding principles, but each ministry must be built and shaped around the type students on that campus, the rhythms, and schedule of that campus.
5. The financial support of the ministry either limits or expands it. It can be as simple as the food served after an event to the number of staff, etc. A College Minister must give attention to developing the resources for that ministry.
6. Student leadership is key in growing the ministry and reaching more students and a wider variety of students. Strong and committed student leaders reach other students and expand the type of students that can be reached. They also free the College Minister to do things only he or she can do.
7. Times change...students, the campus, and the College Minister change....the ministry must adjust and adapt to those changes. As the College Minister ages he or she must adapt to the strengths/weaknesses of that age. Events like Covid affect a campus and bring about change. Class schedules change. Continually tweaking of the ministry is a must.
8. Partnerships matter (campus administrators, peers, churches, alumni). The trust or lack of trust of campus administrators either opens or closes doors. Connection with ministry peers is essential for support and growth. Church partnership affects financial support and a sending network. Alumni can be key in sending students and funding the ministry.
9. A specialized Freshmen Ministry and a well planned Fall Outreach are key components of a strong and growing ministry. The first two weeks of the fall provides a window of opportunity in connecting with new students that will never be open again. Plus, freshmen have many needs and are more open to the Gospel than at any other point in their college career.
10. Regular One to One meetings with students is the most transformative of any activity or event. Large group events can have impact into students' lives at various levels. But, the most transformative thing we can do is to meet with students and talk about their questions, fears, concerns and put "Gospel Guidance" into their lives. Remember that large group events open the door to one to ones
Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen: 124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is available at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and A College Ministry Success Formula is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.
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