The Four Tee Shirt Principles or The 4 Unspiritual Laws of Tee Shirts

 Prior to the 4th of July feels like early summer to me.  The day after the 4th feels like panic time; school is about to start.  One of the July jobs in college ministry is designing a tee shirt to either be sold, given away, or part of a Back-2-School or Fall Retreat Sign-up. Tee shirts are part of college life.  One student said to me once, "The whole reason you come to college is for tee shirts."

Tee shirts serve several purposes.  They can advertise your weekly event.  They can be an incentive to sign up for the fall retreat or just promote your ministry in general.  Some ministries have given them away with information about their weekly meeting and asked students to wear them the day of the event....especially during the first 2-3 weeks.

Here are the 4 Tee Shirt Principles or The 4 Un-Spiritual Laws of Tee Shirts:

1.  Student MUST like the tee shirt to wear it.  Involve students in the design and selection of the color.  If you turn the design of it over to your students completely, I recommend your having final approval or regular input.  Remember, you are the one who can get fired.  Also, the fabric of the shirt is a factor and is often the difference in how much students like and whether they will continue to wear it. By the way, did you know there is some trade organization that declares the color of the year?

2.  Young women will wear a "guy tee shirt" but college guys will not wear what they perceive as "a girl tee shirt".  This is one of the places that student input is important in your selection and design.

3.  The most important time for students to be wearing ministry tee shirts is during the critical first 2-3 weeks.  So, factor that in for design and ordering in order to have them when school starts. What can you do to have 100 or even 200 shirts promoting your ministry on campus during those first early weeks?

4.  Tee shirts help build cohesion within your group.....it is part of the sense of belonging.  Everyone wants to belong and for others to know they belong somewhere.  

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.