The History of Baptist Student Union and Where We Are Now

 These are my thoughts after reading and then summarizing Lynn E. Maye's "History of BSU" as published in the 1960's.

First, I love the 4 Principles and think we are still operating off of those.

    1.  BSU work was frankly denominational.  It was BAPTIST student work.

    2.  Emphasis was placed on student INITIATIVE.  Students shared in organizing, planning and promoting the work.

    3.  BSU was to magnify the local church.

    4.  BSU was to offer nothing but the best because students deserve nothing but the best.

What does it mean to be "frankly denominational"?  In different parts of the country where Baptists are not strong, our ministries use different names that do not include Baptist.  I get that and have no problem with it.....so, how are they or should they be "frankly denominational"?  In today's climate of declining finances, some have suggested why don't we tie in with one of the larger Non-denominational ministries and put our people and money there?  I definitely do not support that idea.  While they may be building the kingdom, they are not building, promoting, and enhancing Baptist churches and students being Baptist leaders and ministers.

Early on, it was said it was to be "State Convention driven".  I agree with that and think there are many pluses to it.  One plus being that the ministries are responsible to their constituents.  Yet, I think that we need national leadership and input as well.  The early history was driven nationally. That is one area Southern Baptists are declining in is our national leadership.  We have gone from a national office with 15-20 workers to one national worker at the North American Mission Board.  While his (Paul Worcester) energy and travel seems endless, he is just one.  A national program waves the flag and promotes college ministry to all states and Baptists.  When a state convention can no longer do college ministry, should we nationally do something to help or minister in that state?

In 1927 the Book of Techniques was written.  It is more important than ever that we provide materials written by the experienced pros on how to do college ministry.  College ministry is hard!  Many of our College Ministers are young.....it is to their disadvantage and our ministry to students for them to have to learn everything the hard way.  One vital role of national leadership is providing materials and training. Some is being done in that area, but we need to do MORE.

In the 1960's two emphasis days were established in churches.  They were "On To College Day" and "Student Night at Christmas".  We need those emphases back!!  It raises the flag for college ministry in our churches.  It points Baptist students to our BAPTIST ministries.  Student Night at Christmas was a night of testimonies and stories from students who had come home from college.  On to College Day challenged and informed students headed to college.  And, it kept it on the mind of local church folks.  

There was an emphasis in the very beginning on personal evangelism.  It has always been there and always will be.  Sometimes, BSU, BSM, BCM has been criticized as not being evangelistic....the misunderstanding there has been that is NOT all our ministries do.  Part of being a BAPTIST student ministry is reaching, connecting to and challenging "the missing" Baptist students who came to Christ early on and have either walked away from church or just not known how to take that early faith to an adult faith in an academic setting.  It is also sharing the call to vocational ministry and mentoring those who are called. Mentoring "the called" is taking on greater emphasis and more needs to be done there as many pastors are aging out.

Cuts have been made and are being made in different states.  How do we deal with that and what do we do?  First, let's admit it and say it out loud.  For example, one of the states that was an early leader in doing BSU ministry, now has no statewide program.  Others are making small cuts here and there and doing it quietly in order to not project a negative image.  Let's wave the flag of BAPTIST college ministry.  Of course, others are doing college ministry that God is using.  But, they are NOT doing BAPTIST college ministry.  And, there is real benefit in BAPTIST college ministry for God's kingdom and Baptist churches.

Final Thought:  Reading the history made me proud of Baptists and their foresight early on. I fear it is creeping away just a bit.  Let's not lose that vision!

Arliss Dickerson's book, "Reaching MORE College Students" is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0MW8NPMNand "A College Student's Guide to Spiritual Maturity" is at Amazon.com/dp/B0CXTCTNB1. "A College Ministry Success Formula" Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV

A BRIEF History of Baptist Student Union (Part 2) - The 4 Basic Principles

This an adaptation from Lynn E. May's "The Baptist Student Union in Retrospect" which was originally printed in the BAPTIST STUDENT in 1961 published by the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention (Now Lifeway Christian Resources).

By 1924 the number of local Baptist Student Unions had grown to the extent that the students requested state rather than regional conferences.  Thirteen state meetings were planned for that fall.  All followed the theme, "Make Christ Campus Commander."  These conferences reached 2,453 students.  At fourteen state conventions in 1925, the students endorsed a plan for conducting a Student Evangelistic Week in the spring of 1926 and out of the 3,000 enrolled, 646 made commitments to do personal soul-winning. 

In 1923 many Southern Baptist Churches began to observe "Student Night" in recognition of their college students.  The idea caught on and "Student Night at Christmas" became an annual event.  In the fall of 1924, "Join the Church Day" became an annual event.

In 1927 Mr. Leavell prepared a book of techniques,  The Baptist Student Union.  In 1928, the Southern Baptist Convention, in the midst of a financial crisis, directed the transfer of the work to the Sunday School Board with them to accept all financial obligations for the work and to be recognized as the official agency for student activities of the Southern Baptist Convention.  Headquarters was moved to Nashville on October 1, 1928 and the Department of Student Work was born.

In 1926 Southern Baptists were providing for the entire student movement a total of only 30 workers.  Only three conventions had employed state secretaries and nine (9) supported campus secretaries.  By 1929 the total number of full-time secretaries had risen to thirty-four (34).  They reported a total of forty-seven (47) in in 1936.

In spite of the depression, 1,864 students went to Atlanta in October of 1930 for the second All-Southern Baptist Student Conference.  During this conference the Student Department officially launched "The Master's Minority."  The Master's Minority Covenant called for personal commitment regarding:  (1) Salvation, (2) Worldliness Out, (3) Bible Study, (4) Prayer and Meditation, (5) Church Loyalty, (6) Sabbath Observance, and (8) Christian Witnessing.  Students were thrilled with this and carried it back to their campuses and the movement grew rapidly and transformed lives and campuses across the country.  Students chose prayermates and established prayer groups.

Fifteen years after Mr. Leavell began his work,  the Baptist Student Union was functioning on 70 percent of the campuses of the South and reaching 60,000 students.  State Conventions began to purchase or construct buildings on or adjacent to serve as student centers.

The program of student summer missions apparently had it beginnings in Mississippi in 1931.  By 1932 all states were promoting such a program.  They gave special emphasis to Youth Revivals conducted by student teams.  It expanded in scope to college student teams leading Vacation Bible Schools throughout their states.  In 1949 twenty-five students served outside the United States as Summer Missionaries.

Throughout the rapid growth of the BSU, four principles, laid down in the early years, have guided its development.

1.  BSU work was frankly denominational.  It was BAPTIST student work. No interdenominational activity could substitute for it.

2.  Emphasis was place on STUDENT INITIATIVE.  Students shared in organizing, planning, and promoting the work.

3.  BSU was to magnify the local church.  

4.  BSU was to offer students nothing but the best because they deserve and demand the best.

In the 1940's the staff at the Student Department began to grow.  There were positions added to do training on campuses and one particular staffer was to direct work among student nurses.  Religious Focus Week (REW) became a part where a team of speakers would spend a week on a campus speaking, leading seminars, speaking in classrooms, etc.

Frank Leavell died December 7, 1949. Dr. G. Kearnie Keegan, pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Los Angeles succeeded Leavell in 1950.

In the 1960's an orientation program for high school students was initiated and "Off to College Day" in churches was born to help churches prepare students for college and promote BSU to them.  Also in the 50's the growing number of International students studying in the U. S. led to the development of intentional and specialized ministry to them.

NEXT:  "The History and Where We are Now"

Check out Reaching MORE College Students here Amazon.com/dp/B0MW8NPMN and A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula here Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

A BRIEF History of Baptist Student Union. Part 1

 This is a brief summary and adaptation of  "The Baptist Student Union in Retrospect" written by Lynn E. May and originally printed in the BAPTIST STUDENT in 1961 published by the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention (Now Lifeway Christian Resources).

At the turn of the century Southern Baptists were promoting no program to meet the needs of their students.  YMCA, YWCA and the Student Volunteer Movement were conducting religious activities among college students.  Three students from Baylor University attended a YMCA sponsored student conference in 1903 in Ruston, Louisiana and returned to their campus with a vision of a denominational organization for enlisting and guiding Baptist students during their college years.  The Baptist Student Missionary Movement was launched November 16, 1914 in Fort Worth, Texas.

In 1919 the executive board of the Texas Baptist Convention employed O. P. Campbell to direct student religious activities and teach Bible to Baptist students enrolled in Texas University.  In April of 1920, Joseph P. Boone, one of the six students who attended the YMCA event in 1903, to be State Student Secretary for Texas.  The following July, Boone presented a suggested plan that the organization should be "distinctly student in constituency, purpose, and plan."  After days of prayer and discussion, a small group of faculty and students from six schools chose one word at at a time:  "Student," then "Baptist," and finally, "Union."   

On campuses throughout the country students were hungry for an organizational ministry of the their own.  In 1920 the Convention appointed the Secretaries of the Foreign Mission Board, Home Mission Board, Sunday School Board and Education Board to create a plan for the religious training of Baptist students.  They formulated plans for an organization to be known as The Baptist Student Association in 1921.  In their search for a man to direct the Convention student work, the committee turned to Frank H. Leavell.  He had been BYPU secretary of Georgia since 1913.  He began his work January 1, 1922.  Thus Southern Baptists inaugurated the Convention-wide student movement in a small room overlooking the Mississippi River in Memphis in a small room with two desks, a stenographer, a typewriter, and an executive secretary.  An intensive study of the current campus situation revealed more than 250 college and universities in the south with 93,000 students with less than one third attending a Baptist school.  Among the organizations Mr. Leavell found a "Baptist Students Union" in twelve Texas schools, which was peculiar to Texas.

The Convention ordered that they were to work in close cooperation with the states in developing this program.  It was to give special attention to the students of state institutions since these schools could make no contribution to the religious life of the students.  They recognized that the student movement must have a regular medium of communication.  The first issue of the BAPTIST STUDENT magazine appeared in September, 1922 edited by Leavell and published by the Sunday School Board.  The magazine grew rapidly in popularity.

Mr. Leavell and his co-workers determined to conduct student conferences in the western, central and eastern regions of the south.  They chose Shreveport, Chattanooga and Greensboro.  The first was to be held in Shreveport and Leavell feared no one would come.  Before it was over, 250 students had attended from six states.  Twelve hundred (1200) Students from 106 schools attended all of the regional  meetings.  They emphasized personal evangelism and suggested methods for student enlistment.  The student movement in Texas had already used the "BSU council" on many campuses.  The council was to coordinate all the religious activities of the various Baptist organizations and local churches.

Although generally accepted, the new movement encountered strong opposition in some areas.   Some Baptist college presidents and other denominational leaders opposed the work in state schools.  They feared that the student program would lift the moral tone of the state campuses to the extent that Baptist parents would send their young people to state institutions rather than to their own denominational schools.

It was determined the state conventions were to be the basic unit for the promotion of the student movement.  They called on state executive boards to establish student departments and employ a state director and campus secretaries to minister to the needs of students.  Texas in 1919 and North Carolina in 1922 had already organized state student departments.  Others gradually followed this pattern.  By 1924 the number of local Baptist Student Unions had grown to the extent that the students requested state rather than regional conferences.  All followed the theme, "Make Christ Campus Commander." These conferences reached 2,453 students.

PART 2 to follow.

Arliss Dickerson's college ministry materials are available at Amazon Books.  Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9

My SECOND Best Piece of College Ministry Advice!

 First is, Be YOU on the Campus Where you ARE.

SECOND: Good falls are made in the summer.

Now is the time to develop your plan and schedule for the summer.  That does not mean don't relax or slow down some, but it means do the things now that will make a difference for the fall.

5 Things to do this summer:

1.  Develop your contacts plan for incoming freshmen.

Are there Summer Orientations?  Can you be a part of them in some way?  If so, prioritize those dates and give thought to the best way to present your ministry.  Can you have a display or handouts?  Pictures tell stories.

Remember, you will often meet and encounter parents at these events.  Look and act like someone their parents will want their son or daughter to be around.

Do a Give-A-Way of some sort, if they sign up, fill out a card or act interested.  It can be one for each Orientation or one for the whole summer.  Or, each person gets one that day.  If you cannot afford something to give, develop a "Smart Tips for Freshmen" sheet or a list of restaurants and stores that give student discounts.

Write follow-up notes or send texts to those students who you talk to and you have an address for following the Orientation.

2.  Contact area churches to get a list of their students coming to your campus.

You can prioritize those with larger youth ministries that will likely have students coming to your campus.  Pass on names and info you get on students going to other campuses.  If you do a Summer Alumni Newsletter, ask them to send you any names of their children, grandchildren or from their church.

3.  Lay out your speaking plan for the fall or schedule all the speakers for your large group event.

If you speak for your main event, develop the scripture and topic for each one and lay out a quick outline to develop each week.  You can always change during the semester, if something develops or changes.  It saves a whole lot of stress during the fall AND makes you a better speaker.

4.  Develop a poster, flyer, or handout for the fall.

I am a big proponent of posters that can be hung on bulletin boards, etc especially, if you get no names or few names of incoming students you can contact prior to the start of school.  Remember, Pictures, Pictures, Pictures.  It can be general info about your weekly schedule or it can be the events for your first couple of weeks. A quality poster or flyer says it is a quality ministry.

5.  In mid-July to August 1, send out invitations to some students to be on your Freshmen Leadership Team or in a Freshmen Bible Study Group you or one of your upperclassmen is going to lead.  

Enclose a card to return indicating they want to do it.....get some sort of commitment.  Or, have them text you a response, if they want to be part of it.  Especially highlight any who have been highly recommended to you or that you were impressed with at Orientations, etc.

SPECIAL NOTICE:  Amazon Books has informed me that there will be a pricing adjustment to all self published books listing at less than $9.99 which means almost all of my books will go up from $1.00 to $2.00 in June.  You can check out A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula here Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Reach MORE Students here Amazon.com/dp/B0MW8NPMN

5 Ways College Ministers Can and Should Work with University Officials

 1.  Make sure they know who you are.  If you have not met the person or persons that work with student organizations/religious groups, make an appointment and go see them.  If you are new on that campus, ask about any rules or concerns you should know.  

2.  When you have an appointment or meeting with a University Official, dress professionally.  You don't have to wear a coat and tie or Sunday dress, but this is not the time for gym shorts or ragged jeans.  Like it or not, your appearance affects how they see and perceive you.

3.  Be a team player.  If something is beneficial to students and you can help in some way, do so.  Some College Ministers even volunteer to help fill packets, etc for Freshmen Orientations.

4.  If one of them invites you to an official event, GO.  It demonstrates you are interested in the school as a whole.  Plus, you never know who you might meet at the event and how that might benefit the view of your ministry on campus. Plus, they are more likely to be helpful to someone they know and see as a partner or equal professional.

5.  Play by campus rules.  When you violate campus rules or policies, you not only do harm to your ministry, but the reputation of all Christian ministries on campus.  You may have been hampered by what some other group did even before you arrived on campus.

Breaking campus rules will always bite you and your ministry......whether you know it or not!

You can check out A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Reaching MORE Students at Amazon.com/dp/B0MW8NPMN.

What ChatGPT says I Believe About College Ministry

I use ChatGPT for quick research. (By the way, I know that not everything that comes up is always accurate.)  The other night on a whim, I posted this question, "What does Arliss Dickerson say is the key to college ministry?"  Here is what it generated in a couple of seconds.

While he doesn't pinpoint a single "key," his writings highlight the following foundational elements.

1.  Intentional Development of Student Leaders

-Intentionality:  Actively seeking out students with leadership potential.

-Training:   Providing clear guidance on roles and responsibilities

-Responsibility:  Allowing students to lead while offering support.

-Continual Coaching:  Offering ongoing feedback to foster growth.

2.  Mentorship and Collaboration

He believes in the dual role of mentoring:

-Being Mentored:  Encouraging new college ministers to learn from experienced ones.

-Mentoring Others:  Urging seasoned leaders to invest in the next generation.

3.  Commitment to Long-Term Leadership

Dickerson notes that many thriving college ministries are led by long-term directors who exhibit:

-Determination:  A steadfast commitment to the ministry's mission.

-Humility:  Prioritizing the ministry's success over personal accolades.

4.  Practical Engagement and Outreach

He advises college ministers to:

-Engage in Writing:  Share insights through articles or blogs.

-Speak on  Relevant Topics:  Address current issues affecting students.

-Volunteer:  Participate  in campus events and church activities.

-Learn from Others:  Seek guidance from more experienced leaders

In summary, Arliss Dickerson's approach to college ministry centers on intentional leadership development, mentorship, long-term commitment, and active engagement with both students and the broader community.'

Two Things:  It does not say anything about my believing in the necessity of God's Spirit at work in our ministry. So, maybe I don't say that enough. Second, why don't you ask ChaptGPT what it says you believe about college ministry.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Almost Everything About College Ministry, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX and Reaching MORE College Students is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0MW8NPMN.

Things College Ministers Can or Should Do in May

 1.  Write thank you notes to some people that really helped you and/or blessed your ministry this year.  They don't have to be long, but I suggest the personal handwritten kind.  They can be on Thank You cards.  Or, you can make a card on line with a picture from this year that you think represents your ministry well.  And....some people deserve a lunch or at least a good cup of coffee for what they did.

2.  Update your website.  Summer is the time it is likely looked at the most.  Put your start of school schedule on it of Welcome Events, etc.  Show some highlights from this school year.  Use Pictures, Pictures, Pictures, if you have them.  I am stunned at how man college ministry websites I see that are way out of date.  Is YOURS one of those?

3.  Invite some high school grads you have met that are coming to your campus to be on your Freshmen Leadership Team or in a special freshmen Bible Study you are going to lead.  Now is the time to make sure that your ministry is in their mind and on their list of possibilities.  

4.  If you have a building or a room that is yours, make a list of things that need to be done to it either now or throughout the summer.  A fresh coat of paint in the right place never hurts.  And, throw away the junk that got stuck in this closet and that corner.

5.  Mark off some "YOU TIME"!  Rest, recoup, invest some special times in your spouse, kids, and you.

6.  Set a day to just dream and think.  The craziness of the semester does not allow good thinking and dreaming time.  A pastor friend told me his Personnel Team told him they want him to spend some time sitting in his office dreaming.  You do that....dream about what could be in your ministry.

You can check out Reaching More College Students at Amazon.com/dp/B0MW*NPMN and Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9

If You Have a Son or Daughter Going to College this Fall, They Probably Won't Go to Church!

 Some college ministry experts say that 90% of students who are active in church in high school will not make any spiritual connections in college.  Others say it's not that bad......it is ONLY 70% who drop church and other spiritual connections.  So, odds are that will include your son or daughter.

I have spoken at lots of Senior Sunday Graduation events or Senior/Parent Dinners.  When I share those figures, the parents always sit there and smile at me.  At first, I thought they were not listening.  But, my wife explained it to me. "They all thin their son or daughter is the one out of ten or three out of ten that is going.

Since then, I have realized a third possibility........Parents don't care.

Here is what I mean......Many parents do not expect spiritual connections at college because  they had none and came back to church after college.  I believe in some way or other, that message is communicated to college bound daughters and sons.  At the very least, they do not communicate any expectations of spiritual connections in church or campus religious organizations.

There are two problems with tis.  First, If they do come back, they bring the issues and decisions that they made while they were away from spiritual influences.  They have made life choices and often pick a spouse during this "vacation form God and church".  Second, right now studies indicate that those who go away in college are not coming back....at least not yet.

Here is one suggestion:  Parents should expect  and communicate that they expect spiritual involvement in college.  Can you control it?  No.  Can you control their studying and making good grades?  No.  But, most communicate that expectation.  So, why not communicate spiritual expectations?  Just like grades, you cannot mandate it, but you can express and encourage it.  That means asking questions about grades, going to class and attendance at Christian events like church and campus Christian organizations like the Baptist Collegiate Ministry.

A message many high schoolers are getting is that graduation is also graduation from church.  Having been at lots of church Senior Sundays, it felt like they were graduating from church.  There was nothing expressed about what is next, next steps, etc.  It is all, "Look what you have accomplished."  One large First Baptist Church experienced not a single senior came back to Sunday School following Senior Sunday.  Obviously, they had gotten the message they were done.

Here us another thing you can do:  make sure the Baptist Campus Minister and/or a local church minister has their name and contact information.  Many of these will be mailing, emailing, texting, or calling with information about Welcome Week events and other connection opportunities.  Their first friends and connections will help determine their college habits.

What a freshmen does their first 2-3 weeks of the fall goes a long way toward determining their habits and practices for their whole college career.  You can increase the odds by what you say and do AND letting someone know they are coming that will reach out to them.  NOW is the perfect time to do that.

One last suggestion:  If you go for Move-In Weekend, plan for all of you together to attend a college ministry church on that Sunday.  They are more likely to go back to somewhere they have already been and know where and how to go, get in, etc.  If you go for Parents Weekend this fall, make Sunday church part of the family schedule.  

Let someone know now they are coming and what their contact information is.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and 7 Red Flags In A Dating Relationship is at Amazon.com/dp/B0DTTRJH38.