Most Successful College Ministers Are Workhorses....Not Show Horses!

 Occasionally, people who are looking for a College Minister for their vacant position will call me and indicate they want someone who is a great speaker.  Could I recommend someone? I know a few that are good speakers and maybe one or two that are great speakers.

They are looking for someone that can instantly double or triple their ministry with their speaking.  But, here is the problem with that formula....IF that is all it is built on, when the great speaker leaves, many of those who were attracted will instantly disappear also.  Usually there is no structure to support that ministry and the students involved.

I think there is probably a little too much emphasis being put on College Ministers being speakers these days.  Don't get me wrong, I am all about College Ministers being as good of a speaker as possible.....I was a Speech Major!  I love a big crowd.  Never had as many as I had hoped to have at any event!

But, most of the great College Ministers I know are Work Horses!  They put one good year on top of another.  They build into students' lives individually and they grow student leaders for service in God's Kingdom later as well as blessing the ministry on campus as they are developing.  Collins English Dictionary defines a Work Horse this way...."they can be relied on to do a large amount of work, especially work that is dull or routine."

Two Key Words:  Dull and Routine!  

Don't worry about being a Show Horse or a Rainmaker......be willing to do the dull and routine again and again and again.  Talk to freshmen, listen to them, challenge them.  Help that student with a good personality be a good leader and know how to lead a meeting.  Teach that shy kid how to share their testimony with a friend.  Help a student who has really messed up sense God's forgiveness in their life and that God can still use them.

But, be the best speaker you can be......there is nothing holy about being dull!

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry advocate, author, and sometimes pretty good speaker.  Check out some of his resources here:  Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN or Amazon.com/dp/B0FFTHL6HP.

As Your Semester Ends and Before the Next One Starts

 Before Your Semester Ends:

1. Have a de-brief with your key leaders.  It can be a formal evaluation or just go to lunch with some, ask some questions and listen.  What went well?  What do we need to learn from this semester?

2.  Invite 4 or 5 freshmen for coffee or coke.  Ask some questions and listen.  Why did they connect and why did some of their friends not connect or stay connected?

3.  Make a list of folks that disappeared as the semester progressed.  In the busyness of the semester, it is easy to not realize some have not continued to be involved.  If you have some big end of the semester event or Christmas party, send them an individual message about it and wish them well on their finals.

Before the Next Semester Starts:

1.  Write PERSONAL thank you notes to contributors.  Give an example of something that went well or that their gift helped make possible.

2.  Remember that some people do year end giving due to bonuses, profit sharing, or just catching up on giving.  Do something that puts your ministry on their radar.  Send a newsletter to alums or post something on your website.  Post something on Facebook about the semester and give a link to give.  Make sure there is an address somewhere for those that do not do on-line giving.

3.  Look back at the list of freshman whose names were given to you by pastors or friends last summer.  For those that never showed, make a personal contact.  They were sent to you because whomever sent it saw them as a possible key leader or they especially needed your ministry.

4.  If you are speaking for your weekly event, lay out your topics and scripture.  You can always change as the semester goes along.

Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry advocate, author, and sometimes speaker.  Check out some of his materials here:  Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX