4 Simple Ideas for Growing Your College Ministry

 1.  Work on developing "Campus Awareness".  Is the campus as a whole aware that your ministry is there?  Consider doing some publicity or an event strictly to grow awareness.

2.  Target one or two groups on campus for relationships and outreach.  If you have left over food from an event, take it to a dorm, fraternity, sorority, etc....no strings attached.  Take popsicles to the band on a hot day.  Bake a bunch of Brownies and take them to different groups.

3.  Meet somewhere different one week or try a different time for your weekly meeting.  Different students are available at different times.  Perhaps, proximity is an issue for some.

4.  Is your meeting too long or is it famous for running over time?  Start on time and end on time.

Interested in more growth ideas?  Check out "Reaching MORE College Students" at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN

4 Possible Reasons a College Ministry is NOT Reaching More Students

1.  Lack of an intentional strategy - It is so easy to just get caught up in living day to day and being in survival mode.  Do you have a plan and are you doing things to work that plan?

2.  Facilities or Budget - Money does not make a ministry, but it is hard to have much ministry without adequate funding.  If money is a factor for you, are you communicating the need and your vision to your alums, interested individuals, or your church supervisor or Budget Committee?

3.  Club Atmosphere -  It is easy for students in a ministry to enjoy being together and are not reaching out to others as well as projecting a closed atmosphere.  First, are YOU out on campus and trying to connect to new and different students....or just hanging out with your tribe?  Help your students buy into the idea of reaching out to others.....and making them feel welcome when they come.

4.  Happy with our 50......or 25......or 70?  There is a very fine line between being unsettled in your ministry, being frustrated about numbers, and trying something new, and evaluating what things make a difference and what are just "energy eaters."  Hear me:  In some places reaching 25 or 50 is a miracle of God!  Beware of the College Minister Killer of COMPARISON.  But, also continue to evaluate and see what does and does not make the difference on your campus.

Remember:  Growth does not have to be miraculous or dramatic.....small incremental growth usually sticks better than a big flash!

If your weekly event averages 25, could you do something that would reach 5 more?

If your event reaches 50, could it increase to 60?

If you are reaching 100, could you do something to increase to 105 or even 110?

For more ideas on growing your ministry, check out "Reaching MORE College Students" at Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.

10 Reasons to Quit College Ministry

1.  Everybody you went to college with is making more money than you.

2.  That upperclass leader you invested so much time in has walked away to go to another ministry.

3.  The church college ministry you have been trying to help just scheduled some of their big stuff the same time as your weekly event.

4.  You saw somebody spit on the publicity piece that had your picture on it.

5.  You got home before dark one day and it felt good.

6.  Your spouse suggested the two of you wear name tags at home.

7.  You just got asked for the 10th time if what you do is a full time job.

8.  You just drove 50 miles to speak for an event and they didn't even pay your mileage.

9.  One of your faculty friends asked you if you go home about 4:00 o'clock like they do.

10. The Publicity Team forgot to put up the flyers.

2 Reasons to Stay:  God called you and it is the most exciting thing you can ever imagine doing.

Check out "A College Student's Guide to Spiritual Maturity" at Amazon.com/dp/B0CXTCTNB1 and "7 Red Flags in a Dating Relationship" Amazon.com/dp/B0DTTRJH38

College Ministry Influencers - Part 2

 In an earlier Blog article, I wrote of the significant effects of Max Barnette, Linda Halfacre Weir, and Steve Masters and how they have been very significant in their influence on college ministry as a whole are making transitions and that is opening the door to others.

Another person in this line is Beverly Parrish Skinner who is in the "process" of stepping away from her college ministry role in Georgia.  Beverly's story is unique in some ways.  She did college ministry in flagship ministries in both Mississippi and Texas.  But, possibly her greatest influence has come in her role in Georgia.

About 14 years ago, Beverly married Warren Skinner, who at that time was BCM Campus Minister at Georgia Tech, and transitioned into Women's Ministry through Georgia WMU.  About 5 years ago, the Georgia Baptist Convention, due to budget changes, made significant cuts in the number of BCM Campus Ministers through early retirements, etc.  Due to this significant change in the number and placement of Campus Ministers, it was their plan to challenge, recruit, and train local churches, staff, and members to pick up the campus ministry role in an even more direct way.

Beverly was asked to assume this role as the "Collegiate Ministry Catalyst."  To be honest, many felt this was a near impossible task.  Beverly moved into this role and combined the knowledge and experience of a proven local Baptist Campus Minister with the willingness and imagination to combine that experience with new ideas and approaches that have worked better than many anticipated.

As I spoke of the influence of Linda, Max, and Steve, Beverly shared these great thoughts:  

"These 3  and others became great leaders because they stepped up when given the opportunity.  Though I don't know for certain, I can only guess they rarely felt 'ready' for the challenges......no one does.  They kept trusting God and He kept using them.  There are many great men and women serving on campuses right now that don't feel 'ready' for the next level of leadership......but God is as faithful to you as He was to Max, Steve, and Linda."

Beverly said better what I was trying to say.  As people like Linda, Steve, Max, and Beverly change roles, we need new folks to step up and trust God to use them for the good of God's kingdom in college ministry.  

 Beverly has taken what many saw as a lemons situation and made lemonade.  It was not a role she sought or asked for, but allowed God to use her in new and unexpected ways.  She is a great role model for what many are facing as funds decline and new thoughts have to be had and implemented.

Special thanks and blessings to Beverly Parrish Skinner as she is in the process of transitioning to retirement and is a great example of being a College Ministry Influencer by example and insight.

Check out "A College Student's Guide to Spiritual Maturity" at Amazon.com/dp/B0CXTCNB1 and "7 Red Flags in a Dating Relationship" at Amazon.com/dp/B0DTTRJH38.