Take a Day to Read, Think & Pray

How does it go from early summer to "Oh my gosh, school is about to start."  But, it happens every year to most College Ministers.

Here is my STRONG SUGGESTION:  Even though you feel like the days are short, right now, schedule one day to do nothing but to read, think and pray about your ministry as a whole and your personal role in the ministry. Get away from your office, the campus or the church.  Take a six pack of Diet Coke or whatever your poison is and go somewhere that people can't find you.

I am going to mention some books as some possibilities, but you can choose any for this day.  One thing I want to encourage you to do is to consider one or two that you think you may be on a bit of a different page of that writer,  and you philosophy wise.  Those cause you to think.  

If you know me, you know, I always go to the "how to" and practical.

NAMB and Paul Worcester put out some FREE ebooks awhile back that I think are really good......especially one by Ryan Scantling and Gary Stidham entitled, A Guide for Campus Based Collegiate Ministry. There is A Guide for Church Based Collegiate Ministry, A Guide for Collegiate Focused Church Planting,  and 5 Leadership Principles for Collegiate Ministry by Paul and Shane Pruitt.  They are short, good, and free. Go to Gensend.org.  

You will notice I am mostly listing ones you could easily read more than one in that day.  I like short books....which you obviously know....if you have read any of mine.

One I read while I was sitting in the Denver airport and especially liked was, Heart of the Campus:  Ministry Principles and Strategy for Focusing on Student Leaders by Steve Shadrach.  One real plus to it is on the last page, he lists about 10-12 books as resources AND the Websites of 10-15 college ministries.  I love looking at other ministries websites. It is amazing what you can pick up from their websites.  I am on a little different page than Steve on some of it, but loved the book, and got a lot from it.  It is only 22 pages....so a quick and easy read.

An obvious listing, if you have not read it is, The Fuel & The Flame by Worcester and Shadrach.....the updated version.  Don't forget Worcester's new book, Thrive.

Another crazy idea I want to throw out:  You don't have to read every word of all of the books.  You can read some chapters that particularly appeal to you, etc. Be sure and take a legal pad or whatever to write down ideas, thoughts and quotes you want to remember.

At the end, I am going to list three of my books as options and links.  

One confession:  When the days got real short, I would mark off one half day to go play golf....which would be the last one for awhile.  You may not play golf, but it could be for you and your spouse to go do one fun thing before the craziness.  Or, it could be to bike ten miles, etc, etc.  Do something that is just for you.

Here are three suggestions of mine and a link (Sorry I can't make them free. there is that detail of me not owning Amazon.):

Reaching MORE College Students Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN

Fixing a Broken College Ministry Amazon.com/dp/B0741DM1CD

 A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV

The 2 Go-To Mistakes in College Ministry

As you finalize plans for the fall, keep in mind the 2 Go-To Mistakes most commonly made.

1.  Copying another ministry - This is a quick and easy one especially for new College Ministers.  It is to simply try to replicate another ministry onto your campus.

    Reasons it usually does not work:

        1. Every campus is different in both type students, atmosphere, needs, and what other ministries         might be doing on campus. Plus, there really are different types of students on different campuses. The most obvious is the difference in a primarily commuter campus and a dorm driven campus. 

        2.  The success of that ministry is often built on the particular gifts and strengths of the ministry's leader.  Not every College Minister shares the same gifts and strengths.

        3.  The success of that other ministry may be built on years of developing to get to that point.  You have not seen where they started.

        4.  Money and other resources vary campus to campus.  Some things work because of the amount of money put into it.  Before mirroring your ministry off of another one, consider what the budget, etc that is part of that ministry.

        5.  Number of staff is a major factor.  Doing the same type program with one or two staffers that a ministry with 20 or more staffers is doing likely will not see the same response.

2.  Not adjusting to changes on your campus. This is any easy one for long time College Ministers.  We just keep doing the same old, same old......same day, same time, same style.

        1.Sometimes, it is as simple as the University changes when different classes meet or now there are more classes on Monday night where that night used to be wide open.

        2. We all know that the students of ten to fifteen years ago are very different than the ones of today.  Beware of doing a ministry that is aimed squarely at 2011.

        3.  BUT and HOWEVER.......Don't make changes just to make changes.  Be wise in your adjustments.  I am all about TWEAK.....NOT SLASH AND BURN!  

Check out "162 Tips & Hacks for College Freshmen" at Amazon.com/dp/B0H466D8Z9 or "30 Devotionals for College Freshmen" at Amazon.com/dp/B0H8K6L1QX

The SECRET to Being Content in College Ministry

College Ministry has so many variations.  Your best leaders graduate.  Students change.  A new pastor decides his church needs to cut what they have been giving to your budget.  Sometimes, there is criticism.  A new person in the Student Affairs Office decides they don't have room for religious groups at Freshmen Orientations.  Apart from a College Minister's personal relationship to the Lord, a supportive spouse, and good friends, what is the best stabilizer?  How do you not live a roller coaster life emotionally?

The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:11, "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances."  Then  in verse 12 he says, "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances."  I will readily admit Paul was a better guy and Jesus follower than I am.  I would call his "secret" comfort with who he was  and his calling.

What are some steps and realization that get us to the Comfort Zone?

1.  Realize and accept what your strengths are.  These are the gifts and abilities God has placed in your life and wants to use.  It is not vain to admit, accept and allow God to use them to the fullest.

2.  Admit and accept what your weaknesses are and learn to offset them.  You know you are not perfect.  Look for and empower students and others that can offset your lack of strength or gift in that area.  For me, I am not a musician and don't even come close.  I always have to enlist and turn loose folks that are.  Trying to "fake it" in areas we are not good will invariably get us into trouble.

3.  You know what you know.   Experience is a great teach and the longer we serve  the more we know what works, what does not and why.  HOWEVER, we never quit looking and learning.

4.  You are not in your position hoping to be called to be the pastor of First Big Church.  You know that there is nothing more important than what God has called you to be right now.  Besides, you don't have to deal with ornery deacons and little old ladies who think it is too cold in the sanctuary and those drums are way too loud!

5.  You have accepted and understood that every age has its advantages and pluses and you are leaning into those.  Be the age you are....don't try to fool students into thinking you are twenty-five.  Don't miss your current pluses.

6.  You are not trying to copy the latest poster boy or girl of college ministry......not even your hero in ministry.  God uses originals.....not copies.  Imitating someone else takes a lot of energy and posing.  Being yourself is freeing.

7.  You have come to terms with the fluctuation of attendance and crowds.  I am all about reaching as many students as possible.  I like big crowds.  But, attendance will vary at collegiate events no matter how good of a job you are doing. Some are only with you one or two years.  A college ministry that averages 50 will touch more people over a four year period than a church that averages 50 to 100.

One of the reasons that many larger college ministries are led by older College Ministers is this comfort with who they are and the experience that goes with it.  Evidently, God thought you were pretty good.....since He only made one of you.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:10

Check out "162 Tips & Hacks for College Freshmen:  Fun, Faith & Good Grades" at Amazon.com/dp/B0H466D8Z9.

Top Gun for College Ministers

 Here is a story from many, many, many years ago that has a point and current application.

A group of us had gone to a fast food place after an evening session of a regional College Ministers conference that had not been very helpful.  Sitting around the table 8 or 10 of us from 3 or 4 different states began asking each other questions about HOW they did this and that.  The discussion was great and super helpful.  After awhile, someone said, "Wouldn't it be great, if we could do this for two or three days?"

So, the next summer, we met for three days at one of our campuses.  We put up a white board and started putting questions and topics on it. One morning or afternoon, we would go play bad golf.  We did it again the next summer and the next, rotating around where we met.  Someone jokingly called it Top Gun School.....obviously, after the Tom Cruise movie had come out.  It grew, but somehow partly due to the informal name it had gotten, it got a little bit of a name for being "exclusive" or in some way "secretive" or "political."  One State BCM leader told his people they were not to attend it.  So, the next year some of them took two or three days of vacation about the same time.

As it grew through the years and those who attended it would speak of how helpful it had been, some State leaders would tell their campus ministers to attend, if it were held in their state.   Somewhere along there, it got a better and official name.  It was called College Ministers Summer Fellowship or some variation of that and seminaries and other groups started paying for the meals.

Those first summer meetings affected my ministry more than anything I had ever been part of.   Out of those first Top Gun meetings came a couple of the ideas that most affected and grew my ministry over the years!  One guy shared something he had done with freshmen and others began to pick up on it, try it, modify it to their campus, etc. 

Okay, here is the application.  Call four or five buddies in college ministry and meet somewhere for the day and just talk about what you do and why. It can just be one day.  Ask each other questions.  Go eat something fun and not healthy and laugh some.  Encourage and pray for one another.  Don't plan a program with a speaker.  All of you are the program!  But, be careful not to tell anybody what you are doing.....they might think you are trying to win all your campuses for Christ or something weird like that.

Here is another crazy thought.  If you know someone who is doing a good job that is not of the same denomination or tribe as you.....invite them!  I have learned that we silo too much and we can learn so much from each other.

It's not too late.  Do it THIS SUMMER!  I know you want to.....call your buddy and say, "Who else should we invite?

You can check out 162 Tips & Hacks for College Freshmen:  Fun, Faith & Good Grades here:  Amazon.com/dp/B0H466D8Z9