I had the privilege of being part of a webinar that the Tennessee Baptist Collegiate Ministry did today with Paul Worcester, Stacy Murphree, and T.J. Joy. Lots of good stuff shared. Here is some of what I had to say and a few quotes from each of them.
I. EVERY CAMPUS SITUATION IS DIFFERENT!
This has been true in college ministry in the past and I think is, if anything, more true now. Learn from others. Try things others are trying. But, different things are and will work different places. The two biggest killers of College Ministers is feeling alone and comparison. Learn from others, but don't compare yourself or your ministry against them or their ministry.
II. AN ENDURING PRINCIPLE
Many years ago when Billy Graham was doing stadium crusades with 50,000 people attending and hundreds making professions of faith, the Graham ministry did a survey about those joining churches. They were greatly disappointed in the number who were connecting to a church. BUT, one truth that came through was that a large percentage of them who connected to a church had one or more friends involved in that church that helped them connect.
Friendship and relationships are the prime currency that God uses in the spreading of the Gospel!
Different College Ministers have shared with me that during this strangest of times of college ministry being on line that they are seeing new or previously minimally connected students responding to their on-line events because friends reached out to them and invited them. Remember, the top two reasons students attended a Christian event the first time were #2 An Attractive Event and #1 Someone invited me.
We must teach our students the necessity of being intentional in inviting and connecting friends. Paul Worcester stresses to his students the importance of being intentional about connecting to non-Christian friends.
III. A CURRENT TOOL
I believe Apologetics is a great tool for these days. The health crisis has raised a ton of faith questions for many people. Paul Worcester quoted a survey that said 21.5% of non-Christians have started reading the Bible during this time. I recently posted one of Sean McDowell's brief videos about Doubt on line about a Christian music star who said he had stopped being a Christian. I immediately got some questions and comments back from some who said they no longer believed.
You can do an on-line brief talks on doubt and questions being raised today.
"Is God punishing America?"
"Is Anthony Faucci really the Anti-Christ?'
These are two examples of questions I have seen and heard people asking. There are tons of others.
Sean is a professor at Biola University and speaks for lots of youth and college events. Check his stuff out, if you are not familiar.
IV SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER TRYING
Do on-line Survival Tips
Provide some students with materials to do a 3 or 4 week Bible study on tough questions. (I favor shorter, so students do not wear out.)
Do Freshmen Specific Bible study groups on line
I am a huge proponent of speaking to parents. Parents are more than ever looking for encouragement and who might be of help to their freshmen. My all time most read Blog by far is, "10 Things Parents of a College Freshmen Need to Know". It circulates every summer starting about July 1. Facebook is the best venue for parents. Try it.
SOME GOOD THINGS SAID TODAY
"When Paul was in prison, he kept doing ministry. He just started ministering to the guards. We have the opportunity to reach a new audience." T. J. Joy
"Instagram has been our best platform." T. J. Joy
"We are doing 45 minute Survival events with some freshmen and six or eight of our upperclassmen who share a tip and share their faith story." Stacy Murphree
About an event: "The night will not be successful, if you don't invite someone." Paul Worcester
Arliss Dickerson is a college ministry/leadership consultant and the author of five books on college ministry available at amazon.com (type in Arliss Dickerson). "ALMOST Everything About College Ministry" will be available in early summer.
No comments:
Post a Comment