A pastor friend of mine said he wanted his church college ministry to be one of "substance not glitz". I agree with him........50%.
Substance is all about communicating the truth of the Gospel. It is about facing and talking about the tough issues of the day that students are encountering. It is about helping them see how the Gospel connects to those issues and how it connects to them. But, here is the thing......doing it to an empty room is not too helpful! Some ministries are proud of the fact they do not have big crowds.....that must mean they are doing nitty gritty substance. Or, it just may mean they are dull.
Here is the thing. Everybody wants and needs some celebration. In the stress and strain of the college world, there needs to be some fun and celebration. College freshmen come to school looking for two things immediately........... fun and friends. Plus, I have learned that most college freshmen think like.....wait for it......college freshmen. Who knew?
Even the most serious who are planning to make straight A's and go to Med School or get a PhD in something are looking for fun. Expecting college freshmen to look and think like the later on adults we want them to be is at the least unrealistic.
A healthy college ministry mixes some glitz in with the substance. It starts out in the fall with some glitzy fun and evolves to the substance.....sometimes even at the same event. Some years ago there were two churches in one college town that were working hard at reaching and ministering to students. They each had large group events on Wednesday night. One opened the fall with a month long series on world hunger. The other opened the fall with a month long series on love, sex, and dating. You know I do not have to finish that story! By the way, the College Minister who opened with the "glitzy" series is one of the most serious Bible teachers I know.
Depth is important. Substance matters. It matters more when there is someone there to hear it.
Some of the most "substance driven" college ministries I know have some of the "glitziest events" at the start of school. Even I flinch at some of them. But, choosing between substance and glitz is a false choice. Even serious people have parties. Why should a non-believing college student want to go to a 14 week study on the book of Revelation? One or two might. If reaching one or two is your goal, ok. If starting where students are and growing them to be serious disciples is your goal, where you start matters.
Here is an even crazier thought: I think in the midst of doing the glitz.....like talking about love, sex, and dating or whatever......we can be talking about biblical stuff like forgiveness and purpose in life, commitment, etc.
I believe Jesus laughed and had fun. Notice that tax collectors and sinners wanted to be around him. I don't think that meant he had no substance. Being dull is not the same as having substance. Proclaiming the Gospel to an empty room is not more holy! I walked across our campus one day and there was a man standing on a ladder screaming the Gospel. I stopped and listened. I was the only one who did. I agreed with everything he was saying. It was full of substance, but it had a mean and angry tone. It was full of substance.....with NO Glitz........and not one student stopped to listen...not one! He sure was not glitzy. He had substance.
"There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven......a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." Ecclesiastes 3:1 and 4
Arliss Dickerson's book, Reaching MORE College Students: Next Level College Ministry is available at amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN. Tips for College Freshmen: 124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is at amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.
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