The Collegiate Summit and Friends

 The National Collegiate Ministers Summit is in Memphis May 1-3.  One of the great things about the Summit is connecting with college ministry friends from all over the country.  Of course, the other part is learning from those with whom you agree philosophically.....and.....those with whom you may disagree philosophically.  Do Both!  Be sure to attend and listen to some things that may make you wrinkle your forehead or whatever you do.

It starts with Mega Breakouts on Wednesday Afternoon at 1:30.  Now here is the conundrum:

  I am leading one at that time and Linda Weir is leading one at that time.  Linda was dubbed by someone as "The Homecoming Queen of College Ministry" having led the BCM ministry on different college campuses and been the College Ministry Leader at Lifeway Christian Resources. Now she serves at Pinelake Church in Starkville, Mississippi.  We are long term friends after having worked together some years ago. Hers is entitled, "Leading Next Level Leaders".  I would go to anything Linda leads.  It will be good and fun!

Let me invite you to mine which will be "The Four Seasons of a College Minister".  Mine is based around the simple premise that college ministry is not and should not be just done by the young.  There are strengths and weaknesses to every age.  Plus, I will share three quick "Secrets of Going for the Long Term as a College Minister". I think there are more than three, but I will be out of time by then.

Of course, there are other offerings at 1:30 you can check out as well. They all look good. But my totally unbiased suggestion is that you and a friend flip a coin and one go to Linda's and one come to mine and then trade notes.

Whatever you do, I will look forward to seeing you in the hallway....or at the Elvis Concert!

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and A College Student's Guide to Spiritual Maturity is at Amazon.com/dp/B0CXTCTNB1.  Plus, there are more.

Senior Sunday

 My church has been kind enough to ask me to speak to the High School Seniors the last few years.  Our church does a great job with Senior Sunday.  They wear their caps and gowns and each are recognized in the service with  pictures on the screens of them growing up.  Then there is a lunch for family and grads.  It is at this that I have spoken at different times either to everyone or just the Seniors. We had both ones going to college and ones going straight into the work world. Some of what I shared is general and some is college specific.  

Here is the outline of the talk I gave this Sunday.

Introduction:  Change can always be hard and surprising.  One of my favorite illustrations of that is the two freshmen girls who did not know each other and were assigned as roommates.  They were getting acquainted as they unpacked.  One said, "Do you have a boyfriend?"  "Yes, I do; do you have a boyfriend?"  "Yes, can I show you his picture?"  They both began to pull out pictures and realized they were.....dating the same guy!

7 Tips

1.  Choose your friends by your priorities and not your priorities by your friends.  As you transition to a new phase, you want to make friends.  It is important that you decide to make friends with those who will help you be what you want to be.  Decide what is important to you and look for people who share those priorities.

-If you want to get drunk every night, get with people who plan to do that and you probably will.

-If you want to make A's connect with people who want to make A's and you are more likely to make A's.

2.  Be intentional about your faith.  Many young adults walk away from church and their faith after high school, not intentionally, but simply because they expect it to just develop.  Make it a priority to connect to Christian events.

-For those going to college, there will be Welcome Events on campus by Christian groups like the BCM.  go to those and make connections.

3.  For those of you going to college, treat the first two weeks as the most important of your whole college career, because they are.  Many college students shipwreck their college career and even life with decisions and choices made the first two weeks.

-The habits you begin to develop, the relationships you make will go a long way toward determining the success or failure of your whole college career.

-Get into a routine of class, study, rest, and fun that you can maintain for the whole semester.

4.  The easiest way to do well in college is to go to class.

-Some years ago an ASU Professor kept a record of the 300 students in all of her Biology classes.

-60 dropped the class by the Drop Deadline with an average of 9 absences.

-Those that made A's and B's missed an average of 2 times.

-Those that made D's and F's missed an average of 8 times.

5.  Get accurate information.  Go to people who know.  Many poor decisions are based on wrong information.

-If you are a student, go to the Dean, your advisor, etc.....not the cousin of the guy who lives down the hall who said.....

-If you don't know who to go to, talk to the BCM Campus Minister and or your Church College Minister.  They will point you the right direction.

6.  Date Wisely.

-National studies show......wait for it........we marry someone we date.

-Lots of students have told me they were dating someone they would never marry.  Or, they were dating someone fun, but they did not trust them.

-Some of them later married that person.

7.  When you mess up, admit it, get help and accept God's forgiveness.

-The BCM Campus Minister or your Church College Minister can help and will help hold you accountable to your new commitment.

-God never gives up on you.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and A College Student's Guide to Spiritual Maturity is at Amazon.com/dp/B0CXTCTNB1.

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What is the MOST IMPORTANT Skill, Ability, or Characteristic for a College Minister?

 As the season for college ministry vacancies develops and people are looking for the right person to fill those positions, what is the MOST important thing?

Is there one thing that makes a College Minister successful? The first person who hired me many years ago and who was a mentor in college ministry told this story once.  A pastor came to see him to recommend one of his own staff for a vacant college ministry position.  The pastor said, "He is really good with small groups."  The college ministry leader said, "I have lots of people who are good with small groups.  I am looking for someone who is good with large groups."

If we are totally honest, that is what most are looking for to fill a college ministry position......someone who works with LARGE groups.  As we continually look at the loss of the twenty something generation to the church (21% of college students today identify as atheist or agnostic), how can we reach more for Christ?  Lots of us are working well with small groups.....what does it take to work with large groups?

What is the most important characteristic, skill or ability for a College Minister?

SPEAKER - The "poster ministries" all have the dynamic speaker.  This is the one who fills an arena or big meeting hall every week.  And, it is usually the first thought that comes to everyone's mind who is looking for a new College Minister.  One church called me looking for a College Minister and said they were looking for someone with "a Word gift".  A great speaker gives instant credibility and draws attention to the ministry. Yet, if the number of people who can do this and this "star quality" is very limited, is this the must have ability for a good College Minister?

ONE TO ONE DISCIPLER - There are those that argue that one to one discipling of students is where real life change and impact happens.  If that is the case, is this the most important characteristic or skill? It takes a special person who can connect with and continually meet individually with students and challenge them to grow in their personal relationship and walk with the Lord.

OUTGOING PERSONALITY - This is the person who never meets a stranger and can instantly call by name that student who came once last year.  It is the unique ability to genuinely be and for everyone to feel this is their best friend.

ORGANIZER/MANAGER - An Organizer/Manager type can develop a strategy and roles for a wide variety of students.  Their ministry is much larger than their own personal connections due to the organization.  Students can be drawn to something that is well done and particularly appealing to those students who are looking for a place to serve or to grow their own leadership skills for the future.

EVANGELIST - There are those who would argue apart from a passion for the Lord  and personal witness, nothing else matters.  Those with passion attract others.  A passionate Evangelist tends to infect and inspire others.  If students are hearing a witness and Christian students are trained and inspired to witness, what else matters,  many would argue.

There is an argument to be made for each of these being the most important.  Others would say that a healthy mix of all of these would be the idea.  Yet, if we are honest, most of us in college ministry would have one or two of these where we are strong and one or two that are not our strong point. I have seen strrong ministries led by College Ministers who had a different one of these as their primary ability and gift.  In my mind, it comes down to two things:  First, what fits this campus situation or what has the ministry previously been?  Second, How do we highlight or emphasize the particular gift or strength of the College Minister for the best for the ministry?

Sometimes, ministries in transition from one leader to another struggle because they are changing not just the person who is the leader, but what their lead strength and emphasis is.

For those hiring a College Minister, the question is, Which lead strength/ability do you need/want? For the College Minister, the question is, How do I maximize the lead strength/gift I have?  And, is there one of these that is particularly weak that I need to work at some intentional development?

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

Connecting With Freshmen and High School Seniors.......Let's Talk

 A College Minister said this weekend he would like to give my book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, to all the freshmen who became involved in his ministry.

Let me make you the offer I made him.  The books sells for $6.99 at Amazon Books.(Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9)  I will sell you multiple copies for $5.00 each.  They will ship to you directly from Amazon.  It usually takes about two weeks following the order.

I wrote Tips as a result of speaking at or attending multiple Senior Sundays in churches where they would give their high school grads a book.  Of course, I would always look at the book.  Nine times out of ten, it was a book with lots of good information that I thought there was very little chance they would ever read. Many were apologetics centered or just super preachy and more like a textbook with lots of small print. And, there were no basic college survival information for the new Freshman.

So, I decided to write one I thought they would read and that would give them help in those crucial first couple of weeks.  It is my belief that many Freshmen damage or destroy their college career and walk away from their faith as a result of the first couple of weeks.

The tips are mostly one paragraph or three or four Bullet Points.  There is one section that each tip is literally one or two sentences with the name of the person who gave it out of their own experience.

So, HOW would you use "Tips"?  Here are some ways that some have used it or are considering:

-Give one to every freshman who gives you their contact information at Summer Freshmen Orientations.

-Offer it on-line to every student, parent, etc who will give their contact information and mail it to them.

-Mail a card to all the high school seniors names you have inviting them to stop by your Center or Table and get one.

-Give one to every Freshmen who signs up in advance for your Back-2-School Retreat.

-What is your best idea?

Here are some of the Tips:

-A Recipe for College Success

-The 5 Dumbest Mistakes Freshmen Make

-Why Should I Not Date a Non-Christian?

-Porn Is A Trap!

-Four Tips for Facing Doubt About Faith

-Reasons to Believe

-What if Your Professor is Not a Christian?

-Taking a Test

-I Messed Up Bad.....Real Bad!!!

-7 Red Flags in a Dating Relationship

-The Easiest Way to Pass a Class

-Tip #101 "If upperclassmen ask you to do the Milk Challenge, don't!"  C. J.

You get the idea.  So, email me, Facebook me, or text me, if you want to do something with "Tips".

Arliss, arlissdickerson@gmail.com  

Arliss' book A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV

10 Laws of College Ministry

 1.  It is not a club....it is about God. There are a ton of good things that need doing on campus and needs that college students have.  Yet, as we should be involved in many of these, we cannot lose sight of the main thing is drawing students to a relationship to Christ and growing that relationship is why we are there.  Don't let the good crowd out the most important or let it become secondary.

2.  Student Ownership is key in students committing to and investing in the ministry.  A healthy and vibrant ministry must be owned by the students.  In other words, they have some say in what is happening and are willing to invest of themselves in the ministry.  Beware of the dangers of a ministry where the students are just "regular visitors".

3.  The personality of the Campus Minister will shape the ministry both in strengths and weaknesses. The longer a Campus Minister leads a ministry the more it will reflect his or her personality. That must be a challenge to continue to grow personally and enlist, involve and set free those who can offset the weaknesses of the College Minister.  And the College Minister must identify and max out his or her strengths.

4.  Every campus has a unique personality which must be a factor in the shape of the ministry and that personality adjusts a little bit every year. We can never copy a successful ministry on another campus and transport it to our campus.  Obviously, there are guiding principles, but each ministry must be built and shaped around the type students on that campus, the rhythms, and schedule of that campus.

5.  The financial support of the ministry either limits or expands it.  It can be as simple as the food served after an event to the number of staff, etc.  A College Minister must give attention to developing the resources for that ministry.

6.  Student leadership is key in growing the ministry and reaching more students and a wider variety of students.  Strong and committed student leaders reach other students and expand the type of students that can be reached.  They also free the College Minister to do things only he or she can do.

7.  Times change...students, the campus, and the College Minister change....the ministry must adjust and adapt to those changes. As the College Minister ages he or she must adapt to the strengths/weaknesses of that age.  Events like Covid affect a campus and bring about change.  Class schedules change.  Continually tweaking of the ministry is a must.

8.  Partnerships matter (campus administrators, peers, churches, alumni).  The trust or lack of trust of campus administrators either opens or closes doors. Connection with ministry peers is essential for support and growth.  Church partnership affects financial support and a sending network.  Alumni can be key in sending students and funding the ministry.

9.  A specialized Freshmen Ministry and a well planned Fall Outreach are key components of a strong and growing ministry.  The first two weeks of the fall provides a window of opportunity in connecting with new students that will never be open again. Plus, freshmen have many needs and are more open to the Gospel than at any other point in their college career.

10. Regular One to One meetings with students is  the most transformative of any activity or event. Large group events can have impact into students' lives at various levels.  But, the most transformative thing we can do is to meet with students and talk about their questions, fears, concerns and put "Gospel Guidance" into their lives. Remember that large group events open the door to one to ones  

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is available at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and A College Ministry Success Formula is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

An Easter Outreach Idea for Next Year, Kevin Inman

 "10th Annual LaTegg Glow in the Dark Easter Egg Hunt"

Five local churches (Temple, First, Cooke, Calvary and Emmanuel) and BCM sponsor this evangelistic outreach at Louisiana Tech University.  The event kicks off with hot pancakes being cooked and served at 7:30 p.m.  Student leaders register and talk with students attending the event.  At 8:30 p.m. adorned with glow sticks and LED lights students hunt Easter eggs in the Louisiana Tech Quad.  Besides Easter eggs filled with candy, some eggs have slips of paper where students win gift cards to restaurants and coffee shops.  

Prizes are also won from those who register for the event.  After the egg hunt and before the winners of gift cards and grand prizes are given out, a student shares their personal testimony, and one of our college pastors shares the gospel after the prizes are given out.  The churches and BCM give out ice cream sandwiches and have Gospel Conversations with students.  One new student leader came up to me with a big smile on her face and said, "I was just able to start a Gospel conversation."  I asked her how it came about and she said, "I saw her sitting on a bench by herself with a sack of eggs she had found and so me and a friend went up to her and introduced ourselves and started a conversation."  They are going to meet up next week to continue their talk.  This leader is about 5 feet tall and weighs about 100 pounds, but her boldness in Christ to share His love is as big as a college football linebacker!  

Casey Cassidy, Temple; Chase Sanders, First; Mike Houston, Calvary; West Pierce, Cooke and Chris Campbell, Emmanuel are our great partners to reach our campus for Christ.  I so appreciate them and the hundreds of churches that sponsor BCM in Louisiana.

Kevin Inman, Baptist Collegiate Minister, Louisiana Tech University

Arliss Dickerson's book, A College Student's Guide to Spiritual Maturity, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0CXTCTNB1 and Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

LEAST Favorite Things Guest Speakers or Christian Personalities have Said to Me

 1. "I won't take the whole time."  These are the ones that would always go overtime at our Lunch Program where time was tight.

2.  "Don't worry I can make this talk relevant."  This was a guest speaker we had invited and paid to come do a certain topic and switched topics....yeah you know the rest of the story.

3.  "Call me back in 6 months."  For some years it was my privilege to be part of planning the National Collegiate Ministers Summit.  We usually scheduled our main speakers about a year in advance.  Two different times a well known Christian speaker would say, "That sounds really interesting, but I am only scheduling out six months in advance right now.  So, call me back in six months."  In six months that person says something like, "I've decided that's not the type event I'm going to focus my time on."

4. A speaker calls me and says, "I would love to be part of your ministry......I charge a thousand dollars a day."

5.  "I could never get peace about this talk."  Then they speak.....and you lose your peace.

6.  "How much time do I have left?"

7.  "I'm a preacher; if you wanted a speaker, you should have gone to radio shack."  

8.  The secretary of a well known Christian speaker called me and said, "Mr.____________asked me to call you and tell you he does not do breakout sessions."

9.  "Has anyone every told you that you look like Charles Stanley?"

A College Student's Guide to Spiritual Maturity Amazon.com/dp/B0CXTCTNB1 will go from its introductory price of $4.99 to regular price Friday, April 5.  Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

A College Student's Guide to Spiritual Maturity

 After the really good response we have had to Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades (Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9) some have said, "Why don't you do another student book."

So, let me tell you about A College Student's Guide to Spiritual Maturity which is now available at Amazon books Amazon.com/dp/B0CXTCTNB1 at the introductory price of $4.99.  After this, it will go to the regular price of $6.99.

The heart of the book is the Seven Steps in Spiritual Maturity:

Find and Commit to God's Will and Direction for Your Life

Be part of the Team.

Discover and Affirm Your Spiritual Gifts.

Make Good and Wise Decisions.

Be Wise in Your Friendships.

Be Intentional and Smart in Dating.

Accept Forgiveness and Develop Consistency.

As you can see, this is not a Apologetics book or a seminary text, but one aimed right at the everyday issues that either help a college student grow during college years or get them sidetracked. Each step is based around a scripture passage and closes with three or four questions for thought or discussion, if done in a group.

The second section is Some Questions Christian College Student Often Ask such as:

How should I respond to LGBTQ students and their beliefs?

How do I pick a major or a job?

How do I tell another person how to become a Christian

The third section is A Challenge.  The challenge is to invite 3 or 4 other students for a 3 week Bible study.  The 3 Topics are:

Are You Letting Excuses Keep You form Being All God Made You to Be?

Who Are You Trying to Please

Grow in Knowledge and Insight

Like anything I write it is meant to be super practical and brief.  It can be used individually or in a small group study and discussion.  I hope you will check it out and I welcome your feedback.  You would do me a kindness to post an honest review on the Amazon site.

MORE on LARGE Bible Study/Worship Events by Beverly Skinner

 My two previous Blog articles, "Recipe for LARGE College Ministries" and "What about LARGE College Ministries, Baptists, and the Future?" have generated some good discussion.  I mentioned really large worship events built around a dynamic speaker.  The two prime examples many long time college ministry pros remember were Breakaway at Texas A&M with Greg Matte and Choice at Baylor with Louie Giglio. I believe that the "first" of these super large week night Bible study/Worship events was when Dan Yeary was the College Minister/Speaker at First Baptist, Lubbock in the 70's.

Beverly Parrish Skinner was a student at Baylor when Louie Giglio was leading CHOICE and was a Campus Minister at Texas A&M when Gregg Matte was leading Breakaway.   As a result, she has good insight into them and how they relate to campus ministries like BCM.

From Beverly:

Those two ministries were/are very different than what most of us leading BCM are doing.  The only focus of those two ministries was their weekly Bible study.  They weren't trying to do weekly discipleship, missions, or really even student leadership development.  They may have had some of those things, but on a very small scale and it was never intended to include all of the students who attended their ministry.  When I was there, Breakaway hosted a ministries fair every fall to encourage students to get involved in a church and/or campus ministry because they needed more than they would get at Breakaway. (Gregg was a great partner to all of the campus ministries.)  It is much more challenging to grow a large ministry when your focus is on much more than a once-a-week Bible study.  I totally agree with the primary premise though.....it is largely dependent on staff and funding!  

The only way we will reach large campuses.....really any campus....is with staff (or volunteers) who are wholly focused on that campus.

Beverly Parrish Skinner, College Ministry Catalyst, Georgia Baptist Mission Board

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and A College Student's Guide to Spiritual Maturity is at Amazon.com/dp/B0CXTCTNB1.

What About LARGE College Ministries, Baptists and the Future?

In my previous blog article, I wrote of the different factors or keys in having a LARGE college ministry. While Southern Baptists have some really LARGE campus based ministries, many  of the LARGE ministries tend to be non-denominational with large staffs or a local church ministry. Both the non-denominational and church ministries usually have large staffs and significant funding. So, where do Southern Baptists fall in all of this and what is our future?

 1.  Most  Baptist Collegiate Ministry staffs are made up of 1-3 people. Really large ministries usually have 10-25 staffers.  Many or all of these larger ministry staff people raise their own salaries, which is not widely done in Baptist circles, although it is gaining more acceptance. If we want more LARGE ministries, we must staff for a LARGE ministry. 

2.  Southern Baptists have generally leaned toward having staff on as many four year campuses as possible.  Non-denominational ministries usually target campuses such as larger schools or what are termed flag-ship campuses. Should Baptists target some campuses with larger staffs or continue to be on as many campuses as possible?

3.  BCM Campus Ministers are usually not as entrepreneurial in approach as many non-denominational Campus Ministers.  This is related at least partly to working with and for a variety of churches that may have different views as to what is acceptable and not acceptable.  This is changing in some states as their BCM Campus Ministers are doing annual fund raising banquets.

4.  Some believe that having the name Baptist in the ministry name tends to serve as an unintended exclusion to non-Baptists.  Plus, today's generation is increasingly leery of denominations.  Baptist ministries outside the south usually operate under more generic names that do not have Baptist in the title.  What are the pros and cons of the names such as Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Baptist Student Union, Baptist Student Ministries, etc?

As some believe that Southern Baptist giving and funding will steadily decrease due to the loss of the older "tithing generation" and disgust with denominational politics grows, what are some options?  Here are some thoughts in no order.  None are perfect!

1.  Target certain campuses and focus resources.  The targeted campuses could be the flag-ship campuses or ones where the ministry has been traditionally strong and there are not lots of ministries either on campus or in local churches.

2.  Hire veteran, experienced College Ministers (and pay them good salaries) that would supervise a large number of "Intern types" that would work on a number of campuses.  Obviously, these "Intern Types" work cheaper. These veteran pros would train, supervise, and develop a blueprint for each ministry.

3.  Adopt "The Virginia Model".  Instead of cutting positions, keep all the current positions at a reduced salary and allow them to raise a portion of their salary which would be livable and keep experienced veterans on the job. The State Baptist Convention of Virginia pays their Campus Ministers a salary and requires them to raise a percentage of their salary.

What are you giving high school seniors or incoming freshmen? Check out Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.  

Recipe for a LARGE College Ministry?

 What is the guaranteed recipe for a really large college ministry?  First of all, there are not many really large college ministries as some people think.  The simple answer is, it is a movement of God and I believe that, but I also know God works through and uses our efforts and situations.

So, WHAT are some characteristics of really large ministries?

-There was a Methodist campus ministry a few years ago that averaged 1500 at their large group event.  Over simply put, they had about a hundred (seriously) one year interns and then some more permanent staff layers above that.  If each intern connect to and involved just 15 students, that is 1500.

1. The size of staff is likely the NUMBER ONE factor in a really large ministry. It is not unusual at all for larger ministries to have 10-20 staff members, either full time one year types, part time students, etc, etc.

Of course, everyone  in college ministry knows the story of the really large crowds at the Breakaway ministry at Texas A&M.  Gregg Matte and others have been the speakers for this event.

2.  An outstanding speaker is the quickest factor that leads to big growth.  The easiest example of this is Louie Giglio and his story at Baylor which was then emulated by Matte at Texas A&M.  Unfortunately, many of these ministries do not maintain that size and response when that speaker leaves.  And, let's face it, there are not that many GIFTED speakers.

-I have a college ministry friend who gets $50,000 checks from alums.  That is crazy right??  He can do some things most ministries cannot do.

3.  Money/Budget is an obvious factor in the size of a ministry.  It shows itself in events, staff size, extras, etc.  Money does not make a ministry, but it sure helps shape it and its hard to have much ministry with out money.

-The first 2-3 weeks of a freshman's college career often defines their whole college career.  The friends/connections they make, the habits they develop etc are huge.

4.  Outstanding, well organized freshmen events at the start of school and on-going Freshmen ministry.  The start of the fall term is just a window that never repeats itself and the really large make the most of it in every way.  And, there usually goes that budget thing again.  But, planning and effort can cover lots of ground.

-Being the IT MINISTRY on campus.  There may be multiple ministries but one is sometimes just known better and seems to stand out.  Everything is compared to it or loses luster in comparison.

5.  Long term leadership and tradition are often the keys to being the IT MINISTRY.  The lead College Minister is a veteran who knows what to do and has made a place with the college administration and has won the trust and cooperation of pastors in the area.  AND, alums give financially and point students that direction.

-"The band is better at......" is my least favorite statement in college ministry.  

6.  While the quality of the worship/music is definitely a factor in a large ministry, I do NOT believe music alone will sustain and grow a large college ministry.

7. Large ministries make student leadership recruiting and development a HIGH priority and give them major responsibility. Students reach students College Ministers cannot and it allows the College Minister(s) to focus on things that the pros need to do.  Plus, one of our tasks is developing leaders for the church of the future.

Reaching a large number of college students requires there are a LARGE number of students.

8.  Almost all really large college ministries are on a large campus or a metro area with multiple colleges.  A ministry may be large in terms of the number it is reaching on a small campus.  Don't let that attendance number make you crazy.  Put it in perspective!

Are you depressed that none of these describe your situation?  Here is the deal: Pick one or two of these and focus on addressing it. There is a WHOLE LOT of great space between "Not much happening" and "Really large".  And we need a whole lot of ministries there!

What are you giving high school seniors or to incoming freshmen who will give you their contact information?  Check out Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

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Do You Use Texting to Your Advantage?

 Two BIG facts on Texting:

90% of Text Messages are opened and read within 3 minutes.

45% of Text Messages get a reply.

Are you using texting to your advantage?  Do you text students individually and do you send out mass texts? 

I have previously quoted one College Minister who is an excellent speaker as saying, "You should spend as much time texting students inviting them to come as you do preparing your message."

However, text messages should not just be promotional or "come to this".  Text that student that you prayed for their situation and let them know.  Text that student who is struggling with a class.  Text that student that you know that just had something really good happen to them.  

By the way, texting a pastor or two and encouraging them on a Monday is never a bad idea. 

But, I am STILL also a Postcard fan for writing incoming freshmen also.  Parents usually collect the mail and see the postcard.  Parents can be a good ally and encourager for them to connect to your ministry.  Also, it does not hurt for church members and leaders to see you reaching out to their son or daughter. Also, a thank you card to the person from a church that organized your last food event is always a good idea.

You can text me and tell me.......here is a great Blog idea or why do you write such drivel.

Tips for College Freshmen is at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9  and is used by different college ministries as a gift to those who will give their contact information at Orientations or sign up for a Freshmen Retreat or Survival event.

My Annual Spring College Ministry Announcement

 Wait for it.....here it comes.......it is time to try IT!  What is IT?

It is that thing that you always wanted to try, change, or do in your ministry, but just believed it would not work, could not be done, etc, etc. From now until School is out is the time to try it.

The most likely experiment is with your large group worship event.

-Try a different time.

-Try a different night.

-Try a different place.

-Try a different format.

-Try a different speaker.

It doesn't have to be all of these.  It could be just one or two.

It does not have to be your large group worship event.  What is ONE Experiment you need to try? After Spring Break is the perfect time. Maybe your students have always wanted to do it and you just think it is a bad idea.  But, they really want to try it.  If it does not risk killing the ministry....what about it?

What about your church’s College Sunday School? Different approach, place, breakfast, all student led, divided by classes, guys and gals?

Why now?  If it works, it gives you time to learn from it, plan, and adjust it for the fall.

Think hard.....what is something you should try?  WARNING:  If it is real way out there, get your supervisor in on it and bought in.

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?  I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."  Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)

What is your church giving its high school graduates or what is your ministry giving to new Freshmen at summer orientations?  Check out Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

Some Things Effective College Ministers Do

They keep looking at how others do it and learning new things.

They are students of their campus and they realize it changes a little bit every year.

They do not make wholesale changes to their ministry every year, rather they tweak and adjust as needed. 

They know their strengths/gifts and weaknesses.  They maximize their strengths and enlist and allow others to lead out and fill in those areas where they are not gifted.

They are grateful to others and express it.

They realize they have to raise some money.

They understand that administrating is part of the job and that when it is done well, it multiplies their ministry.

They realize that God is always at work and doing more than they realize.

They realize their strengths/gifts may adjust and vary some through the years and they adjust accordingly.  God highlights different gifts in different seasons.

They are wise to the seasons on the campus and the needs and tasks for those different seasons.

They realize God's kingdom is bigger than they are and try to benefit college ministry as a whole both locally and beyond.

They do not cheat their family timewise, but work at family as seriously as their ministry.

They try to nurture those younger in college ministry than they are.

They realize that they should not do everything themselves, but never ask students to do something they are not willing to do.  AND, no job is beneath them!

Arliss' books, A 3 Part College Ministry, Fixing a Broken College Ministry, and Reaching MORE College Students will all go up in price on Friday, March 8.  Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

Book Prices are Going Up

 Fixing a Broken College Ministry, Reaching MORE College Students and A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula are currently $5.75 each at Amazon.

As of March 7th, those books will increase in price to $6.99 each.  So, now is the time to buy, especially if you are buying multiple copies to give to Interns, new leaders, volunteers, etc.

You can click here:

Fixing a Broken College Ministry Amazon.com/dp/1521876665

Reaching MORE College Students Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN

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

Blessings to you! Keep on.

Arliss

This One Trait Benefits EVERY Ministry!

 Some College Ministers are All-Stars in some ability.....then there is the rest of us!  I had a friend that was such a gifted athlete, he would go to the gym and get in a pick up basketball game and everybody wanted to introduce themselves and be on his team.  I had a handsome Associate once who would strum his guitar once in a song and everybody talked about what a great worship leader he was.  But, there was that handsome thing. Some are the kind of speakers that get invited to speak for every D-Now within 500 miles.

But, what about the rest of us?

CONSISTENCY is the answer!  Be where you say you will be. Be on time for meetings.  Return phone calls that day.  When you tell a student you will pray for them....pray for them. Check back later to see how that issue is going.

Show up for work EVERY day, on time and do what you came to do.  I was speaking for a College Minister Workshop one time and the person introducing me said, "Our speaker has the gift of stating the obvious."  I was not sure how he meant it.  But I decided to take it as a compliment.  Somebody has to state the obvious....again and again, it seems.  Somebody has to do the obvious again.....again.....and again.

College Ministry is hard EVERY day work. Students will let you down.  The school will schedule some big event at the same time as your event. The weather gets in the way. Tornadoes happen in the middle of your worship event.  What do you do?  You keep doing what you know to do.  It is called Consistency. People send students to a ministry because they know what happens there.  It is called Consistency.

How do you build a ministry?  You put one week on top of another week on top of another month, on top of another year. And, you keep stating the obvious.....God loves you, and wants to have a relationship with you.  And, he can forgive those stupid mistakes you made. You keep saying crazy things like, "I believe in you, your potential and that God can use you. That is called CONSISTENCY.

Why does it take 3 years to really establish a ministry? You have to put one week, one month, and one year on top of each other in a consistent manner.

So, what do you do, if you like me, are not especially good or gifted at anything?  Keep being and doing what God called you do.  Show up everyday and work at it like yesterday and like tomorrow.  It is called consistency.  

"Therefore my dear brothers, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor is not in vain."  I Corinthians 1:58

Check out A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV; Almost Everything About College Ministry, Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX and Tips for College Freshmen at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

MORE On College Ministry Trends

 There was lots of passing around of my Blog article, "6 Recent Trends in College Ministry" and some good comments in regard to what others are seeing in different areas.  I would love to hear more of what trends....good and bad....you see out there in college ministry.  Here are a few observations from around the country.

 Chris Julian, IMB College Minister:  Per your last point:  "Fewer Young Adults Called to Ministry are Open to College Ministry" I know of 3 churches in the Memphis area who are having a difficult time finding someone for their student ministries.  Thus, young adult/collegiate ministries bears a brunt.

Gary Stidham, Texas BSM and Southwestern Seminary College Ministry Professor:  Many of these changes have both downside and upsides.  Oh the times they are a changin!.  There is still great collegiate ministry happening all around the country.  It's just taking different forms - and those forms are currently in major flux. I'm optimistic not because I think every shift is positive but because I believe in the mission of college ministry and the power of God's Spirit working through God's people!

Adam Venters is the BCM Campus Minister at South Carolina.  (1)  I think the terminology changes have been a pretty significant trend.  People want to know what it is they are going to.  I haven't found that us calling our Tuesday Night "Worship" gathering a hinderance for people that get invited by friends.  (2)  Personal invites are more important than ever.  I think you need promotional strategies, fliers, etc.  But, less and less students are just randomly showing up.  But I find a great openness to people coming and trying out the services, if they are invited by someone that they have some familiarity.  (3)  I think BCM has always had an advantage over other ministries because of the massive amount of church collaboration and support that they have.  I think in SBC life the focus for the college campus needs to be recaptured in many areas.  (4)  I am thankful for my churches.  All 167 of them.  Not all of them serve, partner or give in the same way.  But Carolina BCM is better because of them and not just one of them.  (5)  There are very few churches that can sustain a college only focused ministry.  Usually the jobs get torn with Young Adults, Missions, Rec, something else.  Very few churches that I know have a college only minister.

Daniel Johnson, BCM Campus Minister at the University of Kentucky.  We are seeing great success on the smaller campus, where anything offered is a significant draw.  We are seeing our students want to be able to address hard topics, but also want the main gathering to be a place where they could feel comfortable inviting their first-time friends

Eric Reiber, Campus Minister, Penn State.  Ministries on smaller campuses seem to be thriving up here too.  They are the only game in town and a lot of students connect just because they are looking for social things to do.  It's an easy first invite.  The battle is there are not a lot of healthy churches in some of these smaller towns that host these campuses. This is not across the board by an any means, but sometimes we are looking to get a missionary there and they have to connect to a church further away.  Church planting would be cool, but it's not the town that church planting networks are super hyped about.

James Touchton, former Protestant Chaplain, Ithaca College - I would push back a bit on #4.  Seen as a model by whom?  By students - maybe.  Students naturally want to feel supported and numbers at their Christian fellowships on campus make them feel less alone and encouraged.  But by those actually in ministry?  I seeing more emphasis on decentralized models where there is a focus on contextualizing the ministry such that there are smaller, "affinity groups" like ethnic-specific or field of study oriented or interest-based small groups where students encounter God through Scripture and community.  I also wonder how much area of the country makes a difference.  Most Christian students around here expect to be in the minority so they tend to prefer smaller, more connected community groups than they do larger gatherings that tend to be more performance-oriented and often rather shallow in content.

Jerome Stockert, BCM Campus Minister, Central Missouri State University.  We don't exhibit or see all of these in my area.  Our greatest spiritual fruit is occurring in small group contexts.  Where scripture and community is paramount.  We only do one large group a week and centered around a meal.  We focus on hospitality and out of that we share the gospel.  We work hard in initiating connections and  establishing relationships, gospel appointments, discipleship and mentoring, and leadership development.

Check out Almost Everything About College Ministry Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Tips for College Freshmen Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9

6 Recent Trends in College Ministry

 Trends come and go in everything, including college ministry.  Here are some things I see as current trends.  Of course, trends vary by region as well.

1.  Terminology changes - Campus based College Ministers now often refer to their weekly large group event as a Worship Service. Some years ago that was a killer on campus.  It was "Encounter" or "The Thing".  College Ministers now speak of their "sermon" and "preaching".  They used to be called "talks" or "Large Group Bible Studies".  Some use the term, "Campus Pastor".

2.  Students seem to want to be spoken to more than to lead out in campus worship events. - Formally, students did drama, testimonies, panels, The good of this trend is students get more solid content spoken into their lives.  The negative in this is that it lends itself toward developing more of a consumer mindset about faith and church.  

3.  There are continues to be more cuts in college ministry positions - As church offerings level off or decline, Baptist denominational Execs believe that they must learn to get by on less and so cut back in paid staff.  College ministry almost always suffers in these instances.

4.  Large church college ministries are seen by many as a model - The good in this is that more churches are being serious about trying to minister to the campus in their town.  The negative in this is that they are trying to model what is often being done by mega churches with large college ministry staffs and/or a large number of paid Interns.

5.  Campus based college ministry budgets are swinging from church supported to individual donor supported - Formally, campus based college ministries were almost totally supported by monthly gifts from area churches with some alumni giving to special projects.  Many of these churches were smaller churches who are seeing their membership age out and cannot continue to give. Or, larger churches that were giving move their money more to their own college ministry.  Alumni and other interested individuals are now giving a significant portion of the continuing operating budget.  The positive of this is that the ministries are not as affected by "denominational politics".  The negative side of this is the College Minister may have to spend more time doing "development work" but still be responsive to the priorities and concerns of the area churches.

6.  Fewer young adults called to ministry are open to doing college ministry - There are two factors in this.  First, the strong emphasis on church planting overwhelms all other voices and the word is out that there are fewer college ministry positions available, so why even look.

What trends do YOU see where you serve....good, bad, or just different?

Arliss Dickerson's book, Almost Everything About College Ministry, is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX and Tips for College Freshmen is at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.

The BE-Attitudes of a College Minister

 1.  Be Intentional - Have a plan for the ministry and be working that plan.

2.  Be Grateful - No ministry succeeds to any degree without help from others.  Write thank you's and let people know you appreciate them.

3.  Be Prompt about Returning Messages - Even when the message does not need a response, a quick "thanks" or "Ok" lets them know you got the message.

4.  Be in Contact with Alumni - You can encourage them and they can help the ministry.  What if all your alums were praying for you and the ministry?  As church giving declines, they can be a huge factor.

5.  Be  Evaluating - Every year can teach us something.  Every event can remind us of something.

6.  Be Tweaking - Make small adjustments as needed and you will not need total overhaul every four or five years.

7.  Be Aware YOU  are the Most Significant Tool of the Ministry - Your personality, abilities, relationships, and knowledge will shape the ministry. In my book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula (Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV) I list the 5 ingredients and the College Minister is #1.

8.  Be Aware that Student Leaders are Volunteers - Express your gratitude to them in word and deed.

9.  Be a Witness - Let your words, actions, and attitudes be a witness to the reality of Jesus not only to the students in your ministry, but to the whole.

10.  Be a Friend - Friends are a huge part of emotional health.   To have friends; be a friend.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/B08CMD9CXX.

College Minister Salaries

 I recently posted this statement on Facebook.

"One of the concerns being expressed in college ministry circles is that Baptist Conventions are now only willing to pay "entry level salaries."  Yet, most large college ministries are led by older, experienced veterans.  It takes time to win the respect of the administrators and develop an alumni network. ( I would add to that, and to develop the respect of churches, pastors, and community leaders.)

Many campus Baptist ministries now receive a significant  part or even the majority of their budget funding from individuals rather than churches.

Plus, we need the wise and experienced veterans to mentor the newbies."

I wanted to share some of the responses I got from those with years of experience in college ministry and funding for college ministry.

Brenda Crim, who has served in several states and now is in Alaska, said, Our fundraising training tells us that missionaries' funding is 85% individual giving and 15% church support.  Additionally, 17% of individual givers need to be replaced each year."

Gary Stidham, who serves in Baptist Campus Ministry in Texas and teaches College Ministry at Southwestern Seminary said, "Yes inadequate salaries  for campus directors is a big issue.  I interviewed a bunch of collegiate ministry leaders this summer, both inside and outside of Baptist life.  The tenure and temperament of the of the campus director was the most common factor in success - they were entrepreneurial with a long tenure.  Because of that, some of the best campus ministry in Baptist life is done by those who raise their support, since it rewards those with an entrepreneurial bent!

We have a hybrid model in Texas with support from the convention along side many support raising staff.  Interestingly, many churches love their people being able to give both ways, and having great local ministries has become a point of pride for them.  It's often the denominational leadership, not the churches, that are averse to staff raising support."

Chris Julian, IMB Missionary who has done college ministry in Brazil and Canada said, "The impact these ministries have reach far beyond the local campus.  We have used dozens of collegiate teams in Brasil and Canada, 33 Hands On semester students and more.  Campus ministries impact the world.  These ministers are missionaries."

Many outside of college ministry circles do not realize all the mission teams, Summer Missionaries, and other short term missionaries that come from and through local Baptist campuses based ministries.

Let's learn from one of the impacts of the frequent turnover of Youth Ministers.  Those that study and write on the loss of high school youth to church involvement indicate that one factor is the frequent turnover of Youth Ministers in local churches.  If College Minister salaries are "entry level" then we will see more frequent turnover in local campus based College Ministers.  As families grow and children need braces and college tuition, etc, these men and women will be forced out of campus based college ministry.

Cutting college ministries positions means reaching fewer college students and we need to understand that not paying adequate salaries for people to stay long term reaches fewer college students.  

If we want strong, effective, and yes, large college ministries, we must be willing to invest in those doing it and allow them to stay long term.  Does that mean better funding, allowing them to raise some of their salary or what?  Let's have those discussions.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is available at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

The WHY and WHAT of Freshmen Ministry

THE WHY:

    1.  If your ministry is about helping those students in need, Freshmen are at the top of that list.

    2.  Freshmen are the most reachable and available of all students.

THE WHAT:

    Issues and Freshmen Concerns and Questions:

    1.  They are looking for friends.

   

    2.  They are looking for fun.

    3.  Survival Issues are paramount in their concerns.

    4.  They want and need healthy community.

    5.  Many are looking for healthy role models or mentors.

    6.  Many Christian students are dealing with questions and doubts about faith for the first time.

THE URGENCY:

    Many, if not most, have set their relationships, patterns, and habits by the end of the first two or three weeks.

 Freshmen Family Groups

    A Freshmen Family Group is built around community and some basic survival information with scripture as the basis.   It allows for students of a variety of faith levels to be part of it.  An upperclass leader who is committed to the Lord and relational is a must.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

As a College Minister do You Have IT?

I heard a football coach describe his quarterback and he said, "He has IT."  

In college ministry, some assume that IT is charisma.  They are a great speaker and have that personality everyone wants to follow.  But, I am convinced that is not the IT Factor in college ministry.  The IT Factor in college ministry is Respect.

What makes college students follow someone over the long haul....work hard at their direction as a volunteer and even take constructive criticism from them? They respect them as much or even more than they like them.  There is a tragic trap it is easy to fall into and that is the trap of wanting students to "like us".  Of course, we do not want to be disliked.  But, if your goal is to be liked, you may forfeit the IT Factor of Respect.

Respect is earned.....Here are some ways:

1.  Time - Students have to see you live out who you are.  There is a eason that almost all of the large college ministries have a long time leader in place.  That person has been there long enough to earn respect....from students, supporters, the campus, etc.

2.  Don't just be one of the gang. Students have lots of buddies.  You are not called or paid to be one of their buddies.  You are to be a friend who has a different life perspective.  A buddy will not tell another buddy something they need to hear, but do not want to hear.  It might stop them from being buddies.  As God's person, you must sometimes say things to students they do not want to hear.

3.  Understand some will leave.  A person of respect stands on principle and sometimes it will cause students to leave your ministry.  That never stops being painful.  There are certain things you and your ministry are committed to, whether it is popular or not.  But, being principled and hard headed are not the same thing.  Make sure your recognize the difference.

4.  Stop trying to impress students.  Be you!  They know you are not 21....don't try to act like it.  College Ministers who try to hide their age or act younger do not fool anyone.

Things College Ministers with the IT Factor do:

1.  Encourage.

2.  Affirm gifts, abilities, and potential.

3.  Give feedback.

4.  Develop and train.

5.  Express God’s forgiveness to those who need it.

Never settle for just being liked!

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

Being Intentional About Developing Student Leaders

 Recently, I have read different College Ministers listing their core practices in their ministry.  I have not disagreed with anything I have seen listed.  What I have disagreed with is.....some have not mentioned developing student leaders as part of their core practices. I believe that has to be central in our ministry

5 Keys in Developing Student Leaders in College Ministry:

1.  Intentionality - We must continually be looking for students with potential to lead and be very intentional in developing and building them up.  It does not happen by accident on a regular basis.

2.  Training - Two common reasons student leaders fail are:

        -They had no real clear clue as to what they were to do.

        -They had to idea how to do it.

    When we recruit or enlist a student leader for a formal leadership role, we have to tell them clearly what that job involves and what it will take to do it. 

3.  Giving Responsibility - There is such a fine line between a leader feeling they have been deserted and too much input from someone else.  We must give responsibility, but let them serve in it...but....not feel alone or left to hang out to dry.

4.  Continual Coaching -  Part of the learning and growing process as a leader is positive evaluation of what is happening.  There is a difference in criticism and helping someone learn from their experiences.  Why did something work?  Why did something not work?

5.  Affirmation - Possibly the most important part of continual coaching is AFFIRMATION.  First, affirmation is key in someone being willing to attempt a leadership role.  We let them know we believe they have the ability to do it. And, we continually express appreciation for their efforts.  We express to them what we see in them and challenge them to be their best and how God can use them not just now, but in the future.

"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

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

When People Badmouth YOU and Your Ministry.....REMEMBER....

 When people badmouth you and your ministry, remember what they said about the Apostle Paul.

"in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing."  II Corinthians 10:10

His ministry turned out pretty well.....hang in there!

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

Biblical Basis for College Ministry??

Someone said to me once, "I don't see college ministry in the Bible."  I think his point was that the Bible talks about the church.  I don't see church vans in the Bible either.

I see lots of things in the Bible that college ministry is all about.

-Jesus preached to and taught large crowds made up of both true followers and the merely curious.

-Jesus invested deeply in a few for leadership.

-Jesus went to and connected to a wide variety of people.

-Paul engaged people of the intellectual community in open discussion.

-Some whom Jesus helped turned away.

-Jesus said, "go and make disciples of all nations."  College ministries are reaching out to the 848,000 International students in the U.S. and sending student missionaries all over the world.

-Jesus fed the 5,000.  This was obviously the first college ministry Lunch/Supper program.  Notice that only a few cleaned up after it was over....that has continued to be true through the years.

I will leave it up to you to find church vans in the Bible.

Arliss Dickerson's book, A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula, is available at amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

 

Never Forget "The 4 Laws of Announcements"

 1.  Make no more than 4 announcements.  The more you announce, the less people hear.

2.  The person making the announcements should understand the announcements.

3.  A first time attendee should be able to understand the announcements (they are not inside lingo).

4.  The announcements should not take too much time and become the main event or take away from the main purpose.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

When do you CANCEL a college ministry event?

 Where I live, we are having ugly weather with single digit temps and snow on the ground.  School is starting or has already started at different colleges.

So, when do you cancel and when do you have your college ministry event when there is bad weather?

What if classes are canceled?  I have had the experience of classes being canceled and by evening time, the sun had been out and the roads were totally clear.  So, we had our event.  It was not even close to being a tough call. Other times, it was a close call.  Plus, we know that usually when it is snowing and classes are canceled, students are out sledding, having snowball fights and just enjoying life.

What if classes are canceled and a student is injured or even killed in an accident coming to your event? Would you feel any sense of responsibility?  Would there be grounds for a lawsuit by a family saying that your ministry ignored the conditions because the campus had canceled classes? I don't know the answer to that.

During my tenure as a Church University Minister, our church had the policy that if the local public schools canceled classes for that day and it was a Wednesday that our church activities were automatically canceled.  Even though, there were days it was fine by that evening, I was not told, but  later decided, that I should go with the overall church policy for a variety of reasons. If you are a Church College Minister, does your church have a policy?  Can you do otherwise, if you choose?  Should you?

Is there a difference in telling "on campus students" to come and "off campus students" to come to a campus event? On campus students are out going to the cafeteria, even if classes are canceled and many campuses do an excellent job of clearing sidewalks.  While, that might not be true of the road conditions. 

So, do I have a magic answer?  NO!  My point is to give some thought to your decision and perhaps how to issue the invitation, if you are having something in bad weather.  Should it be, "IF you are living on campus, we will have.....?" Or, “If you live in town where the roads are clearing….”

One other word:  For your protection and help, I would make sure my supervisor was clued into my decision and on board with it. 

Arliss Dickerson's book Tips for College Freshmen:124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.  A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV

5 Ideas to Reach More College Students

 1.  Every Ministry Team adopt one campus group.  If your ministry has five teams or leaders, ask each one to adopt one campus group of their choosing.  It could be the band, a dorm, a Greek group, the Spanish Club, etc.  They are just to relate to them, pray for them, etc.

2.  Pick one campus group each week that your ministry will do something for them.  Take Brownies to a sorority before their weekly meeting.  Take the leftovers from your weekly Lunch Program to a fraternity.  Pick an under supported team on your campus and go to one of their events with signs and yell for them. What if every team took a cake to one campus group each week?

3.  Add a team or leader that has no other purpose but to be relating to different groups on campus.  They could do any or all of the above.

4.  Every week in your team leader meeting (either group or one to one) pray for a different group on campus.  Let them know that you prayed for them.

5.  As the leader of the ministry, walk across the campus and through the Student Center every day and try to meet someone new or stick your head into an office an introduce yourself to someone.

From Reaching MORE Amazon.com/dp/B0BMW8NPMN.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades is at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

3 Toughest Jobs for College Ministers #3

A veteran College Minister said his three toughest jobs were supervision, networking, and administration.

Most College Ministers would say their toughest job is administration, I think.  Most tend to be people extrovert types and "paperwork" is not their thing.  But, I think one of the keys it to realize that good administration reaches more students.

All of us want to lead a ministry that is larger than our personal ministry.  Every College Minister can only meet with so many students, plan so many events, and speak at a certain number of events.  It is administration that multiplies that.  Part of doing administration well is realizing that it is a multiplier of your ministry.

The Simplest Key to doing administration well is to have set times to do it.  My set times were Tuesday morning and Friday afternoon.  For some reason, Tuesday morning was slower on my campus and Friday afternoon students were leaning hard into the weekend and wanted nothing to do with me unless we had an event or they had an emergency.  Friday afternoon was "clear my desk day" which made Mondays better.

When we do not have a set time to do reports, respond to letters, etc, we tend to do it in much more of a slap dash kind of way.  Having time set aside tends to help us think and focus more.

A high priority for me has always been meeting with students one to one....especially our student leaders.  I learned if I grouped those individual meetings as much as possible, that freed up some time that worked well for administering and I did better in those one to one times.

So, what do you do during administration times?  Required reports and budget planning is always a part of these times.  Another part is writing thank you notes and letters.  One rule was, "a check from an individual cannot be deposited until the thank you letter has been written."  Planning and thinking are other key components of this time.  What is going to happen next month?  Why is our attendance up or down?  Thinking time is often in short supply.

Thinking about reports rather than just dashing them off usually produces a better report. Remember, a good report not only goes to your supervisor, but gives your supervisor more ammunition to represent or even defend you well, if and when that is needed.

Don't forget:  Good administration multiplies your ministry!  And, remembering that can change your mindset about it.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and A 3 Part College Ministry Success Formula is at Amazon.com/dp/B0BZ6Q7HSV.

3 Toughest Jobs for College Ministers #2

 A college ministry veteran said to me that his three toughest jobs were supervision, networking and administration.

Networking:

We must network for 2 reasons:

    1.  Our own personal health - One of the greatest killers of College Ministers if feeling alone and that no one else cares.  And, dumping all our frustrations on our spouse is harmful to them and the relationship as a whole.  It is hugely important that we connect with others who have the same calling and know what it is to put your heart and soul into something and see not much response.  Or, that you and your ministry are not even treated with respect.  I would not have survived my tenth year in college ministry if it were not for a friend/mentor in another state who would call me and just listen.  He helped save me, my ministry and my marriage.

    2.  Growing our ministry and our personal skills - We need two types of relationships.  We need peers, those who are at a similar stage as we are and we need mentors, those that are ahead of us in understanding and knowledge.  Several years ago, we had a seminar at a college event that invited any College Minister who would like a mentor to show up.  The room was packed!  We don't have to learn everything about college ministry the hard way.  Take advantage of those who are going down the same roads as you or have already been down those roads.....and survived!

How to Network:

One of my personal favorites is the National Collegiate Ministries Summit which is meeting in Memphis in May this year.  This is not a plug...just telling you the truth.  One reason it is a favorite is I believe that it is big time important that we connect with people from other states or regions.  In my getting to travel around the country and seeing different ministries, I have learned that different states and areas have a little different take on some methods and approaches.  When we connect to them, it broadens our own view.  Also, I don't think we will usually be best buddies with those we see things differently than, BUT, I think where possible we need to have some connection to those folks because they will challenge our thinking and presuppositions.  

I have a college ministry friend who is much more intellectual than me.  He tells me about books he is reading.  Out of those, I pick one or two that I would not have known about.  I have a crazy hyper college ministry friend who does more things in a month than I have ever done.  He challenges me to think on that side of college ministry.

Things to remember in networking:

-Someone does not have to be famous to know something you do not know.

-You need friends in college ministry who are older and younger than you are.  Different age categories see and understand things differently.

-You need to be intentional in networking to share what you know and particularly looking for those younger or newer in college ministry you might encourage.

Next is #3 Administration.

Arliss Dickerson's book, Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9 and Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX.

3 Toughest Jobs for College Ministers #1

 A college ministry veteran said to me a while back, "My 3 toughest jobs are Supervision, Networking, and Administration.  

Here is my quick response to Supervision:

I agree this is often a weak spot I see in college ministry situations with more than one staffer, particularly when there are young, inexperienced interns or others brand new to full time ministry.  One College Minister who had just gotten a new Assistant said, "I am going to treat them like a professional and tell them to just go do what needs doing."  Here is the problem with that approach, they often do not know what most needs doing and they often have no clue how to do it.

Supervising someone is not a put down.  It should be our attempt to help them be the best version of themselves and the most effective they can be. Mentoring young College Ministers is one of the most important things we can do.

1.  Spell out clear expectations and job responsibilities.  What is priority and what is not?  Working hard and caring is usually not the problem for those just starting in ministry.  The problem is investing the time and energy in the ways that are most productive and necessary.

2.  Give immediate and clear feed back in the beginning.  What are they doing right?  What are they doing wrong?  Always, always give credit for effort.  Share little pointers you learned the hard way.  Not only is the first 2-3 weeks of the fall the most important in shaping the ministry for the year, it is also the most important in their learning to be a successful and fulfilled College Minister.

3.  Make sure they know it is never wrong to come and ask questions.  It is important they see you as a friend....with authority....not someone who is hoping to catch them messing up.

4.  Warn them of some of the obvious pitfalls in ministry.  Help them know the importance of how they do opposite sex meetings, how a few students will monopolize their time, students who might want to date them, choosing to be just a buddy, etc, etc.

4.  Have weekly meetings.  Discuss the ministry, what is going well, etc.  But, give them opportunity to express their feelings, concerns, etc.  For young fresh out of college Assistants, I have learned it is usually helpful, at least in the beginning, to give them some specific tasks that need to be done that week

Next:  Toughest Issue #2:  Networking

Arliss Dickerson's book, Almost Everything About College Ministry is at Amazon.com/dp/B08CMD9CXX and is marked down to $9.85 this week