I am currently serving as the Interim College Minister at my church. We are now starting our fourth week of the fall semester and every year at this point, I struggle with the fact that there are students we have never seen. They are those that were recommended to us so highly. They are those whom we have sent personal messages to and they have never responded. I wonder if they have connected to a Christian ministry or church somewhere else....are they in trouble....have they quit and gone home?
One student's name had been given to me with cell phone, etc and I had texted him some messages and never heard back. A couple of weeks ago the friend who had contacted me with his information and had had asked me to contact him let me know he was not doing well and could I do something. I indicated that I would again send him a message, but that he had never responded to any of my previous attempts. The friend said, "Let me double check with his mom to make sure I gave you correct information.". At that point, I sent him another message. Within thirty minutes he responded....oh yes; his mom called him! He has been at every collegiate event we have had since then. Encouragement on both ends is huge.
We are seeing both freshmen and upperclassmen we have never seen before. Some have been at other churches and some have not been anywhere. I struggle with the best way to respond to students who have attend other churches last school year. I want to reach students no one is touching...both Christian and non-believers. But, I have also feel a special sense of calling to those who came to Christ very young and have never figured out what to do with it. I don't want to build our ministry by draining another ministry, but I also want students to be somewhere they feel loved, connected, and challenged. I realize some students have gone to a church because their friends did and later realize it is not a fit for them. No doubt that is true for some who have come to our church. It is too bad we don't have a system like pro sports where we can trade players. Everybody is in on the deal and feels good about it.
A friend who serves as a campus based College Minister told me today of a new approach he has taken. He now will walk up to a student sitting alone in the Union and say, "May I invite you to something?". He says it is very different than just walking up and handing them a flyer or brochure. You are asking permission to come into their space. He said he almost never gets a negative response.
I am reminded again that we must continually speak about forgiveness in our early talks. It is a strong belief of mine that many Christian students go away from faith involvement in college due to something they have done contrary to their previous beliefs and practices. The urge and pressure to fit in is huge and many get swept somewhere they never meant to go. Then, their sense of guilt or shame drives them away.
But, I just keep wondering about some students I have never seen. I would be great with their sending me a message saying, "Hey Arliss, just wanted to let you know I have connected at ___________ church/ministry.".
Whether this is your fourth week, fifth, second or whatever week, keep on! I still believe college ministry is the HIGH calling. You will never know this side of heaven all the ways God has used you in the lives of students. A man came up to me at a Sunday School training event I did and said, "You don't know me, but I was a student on your campus and you were out putting up lunch signs early one morning. You came over and talked to me and encouraged me and I never forgot it." He was teaching University Sunday School.
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Monday, September 11, 2017
Monday, September 4, 2017
What I Am LEARNING About Fixing a Broken College Ministry
In late June I was asked to step in as Interim College Minister at my church effective later in the summer. A long story put simply is our church for many years had a large and well known college ministry. For a variety of reasons...some internal, some external and some self-inflicted, it has become a much smaller ministry and mostly not on students radar. One of the reasons was it had been through a variety of leaders over a short period of time. The current leader was a staff member much loved by students and the church as a whole. Yet, he was wearing multiple hats. And due to some sudden staff changes, he was asked to put on a much larger and more demanding hat. So, I was asked to step in as Interim College Minister.
As a College Ministry Consultant for Lifeway (Southern Baptists), one of the things I have done through the last few years is make suggestions about ministries, encourage College Ministers and I get to see a variety of ministries. In that role, a year or so ago a friend called to ask what resources were available in "College Ministry Revitalization". He had searched and not found any. I knew of nothing. So, I assigned myself the task of writing such a resource. I spent the spring writing what I came to call, FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY. It came out of some of my own experience in previous years and what I had observed in different situations.
Little did I know how quickly I would put to the test this supposed "expertise". We are only two weeks into the school year, so we are not even close to a final grade. But, here is some of what I am learning.
1. Student leaders are making a huge difference. Their enthusiasm and energy are wonderful. A new start has given them a new start.
2. We are seeing new students....both freshmen and upperclassmen. The upperclassmen are mostly students who went elsewhere in previous years and did not feel they connected. They are looking for connection. The word of a new start in our ministry has encouraged them to give it a try.
3. A smaller ministry has some pluses for people who are looking for connections.
4. Since I am the "Interim" I am giving our student leaders a ton of freedom in what they are doing.....and as a result they are doing more and great things....things I would never have thought to tell them to do.
5. Paint and cleaning make a difference. My two student Assistants decided that our meeting area needed painting and dressing up. One is an art student and the other is an engineering major. What they have built and painted is amazing and it has given our meeting place a whole new vibe! Our University Sunday School also meets in that area and I went in the other day to find one of our Bible study leaders (not a student) in her room re-doing and decorating it. She said what had been done in the larger meeting area had made her realize how drab their room was. Excellence promotes excellence!
6. I am part time....I am working at being part time. It is hard....but what I have realized is I have time to THINK about the ministry and some things to do. Often staffers working full time do NOT have time to think. They just have to run from one thing to the next. Thinking is way UNDER-RATED in college ministry.
7. Students like to see your face on campus. It is part of their knowing you care. I love eating with students....and not just because I get to eat more french fries again. Eating with students is huge in knowing and connecting to them and what is going on in their lives.
8. Some students study. A student came up to me the other night and thanked me for our event ending on time. She said she had been to other college ministry events that had gone on and on....and on when she had a test to prepare for the next day. She does not go there any more.
9. In "Fixing" I write about the value of "the appearance of change". I am more convinced of the value of this now than I was when I wrote it.
I don't know what God will do in this "Interim Experiment". I told someone when I started that I may tear up my new book when this Interim is done. But, right now I am enjoying the journey.....and I am even seeing some of it works.....wow, who would have thought it.
FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is an Amazon book available in eBook or print format aimed at helping ministries go to the next level.
As a College Ministry Consultant for Lifeway (Southern Baptists), one of the things I have done through the last few years is make suggestions about ministries, encourage College Ministers and I get to see a variety of ministries. In that role, a year or so ago a friend called to ask what resources were available in "College Ministry Revitalization". He had searched and not found any. I knew of nothing. So, I assigned myself the task of writing such a resource. I spent the spring writing what I came to call, FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY. It came out of some of my own experience in previous years and what I had observed in different situations.
Little did I know how quickly I would put to the test this supposed "expertise". We are only two weeks into the school year, so we are not even close to a final grade. But, here is some of what I am learning.
1. Student leaders are making a huge difference. Their enthusiasm and energy are wonderful. A new start has given them a new start.
2. We are seeing new students....both freshmen and upperclassmen. The upperclassmen are mostly students who went elsewhere in previous years and did not feel they connected. They are looking for connection. The word of a new start in our ministry has encouraged them to give it a try.
3. A smaller ministry has some pluses for people who are looking for connections.
4. Since I am the "Interim" I am giving our student leaders a ton of freedom in what they are doing.....and as a result they are doing more and great things....things I would never have thought to tell them to do.
5. Paint and cleaning make a difference. My two student Assistants decided that our meeting area needed painting and dressing up. One is an art student and the other is an engineering major. What they have built and painted is amazing and it has given our meeting place a whole new vibe! Our University Sunday School also meets in that area and I went in the other day to find one of our Bible study leaders (not a student) in her room re-doing and decorating it. She said what had been done in the larger meeting area had made her realize how drab their room was. Excellence promotes excellence!
6. I am part time....I am working at being part time. It is hard....but what I have realized is I have time to THINK about the ministry and some things to do. Often staffers working full time do NOT have time to think. They just have to run from one thing to the next. Thinking is way UNDER-RATED in college ministry.
7. Students like to see your face on campus. It is part of their knowing you care. I love eating with students....and not just because I get to eat more french fries again. Eating with students is huge in knowing and connecting to them and what is going on in their lives.
8. Some students study. A student came up to me the other night and thanked me for our event ending on time. She said she had been to other college ministry events that had gone on and on....and on when she had a test to prepare for the next day. She does not go there any more.
9. In "Fixing" I write about the value of "the appearance of change". I am more convinced of the value of this now than I was when I wrote it.
I don't know what God will do in this "Interim Experiment". I told someone when I started that I may tear up my new book when this Interim is done. But, right now I am enjoying the journey.....and I am even seeing some of it works.....wow, who would have thought it.
FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is an Amazon book available in eBook or print format aimed at helping ministries go to the next level.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
The End of the Beginning for This School Year
Our Back-2-School Retreat usually came about three weeks into the start of the fall semester. I called it the end of the beginning. I have always loved all the special outreach events and connections made at the start of the fall semester. There is the excitement of meeting so many new students and connecting to ones someone had told you about. There is a special energy that goes with the start of the fall term.
But, I always was glad to see the end of the beginning. For one thing, no one can maintain the pace that goes with the start of school events that happen continually and take extra planning and energy. But, I have learned that it also can give a false sense of where things are in your ministry. Just as students have what I call "Reality Week" the end of the beginning is reality week for college ministries. Reality Week is what I call about the third week of school where students start having their first round of tests. Many who have not done much studying to this point....particularly freshmen....realize they cannot continue on the 24/7 fun cycle. That study and even sleep has to enter the equation.
It even affects your upper class leaders as well. Where they have been available to work in the ministry almost 24/7 their reality of school kicks in as well and they have less time to give to the ministry and your errands and ideas.
But, I liked getting down to business.....getting down to where we do what we do. So, here are some suggestions or questions for you to think about if you are at "The End of the Beginning".
1. Who have we not seen we saw that first week that was so full of promise and possibilities?
2. Are you giving as much thought to excellence in your regular events as you did in your special outreach events?
3. Have you settled into a regular schedule of meeting with student leaders in encouraging, training and praying with them?
4. In outreach to new people sometimes, we have not seen some upperclassmen who have been very involved the previous year. Any familiar faces missing?
5. Is there a leader or two in key roles that showed during the first couple of weeks that they need some special attention and encouragement? Or, they may have even decided to drop out of their leadership role and good...not just hasty.....thought must be given as to what to do. AND, help them not to let this run them away from the ministry with a sense of failure.
6. If you have not already, start scheduling times to meet with and hear the stories of those who served in summer ministry....camp counselors, Summer Missionaries, etc. For some coming back is hard. For others, the summer was painful and they need to process it and decide what all it means and what they need to learn from it. Often, students who served in the summer do not process it properly and the lessons of the summer are lost.
7. Take a couple of extra hours for a make-up lunch with your spouse or to do something a little special with your kids.
"Being Confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion....." Philippians 1:6
FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is an Amazon book aimed at helping ministries go to the next level. It is available in print or eBook form.
But, I always was glad to see the end of the beginning. For one thing, no one can maintain the pace that goes with the start of school events that happen continually and take extra planning and energy. But, I have learned that it also can give a false sense of where things are in your ministry. Just as students have what I call "Reality Week" the end of the beginning is reality week for college ministries. Reality Week is what I call about the third week of school where students start having their first round of tests. Many who have not done much studying to this point....particularly freshmen....realize they cannot continue on the 24/7 fun cycle. That study and even sleep has to enter the equation.
It even affects your upper class leaders as well. Where they have been available to work in the ministry almost 24/7 their reality of school kicks in as well and they have less time to give to the ministry and your errands and ideas.
But, I liked getting down to business.....getting down to where we do what we do. So, here are some suggestions or questions for you to think about if you are at "The End of the Beginning".
1. Who have we not seen we saw that first week that was so full of promise and possibilities?
2. Are you giving as much thought to excellence in your regular events as you did in your special outreach events?
3. Have you settled into a regular schedule of meeting with student leaders in encouraging, training and praying with them?
4. In outreach to new people sometimes, we have not seen some upperclassmen who have been very involved the previous year. Any familiar faces missing?
5. Is there a leader or two in key roles that showed during the first couple of weeks that they need some special attention and encouragement? Or, they may have even decided to drop out of their leadership role and good...not just hasty.....thought must be given as to what to do. AND, help them not to let this run them away from the ministry with a sense of failure.
6. If you have not already, start scheduling times to meet with and hear the stories of those who served in summer ministry....camp counselors, Summer Missionaries, etc. For some coming back is hard. For others, the summer was painful and they need to process it and decide what all it means and what they need to learn from it. Often, students who served in the summer do not process it properly and the lessons of the summer are lost.
7. Take a couple of extra hours for a make-up lunch with your spouse or to do something a little special with your kids.
"Being Confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion....." Philippians 1:6
FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is an Amazon book aimed at helping ministries go to the next level. It is available in print or eBook form.
Monday, August 28, 2017
Evaluating Your Start of School Events.....2 Questions to Ask
I have done and participated in a ton of start of school events in my 40 plus years in college ministry. As Interim College Minister at my church this year, I am doing several and I am attending events done by others.
Usually we do not evaluate them well because we are just blindly rushing to the next event. Through the years I decided some events were great fun and had a big crowd.....but...in the end when I really evaluated them.....they were not worth the time, effort, and sometimes, the expense.
The most common question or point of evaluation of a college ministry start of school event is, "Did we have a good crowd?". I stopped having some events where we had "a good crowd" but when I looked at it on a deeper level I realized, it did not benefit our ministry. We used to have a big Luau. It was fun and we had big crowds. After a few years we stopped having the Luau and had our first Worship event with food afterwards. We did what we do and we were who we were. Most who had come to our Luau did not know who we were or what and why we were. I am not in any way opposed to Luau's or any type fun event if it is serving the purpose for which you are holding it.
Here are the two questions I think we must ask about our start of school events:
1. Did it benefit the students who attended in any way?
I honestly think one of our purposes in start of school event is to benefit the students. Survival is one of those type events with its "Survival Tips", etc. We might say an event did not accomplish much for our ministry but it was a help and blessing to those who attended. We are doing college ministry to help and bless college students.
2. Did it benefit our ministry?
Honestly, about ninety percent of why we do start of school events is to inform students about our ministry and or draw them to our ministry. So, the question is not, "Did we have a big crowd?" or "Did everyone have a good time?". The question is DID IT BENEFIT OUR MINISTRY? Were students informed about what we were doing OR did the event cause them to want to connect to our ministry?
As you begin to come to "the end of the beginning", ask these two questions about your events.
FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is an Amazon book aimed at helping college ministries go to the next level. It is available in print or eBook form.
Usually we do not evaluate them well because we are just blindly rushing to the next event. Through the years I decided some events were great fun and had a big crowd.....but...in the end when I really evaluated them.....they were not worth the time, effort, and sometimes, the expense.
The most common question or point of evaluation of a college ministry start of school event is, "Did we have a good crowd?". I stopped having some events where we had "a good crowd" but when I looked at it on a deeper level I realized, it did not benefit our ministry. We used to have a big Luau. It was fun and we had big crowds. After a few years we stopped having the Luau and had our first Worship event with food afterwards. We did what we do and we were who we were. Most who had come to our Luau did not know who we were or what and why we were. I am not in any way opposed to Luau's or any type fun event if it is serving the purpose for which you are holding it.
Here are the two questions I think we must ask about our start of school events:
1. Did it benefit the students who attended in any way?
I honestly think one of our purposes in start of school event is to benefit the students. Survival is one of those type events with its "Survival Tips", etc. We might say an event did not accomplish much for our ministry but it was a help and blessing to those who attended. We are doing college ministry to help and bless college students.
2. Did it benefit our ministry?
Honestly, about ninety percent of why we do start of school events is to inform students about our ministry and or draw them to our ministry. So, the question is not, "Did we have a big crowd?" or "Did everyone have a good time?". The question is DID IT BENEFIT OUR MINISTRY? Were students informed about what we were doing OR did the event cause them to want to connect to our ministry?
As you begin to come to "the end of the beginning", ask these two questions about your events.
FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is an Amazon book aimed at helping college ministries go to the next level. It is available in print or eBook form.
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