1. Not getting the contact info of a new student who attends your church or event.
2. Poor relationships with supporting churches for a campus based College Minister.
3. Not writing personal thank you notes to contributors or others who are helping you do what you do.
4. Not being clearly appropriate or above reproach in opposite sex relationships, meetings, etc.
5. Loose handling or accounting of finances and cash payments handed to you.
6. Not balancing family, ministry, and personal/spiritual self care.
7. Not understanding spoken and unspoken expectations of stakeholders, employers, and/or supervisors.
Arliss Dickerson is a part time college ministry consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook and print at amazon.com (type in Arliss Dickerson).
Practical ideas for Campus and Church based College Ministers
Search This Blog
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Monday, September 23, 2019
Two IMPORTANT College Ministry Dates
SEPTEMBER 30 - Monday, September 30th is the deadline to submit proposals to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to be considered for one of their $500 grants to be given to five different college ministries. The proposal is to state what your ministry would do with the money and the possible impact or continuing value it would be to the on-going nature of your ministry or to the witness to the campus. For information or to submit your proposal, email Dr. Beth Masters at bmasters@nobts.edu. Beth serves as College Ministry Professor at NOBTS and is a friend to all of us that do college ministry.
OCTOBER 10 - Engage24 is a 24 hour period focused on engaging the world with the good news of Christ. While Engage24 is intensely focused on a single day of evangelism, the mission is to promote a 24/7 lifestyle of evangelism and engagement with the gospel. Some campus ministries will do special projects on that day and others will focus on the one to one sharing of their students in their daily activities. While this date has been set as the designated Engage24 date in the past, a specific day was not selected for this year. However, many campus ministries have indicated that this will be the date for their emphasis as it has worked well within their school and ministry calendar. Each campus can determine what will work best for them.
Arliss Dickerson is a part time college ministry consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and the author of five books on college ministry (Doing College Ministry Better; 25 Tips for Developing College Ministry Leaders; The Big 50: 50 Ideas and Principles for Growing Your College Ministry; The 10 Commandments of College Ministry). They are available for 99 cents each in eBook format at amazon.com. FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is available in paperback: Amazon.com/dp/B0741DM1CD
OCTOBER 10 - Engage24 is a 24 hour period focused on engaging the world with the good news of Christ. While Engage24 is intensely focused on a single day of evangelism, the mission is to promote a 24/7 lifestyle of evangelism and engagement with the gospel. Some campus ministries will do special projects on that day and others will focus on the one to one sharing of their students in their daily activities. While this date has been set as the designated Engage24 date in the past, a specific day was not selected for this year. However, many campus ministries have indicated that this will be the date for their emphasis as it has worked well within their school and ministry calendar. Each campus can determine what will work best for them.
Arliss Dickerson is a part time college ministry consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and the author of five books on college ministry (Doing College Ministry Better; 25 Tips for Developing College Ministry Leaders; The Big 50: 50 Ideas and Principles for Growing Your College Ministry; The 10 Commandments of College Ministry). They are available for 99 cents each in eBook format at amazon.com. FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is available in paperback: Amazon.com/dp/B0741DM1CD
Thursday, September 19, 2019
The UNFORGIVABLE SIN in College Ministry??
Some years ago speaking to a group of College Ministers, I said off the top of my head that the unforgivable sin in college ministry is not getting a students name and contact information. Others would say it is not sharing the Gospel, etc. And, I certainly would not disagree with any of those assertions.
Here is my point with not getting a student's name and contact info being unforgivable. If we do not know their name and how to connect with them, we may never see them again and there is nothing we can do about it....unless they choose to show up or connect with us again. Students are more reluctant these days to share contact info and I am keenly aware of that. However, we must give them the opportunity to give us that information AND we must be conscious of our knowing their name and or teaching our student leaders to connect with new students and get their name...their FULL name.
How many times have you asked one of your core students, "Who was that new student you were visiting with?" And, they say, "His name was Sam.....Great, what was his last name?" And, they do not know. To me that is almost more frustrating than knowing nothing. I have spent lots of time trying to figure out who Sam was and trying to find him...to no avail.
One way some ministries get names is through their Welcome Tables. As students come into the event, core students at the Welcome Tables do a name tag for everyone (mailing labels work as well and are CHEAPER.) and if they do not know them, ask them if they would be willing to fill out an Info Card. Most will. Picking the right personalities for a Welcome Table is key too.
Yet, another part of this name business is knowing who has been and has not been in awhile. About the third or fourth week of school is the time to be aware of who has not been since the first week or so. Weekly large group worship events usually have lots of visitors during those first couple of weeks. Some freshmen are at everything. THEN, they have that first series of tests and it scares them and they disappear. If no one misses them and let's them know that, why should they come back?
Some use Sign-In Sheets at the entrance or at the Welcome Tables. Obviously, there are some more tech savvy approaches. Some are utilizing IPads where a student simply can go in and check their attendance when they arrive. Others use different aps that allow a student to text a certain number and that records their presence and they ask everyone to do it at some point during the event.
KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK:
1. Are you working at in some way or other getting students' names and contact info when they come for the first time? Are you teaching your core students to do it?
2. Are you able to some way or other track if a student has been or not been to any of your events in two or three weeks? You can look at Sign-In lists. You can check your Tech sheet, etc.
There is a fine line between badgering someone about their involvement and demonstrating that you care and that they matter. The problem is that fine line is different with different students. HOWEVER, I decided a long time ago I would rather a student feel I was badgering them than for them to think I did not care.
The SWEETEST SOUND ON EARTH is someone calling your name when you feel alone or that it has been a long, hard, bad six test week. A text during big test weeks, flu season when folks are missing can be an encouragement. It can be as simple as, "Missed your face lately, hope tests or the flu hasn't gotten you down. Yell, if I can help."
Arliss Dickerson is a part time consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format for 99 cents each at amazon.com. FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is also in paperback.
Here is my point with not getting a student's name and contact info being unforgivable. If we do not know their name and how to connect with them, we may never see them again and there is nothing we can do about it....unless they choose to show up or connect with us again. Students are more reluctant these days to share contact info and I am keenly aware of that. However, we must give them the opportunity to give us that information AND we must be conscious of our knowing their name and or teaching our student leaders to connect with new students and get their name...their FULL name.
How many times have you asked one of your core students, "Who was that new student you were visiting with?" And, they say, "His name was Sam.....Great, what was his last name?" And, they do not know. To me that is almost more frustrating than knowing nothing. I have spent lots of time trying to figure out who Sam was and trying to find him...to no avail.
One way some ministries get names is through their Welcome Tables. As students come into the event, core students at the Welcome Tables do a name tag for everyone (mailing labels work as well and are CHEAPER.) and if they do not know them, ask them if they would be willing to fill out an Info Card. Most will. Picking the right personalities for a Welcome Table is key too.
Yet, another part of this name business is knowing who has been and has not been in awhile. About the third or fourth week of school is the time to be aware of who has not been since the first week or so. Weekly large group worship events usually have lots of visitors during those first couple of weeks. Some freshmen are at everything. THEN, they have that first series of tests and it scares them and they disappear. If no one misses them and let's them know that, why should they come back?
Some use Sign-In Sheets at the entrance or at the Welcome Tables. Obviously, there are some more tech savvy approaches. Some are utilizing IPads where a student simply can go in and check their attendance when they arrive. Others use different aps that allow a student to text a certain number and that records their presence and they ask everyone to do it at some point during the event.
KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK:
1. Are you working at in some way or other getting students' names and contact info when they come for the first time? Are you teaching your core students to do it?
2. Are you able to some way or other track if a student has been or not been to any of your events in two or three weeks? You can look at Sign-In lists. You can check your Tech sheet, etc.
There is a fine line between badgering someone about their involvement and demonstrating that you care and that they matter. The problem is that fine line is different with different students. HOWEVER, I decided a long time ago I would rather a student feel I was badgering them than for them to think I did not care.
The SWEETEST SOUND ON EARTH is someone calling your name when you feel alone or that it has been a long, hard, bad six test week. A text during big test weeks, flu season when folks are missing can be an encouragement. It can be as simple as, "Missed your face lately, hope tests or the flu hasn't gotten you down. Yell, if I can help."
Arliss Dickerson is a part time consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format for 99 cents each at amazon.com. FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is also in paperback.
Monday, September 16, 2019
Pros and Cons of College Ministry Spirit Groups
This weekend the University of Georgia Baptist Collegiate Ministry Spirit Group, "The Paint Crew" gained national attention on both television and other media by honoring the memory of Wendy Anderson at the UGA, Arkansas State football game. Mrs. Anderson, the wife of the ASU Head Coach Blake Anderson, recently passed away from breast cancer. It raises again the discussion about the pluses and minuses of Christian ministries doing spirit groups.
Some see these groups as a distraction from the ministry of being a witness and discipleship group which is their purpose. Others argue that they bring positive recognition to these ministries. Having been the leader of a campus ministry that has done such a group, I am aware of many of the arguments on both sides. But, a simple answer is, not every ministry should do these spirit groups. They take time, energy, and resources......AND they occasionally can come back to bite you.
PLUSES OF MINISTRY SPIRIT GROUPS
-Such groups that paint up at ball games can be a plus in connecting to guys. Reaching guys is another whole issue in college ministry these days. These type groups can be a plus there.
-They help combat the idea that some have that Christian groups are just some poor withdrawn from the real world group huddled somewhere in a corner.
-It brings campus wide awareness to the ministry. One of the pluses of any college ministry is to be known campus wide in a positive way.
-Such groups done well and in good taste develop positive relationships with the administration and open other doors with the school. One campus ministry had a woman they sponsored elected to the Homecoming court and immediately was invited to participate in upcoming new student events.
MINUSES OF MINISTRY SPIRIT GROUPS
-They take time and energy. Someone has to organize and make sure it is happening AND done in a quality way.
-Greek Groups (Fraternities and Sororities) sometimes view these groups as "competing" in their territory. Therefore, they feel they cannot or should not participate in these ministries because it is like quitting your sorority or fraternity to join a competing one.
-Quite simply, the ministry can lose sight of its purpose and just become another social group on campus. Often, when groups attain some recognition and awareness like this, then they are invited to participate in other "club activities" on campus. A ministry has to be diligent to not lose sight of its purpose and focus.
-Bad Behavior by these groups. Students can get caught up in the heat of the game and misbehave which reflects on the ministry. One ministry suspended their football spirit group mid-season due to some of their students throwing things at the opposing team, etc. Those actions are on the ministry!
A frustration expressed by some who do such groups is that often the groups are not attributed to the ministry by the school or the media. Seemingly, this is done in order to not be seen as "promoting a particular religion".
Again, these groups are not for every ministry. Each individual situation calls for a different and unique answer....like much in college ministry. Every campus is different!
Arliss Dickerson is a part time college ministry consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and is the author of five books on college ministry. They are available for 99 cents each in eBook format at amazon.com. FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is in paperback.
Some see these groups as a distraction from the ministry of being a witness and discipleship group which is their purpose. Others argue that they bring positive recognition to these ministries. Having been the leader of a campus ministry that has done such a group, I am aware of many of the arguments on both sides. But, a simple answer is, not every ministry should do these spirit groups. They take time, energy, and resources......AND they occasionally can come back to bite you.
PLUSES OF MINISTRY SPIRIT GROUPS
-Such groups that paint up at ball games can be a plus in connecting to guys. Reaching guys is another whole issue in college ministry these days. These type groups can be a plus there.
-They help combat the idea that some have that Christian groups are just some poor withdrawn from the real world group huddled somewhere in a corner.
-It brings campus wide awareness to the ministry. One of the pluses of any college ministry is to be known campus wide in a positive way.
-Such groups done well and in good taste develop positive relationships with the administration and open other doors with the school. One campus ministry had a woman they sponsored elected to the Homecoming court and immediately was invited to participate in upcoming new student events.
MINUSES OF MINISTRY SPIRIT GROUPS
-They take time and energy. Someone has to organize and make sure it is happening AND done in a quality way.
-Greek Groups (Fraternities and Sororities) sometimes view these groups as "competing" in their territory. Therefore, they feel they cannot or should not participate in these ministries because it is like quitting your sorority or fraternity to join a competing one.
-Quite simply, the ministry can lose sight of its purpose and just become another social group on campus. Often, when groups attain some recognition and awareness like this, then they are invited to participate in other "club activities" on campus. A ministry has to be diligent to not lose sight of its purpose and focus.
-Bad Behavior by these groups. Students can get caught up in the heat of the game and misbehave which reflects on the ministry. One ministry suspended their football spirit group mid-season due to some of their students throwing things at the opposing team, etc. Those actions are on the ministry!
A frustration expressed by some who do such groups is that often the groups are not attributed to the ministry by the school or the media. Seemingly, this is done in order to not be seen as "promoting a particular religion".
Again, these groups are not for every ministry. Each individual situation calls for a different and unique answer....like much in college ministry. Every campus is different!
Arliss Dickerson is a part time college ministry consultant for Lifeway Christian Resources and is the author of five books on college ministry. They are available for 99 cents each in eBook format at amazon.com. FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY is in paperback.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)