Common Characteristics of Large College Ministries

In my experience of dealing with campus based Baptist Collegiate Ministries, these are what I have observed as common characteristics of the larger ones.

1.  A long term veteran leader of the ministry.
This is key in more than one factor.  Because of his or her long tenure, people and churches recommend students to the ministry and they go out of their way to commend their students to the ministry.  This long earned and developed trust results in significant financial gifts to the ministry by alumni, churches and even parents.  Almost all large campus based ministries have significant individual gifts.  These gifts are usually tied to relationships.

2.  An intentional and well done freshmen ministry.
These ministries make a point of spending significant time, planning, and resources in connecting with freshmen over the summer and during the first three weeks of school.  They host and promote a variety of freshmen events and connections.

3.  Well done small groups.
In some instances these are separate freshmen and upperclass groups.  In other instances, they are combined upperclass and freshmen groups.  These groups do "soul care" as well as making sure that missing people are contacted and that they know someone cares.  This is in addition to the teaching and personal growth that happens in the group.

4.  High functioning student leaders.
These ministries work hard at enlisting, developing and empowering student leaders.  These leaders multiply the ministry in their wide variety of connections and varied personalities that connect to different student groups on campus.

5.  Well known across campus.
These larger ministries tend to be well known and have an excellent reputation across the campus.  Students who are not even involved in the ministry tend to tell others and help spread the word about the ministry.

Every ministry of any size can learn from these characteristics and begin to work at developing strengths in one or more of these areas.  The only one that cannot be instantly addressed is the long term leader.  But, every year makes a College Minister more long term.

I have not seen enough large church based college ministries close up to make too many observations.  But, those I have seen tend to demonstrate three things:
-An excellent speaker/preacher type.
-Significant resources.
-A high commitment to college ministry...it is not just another one of their ministries.

Most of the large non-denominational ministries tend to demonstrate the above listed five characteristics and one additional one.  Almost all larger non-denominational ministries have a staff of six (6) to twelve (12).  Almost all Baptist campus ministries have one or two staffers and a few have three or four.  But, many of these have their own campus facility.  One area that Baptists have been reluctant to do has been to allow their local Campus Ministers to build a staff through individual or ministry fund raising.  Some feel that this is something that should be considered.

Arliss Dickerson is the author of five campus ministry books available in eBook format on Amazon.com for 99 cents each.  His book, FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY, is also available in paperback.  Also, check out on Facebook, "College Ministry Resources by Arliss Dickerson".

Young Women and College Ministry

There are some issues it is difficult to be right on.  One of those is women and ministry.  Several years ago I was fussed at by some local pastors for hiring a woman Associate who was married and her husband was willing to move and find a job where she had an opportunity.  I have written in recent years about the need to have women involved in college ministry roles.  When I was a BCM Minister on a campus with a large Lunch Program featuring a speaker, I was criticized for not having enough women speakers.  The point which was a good one was that our young women needed to see and hear committed Christian women speak.  While I wholeheartedly agreed, I had difficulty finding women who were available and capable to do what we were asking.  Beth Moore where were you?

Recently, I have been fussed at just a little bit for the fact that our Wednesday night student band is often all guys.  The problem is our capable and regular gal singers graduated.  We have been able to utilize a couple of our female students a couple of times.  But, for a variety of reasons, they have not been regulars.

A friend of mine who pastors a church has women on his staff.  At his church all the staff are called pastors.  He has been criticized by other pastors who have women on their staff, but do not call them "pastors".  It is hard to be right.

Let me be clear; this is NOT a discussion about women and ordination.  This is about how do we best help young women honor the Lord, serve and see other women who honor the Lord and serve?  The criticism we get is simply a good reminder that we need to be aware and looking for ways to utilize our young women and we need to continually be looking for ways to provide them role models of women who love the Lord and serve.

Trust me...you will not get it perfectly right in everybody's eyes.  But, that does not mean we should not be wrestling and working with it.  God uses men and women.


Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available in eBook format on Amazon.com for 99 cents each.  His book, FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY, is also available in paperback.  Also, check out Arliss' Facebook page, "College Ministry Resources by Arliss Dickerson".

"Baker's Dozen of Important Items Learned in 43 Years of Collegiate Ministry" by Bruce McGowan

Bruce McGowan is retiring this month following 43 years in college ministry.  For the last several years, he has served as the leader of the Baptist Student Ministries (BSM) on 114 campuses in Texas.  Following are notes from an address he gave recently.

1.  VISION - Jesus is Lord and we proclaim Him!  Col 1:28-29  This vision determines why you are on a campus.

2.  TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN:  Discipleship and Evangelism!  A campus ministry will never see kingdom growth if the focus is on believers only.  Jesus came to "Seek and save the lost".  Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 10:35

3.  SERVANT LEADERSHIP:  Your role of leadership is not for personal gain but to empower others to serve.  John 13

4.  95%:  Target is the 95%, not the 5%.  One will never grow a group fighting over the 5%.  Lots of leaders are just not believers yet!  Luke 10:2

5.  PRAY for "Laborers for the Harvest"both in Texas and throughout North America.  Luke 10:2; John  4:35; Luke 18.  God has never failed to provide!

6.  LEADERSHIP:  We should never have to beg or coerce leaders!  If you are leading students to "hide God's word in their hearts" and listen to God in prayer, they will hear from Him when asked to serve.  Ask God often but God does the calling!  Build a culture of sensitivity to the Holy Spirit through God's word and prayer.  Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18; Hebrews 12:4

7.  HARVEST PRINCIPLE:  Sow broadly, reap broadly, sow sparingly, reap sparingly.  Hoping for a big harvest whle planting in a tiny field is foolishness.  All things are possible with God!  The push is always outward, consistently, constant, compassionate.  Easy to adopt the cultural value that everything is about me!  The cure for complacent Christianity is involvement with lostness.  Luke 10:2

8.  SERVE CAMPUS:  The over arching philosophy on most campuses is looking after self.  Mark 10:35

9.  INCARNATIONAL MINISTRY:  John 1:13-14, We cannot push back the darkness when you expect people to come to you.  BCM Directors are not chaplains or counselors but rather Apostolic leaders intentionally engaging the lost, teaching others to do the same.  Part of MISSIONAL DNA (Alan Hirsch, "The Forgotten Ways")

10. PERSONAL SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT is your responsibility in cooperation with God's Spirit!  Philippians 2:16-17

11. THE BLAME GAME:  Blaming others for a lack of student response is a sure indicator of loss of vision and personal awareness.  If they are not responding, the problem is with you!

12. GIFTEDNESS MATTERS:  Campus Ministers must have elements of giftedness from the leadership gifts found in Ephesians 4:11-13.  A-apostle; P-prophet; E-evangelist; S-shepherd; T-teacher.  Let's keep our hearts open to those with Apostolic, Prophet, and Evangelistic gifting among students.  They often are ignored because they can be pushy! (LOL)

13. GOD'S NOT SURPRISED WITH CHANGES:  God will continue involvement on campuses of the world!  The question is will Baptists want to be a part of one of the most exciting mission opportunities presented to the church in history?  In order to stay involved we must adapt our structures to fit the mission.  I am thankful for the Cooperative Program and I believe there still is a place in Baptist life for this approach.  However, CP dollars will never match the opportunity and need in reaching the campus....it is incomprehensible why we would limit our BSM staffs to just the money going into CP.  If we do, we will continue to see shrinking staffs in mainline states.  Absolutely no reason for that to happen!  Book of Acts!

The Forgotten Ways

The Fuel and the Flame

Spiritually Healthy Leader

Mission determines structure, not structure dictating mission.

10 Tips for Staying in College Ministry LONG Term

We need more long term College Ministers.  Larger ministries are led by long term College Ministers because of their experience, the trust they have established with others, and their reputation for investing well in college students.  Too many get out of college ministry when they are at the point of taking it to the next level.  Try on these tips for staying long term.

1.  Act your age.
Some have bought into the myth college ministry is only for the young, so they try to act younger than they are.  Students see through that and it does not work.  Plus, every age has its plus....so exercise the strength of that age.  I don't wear gym shorts on campus!

2.  Rest and prepare when students are gone.
One of the great things about college ministry is the breaks, pauses, and seasons.  When students are not around (that often includes Fridays).  It is time to read, do long term speaking prep, and rest.  Also, it is a great time for evaluation.

3.  Tweak don't Burn and Obliterate!
Unless your ministry is a total failure, it does not need to start from scratch each year.  Build on what is working and adjust to student and campus changes.

4.  Don't compare!!
Don't compare yourself to the "Golden College Minister".  Don't compare your ministry to another ministry.  It is destructive to you and it is usually not accurate.

5.  Go to meetings and don't sit in the hall all the time.
There is the temptation once you have done college ministry for awhile to think you will hear nothing new.  Obviously, you will hear lots of things you have heard before.  But, when you sit in the hall visiting all the time, you will not hear the new things being said.

6.  Communicate your love for college students.
Never get too busy or too professional to just sit and enjoy listening to and talking to college students.  That's actually why God called you.

7.  Mentor younger College Ministers.
YES, that will help you survive longer and do it better.  It causes you to continue to think about what and why you do things.  AND, it will help you to continue to stay current with how younger generations think.  AND, answering their questions will stretch you....even the dumb questions.

8.  Listen and maybe even learn from those with whom you disagree.
There are lots of different ways to do college ministry well.  While we may disagree theologically or even style wise, there are ideas others are practicing from which we can benefit.  But, we have to be willing to talk to them and listen to them.  It helps keep your ministry fresh.

9.  Invite your spouse to some events.
While your spouse may work in another area and have a more than full life apart from your ministry, let them see and be part of your world.  They will understand you better and students will benefit from seeing a healthy marriage relationship.  Plus, your spouse will see why you often get home an hour later than you said you would.

10. Read more of my 99 cent books on Amazon....sorry could not resist that one!!


Check out the Facebook group,  "College Ministry Resources by Arliss Dickerson" for postings and information.

Arliss Dickerson is the author of five books on college ministry available on Amazon.com for 99 cents each.  His book, "FIXING A BROKEN COLLEGE MINISTRY", is also available in paperback.