As I write, I’m overhearing a conversation about the overabundance of resources available for children’s church ministries. In fact, these people are comparing them, talking about what they include, their pros and cons, and whether or not they have video aspects or ongoing training pieces included for their volunteers. They are now doing an Internet search and differentiating price points between similar curricula.
A plethora of resources is readily available for areas such as children’s ministry, evangelism, leadership, teaching and even student ministries. Resources include books, podcasts, curriculum, magazines and conferences. There have been decades and in some cases centuries of history from which expertise in these areas has been developed.
What about college ministry? What past effective college ministries can give us insight? What resources can church-based leaders depend on for help and training? Are there any conferences or curricula available?
I can answer those questions with a bit of excitement, as well as discouragement. The truth is, resources are limited; but more are on the way. This is the part that’s exciting for me. Very exciting.
The number of churches desiring to do something for college age people is growing daily. More and more leaders realize that high school graduation has changed from being a right of passage into adulthood to merely the next stage of education for many students. People are recognizing that the college-age stage of life is a time of searching, forming an identity and all too often, confusion. Thankfully, leaders are realizing the college age stage of life is a unique phase that requires specific attention.
Timeless Principles
To be effective with college age students, you don’t need a band and a great speaker. The wonderful programmatic aspects you use to attract a crowd are not what will make your ministry succeed. You don’t need another church service geared specifically for them. Believe it or not, you don’t even need another budget line. College ministry is not youth ministry on steroids. It is much more simple.
The main thing needed for effective college ministry is a pool of dedicated volunteers who can spend time walking alongside these young adults, teaching them and helping them live out what they already know. These volunteers need to be older, mature believers who are able to show what it means to be deeply committed to the simple truths of Scripture. Adults are needed who are willing to open up their lives to these individuals and give them glimpses into real life experiences such as their marriages, their home life as they rear their children and their viewpoints about using vocation as a mission field.
If we’re going to talk about effective approaches that are timeless, we need to look at Jesus. He simply walked alongside people, teaching them as He went through life. Those He discipled walked in and out of circumstances with Him. They watched His life. When they saw Him do something they didn’t understand, they asked Him about it. Jesus did much more than provide information; He imparted wisdom into their lives. He showed them what it meant to be faithful by letting people into His life.
At the end of
They would have known what they had seen and experienced with Jesus. He brought them along in His life and ministry and taught them as He went. I’m fairly certain they would not have walked away thinking, “I gotta find one person to meet with once a week, go through a book and ask 10 questions to make sure I hold them accountable.”
Looking Back
My friend Suzy is married to Bill, and they have three children under the age of 10. They have invested time and energy in countless college-age people. They have these young adults in their home a few nights a week—maybe for dinner, just to hang out or to babysit for them; but they have been intentional about opening up their lives. Why? Well, Suzy frequently talks about a couple who invested in her when she was in college. This couple took her into their home, spent time with her, let her into their lives and ultimately shaped her life and faith. Being exposed to this family at such a personal level changed her life, and now she wants to give that to others.
I can’t tell you the number of Christian adults I’ve talked to who speak about a significant person or people who impacted them while in college. I would guess you, too, can point back to someone who has invested in you in a similar way. It works because it was what Jesus did.
During the years of college ministry in our country, people have tried all kinds of programmatic things. Some work…for a time, but the only timeless approach is the one Jesus had. Nothing more is needed.
Resources
If you’re interested in teaching or in small-group material, check out YouthWorker.com, SimplyYouthMinistry.com and CampusCrusade.com.
To learn more about college-age issues, see my book, College Ministry 101: A Guide to Working with 18- to 25-Year-Olds.
Another resource is Jeffery Arnett’s book Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from the Late Teens Through the Twenties. This is not a Christian book, but it gives great insight into the college-age stage of life.
Read the free e-book about campus ministry Reaching the Campus Tribes by Benson Hines (ReachingTheCampusTribes.com).
Lastly, I’m extremely thankful to be able to announce two more books coming out this year. The first I co-wrote with Reggie Joiner and Abbie Smith: The Slow Fade: Why You Matter in the Story of Disappearing Twentysomethings (David C. Cook). The release date for this book is May 1, 2010, and is written to adult believers who want or need to be encouraged to invest in a college age person. It helps them overcome intimidation by showing them what really is needed, as well as practical ideas for playing a significant role in the life of a young adult.
My other title, releasing Sept. 1, 2010, College Ministry from Scratch: A Practical Guide to Start and Sustain a Successful College Ministry (YS/Zondervan) will help church leaders realistically define what it means to be successful, how to measure their effectiveness, develop a job description that focuses their energy and offers steps to take in the first 90 days of starting or re-launching a ministry. Chapters cover just about every aspect of daily college ministry: small groups, working with interns, leading mission trips, doing retreats, what to talk about in one-on-one conversations, recruiting older adults and teaching topics and approaches.
