I remember when I first came to Arkansas State University, I asked my boss, Dr. Tom Logue, what he wanted me to do here. I knew several things I wanted to do and saw some obvious needs. But, I think I was asking him, “what is success here in your eyes?” College ministry success is hard to define and therefore frustrating in knowing how you are doing in being faithful to your calling. Here are some different questions or measures some use… they may be good or bad. I list first what I think is the one test of success and after that, there is no order.
1. What do your students do after college in regard to faith, church and ministry?
2. Does your ministry look like the campus (wide variety of students, colors, Greeks, athletes…or are they all just alike)?
3. Are you teaching students and giving them opportunities to serve, lead, witness, or are you just preaching to them?
4. Are you depending more on expensive sound systems and flashing lights or hair gel rather than the Lord?
5. Do you have at least one percent of the student body at your large group meeting (5,000 = 50, 10,000 = 100, etc)?
6. Do you try to work with and or be encouraging and supportive of all who are genuinely trying to serve the Lord and the students of your campus? (It’s real hard sometimes!)
7. Are you doing the KEY things your stakeholders, bosses, financial supporters expect? Do you know what they are?
8. Are you utilizing the strengths/gifts God has uniquely give you? (Don’t cheat on utilizing your gifts; it is the key to personal satisfaction as well as your number one asset.)
9. Are you building on the unique opportunities and needs THIS campus offers?
10. When you leave will this ministry be stronger than when you found it, or is it ALL built around you and will collapse when you leave?
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Arliss served as Baptist Campus Minister at Arkansas State University for 32 years and is now a Contract Worker in the area of Leadership for Lifeway Collegiate Ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention. He and Sue live in Jonesboro, Arkansas where he plays slightly improving golf and loves seeing his granddaughters almost daily. You can find Arliss on Facebook or reach him by email at: arlissdickerson@gmail.com.
5 thoughts on “How Do You Know if You Are Being Successful in College Ministry?”
I would define success in campus ministry as training people to be faithful to the Lord and active in the church wherever they go when they graduate and leave that ministry. Success in campus ministry is lives changed for the better in Jesus. God bless.
Thanks for this, Arliss! We talk a lot about what assessment should look like in ministry, and these are helpful questions.
Do the students I walk alongside grow in the revelation of their identity in Christ and walk in the spiritual authority that Jesus gave us when he left us here to manifest his kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven!
That’s good Tim!
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