It’s a new year and I’m resolving to make some changes.

This year, in regards to how I approach ministry with college students, I’m taking a ‘LESS IS MORE’ approach.

Why?

Because what I’ve been doing has not been working.

Cramming my calendar full of meetings and overwhelming the campus calendar with more and more ministry-related opportunities has not yielded the kind of ‘fruitful results’ that I’ve hoped for.

Some of this, I think, has to do with that fact that God seems to like a little more space to work in.

It’s not that God can’t (or won’t) work in, and through, our scheduled events and meetings… because God can – and does.

However, it seems to me that God often chooses to work in unexpected, unplanned ways… and if we’ve scheduled our lives and ministries such that there is no space for the ‘unplanned’ than I think we’re missing the mark.

There are three things that bring shape to this for me:

1. The pace at which I live my life — I want to slow down.  I need more margin in my life.  I don’t want my calendar to be so full that I can’t take time for impromptu pop-ins from colleagues, conversations that need to keep going with students and giving appropriate time and attention to work that should be completed at work – and not home.  I need to be living with enough space in my life that I can see God at work, hear any promptings and then move into action. I want to be a better example to students of what it means to live life peacefully with God. As best I can, I want to bring some sanity to the pace at which I live my life.

2. The pace at which students are living their lives — This is not anything I have any control over. But I do think I can model a more attractive way of living that might give students reason to reconsider the pace at which they currently live their own lives.  We cannot ask, or expect, students to live a slower-paced life if we are not living it ourselves.  As students see a ‘less is more’ life being lived out, and how drastically different it looks in comparison to the culture in which we live, they may choose to make some intentional changes to how they live. Without an example, however, it is unlikely students will find this new way of living on their own.

3. The amount of programming our ministry is providing — This is possibly the most radical idea of the three.  I’m planning to provide LESS ministry programming this year.  Yep.  No joke.  Our campus calendar is packed full of opportunities for our students.  Similarly, our students lives are packed full. Class, work, relationships, homework, extra-curricular activities and hopefully something that will help them to grow spiritually.  As opposed to offering as many opportunities as possible — hoping that even one will align with a student’s crazy schedule — I’m planning to offer less.  I want us to provide fewer programs, and give them more time, energy and effort, so that they will be exceptional.  I also want our team to have more time and space in our calendars to go and participate in other events on campus — that we have no leadership in. Imagine.  Going to events where we don’t have to be concerned about the logistics, and can simply be present with students.

So, whose with me?

Will ‘less is more’ be a way for God to more effectively use you in the lives of students this year?

I’d love to know what you think!