Updated 4/25/12
A couple of years ago I started polling my readers so I could:
- Better understand who you are
- Gain some statistical data
- Test out some theories I have
- Attempt to provide some posts that are meaningful and relevant to the work we are doing
One of the first questions I ever posted was:
How long have you been serving in college ministry?
Nearly 70% of those who took the poll reported having served in college ministry for 6 years or more (6-10 years 31%; 11-20 years 31%; and 20+ years 6%).
I, myself, am just finishing my 15th year serving in college ministry.
Over my 15 years of working with college students I have worked on 4 different campuses — within 3 different denominations — spanning 3 different geographical regions within the US.
The results of my poll, coupled with my own experiences over the course of my ministry life thus far, have served to confirm a bit of wisdom I was given when applying for my first position in college ministry:
College ministry is a difficult field to get into, but once in, people rarely choose to leave it.
I think there are a several reasons for this:
- There are drastically fewer college ministry positions in comparison to youth/pastor positions.
- For many, the youth pastor position is a stepping stone to a senior pastor position and this is often not the case for those who go into the field of college ministry.
- Those who get involved with college ministry — much like foreign missions — do so because they sense a passion for, and specific call to, a specific people group (college students) in a specific context (the campus).
- Once ministers get a taste for this unique ministry field and context God tends to grow their roots deep. A part of this, I believe, has to do with the need to bring some stability to a ministry structure that reaches out to a very transient population — our students should only be around for 4 years.
- This is one of the most formational times in life — so having the chance to walk alongside students during these critical years can be one of the most significant (for our students) and rewarding (for those of us who get to walk alongside them) experiences we have as ministers!
I could go on and on for why college ministers stay once they become a part of this distinct ministry field… but I’d love to give you a chance to share some of your story.
How long have you been involved in college ministry?
How did you find your way into the field of college ministry?
Why have you stayed as long as you have?
Could you see yourself ever doing anything else?
I’d love to hear from you!
And if you have a moment, please take this month’s poll located on the right sidebar.
5 thoughts on “Longevity in College Ministry”
I agree! I am actually pursuing a call to be a campus minister and I am raising my financial support to work with college students in Chicago. I will say I really have a passion and a burden for the college campus and to walk alongside students to build them up as the next group of leaders in our world. Campus ministries really helped transformed my life and made me into the Spiritual leader I am today. There are so many choices and decisions made in college and many students don’t know what to do and are fearful of their choices. I will also have the ability to be working with art students as well at one of the largest arts college in the country and will be helping them use their talents and art for the glory of God. I feel that campus ministry will be something that I see myself doing for a long while and I am excited to see what God will do through me!
Hey Jared! That’s awesome! I hope you see the hand of God in your support raising process! And that it comes in more quickly than you expect!! What school will you be serving? Is there a specific ministry you will be serving? Thanks for leaving a comment!!
I prayer walked UIC a couple weeks ago partnering with Scott Venable at Mosaic Chicago. Praying for u in Chi town!
This will be my second year working with both youth and college students! I love every bit of working with both. However, I eventually see myself phasing out of the youth ministry part and transitioning into college ministry full time, but that’s latter in the future.
This will be my sixteenth year working in college ministry…2 years as an intern at the University of Colorado, 14 years at UT-Chattanooga. Wholeheartedly agree about the reasons you write about here. Here at UTC, it has been amazing to watch the development of a city and a university alongside it. Both are different places than when I came 14 years ago, and it makes ministry challenging and interesting. Plus, the fact that we are sharing life with people who are making huge decisions about their life adds to the urgency of our calling.
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