Maximize Your Student Work Force

 

Is your ministry maximizing its potential?

In order to do so we need to be tapping into the best that our students have to offer… And I’m thinking beyond the “usual suspects.”

Yes, it makes good sense to get our student workers and leaders involved with helping to design and lead out in our worship services, discipleship programs and outreach efforts.

It makes good sense for them to be involved with our social media and technology “enhanced” elements — because believe me, they know it better than we do!

But do we think to tap into our students — and some of their unique gifts, skills and passions — in other areas?

I just got my picture taken by one of our amazing student workers. She is new to us this semester and, as a senior marketing major, brings a wealth of resources to the team.

Taking pictures is a passion of hers… but the pictures are for an ad that she’s helping us design to go in a publication that all new students will receive over the summer. This ad is just one of the elements this student worker is presently working on as a part of a larger “publicity/awareness campaign” that she has designed for us… (Did I mention she was a marketing major?).

We did not go out in search of a marketing major to  help us do this.

We went out in search of a student worker who could help out in the office with some different (and incredibly important) administrative tasks.

But because of her unique gifts, skills and passions she has helped us to:

  1. Understand a present need,
  2. Understand some different ways that we can address this need, and
  3. Meet this need by allowing her to do what she loves to do!

It’s one of those great win-win situations that you always hope to be a part of!

We have not handcuffed her by limiting the scope of her work to those things that we think we need done (she’s cranking out that work too!)… but given her the freedom to help us expand the reach and work of our ministry… but tapping into the gifts, skills and passions she has to offer.

And she’s one of many student leaders and student workers that make this ministry what it is!

So I wonder…

Are there ways that you (and your ministry) can better tap into the infinite resources that your diverse student population has to offer?

Are there things that you currently do that one of your students could be doing (even better)?

If you were freed from some of the tasks and responsibilities you currently tend to… what might be possible?