College Years as Desert Experience [?]
With all of the transition, struggle, change and formation that takes place during the college years, I wonder how our approach to […]
Tag: college ministry
Finding A Sustainable Pace
By now, many of us are full-on into a new term of ministry with students.
Whether we’ve been at it for 2 weeks or 4 weeks, or somewhere in between, we’ve likely been going at it hard — recognizing that the first few weeks of the new academic year are critical for connecting with new students. Our desire, as always, is to have the best start ever!
But if we’re not careful, we could quickly find ourselves hitting a wall of sorts.
Yes, the beginning of a new academic year does require a lot from us — in fact, many of us would agree that it’s the busiest time of the year, but it’s also the beginning.
Spiritual Mentoring | A Resource for Equipping the Saints
Have you ever wondered how you might multiply the efforts of your ministry on campus? I have.
And after 6 years of hard work on the same campus I heard a colleague express something that unlocked a part of the mystery for me in this area…
His statement was something to the effects of:
Student after student, when asked “what made your experience at BU so significant?,” shared a rendition of the same answer: it was the meaningful relationships that they formed.
And almost to a person, they would identify a faculty or staff person who had taken some intentional time to be with them — to be a listener, someone who asked good questions, an encourager, someone who challenged or pushed them, a shoulder to cry on, a mentor, a teacher of life — a friend.
My Parents Don’t Get Me Anymore | Faithful Change at College
College can be a time of significant change.
There are so many factors that come into play during this very formative time in life, and as pastors to this demographic we often get a front row seat to the process.
But the reality of change — especially significant change — can be hard for family and friends back home to comprehend and/or accept.
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism OR Following Jesus
What are young people really looking for when they turn to Jesus? Many of today’s leading sociologists who focus their research […]
Do College Students Walk Away From Their Faith Because of The Gospel They’ve Been Preached?
Scot McKnight has a new book coming out… and he’s anticipating that it might not be well-received by all. The […]
Social Justice and the Church as 3rd Way
Last night a group of students gathered again to hear Dr. Scot McKnight share; this time on the topic of social justice. […]
Are Your Students Universalists?
Scot McKnight is on campus this week. I’m really excited about how God is already using him to challenge our […]
Wars, Rumors of War, Hell & College Students
With the 10-year anniversary commemorating that attacks of September 11, 2001 fast approaching, how will you talk with students about it? […]
Steering New Students Away From Leadership
I have very few “pocket speeches” that I pull out and use over and over again.
I find that every student is unique, as is their situation, and it (and they) deserves to be treated as such.
However, at the start of every new school year there is one speech (conversation is probably a more accurate description) that I seem to present over and over and over again…
When new students approach me about finding a place to lead (and more specific to our campus — to lead worship) I tell them all the same thing:
Find a place to belong first, then look for ways to invest your gifts.