Tag: discipleship

Academics & Vocation

INFOGRAPHIC: Students and Cheating

How big of an issue is cheating for your students?

Now let me rephrase that — how many of your students would say that cheating is a big deal?

In a culture that esteems success and achievement, while having little to say about character and integrity, some of the statistics featured in the infographic below may not be all that surprising.

And although this infographic focuses on the (relatively small) differences between cheating that occurs in online classes vs. on campus classrooms, without any regard for religious or moral underpinnings, we must believe that the students in our ministries fit all-to-comfortably within these statistics.

Academics & Vocation

Three Practices for Campus Ministers Courtesy of the Rolling Stones — Part III

One of the themes that becomes very clear, very quickly, when reading Life by Keith Richards is that the Rolling Stones never set out to be an epic, culture changing rock n’ roll band. They were deeply influenced by the Chicago blues (Muddy Waters, etc), and that is, in many ways, how they still view themselves to this day: a Chicago blues band from London.

Not that they didn’t have ambition. They wanted to be a great band. But they had no idea what they were getting themselves into.

When students show up on campus as freshmen there are some who just want to party, and a few others who are there to get a degree and get on with it, but the majority of students come with significant dreams and aspirations.

Spiritual Formation, The Campus Minister

Three Practices for Campus Ministers Courtesy of the Rolling Stones — Part II

At the heart of Christian theology lies the idea that God is one. And if God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4), then the implications are astounding, with, perhaps, the largest being (to borrow a phrase from Richard Rohr) that “everything belongs”.

Many of us live with a bifurcated (or muti-furcated…just made up a word) world. College students are bombarded with this constantly. Whether it be sacred vs. secular, personal vs. public, on-line vs real-life, dualism abounds.

Spiritual Formation, Student Culture, Trends & Issues

Be Still and Know: Helping the Freedom-Seeking Freshman Slow Down and Experience the Lord

Artist David Arms uses the image of a hummingbird to symbolize humans, and I would dare to say that a freshman in college is like a hummingbird drinking a five hour energy drink.

Arms says we are like hummingbirds because we are in perpetual motion.

We never slow down!

To an eighteen-year old, we add that perpetual motion to the thrill of freedom in a whole new world, and suddenly the hummingbird is chugging that five hour energy in order to put motion in hyper drive.

Student Culture, Trends & Issues

[INFOGRAPHIC] Teens and Porn: 10 Stats You Need to Know

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I’ve got a second book in the works…

The first book is geared towards Mentors — really anyone who might speak into the lives of college students (including, but not limited to: parents, pastors, professors, coaches, directors, et al). I hope it will serve as a guide for having important and timely conversations with students during their formative college years.

The second book will be geared towards college students and will examine some of the things that are literally “killing their souls.”

Big Ideas & 'Best Of'

HOLY

Fridays are for ‘Reclaiming Words!’

The intent of this series is to explore words that I think need to be introduced — or re-introduced — to this current generation of college students.

These words have lost their meaning… or have been mis-used or redefined in unhelpful ways… and therefore need to be reclaimed and redefined (again) so that they can be realized by our students!

Today’s word: HOLY.

Spiritual Formation

The Consistency of Some…

What does it do for you?

Or maybe a better question is what does it do to you?

The consistency of some…

How would you complete that statement?

I live out in the country — and I love it! And as I make my way into the city each day I will inevitably pass several runners — and their consistency inspires me.

Student Culture, Trends & Issues

Morality vs. Holiness Among Young Christians

I ran across this collection of statistics and wanted to make sure I shared with you — in case you hadn’t run across it in your own online reading.

There’s a lot here.

And the good folks at Gallup did a great job of covering a broad range of “moral” topics.

What we don’t know about those who were polled for this data is what religious affiliation (if any) the respondents claim. Likely, it’s a pretty accurate cross-section of the American population, and therefore, it would be safe to say that these are the dominant “beliefs” of American culture.

Student Leaders

Leaders Who Live in the Gray of Life

Do you have standards for your leaders?

You know, those people who mean so much to your ministry efforts — the ones who serve as extensions of you and the ministry you oversee. Those people that multiply your reach and effectiveness exponentially. Those individuals that magnify the effectiveness of your ministry because of the unique gifts, passions, and talents the bring to the table.

You know, those folks…

Do you have standards that might qualify (or disqualify) them for leadership within your ministry?