Merry Christmas — one and all!

As we move further in to the Christmas season, and nearer the end of 2012, it’s time to for some of my annual countdowns.

It seems fitting to start with one of the things I am most thankful for — because it’s what makes being a part of Faith ON Campus so enjoyable for me — and that’s YOU!

Many of you have offered encouraging comments and emails throughout the year regarding posts you’ve read, themes that have been addressed, or for angles of ministry that you had not previously considered — and your feedback matters — because it shapes the future of FaithONCampus. com. So thanks for that!

And some of you have gone so far as to offer guest posts at different seasons, that have helped to provide a unique perspective and/or insight that I myself could not offer — and the collective Faith ON Campus community has benefited from it — GREATLY!

So for my first countdown of 2012, I bring to you the Top 12 Guest Posts of the year!

 

12. Reach Your Campus in 160 Characters | Jim Whaley

OK.  Who besides me has seriously struggled with trying to stay connected with your students?  C’mon, admit it!  There we go!  I see that hand…I see that hand too!  LOL!

In all honesty, having to figure out the best communication techniques for my college campus has been like attempting to slay a dragon with a dull, short sword…I’ve gotten the job done sometimes, but it sure was messy and it certainly wasn’t easy whatsoever. (Keep reading…)

11. Life (Online) Together: Practicing Presence in Social Media Spaces | Andy Campbell

As a campus minister, you need to be present where your students are, and this includes having an online presence.

That, more than anything else, will determine the services with which you engage your students. Maybe it’s Pinterest or LinkedIn or Google +, or perhaps your students are in World of Warcraft or Second Life. Wherever they are, meet them there. (Keep reading…)

10. Staff Meeting For One | Tommy McGregor

As I walk into a familiar local deli, I am greeted by a hostess who smiles and says, “Staff Meeting for one?” I smile and nod to acknowledge that it is, in fact, Monday morning and time for my weekly staff meeting…with myself.

Over coffee and a danish, I call the meeting to order, seeing that all are present, and I begin the process of getting on the same page with myself for the week. For the next hour, I will spend time in prayer and Scripture reading, then look over my week and begin to chart out the happenings of the next seven days. This meeting is critical to the overall outcome of my week. (Keep reading…)

9. Cohabitation Conundrums | Joy Eggerichs

How can we respond to young people who want to live together before marriage? I am referring to my son and other friends in their late 20′s.

I am trying to be quiet and work with it but it is very awkward. What do you say to young people about this topic? Would you recommend any books or speakers? (Keep reading…)

8. Healthy God-Centered Sexuality | Joy Eggerichs

We have all heard the word “chastity.”  I’m not sure about you, but the word that immediately follows that in my head is…”belt.” And I’m pretty sure that belt is made of iron…and has a rusty key. FUN!

The question we discuss below is one of my favorites.  It’s something that won’t have a concrete answer for everyone, but a discussion I think all people should contemplate. (Keep reading…)

7. Whatever It Takes: Helping Your Students and Yourself Gain Freedom From Lust and Porn | Paul Worcester

Like many college freshman I was addicted to lust. 

This addiction started for me at a very young age. It crippled my spiritual life and caused more pain than I like to think about. It was a spiritual cancer eating away at every part of my life. Having this secret area of my life caused me to constantly feel guilty, insecure and fearful of what others would think about me if they found out who I really was.  I was trapped. (Read more…)

6. Dealing With Sexual Shame | Vance Raines

… These women, and so many others, describe a campus culture in which men expect to have sex on any given night, even if it requires pressure, manipulation or the use of illegal date-rape drugs. If refused sexual intercourse, other options are requested, and expected. (Keep reading…)

5. Are Boundaries Realistic? | Sarah Francis Martin

I’ve seen a movement with my young adult friends living in intense relationships (more than just casual dating) to set up boundaries.

When a girlfriend of mine explained that she and her serious boyfriend sat down and set very specific boundaries for the physical side of their relationship, part of me at first thought this was old-fashioned.

I walked away a bit stunned by that coffee conversation as the idea of setting boundaries never really occurred to me while in my dating and intense relationships. (Keep reading…)

4. What Every College-Aged Woman Needs to Know | Stephanie S. Smith

When it comes to sexuality and relationship decision-making, the unfortunate reality is that many young women do not feel empowered to go against the flow of our hyper-sexualized culture.

But as mentors and leaders of college students, you have a unique opportunity to speak into a young woman’s life and affirm her right and responsibility to make good choices. As you interact with these young women, there are a few truths you can verbally and actively communicate to her that may make a world of difference. (Keep reading…)

3. Don Draper Stole Our Imagination | JR Forasteros

Everyone wants to be beautiful. In our world of gyms and plastic surgery and beach bodies that’s not a surprising statement.

No one ever stops to ask, “What does it means to be ‘beautiful’?” (Read more…)

2. Missional Sexuality | Pat Hannon

Is not having sex the most important thing about being a Christian?

And what does sex have to do with mission?

Those of us working with emerging adults are seeking to shape the lives of our students in multiple ways. We desire for them to develop a Christian sexual ethic and to develop an understanding of Christian mission. These are two MASSIVE shifts. (Read more…)

1. True Love is Tired of Waiting | Ashlee Alley

I was in college when the “True Love Waits” campaign hit its stride in the mid 90’s.  I remember taking the youth from the church where I volunteered to the  Georgia Dome in Atlanta as we all signed commitment cards that were literally stacked from the floor to the ceiling (I have no earthly idea what that was trying to illustrate). 

Not long after that experience, I was a counselor at a (Insert Big Name Ministry) camp and I literally remember hearing a speaker say that one of the reasons that we were to wait to have sex, is that God would bless us with “60 YEARS OF INCREDIBLE SEX!” (Read more…)

 

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! for sharing your wisdom and expertise here in this place — for all of us to learn from. I hope to see you back here again next year!!