Comments on: Church-based College Ministry http://sbcimpact.org/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/ life :: theology :: church :: ministry :: missions :: worship Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:40:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Shonnon Sims http://sbcimpact.org/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12495 Shonnon Sims Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:04:20 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12495 This is awesome! I’m in Memphis, TN and I am 36yrs old. I'm currently back in college after many many years of not finishing my degree when I was much younger. I’m attending an accelerated adult college. Recently I just joined a new church after being at my old church for about 13-14 years. This is a passionate topic for me; if I had something like this when I was in college as a young adult I probably would have finished my degree before now. I work with a lot of youth within my career field and a college ministry is very helpful and needed. I’m working on my very first research paper and I chose to write on college aged ministry. I hope this forum continues to circuit it has helped with a great source of information and I plan on putting it to use after I finish my paper. This is awesome! I’m in Memphis, TN and I am 36yrs old. I’m currently back in college after many many years of not finishing my degree when I was much younger. I’m attending an accelerated adult college. Recently I just joined a new church after being at my old church for about 13-14 years. This is a passionate topic for me; if I had something like this when I was in college as a young adult I probably would have finished my degree before now. I work with a lot of youth within my career field and a college ministry is very helpful and needed. I’m working on my very first research paper and I chose to write on college aged ministry. I hope this forum continues to circuit it has helped with a great source of information and I plan on putting it to use after I finish my paper.

]]> By: Kristen Yurek http://sbcimpact.org/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12494 Kristen Yurek Sun, 01 Mar 2009 09:11:07 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12494 Until recently, my husband and I have been in college ministry for the past 5 years and have discovered three things about this group in the process: 1. They want a home-away-from-home. Our home always had an open door - it's the place to hang, to get home-cooked food, to do laundry, to talk, to pray, know someone will listen...it's where the relationship-building happens. 2. Let their voices be heard! We met once a week in our home for a Bible study that was very participatory - to let them ask the questions they've always been afraid to ask, then together we found out what the Bible says. 3. They want to be used by God! They want to reach their friends for God! They want to know God and His plan - simply put, these kids are earnest, searching and awesome!! Hope this helps....God bless! Until recently, my husband and I have been in college ministry for the past 5 years and have discovered three things about this group in the process:

1. They want a home-away-from-home. Our home always had an open door – it’s the place to hang, to get home-cooked food, to do laundry, to talk, to pray, know someone will listen…it’s where the relationship-building happens.

2. Let their voices be heard! We met once a week in our home for a Bible study that was very participatory – to let them ask the questions they’ve always been afraid to ask, then together we found out what the Bible says.

3. They want to be used by God! They want to reach their friends for God! They want to know God and His plan – simply put, these kids are earnest, searching and awesome!!

Hope this helps….God bless!

]]> By: Amy http://sbcimpact.org/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12493 Amy Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:12:23 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12493 I'm not from the Tulsa area, I live in Southern California, but this situation surely pertains to our area as well. I am a recent graduate from University and am just starting my masters. I was pretty much unchurched all throughout college, and this is because I never could find a place where I felt comfortable. It's odd because (as noted above) many of us came out of high school ministries with lots of gimmiks and ploys and fun to keep us there, but then many of us move away from our churches and friends and have to face the church hunting all alone. It's hard to be in that position because no matter where you go, you're always going to be the new person or the outsider. anywho...I seemed to have finally found a church that I'm committed to and getting plugged into, and I love it. The one problem is the college group. they call this service the "nextGen" service for 18-28's...and being the new person here has been really hard. I feel like there is kind of an established community and there is certainly a lot of "hang out" time, but I don;t think many of those at the group are keen to the fact that new people feel out of the loop and should be welcomed. The point of the above lamentation is to maybe encourage your ministry to be as open, loving, welcoming and GENUINE as possible. If you introduce yourself to the new person, remember their name. If I handed you a communication card last week and you called me, maybe you shouldn't be trying to introduce yourself to me and give me another card. In expressing this situation to other sisters in different areas and churches, I feel that I'm not alone in this. What I want is genuine, honest, trustful community. I want a community that is willing to welcome me in and that genuinely fellowships, loves, supports and prays for one another. It's great if we have these in our churches, but if we can't grow them through a not-quite-conscious sense of exclusivity, we might want to wonder what would have to change to form a solid, growing, ministry. I’m not from the Tulsa area, I live in Southern California, but this situation surely pertains to our area as well. I am a recent graduate from University and am just starting my masters. I was pretty much unchurched all throughout college, and this is because I never could find a place where I felt comfortable. It’s odd because (as noted above) many of us came out of high school ministries with lots of gimmiks and ploys and fun to keep us there, but then many of us move away from our churches and friends and have to face the church hunting all alone. It’s hard to be in that position because no matter where you go, you’re always going to be the new person or the outsider.

anywho…I seemed to have finally found a church that I’m committed to and getting plugged into, and I love it. The one problem is the college group. they call this service the “nextGen” service for 18-28′s…and being the new person here has been really hard. I feel like there is kind of an established community and there is certainly a lot of “hang out” time, but I don;t think many of those at the group are keen to the fact that new people feel out of the loop and should be welcomed.

The point of the above lamentation is to maybe encourage your ministry to be as open, loving, welcoming and GENUINE as possible. If you introduce yourself to the new person, remember their name. If I handed you a communication card last week and you called me, maybe you shouldn’t be trying to introduce yourself to me and give me another card. In expressing this situation to other sisters in different areas and churches, I feel that I’m not alone in this.

What I want is genuine, honest, trustful community. I want a community that is willing to welcome me in and that genuinely fellowships, loves, supports and prays for one another. It’s great if we have these in our churches, but if we can’t grow them through a not-quite-conscious sense of exclusivity, we might want to wonder what would have to change to form a solid, growing, ministry.

]]> By: Cody Brumley http://sbcimpact.org/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12492 Cody Brumley Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:53:17 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12492 I just came across this by searching for "Tulsa College Ministry" in google. I am a new campus minister at TCC West. The BCM there is growing and doing some great new things. But while that happens, many of my students are starting to realize their church just isn't feeding them. So I am searching for churches in the area passionate about discipling, growing, and using college students in their church. All the info on this post is right...they need a place to belong, a place they're valued, a place that gives them ownership, a place of depth. I do not mean anything against any youth workers in the area, but what most of my students were taught, was compromised behind closed doors. They are ready for something REAL! Anyways, I want to work diligently to give the 30,000+ college students in Tulsa something they deserve. A para-church organization is not capable of that on their own (though BCM is not a para-church organization). I just wanted to stir the conversation to see what your church has been doing since you posted this and see what kind of vision you have for what "could be" in the tulsa area. I need churches to recommend to my students and...more than anything...I want to see college students valued in the family of faith and given a place to worship and grow. let me know what's happening. I just came across this by searching for “Tulsa College Ministry” in google. I am a new campus minister at TCC West. The BCM there is growing and doing some great new things. But while that happens, many of my students are starting to realize their church just isn’t feeding them. So I am searching for churches in the area passionate about discipling, growing, and using college students in their church. All the info on this post is right…they need a place to belong, a place they’re valued, a place that gives them ownership, a place of depth. I do not mean anything against any youth workers in the area, but what most of my students were taught, was compromised behind closed doors. They are ready for something REAL!

Anyways, I want to work diligently to give the 30,000+ college students in Tulsa something they deserve. A para-church organization is not capable of that on their own (though BCM is not a para-church organization).

I just wanted to stir the conversation to see what your church has been doing since you posted this and see what kind of vision you have for what “could be” in the tulsa area. I need churches to recommend to my students and…more than anything…I want to see college students valued in the family of faith and given a place to worship and grow.

let me know what’s happening.

]]> By: Nick Martin http://sbcimpact.org/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12491 Nick Martin Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:53:25 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12491 I'm a 26 year-old whom as recently rededicated myself to christ and I'm looking for a strong ministry like the one Mrs. Chastang is talking about. Just wanted to say don't give up and thank you. He will lead the way. I’m a 26 year-old whom as recently rededicated myself to christ and I’m looking for a strong ministry like the one Mrs. Chastang is talking about. Just wanted to say don’t give up and thank you. He will lead the way.

]]> By: SBC Impact! | Bowden McElroy http://sbcimpact.org/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12490 SBC Impact! | Bowden McElroy Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:52:06 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12490 [...] You can read the whole post here. [...] [...] You can read the whole post here. [...]

]]> By: Dana Chastang http://sbcimpact.org/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12489 Dana Chastang Thu, 15 May 2008 16:16:03 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12489 My husband and I currently lead a Church Based College Ministry with apx 40-60 active students. We started in Jan 2007 with 5 students who attended on a regular basis. This is our second church based college ministry. The other one was started with one student and grew to 14 students in 8 months.It was also a very traditional small church and still was able to have a college ministry. It does have unique challenges.We do agree with many of the posts. Here are our suggestions: 1. Be called to it and committed to it: You must have passion for this`age group and be willing to sacrifice alot of time and energy. You must be committed. Dont do it just out of need. Be passionate! They know when you are not. 2. Pray, Pray Pray- This is the foundation.Make sure you include a variety of prayer in your meetings too!! 3. Dont give up too early!! It took 6-8 months and many low attendance meetings but finally God brought in the harvest. You just need to be faithful. God knows your heart.It is His heart Too!! 4. Read everything you can on the subject. Plan , plan, plan. 5. Make sure your church loves and wants college age students. This is important-be cause you will need funding and support from staff. A minimum of $3-5 thousand is good.Or if you are able, start by funding it yourself and set an example for the church. 6. Try a home based meeting during the week and include a fellowship time, music and Bible study. Make sure the study gives them alot of interactive talk time. They get enough lecture every week. Ours is from 8-11pm at my home. 7.Be part of their lives beyond meeting times. Couples who can invest signifigant time in their lives are great!! You might enlist more than one couple. Model a good marriage for them. Model everything you want them to learn. 8. Get a facebook and text message. Believe me they check this the most!! 9.Plan events but not too many on regular meeting nights. It is better to keep your meetings stable. Everytime you cancel, it takes a while for them to get back on board. Keep the meeting even during the summer and breaks even if attendance goes down.Check on them when they miss to much. Be consistant. So much of their life is not. 10. Talk to them and find out what they prefer as a whole.What works and what does not. 11.Once you get started and you can - let students take turns leading. Make sure that students leaders are plugged into church and are a positive witness.They need to have the right heart. You can train them.Look for the ones that are loyal and consistant to your group. If they are spread to thin they are not going to be able to be good student leaders. 12. Get on campus! You have a right to be there too!! We have our own on -campus status and we can ask for rooms on our own as well as get free advertising in the campus newspaper.You can also get group contact info this way. As a church we fail if we rely on para-church to do our job and where will they be when they are out of college if they are not active in the local church. We lose alot of this age group by not stepping up to the plate on this.We should all (including Para-church)be working to get these students involved in the local church (The Bride of Christ). 13. Start making friends with your youth now!! It is also wise to pre-connect your college to your junior and senior youth.If your church has a large youth group - they should also be working on a great college ministry. They need this !! 14. Missions- make sure you plan some. This age group is very mission minded. How great is that!! 15. Develope a website, a logo , t- shirts ect.. You can buy a $50 program that will help you do this on your own. It is called Web Easy.Make sure you have lots of pictures of them!! 16. Interact with the church body too!! They need families as models. Dont make them think that church is only about one age group. Children love this age group as well. promote involvement in church based ministry. Blessings and Prayers!! My husband and I currently lead a Church Based College Ministry with apx 40-60 active students. We started in Jan 2007 with 5 students who attended on a regular basis. This is our second church based college ministry. The other one was started with one student and grew to 14 students in 8 months.It was also a very traditional small church and still was able to have a college ministry. It does have unique challenges.We do agree with many of the posts. Here are our suggestions:
1. Be called to it and committed to it: You must have passion for this`age group and be willing to sacrifice alot of time and energy. You must be committed. Dont do it just out of need. Be passionate! They know when you are not.
2. Pray, Pray Pray- This is the foundation.Make sure you include a variety of prayer in your meetings too!!
3. Dont give up too early!! It took 6-8 months and many low attendance meetings but finally God brought in the harvest. You just need to be faithful. God knows your heart.It is His heart Too!!
4. Read everything you can on the subject. Plan , plan, plan.
5. Make sure your church loves and wants college age students. This is important-be cause you will need funding and support from staff. A minimum of $3-5 thousand is good.Or if you are able, start by funding it yourself and set an example for the church.
6. Try a home based meeting during the week and include a fellowship time, music and Bible study. Make sure the study gives them alot of interactive talk time. They get enough lecture every week. Ours is from 8-11pm at my home.
7.Be part of their lives beyond meeting times. Couples who can invest signifigant time in their lives are great!! You might enlist more than one couple. Model a good marriage for them. Model everything you want them to learn.
8. Get a facebook and text message. Believe me they check this the most!!
9.Plan events but not too many on regular meeting nights. It is better to keep your meetings stable. Everytime you cancel, it takes a while for them to get back on board. Keep the meeting even during the summer and breaks even if attendance goes down.Check on them when they miss to much. Be consistant. So much of their life is not.
10. Talk to them and find out what they prefer as a whole.What works and what does not.
11.Once you get started and you can – let students take turns leading. Make sure that students leaders are plugged into church and are a positive witness.They need to have the right heart. You can train them.Look for the ones that are loyal and consistant to your group. If they are spread to thin they are not going to be able to be good student leaders.
12. Get on campus! You have a right to be there too!! We have our own on -campus status and we can ask for rooms on our own as well as get free advertising in the campus newspaper.You can also get group contact info this way. As a church we fail if we rely on para-church to do our job and where will they be when they are out of college if they are not active in the local church. We lose alot of this age group by not stepping up to the plate on this.We should all (including Para-church)be working to get these students involved in the local church (The Bride of Christ).
13. Start making friends with your youth now!! It is also wise to pre-connect your college to your junior and senior youth.If your church has a large youth group – they should also be working on a great college ministry. They need this !!
14. Missions- make sure you plan some. This age group is very mission minded. How great is that!!
15. Develope a website, a logo , t- shirts ect.. You can buy a $50 program that will help you do this on your own. It is called Web Easy.Make sure you have lots of pictures of them!!
16. Interact with the church body too!! They need families as models. Dont make them think that church is only about one age group. Children love this age group as well. promote involvement in church based ministry.

Blessings and Prayers!!

]]> By: Cozumelkid http://sbcimpact.org/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12488 Cozumelkid Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:15:13 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12488 Bowden: Take a little time and visit with Melody and Howard at the New Life Freedom Church near 51st and Mingo, next door to O'Conner Air Conditioniong supply. I think they have a fix for bringing in people in the age group you would like to reach. Also read Unveiling Islam by the Caner brothers in case that subject ever comes your way. Praying for you, Cozumelkid Josh's Dad Bowden:
Take a little time and visit with Melody and Howard at the New Life Freedom Church near 51st and Mingo, next door to O’Conner Air Conditioniong supply. I think they have a fix for bringing in people in the age group you would like to reach. Also read Unveiling Islam by the Caner brothers in case that subject ever comes your way.

Praying for you,
Cozumelkid
Josh’s Dad

]]> By: Josh http://sbcimpact.org/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12487 Josh Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:24:09 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12487 I'll put some prayer on you brother. I’ll put some prayer on you brother.

]]> By: Bernard Shuford http://sbcimpact.org/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12486 Bernard Shuford Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:22:42 +0000 http://www.sbcimpact.net/2008/01/15/church-based-college-ministry/#comment-12486 Bowden - A big old yes to the "wanting to change the world", seconded by "wanting to change the church to fit THEIR preferences", followed yet again by "changing the world is cool, and we like to do cool stuff." Next question... How do we blend the idea of "giving them an outlet" with "leading them to Christ"? It seems that so many "ministries" in the Christian world are obsessed with either handing out tracts at rock concerts or creating alternative events to keep people from going to rock concerts that they have no idea how to encourage spiritual curiosity and spiritual digging. Let's face it - 20somethings are digging. They dig into alcohol, they dig into drugs, they dig into sex, they dig into music, they dig into clothes - all in a search for an identity that keeps them cool with their friends while differentiating them from the establishment. That's why, IMHO, church plants are hugely more successfuly with this crowd - even with identical doctrine - than ANY existing church can ever be. That's also why the parachurch guys do "okay". They're not "establishment", while ANY church is. (There's a huge parallel here with The Golden Compass, but that's enough for a whole 'nother day...) They also don't want to be directed. They NEED to direct themselves. It's a coming of age need. They've been told what to do for 18+ years, and a Christian who tries to manipulate or trick them in any fashion is immediately written off into oblivion. They do have dreams. I just want to see the way to "direct" their dreams into reality for God without creating the crash that happens when many of them meet church and realize that the classic "Christian" nametag puts them at huge odds with all those cool people out there that they really like. (I'm referring to those who are NOT Christians at this point...) I'm not goofy enough to think that it's MY job to draw them to Christ - I understand that, but how can we be satisfied with NO effort?? Don't we have a duty to THESE people just like we do to the 6 year olds in VBS? Just thoughts :) Bowden – A big old yes to the “wanting to change the world”, seconded by “wanting to change the church to fit THEIR preferences”, followed yet again by “changing the world is cool, and we like to do cool stuff.”

Next question… How do we blend the idea of “giving them an outlet” with “leading them to Christ”? It seems that so many “ministries” in the Christian world are obsessed with either handing out tracts at rock concerts or creating alternative events to keep people from going to rock concerts that they have no idea how to encourage spiritual curiosity and spiritual digging. Let’s face it – 20somethings are digging. They dig into alcohol, they dig into drugs, they dig into sex, they dig into music, they dig into clothes – all in a search for an identity that keeps them cool with their friends while differentiating them from the establishment. That’s why, IMHO, church plants are hugely more successfuly with this crowd – even with identical doctrine – than ANY existing church can ever be. That’s also why the parachurch guys do “okay”. They’re not “establishment”, while ANY church is. (There’s a huge parallel here with The Golden Compass, but that’s enough for a whole ‘nother day…)

They also don’t want to be directed. They NEED to direct themselves. It’s a coming of age need. They’ve been told what to do for 18+ years, and a Christian who tries to manipulate or trick them in any fashion is immediately written off into oblivion.

They do have dreams. I just want to see the way to “direct” their dreams into reality for God without creating the crash that happens when many of them meet church and realize that the classic “Christian” nametag puts them at huge odds with all those cool people out there that they really like. (I’m referring to those who are NOT Christians at this point…) I’m not goofy enough to think that it’s MY job to draw them to Christ – I understand that, but how can we be satisfied with NO effort?? Don’t we have a duty to THESE people just like we do to the 6 year olds in VBS?

Just thoughts :)

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