In my new role as missioner with college students at Southern Methodist University, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what it takes to do effective ministry with college students today.
Here's why: A student said to me recently, “I would not want to have your job. You represent, whether you mean to or not, a lot of negatives. That’s how a lot of students view the Church and Christianity. Plus, even if they wanted to check out a Christian group, most of their friends are telling them that it’s not cool. Partying is cool. Sex is cool. Making a name for yourself and building a resume – that’s cool. Being a Christian and doing those Christian group things is not cool. Plus, even if you have an interest in Christianity, or Jesus, a lot of college students would say that’s for later in life, after you marry and have children. Not for now.”
Based on what this young man said to me, and other insights I’ve gleaned through the years, here are four lessons I'm learning about effective ministry to college students.
1. It must be prayerful.
Many of us remember that E. M. Bounds observed, “When we work we work, but when we pray God works.” We also remember that it was Jesus’ custom to pray often, early, in solitary places, and in public places. If God’s own Son sought fellowship and direction with his Father through prayer (John 5), then we know we must do likewise.
Simply put, prayer changes us (C. S. Lewis) and strengthens us. Through prayer the dynamics that we face can change (James 5:13-18). The forces arrayed against us are too determined to see us fail, and the stakes in students’ lives are too high, for us to serve in our own strength.
2. It must be relational.
A lot of students are suspicious of organized religion and what they perceive to be coercion to believe a certain way. They don’t just show up at Christian events hoping to get in on the latest Christian experience. As Don Everts and Doug Schaupp wrote in I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus, the first step on the path is that a skeptic comes to trust a Christian. The second step is that they become curious about Jesus. Trust grows out of relationships. Relationships take time. We must make that investment if we want to be effective.
3. It must be missional.
We have to go where they are. Inhabit their world. Their rhythms. We do so not just because of today’s postmodern, skeptical, even hostile-to-faith context, but because our Triune God is missional. As many writers and missiologists have pointed out recently, taking their cue especially from the works of Leslie Newbigin, God is missional. God the Father sent the Son. The Father and Son sent the Spirit. The Son and Spirit send us to go and embody the heart and hands of God on our college campuses. Love takes root locally.
4. It must be Christological.
In the work that I lead with students, Jesus must be front and center. My life, posture, and practices of engaging with students must be centered on Jesus. He alone is the Way, Truth, and Life through whom students will come to experience and know God. In the Gospels Jesus repeatedly invited, called, and summoned men and women to follow him (Mark 1:15ff; Matthew 11:28ff; John 7:37ff). Jesus is the Center and Hero of the Story. I do best when I point students to him not me, to his life not the hip new activity, and to his community of serving, blessing followers.
Are you in touch with any college students? What are you learning about serving them effectively?
