When students lead something magnificent happens...
It's hard to put into words how it actually happens, but it is spectacular to watch!
I am a product of a student leader model of campus ministry. Because this was so formational for me, I have sought to implement a student leadership model in every ministry context that provides ample opportunities for students to take on as much leadership as possible. Creating space for ownership, growth, failures and successes has been critical to this model. And while it may not have always been easy, or looked pretty, I know students have come out on the other side of the experience transformed as a result!
I previously wrote about Edgar Dale's 'Cone of Learning' starting a little over a week ago and in my second post on the topic I explored briefly the power of experience. The powerful experiential example I talked about in that post was a short-term mission trip. Equally formative, I believe, is giving students the opportunity to lead out in all areas of ministry. Providing space for students to explore the things they have seen, learned, as well as the ideas they have come up with on their own in regards to how leadership works is a critical developmental opportunity that must be incorporated into how we in collegiate ministry do what we do!
I'm currently on a spring break mission trip in NYC with a team of 15 students, being led by two very capable student leaders. Some ways in which these student leaders have lead-out so far are:
- trip logistics - they have been a part of the planning and preparing phases of the trip.
- team formation - they have facilitated multiple pre-trip meetings that were designed to be both informational and relational in scope.
- travel guides - they have taken care of getting the team from campus to the airport, through two airports, from the airport to our site for the week (via the airtrain and subway systems), and daily from site to site.
- on-site logistics - they have had to think through everything from food to activities to how we can spend our free time.
- spiritual guides - they have led out in morning devotional times, as well as important reflective times at the conclusion of our days.
- empowerers and equipers - they have also done a good job of sharing the role of 'leader' with other members of the team as appropriate and when needed.
Yes, I have been on the trip... but only as a team member. I work alongside everyone else, doing whatever they're doing. And yes, I am here if they get into a pinch, but don't we all have someone we can turn to in times of need?
It's been so good to watch these student leaders work together, lead our team, as well as work with our hosts here in NYC. They have done a fantastic job so far... and I've been reminded of just how significant my own opportunities to lead as a college student were in shaping me.
Yes, there's something quite beautiful that happens when students lead.
