Cats, Kittens, Helicopters & College Students

I have to confess to you... I'm not a pet person.  I learned at a fairly young age that I am VERY allergic to most cats and dogs - which was fine in the pet-free home I grew up in, but it did make for challenging sleep-overs as a kid.


Of course, I ended up marrying a pet-person... isn't that always the way it happens?  My wife has been very understanding for most of our first 10 years of marriage.  This past winter, however, her parents asked if they could drop off their "outdoor" cat for the winter.  Having just moved "out to the country" I felt obliged to create some space for this "outdoor" animal.  


While we found ways to make it work during the winter months, you can imagine the shock and horror I experienced as I learned this cat had become pregnant during the active spring months.  Sure, the new kittens she produced were cute and all, but there was no way I was going to become a cat person.


Why am I sharing all of this?  Great question.  And I promise there's a connection to campus ministry coming...

Back To School 'Blog-A-Thon'

With the new school year just around the corner I thought it might be a good time to come together for some collective thinking and sharing about the work we do in the form of a 'blog-a-thon' (sorry, I'm no good with coming up with creative names...). 

Over the course of 3 days [Aug. 3-5] we'll have the chance to hear from a number of professionals in the college and campus ministry world - and others who have particular interest and/or insight into our work with college students - in the form blog posts and the dialog that ensues.

More information about specific 'back to school' themes and contributors to come... but wanted to get this in front of you so you could begin to make plans to 'attend' and engage in what will hopefully be the first, of many, 'blog-a-thons' to come (and if you have any ideas for a more creative name... please feel free to pass that along!).


Please help to spread the word about this event... I'm a firm believer in the fact that we've all got something to learn AND contribute... which is what I really like about a 'blog-a-thon' format.


I'm also working on a new website that should be set in time to host this event... so stay tuned for more details regarding that as well!


Grace and peace to you as you head into the holiday weekend!

Ideas for July

It's July. 

For most of us this marks the halfway point of our summer... and if you've not been too serious about utilizing your summer 'downtime' to prepare for the upcoming year thus far... all is not lost.  

But, it does probably mean that upon your return from the 4th of July holiday weekend it will be time to get down to some serious business.

Here are a few thoughts on how to make good use of the month of July:: please share your additional ideas, thoughts and comments in the comments section below!

Setting the Table

If you had the chance to communicate one message to incoming students - 2 months before their arrival - what would it be?


We are in the midst of our summer orientation here at BU.  It's probably not too different from what happens on most other campuses around the country that practice this same methodology of "introducing" new students to campus.  


Over the course of a day (transfers), or day and a half (traditional freshmen), we bombard these incoming students (and their parents) with a lot of information, introduce them to some "key" people on campus, get them navigating their way through campus, and send them on their way with a lot of material to peruse over the 2 months they have before they return.


Additionally, as a Christian university, we are increasingly intentional about how we communicate our Christian heritage and mission to these new community members during this time - and how these students, in particular, will have the chance to shape - and be shaped by - this place.

Building bridges between the Church and the Campus

This past Sunday, as a part of Welcome Week on our campus, the University Ministries office hosted a Church Fair. We told students that this was there one-stop-church-shopping experience... the Walmart of church shopping.

We invited 40+ local churches who have a heart of college-age students and are interested in finding ways for them to be both nurtured to grow and challenged to serve, to come to this 2 hour event. They were encouraged to bring staff members, students involved in their ministry and information. New students had the chance to "work the room" and hear from pastors and students about their church and how they could be involved.

I spent some time walking around the fair and talking with the different church leaders that were present. Time and time again I was thanked for the opportunity to be on campus to talk with students. As we talked a bit longer, I was surprised to learn that most church leaders did not feel welcomed on most campuses.

What a tragedy!

While every campus will operate differently, and even have certain policies about who can be on campus and for what reasons, I cannot understand why (especially Christian universities) would not want to help students to get connected with the local church.

I am increasingly aware of the need for the Church and the Campus to see their work in a new light... One that speaks to partnerships and collaborative efforts! One that sets aside pride and puts the spiritual development, character development and vocational preparation of young people at the forefront... regardless of who's doing it!

If our mission is NOT about having the the most students, but instead, about the ongoing spiritual growth and formation of young people, then does it really matter who "gets the credit?"

I think this falls under the category of working smarter... and not harder.

What do you think?

starting with the end in mind

I had the chance to speak to more than 300 student leaders on campus a couple of days ago.  At lunch, immediately following the presentation, a student at a nearby table commented that he was putting something I said up on his facebook... 

I took a deep breath and said, "OK, what?"

The statement that he took away from the 40 minute presentation, "You're a leader now, so you'd better have some idea of where you're goin'... because as a leader you are telling others, 'hey, let's go, follow me, i know the way.'"

I tried to tell him that this statement was likely something I had heard before, so he probably shouldn't give me credit for it, and then commented that I was glad he had found a takeaway from our time together!

A direct message from a new campus minister today got me thinking about a similar question for those of us leading leaders and ministries to consider at the start of a new year...

How do I start this new year off right/well?!

While answers will vary from campus to campus, and minister to minister, I do think there are some secondary questions that we need to ask ourselves (as well as the teams we work with) to assist us in answering this question, and so that we don't come to the end of the year and wonder... "What happened?"

Here are the questions:

1. Where am I?  Or, where am I at?  We need an accurate assessment of "where we are at," as leaders, as well as where our students and campus cultures are at so we know where we need to go. We need to know what the most significant needs of our students are if we want to serve them best.  If you're new to your ministry context, one of the best things I can offer you is this... take your time to get to know your students and their needs (and compare them to what you currently offer).  Even though it might seem like a "waste of time," the last thing you want to do is get to the end of the semester or year and find out that you really have wasted your time because the things you chose to be about were unnecessary.  This question establishes our starting point.
2. Where do I want to end?  Or, where do I want to see my students at the end of our year together?  This is what gives us our direction at the beginning of the year, as well as a vantage point to evaluate from at different points along our year of ministry.  This question establishes our goal(s) that we will strive towards throughout the year.
3. What is realistic?  Given the current state of your ministry, leadership team, student base, campus environment, local church support, etc., what is an accurate estimation of what you (with God) can accomplish this year - you don't want to bite of too much and find yourself spread too thin, or going in too many directions, throughout the year, and yet, you don't want to do too little and find yourself wishing you had done more!  Praying for God's leading in your leadership is essential!  This question establishes how attainable our goals are - a good thing to consider at the beginning of the year.
4. What challenges can I foresee?  Sometimes, if we can anticipate certain challenges, we can plan accordingly and/or work more effectively when they arise.  Are there student leaders that don't seem "all in?"  Are there budget cut-backs that are going to have a negative impact?  Big things happening on campus?  Are there big changes happening within student or professional leadership?  This question establishes potential roadblocks between your starting point and desired end point.  Any one of them has the potential to sideline you and your ministry.
5. What's it going to take?  Realistically, what's it going to take to get from where you are to where you feel led to be in the end?  Do you have the right leadership in place to help you get there?  Do you have the right self/soul-care habits and space established for your ongoing pursuit of Jesus?  Are your students ready for what you've got planned?  This question is your gut check.  If you can answer YES to being up for whatever it's going to take... then proceed with everything you've got!

Ministry with college students is such an adventure!  Different from year to year, semester to semester, month to month, week to week, day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute... and student to student!

We must continually and prayerfully take the intentional steps that will move us (our ministry and students) towards the goal(s) that God has set before us.  We must be ever-aware of how the Spirit is leading and flexible to changes that might be asked or needed along the way.

"Our ministry" is really God's ministry... as faithful servants we are called to come under His leadership and into alignment with what He's already at work doing in that place.

God's grace and peace to you at the start of a new school year! 

the temptations of old wineskins

How was your summer?

Have you thought about that question? It's an important one for all of us who work in the field of campus ministry to sit with...

Why?

Because we are about to start a new year with students... whether we're ready or not!

My summer was not what I had anticipated... The long and short of it is that we sold our home almost nine weeks ago, and were supposed to close on the purchase of a new one on that same day... but for mold-related reasons, we did not... and have have been "on the road" ever since.

We are slated to close on the purchase of our "new" new home at the end of this month... all in all it will be 71 days on the road.

Nope, not a part of MY plan.

What was supposed to be the "summer of Guy" has been an exhausting two plus months of staying in the homes of friends who were on vacation, or traveling to stay with family...

Definitely NOT the summer I had dreamed of back in May. Oh how we cherish, and NEED, our summers as campus ministers.

Can you relate?

Do you find yourself at the onset of a new academic year feeling tired... already?!?

I was reminded on my commute to campus this morning that, regardless of whether or not I'm ready, student leadership training starts today - all other students will be moving back to campus on Saturday - and classes will begin one week from today.

No how matter how hard I might pray, I don't think there's anything I can do to put off the start of this new year.

My fear is that I might be tempted, in my tired-state, to put this year's wine into last year's old wineskins... to put a new twist on an old message... to rely on the things that have worked in the past, with past students, and reuse them with the new...

This is a danger that we must fight against! This is a new year, many of our students will be new students, and they NEED and DESERVE a fresh breath!

I'm thankful that in times of weakness (even as ministers) we have a God who says, Come to me and find rest. Come to me with your burdens. Remember, MY power is made perfect in [your] weakness.

Today, let us remember to pray for one another and the work we are collectively doing in the power of the Holy Spirit! Let us lean into Jesus for strength and perseverance in these transitional weeks of our year. May God be glorified both in us, and through us, as this new year begins!

Grace and peace

Day 3 of 40 Days of Prayer for Campus Ministry