Dumb Mistake #1 "Not Using Volunteers"

Through the years, people have often said to me, "If I can do something to help you, let me know."

My usual response was to try to be gracious and thank them--but never call them. This may have been my biggest mistake in college ministry. As budgets get tighter, students' needs and college ministry gets harder, perhaps we have to re-think our use of volunteers or "very part-time" people.

A while back thru a series of events, we hired a "part-time worker" that we paid $200 a month to do a couple of specific things. It lit up her life and she became as effective as many full-time staffers. She was a mom and didn't want to work full time and did not have to financially. Is there someone out there like that whom you should think about how to use?

In my capacity as a committee member for a national college ministers conference, I invited Mike Gaffney, who at that time was college minister at a Seattle Church, to be part of our conference. He had a weeknight college worship service that averaged 1200---in Seattle--not even close to the Bible Belt. Partly joking, I said, "Mike, we want you to lead a seminar and tell us your secret." He responded immediately, "My secret is volunteers. I have 185 adult volunteers." I quickly divided 185 into 1200 and even with my poor math came out with a ratio of about seven students per volunteer. Wow! When you break it down, asking a volunteer to enlist and relate to seven students reduces an elephant into bite-size pieces. And, as Mike quickly pointed out, "You don't have to have 185 volunteers to start."

A busy architect said to me at church one day, "How can I help you?" It seemed crazy to me, but I said, "Well, we need help serving lunch Wednesday." He arranged his schedule to drive in from a meeting 30 miles away to pitch in with our lunch program.

When we were raising $800,000 to build a new campus ministry center, the ladies who had been volunteers serving during our lunch programs were the strongest advocates for their church to give to the project.

I think I and YOU need to think better about using volunteers. Yesterday we had a meeting of college ministry people to talk about how to better minister to the growing population of International students on our campus. A couple of hours later and older lady walked in and said, "I am looking for a place to volunteer." In talking with her, she said she was interested in International students. I have an appointment to meet with her Monday.

Are you using volunteers? Or, are you just blowing them off?

Dumb Mistake #2 "Not Writing Thank You Notes"

I know I sound like your mother at graduation time. "Have you written your aunt to thank her for that check?"

You like me may have had the experience of giving to a ministry and never hearing back from them. When I don't get any response, I wonder if they got it; was it lost in the mail? Finally, when the check clears I wonder what it was used for or if the gift really mattered.

A long time ago I went to a fund raising seminar and the leader said something I have never forgotten. "The people most likely to give you money are the ones who have already given you money." It is a simple and easy to understand principle. People are more likely to give again and might even give a larger gift, if they know their gift was appreciated and what is was used for.

The good and bad news about people's giving to religious causes today is they no longer give blindly. They want to know how their money is used and they enjoy seeing and knowing that it is making a difference. When you write to say thank you, they know you got it and that you appreciated it.

But, you can even go a step further and tell them what you used it for. Or, you can tell them about an event coming up or that you just had and thank them for helping to make events like that possible. I wrote thank you notes yesterday and in each of them I told them that school started this coming Monday and that we were having a chili supper for all the students interested in being in and signing up for one of our Bible study groups and thanked them for helping to make events like that possible. Much of the money for the program personnel for our Back-2-School Retreat comes out of the money given by individuals. Many give around that time and when I write them a thank you, I tell them something about the retreat.

Some checks from individuals and churches to campus ministries are received monthly. You can still write them a personal note once or twice a year. December and May are great times to do that. Are you thanking people for what they have done and, and are you creating the likelihood that they will give again by letting them know their gift was appreciated?

Dumb Mistake #3 "Not Learning From Those with Whom You Disagree"

One of my glaring weaknesses is that I tend to think I am right---all the time. In doing college ministry, it is easy to fall into this trap. Obviously, each of us do things the way we think is best. But, do we really have al the good ideas? All the best methods? The obvious answer is NO!

Do you disagree with the theology or methodology of a growing ministry on your campus or in your area? What should you learn from them? What do they do best? How do they do it? Don't steal and copy something unique about them, but what is there you can learn from them?

Thinking inside the same boxes results in the same thoughts. Alright, what college ministry drives you crazy--now, what should you learn from them???? Should you attend one of their meetings (on another campus perhaps)? Should you visit with one of their staff members?

Dumb Mistake # 4 "Not Relating to University Officials in a Positive Way"

It is amazing how many doors university administrators can open—and close---for campus ministers. One university scheduled a meeting for its campus ministers, but all except one were too busy to attend. Now, when the university has a question or wants to discuss religious issues, they call the minister who made time for the meeting. One campus minister told me he hosts a luncheon as his building every year where he grills steaks for the staff of the university recruiting office. It was during one of these luncheons that the recruiters learned the minister would visit with prospective students interested in religious activities. So, now they him know whenever these opportunities for outreach come up.

One way to relate to university officials or meet them in the first place, is to show up at university events. If they are having a public reception for a guest speaker, go. When they hire a new coach and hold the big press conference, be there. You might be pleasantly surprised who you stand next to, and what you learn. On the flip side, most university officials don’t know what a resource you are until they have a chance to get to know you. For instance, does anybody in Student Affairs know who you are, and that they can trust you? You are the best “free resource” they have, but many of them don’t realize it. When they do realize it, you might be surprised at the doors that open to you. By the way, remember the lone campus minister that showed up for the meeting with school officials, the next summer he had the choice spot during the student organizations fair and the other religious groups were all complaining about their bad locations. Wonder how that happened????

Dumb Mistake College Ministers Make #5

Dumb Mistake #5 is "Not Playing to your Strengths". A while back we had some staff changes and I lost an Assistant Director position. I had to think about what I would cut out in order to cover some of the ground this person had covered. One of my decisions was to increase the amount of time I spend preparing to speak at our main weekly event. I can be a decent speaker, but even better when I plan carefully and really have time to work on it. I realized that since speaking was not hard for me, that I had been short-changing my prep time to do other things. I decided if we were losing help, I should be sure the things I do well I should do better.

As a college minister, do you play to your strengths or do you short-cut them to get other things done? God made us unique for a reason. Don't do just what you are good at doing----but, don't short-cut your strengths in order to do something that may be less effective. We only have so much time---how are you investing that time? I decided to double the amount of time I spent preparing to speak at our weekly meeting. What's your strength(s)? Are you running toward them or away?
Arliss Dickerson
Baptist Collegiate Minister
Arkansas State University
Leadership Development Contract Worker, Lifeway Collegiate Ministries

Dumb Mistake #6- "Not Realizing God's Kingdom is Bigger than You (and your Ministry)

I once asked a college minister known for having a heart for discipleship to lead a seminar on that topic for a state conference for university students. The timing seemed perfect, because I knew he would be in town that weekend for a ballgame involving his school. He declined--because he said he thought few, if any, of the students from his ministry would be attending the conference.

Are you building God's kingdom or yours? Sometimes, that is a tough and uncomfortable question to answer honestly. Each of us is responsible to his or her employer. But if God has called you to college ministry, he has called you to build His kingdom--not just your campus or church ministry.

Do you think about what is best for college ministry as a whole or just yours? What have you done lately that helps--not hurts---other ministries to college students?

No particular ministry is a fit for every student. So if you are "the big show" on your campus or in your town, how can you benefit others who might touch students you would never reach? What can you do to help college ministry in your whole state or nationally? You might be surprised!

# 7: “Not Loving College Students”

That is crazy you say, “I wouldn’t be in college ministry, if I didn’t love students!”

But, is your love conditional? Do you love them whether or not they participate in your ministry or always do right?

College students sometimes act selfish, immature and disloyal. One of our fine arts teams had been in a church one weekend. After they had returned, I heard thru the grapevine that they had been a little hard to deal with—especially with the man who had done the sound. I got his number and called to apologize.

He was wonderful. He said, “Hey, they’re college kids and I don’t expect them to have it all together yet. I didn’t act just right when I was their age.”

Wow! The guy had never been to Seminary and he knew a lot about doing college ministry. There is a student that my wife and I had in our home and fed meals to. A year or so later he dropped out of our ministry and when I would see him on campus he would not speak to me or pretend he did not see me. I had to remind myself he still needed me to love him.

Yesterday was a very busy day in our office. Reports were due. A big newsletter was in process and behind on assembly, a grad student involved some with our program came in alarmed. She was flying to her home for a long holiday weekend. The student who was to drive her 75 miles to the airport had called with a lame excuse. One of us remembered that our job is to love college students and dropped everything to drive her to the airport.

Are you doing your ministry or are you also loving college students in spite of them?