Engaging and Supporting Campus Ministry at Public Universities

The Importance of Campus Ministry

I was blessed for four and a half years to lead Revive Campus Ministry at Penn State. It has been a joy to walk alongside hundreds of college students and hear their stories. With students attending Penn State from over one hundred countries, I have met students from all over the world. The majority of these students come from parts of the world where they face religious persecution.

The blessings of leading a campus ministry come in many different forms. In my experience, the biggest blessing of campus ministry is seeing students take initiative and ownership of the ministry. We have been blessed to have great student leaders and others who share the vision for campus ministry. Personally, I love doing life together with students and having fun with them. Sometimes that means going with them to get lunch or a cup of coffee, attending sporting events or concerts together, or joining them for a special event in their life. Revive has been at its strongest when there are both high levels of spiritual depth and fun. Each week we have spiritual opportunities for college students including church services, small group meetings, and our weekly gathering. The students and I have also enjoyed serving together, most notably on our spring break service trips assisting communities in need.

Challenges

The biggest challenge that comes with campus ministry is time management. It’s a delicate balance between weekly activities and special events, planning for the future, and meeting students’ unexpected or urgent needs. Through mentorship/advice, mental health support, running errands for those without a car, and more, this ministry can have unexpected time demands that often can’t be planned ahead of time.

Campus ministry work is seasonal. I often joke that when students are the most available, I am the busiest. For example, when students are just arriving at school for the year during Fall Welcome Week, they aren’t very busy yet, but I have plenty of things to do to6 prepare for the year. On the other hand, when students are busy studying for finals at the end of the semester, I have much more free time. Balancing these areas of busyness and rest can be a challenge.

Desires of a College Student

Many college students’ main desire is to find an authentic community. Penn State has over five hundred student organizations where students find their people. Unfortunately, many college students today often find community in areas outside of faith. This is a great challenge for campus ministries as they seek to keep the students’ faith relevant and a priority in today’s world.

The Needs of a Campus Ministry

The greatest disservice to young people by congregations today is a lack of communication on their behalf. When students move to a new town to attend a college or university, it is very helpful for the student’s previous congregation to notify a local congregation or campus ministry of the student’s upcoming arrival. Students often make their decision about where to attend college based on factors not rooted in faith, and finding a faith community is not their first priority when arriving at school.

Congregations and their leadership train up young people from birth through high school, who then often go off to colleges and universities without a proper transition. High schoolers should be prepared for the collegiate transition and how to navigate it as a Christian, and being connected to a local family of faith can be a great blessing as they navigate those transitions. Lastly, making a connection to the campus ministry with the student is critical. Campus ministries today are not receiving notice of a student of their denomination attending the university. This requires the churches to share the students’ names with the ministry.

How the Local Church Can Be Involved

The local church can be involved in campus ministry through time and support. There are many campus ministries that take the form of a local congregation. However, I believe a campus ministry is at its best when connected to the local church. College students are often kept in a “bubble” of 18 – 22-year-olds. Churches provide students with the opportunity for intergenerational relationships. College students often need the wisdom and advice of faithful adults in their life. Other tangible forms of involvement can include making meals for students, assembling care packages for them, or hosting students over school breaks.

This article was first printed in the National Association of Directors of Christian Education Quarterly. We thank them for allowing us to reprint it here.

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