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I believe I first outlined my classification of the “three branches” of college ministry in a post way back in February 2008 (written only a few hundred miles south of here, during the yearlong road trip). I had variously referred to those three branches before and since, including in my book:
- Campus-based college ministry (including parachurch, denominational, and independent ministries centering their activity on the local campus)
- Church-based college ministry (ministries overseen within individual churches)
- Spiritual development at Christian colleges (the specific people or departments in Christian colleges dedicated to student discipleship, often called “spiritual life” or “chaplaincy”) (from Reaching the Campus Tribes, pages 17-18)
Those branches are distinguished, in my mind, by a few major things:
- Campus integration (the connection of the ministry to the college campus, including where it centers its activity)
- Oversight (who tends to hire, govern, and evaluate a ministry’s leaders)
- Function (the way the ministry operates and “feels,” particularly to students)
- Field reception (the lines the college ministry community has tended to draw between these areas)
While any of these factors might be clearer or fuzzier for an individual ministry, I do feel they fairly well delineate between the various branches. So using this terminology has been really helpful to me.
But as I continue to explore and ponder, I always want to be open to tweaking my approach! One question has especially led me to consider adding a “fourth branch” to my classification (it’s the first question listed below). But while I’m at it, I figured I would ask for further input. So if you’ve got any thoughts on these things, please fire away!
The big questions:
- Collegiate Church Planting is a major strategy employed on a significant number of campuses. Should it be considered a fourth branch of college ministry, or does it fit better under one of the present branches?
- Should campus-based ministry be split into two branches: denominational / church-related and fully parachurch?
- Should ministries run entirely by students be considered a separate branch of college ministry?
- What’s the best term for Branch #3? “Spiritual development at Christian colleges”? “Chaplaincy”? Something else?
- Any other adjustments you would make to this system?
Please feel free to weigh in – I’d love to hear your thoughts, arguments, questions, additions, or concerns!
written from my 7th Motel 6 in 9 days (in Vallejo, CA)
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Road Trip 13: Day 9 recap
exploring Cal State Chico, and then down to the Bay Area
T-shirt: the Fighting Illini of University of Illinois
today: Stanford and other Bay Area fun
A little quiz to get us all up-to-speed on some of the campus-based college ministries around the U.S.
Feel free to report your score AND add other ministries you’re familiar with – including ministries whose names change depending on location. This is NOT a complete list, just several major ministries that don’t have extremely obvious names.
I hope you have your Scantron ready to go.
MATCHING
Match each ministry name with the fellowship or national group it usually connects with.
1. Reformed University Fellowship (RUF)
2. Baptist Student Union (BSU)
3. Campus Outreach
4. Cru
5. [Mascot] for Christ (i.e., “Aggies for Christ”)
6. Chi Alpha (XA)
Yesterday I discussed why I lean toward using the term “college ministry” to describe our field as a whole. (There were several great comments, too, at that post and on Twitter and on Facebook.) Since we’re on the subject, I figured I would share something else I’ve learned along the way.
Parachurch vs. Campus-based
You might have noticed that I tend to use the term “campus-based” to describe college ministries that function outside of a specific local church (and that tend to focus their efforts on or near campus). Most people who aren’t involved in college ministry or are involved in a different branch of college ministry often use “parachurch” to describe any and all of these groups – but I use “campus-based.”
Why? Because many campus-based groups that arise from denominations or other fellowships of churches don’t consider themselves truly “parachurch.” While others may disagree with that assessment, I imagine it comes down to how you define “parachurch” and whether or not multi-church organizations fit that definition. (Denominational college ministries tend to be overseen and/or supported by actual, local churches – a presbytery, an association, individual churches, etc..)
Even some members of those groups will call themselves “parachurch,” so clearly it’s not too big a deal. But I do know that some people feel pretty strongly about the difference – and clearly, there is a fundamental difference in how these groups are overseen, supported, and connected to congregations.
I figure there’s no reason to be snotty by calling ministries unappreciated terms. So I’ve found “campus-based” to be a helpful and respectful name to describe that particular branch of college ministry.
And one more note
Since it came up in the big paragraph above, I figured I might mention another term I’ve learned to avoid in certain situations. It’s important for outsiders to remember that Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ don’t usually consider themselves part of “denominations.” The churches are completely autonomous and have no truly “official” connections, though the relational and theological connections often run pretty strong. Instead, “fellowships” seems to describe them well.
So there’s some “Ecumenically Correct” vocab I’ve learned in my explorations the last couple of years. It’s been far easier learning that stuff than it has been (re)learning how to say my own first name.
Any other “ecumenically correct” or otherwise helpful tips you’ve found in the world of college ministry (or beyond)?
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Last week, for the first time I can remember, I hit the trifecta…
That’s right. In one day, interviews with college ministers from what I consider the 3 “branches” of collegiate ministry. As you can see on the West Coast Itinerary, I met with Drew Aufhammer, staff member of UCLA Campus Crusade (the first Crusade chapter, by the way); Joe Keller, Dean of Students at The Master’s College (who oversees much of the spiritual life side of that Christian campus); and Ross McMeekin, Director of University Ministries at Malibu Presbyterian Church.
In other words, I got to explore campus-based ministry, the ministry of Christian colleges, and church-based ministry. All on the same day.
(In fact, I almost hit the double-trifecta, because that night I attended the UCLA Cru meeting and the college study over at Bel Air Pres. If I had attended a Christian college’s chapel or other ministry activity… DOUBLE TRIFECTA. So close!)
Anyway, that very full day and some other recent explorations have gotten me thinking about those 3 branches. So you’ll probably see some thoughts over the next week along those lines. [Here's the first of those posts.]
Since that’s the case, I figured I would first give a little primer on the 3 “branches” I see in the field of Collegiate Ministry. These are definitely working categories, and I may eventually categorize things differently. But hopefully they’ll work for now – and if you’ve got notes or thoughts, feel free to comment!
Branch #1: Campus-Based Ministry
This is probably the branch of college ministry most people outside our field think of when they hear “college ministry.” Read the rest of this entry »
Yesterday meant a one-day trip from Baton Rouge down to New Orleans for one of the most enjoyable opportunities of this trip so far! Dr. Allen Jackson, Professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, had invited me down there, and he took me and some other college ministry-types to lunch (at Superior Grill, no less). Besides getting to meet the President of NOBTS, Dr. Chuck Kelley, and eatin’ some scrumptious crawfish enchiladas, I got to spend a few hours talkin’ college ministry with those guys and gals – and got a mini-tour of NO on top of all that.
Dr. Jackson is a well-known youth and college ministry prof, and among his other jobs at NOBTS, he oversees the four classes on collegiate ministry. (That’s impressive already, since few seminaries seem to offer that many separate courses in our field. One of those classes even covers the history and philosophy of collegiate ministry!)
I figured you might be interested in what came up in the conversation as we jumped topic-to-topic. I coulda spent hours more and didn’t have time to ask nearly enough questions, but it was still a blast spending the time with Dr. Jackson and three other “students of collegiate ministry.”
So here’s a quick round-up of our major topics, brought up through questions asked, stuff I noted I’d seen on this trip, things Dr. Jackson stated, etc. (If there’s been a relevant post on Exploring College Ministry, I’ll put that link, too.)
- The importance of collegiate ministry (and whether people realize that). We were wondering aloud whether the average churchgoer understands the moral “free-for-all” taking place on our campuses. But that’s not the only reason for college ministry; Read the rest of this entry »
Howdy, friends! I mentioned last week that I’d gotten to see several interesting College Ministry models the last few weeks. Today, I begin the run-down, with a short review of one of these models – and the things I find interesting. I’ll do similarly for each.
Please don’t forget the disclaimer: My interest doesn’t equal unqualified support, for any ministry, church, etc.
Campus Crusade & Park Street Church, Boston
1 church impacting two dozen campuses
I got the awesome chance to sit down with Tammy McLeod, Campus Crusade for Christ Boston Metro Director, in my last days in Boston. Even before I arrived in New England, I knew I’d try to explore Cru – not only because it’s a major collegiate ministry in a major metropolitan area, but because of its unique partnership with a major Boston church. Plus, it’s always an honor to hang with a long-term pro in our field…
If you know Boston, you know Park Street Church has “held the line” of evangelicalism for their 198 years, unlike so many of the old Boston churches that are now Universalist (or whatever). Interestingly enough, Park Street sent the first Protestant missionaries to Hawaii and held the first performance of “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.” The church is right in the midst of Downtown – just look for the looming building right by Boston Common, after you take the Green Line to the Park Street stop. You know, the next time you’re in town. (Read more about Park Street and their history.)
Hopefully you also know that Campus Crusade is one of the premier campus-based collegiate ministries in the world. (Read about them and their milestones.) In Boston, Campus Crusade is known as Real Life Boston.
Apparently about 13 years ago, some rather creative, open-minded leaders Read the rest of this entry »
This afternoon, I had the privilege of attending regular, large group meetings of both Campus Crusade for Christ and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at UIC. It’s crazy to know that I shared that experience this week with literally thousands of students on hundreds of campuses around the world.
But not only this week. IV and Crusade have impacted collegians since 1877 and 1951, respectively. So two little “large group Bible studies” carry with them a weight of heritage that far outweighs what might be assumed by the casual observer. And there’s more, even just this week.
Sunday, I was at The Moody Church‘s morning service. Since 1858.
I’ll be at Moody Bible Institute in the morning, for chapel. Since 1886.
I got to see the Billy Graham Museum at his alma mater, Wheaton College, on Saturday. Since 1918 (him) and 1860 (it).
There are times – like this afternoon at UIC – where I realize a little bit of the weight of this heritage, of schools and ministries and churches that have impacted people since long, long before I was born. And before you were born, too.
We may debate methods and hope for innovation and even have reason to do so sometimes. But it’s a great thing to spend this year applauding the longstanding, and learning of those people and places that have impacted for generations.
(If you want to join the applause, you can start by clicking on the links – most of which link to the histories of these tools of God.)
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