“Exploring College Ministry” isn’t just a blog name, it’s the best description for what I’ve gotten to do for the last five years.

It all began with a Yearlong Road trip from August 2007 to August 2008 – an amazing adventure that spanned 44 states, 181 campuses, and hundreds of college ministry discussions. If you want to check out a summary – or dive into the details – of that crazy trek, you can learn about the Yearlong Road Trip here.

But there’s more…

Before the yearlong trip, I took 6 other big, solo, multi-state road trips – which all included collegiate explorations. (Little did I know what God was preparing me for!) I’ve outlined those first 6 trips here.

And since the yearlong trip, I’ve taken 8 more big road trips, allowing me to explore College Ministry even further. Keep reading; those are outlined below!

Speaking, Consulting, and More Last Year (2011)

  • March: spoke at College Metro, a national gathering of church-based college ministers (in Dallas this year)
  • April: Road Trip 15! I was brought in to speak to a group of pastors in Las Vegas about thinking & rethinking how they can reach college students. On the way back, I got to explore college ministry in Flagstaff, AZ. (See the full rundown here.)
  • May: spoke to a statewide gathering of college ministers in New York from the BASIC Ministries.
  • June: consulted with an Indiana church on developing and strengthening their ministry to collegians
  • October: Organized the second annual College Ministers Cohort at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta.
  • Spoke for Leadership Network’s University Ministers Cohort
  • Presented a brownbag seminar for present and future college ministers at Dallas Theological Seminary.
  • November: Served as speaker for the college ministry retreat of Peninsula Bible Church, Palo Alto, CA

Let me know if you can use me! I’m always open to new speaking opportunities, college ministry consultations, and other opportunities. Paid opportunities like those allow me to keep helping as many people as I can! (Details on that here.)

In 2010…

  • April: Road Trip #14 – to Boulder and Back! I headed to Boulder to attend the Ascent Conference – but of course, I found other explorations on the way (through the Texas panhandle), throughout middle Colorado, and on the way back (via Kansas and Oklahoma). It was a great 2 1/2 week trip, and you can see more here.
  • May: Discovery Trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil, with the International Mission Board! We explored collegiate / postmodern church plants there, and I participated as their on-site blogger to share about the trip.
  • June: spoke at the National Leadership Conference of the Evangelical Free Church of America in Columbus, OH. Topic: Developing a Church’s College Student Plan.
  • July: spoke at the Campus Ministry United Workshop, Searcy, AR. Topic: Better Brainstorming in College Ministry.
  • July: spoke at the state training for college ministers of the Missouri Baptist Convention, Rolla, MO. Topic: “The Good, the Bad, and the Crazy” from what I’ve seen in college ministry around the country.
  • August: attended National Collegiate Week conference and training for college ministers and students, Glorieta, NM
  • October: Organized a College Ministers Cohort at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta.
  • Spoke at chapel, Dallas Theological Seminary.

EXAMPLES OF RECENT SPEAKING AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

  • Several speaking engagements to college ministers of various national and regional groups
  • Lectured within a Campus Ministry course at Beeson School of Divinity
  • Spoke to college students interested in pursuing campus ministry at the Jubilee Conference
  • Spoke to Christian high school guidance counselors at the National Conference of NACCAP (North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals)
  • Multiple speaking engagements to Student Leaders within various college ministries

OTHER RECENT BIG EXPLORATIONS (most recent first)

October & November, 2009: Road Trip #13, The Seven Week Circle

This trip literally around the country was prompted by a chance to write articles about the impact of several chapters of a major national college ministry. Besides those stops, I had the opportunity to explore plenty more during this fast-moving trip through 25 states, as well as speak to a couple of cool groups in SoCal and Iowa! (details; posts about this trip; recap post)

August, 2009: Road Trip #12, Indiana & Back

This “short” (10-day) trip was prompted by the National Student Conference, the annual meeting of students and leaders from within the Independent Churches of Christ. Following the conference, I had collegiate explorations in Indiana, Tennessee, and Arkansas. (See the details here; posts here.)

April to June, 2009: Road Trip #11, 6 weeks to & through the Northeast

This was my first truly lengthy trip since the yearlong trip, and it took me in a northeasterly direction – all the way to the corner of our country, where I explored for a month… and then all the way back! Plus, I had a couple of really fun speaking opportunities along the way! (details; posts about this trip)

March, 2009: Road Trip #10, L.A. and Back

On this rather speedy trip, I got to connect with ministers in Albuquerque, Southern California, and West Texas, among other adventures! (posts about that trip)

January 2009: Road Trip #9, the Seminaries Circle

I spent time attending three different seminaries’ collegiate ministry courses – at Beeson Divinity, Asbury Theological, and Midwestern Baptist. I was also fortunate enough to teach a lecture at Beeson. And as I made this circle from Dallas and back, I – of course – also connected with some college ministers and explored some campuses! (intro to that trip; posts about that trip)

October 2008: Road Trip #8, the First of the New Trips

As a fan of the Catalyst Conference, I took the opportunity to attend with a 2-week trip to Atlanta and back. Via two different routes (one northward and one southward), I had lots of great chances to connect with new and old college ministry friends – as well as attending the conference, of course.