I have the chance to consult with a college ministry in California next weekend! So I was talking with a staff member about gathering some students while I”m there. Without the rest of the staff and leadership team there, I plan to ask about students about the college ministry’s effectiveness and learn their ideas for how it might grow even stronger.
Right now is the perfect time in a semester or quarter to do likewise for your ministry. You’ve covered a lot of ground but aren’t quite to the point of planning concretely for January, right? So what if you gathered some of your” core students” and either conducted a “no holds barred” focus group yourself, or had a trusted leader / trusted outsider / college minister from another ministry lead the interview?
Last year, I offered a Fridea about doing this on a regular basis. This is different: a one-time or once-in-awhile chance to gain some on-the-spot insight from your students. Either way, it could be an enormous win. Who knows what little course correction or small improvement might make a BIG difference?
(And of course, if I can help you run such a focus group in 2014, let me know…)
This week, we are starting out church based, freshmen leadership team. Because of the large number interested and the fact that I don’t know many of them as well as in the past, I’m going to poll them on what brought them here. What can we improve on? etc. I know they are already invested and want to make things better. Plus, it’s a safe environment (at our house) for them to share.