I would argue that any college ministry should consider getting adults involved. This is a common question from church-based ministries, but providing intergenerational connections and using adult volunteers is a great option for many ministries besides those housed in churches.

What are some ways you can get this done?

  1. Adopt-a-Student with local Christian adults
  2. Recruit adults / churches to serve meals (or snacks) to students on-campus, at a church, etc.
  3. Use families’ homes (for small groups, parties, etc.)
  4. Initiate “Campus Missions Teams” at each church that has shown an interest (call them “Tiger Mission Team,” “Longhorn Mission Team,” etc., based on the name of your own campus tribe).
  5. Encourage churches to welcome students into adult small groups / classes, if there’s no (well done) collegiate option
  6. Bring adults into student gatherings as “hosts”
  7. Highlight the other opportunities at your church or at various churches (women’s Bible study, special speakers, service projects, Christmas events, etc.)
  8. Initiate disciplemaking relationships between adults and students
  9. Initiate mentoring (i.e., between students in certain majors with adults in those fields)
  10. Life “mentoring groups” (i.e., learning to cook)
  11. Getting local adults to eat on campus, spend time on campus, and otherwise begin having a “ministry of presence”
  12. Get adults to teach (including doing “panel discussions” with multiple adults and on-stage “interviews” of local adults)
  13. Find opportunities to serve local adults (in ways that build relationships with them)