It’s a spectacular time to do a hospitality check-up, since October is well past most college ministry’s major influx of new visitors. Student leaders, staff, and the whole ministry will find it easier to slack just a bit; for instance, even though they see each other regularly, students may habitually …
I’ve gotten a couple of chances to play in my creative side recently here at work. A report I planned to give to my team presented an opportunity to share data with gusto. And a video I shot allowed for some freewheeling fun. So I’ve got a question for you: …
As I noted, last week I was immersed in two different conferences – which means, of course, that I had two chances to learn some college ministry principles – not because these were “campus ministry conferences” per se, but because we can always be learning about this field. So that’s …
The last couple of posts, I’ve looked at some unique opportunities for students to take the helm in your ministry – in ways we don’t often think about. Clearly, students often form some sort of “greeting team” or otherwise work intentionally to make new (and even returning) students feel welcome. …
This time of year, you’re likely seeing a handful – or a horde – of new students come through your Large Group Meeting (or whatever your “front door” happens to be). But here’s a question: When’s the last time YOU were a guest at a ministry function? It’s easy for ministry …
Generally, a “standing army” shouldn’t need to be recruited all over again. But in the case of college ministry, with its (awkward, let’s face it) 3-month interlude called “Summer,” we may need to remind students of their duties. In these last couple of weeks, I’ve blogged several times about bridging …
Yesterday I urged us to make sure our Greeting Team (including anyone that provides a first point of contact to our ministry) is being truly hospitable, not just hawking our ministry. But I think the latter is harder to avoid than we think… over time, any position in a ministry …
At this point in the semester, it’s definitely possible you’re presiding over a college ministry that’s significantly bigger – or significantly smaller – than it was in April. (“Significantly” is relative, of course. Dropping from 50 to 25 may affect your group much more than dropping from 200 to 150 …
What do we do after we’ve begun? This week, I’m discussing ways you can use early weeks of the semester to maximize your ministry’s impact. For the rationale, read the intro post; for the whole What You Do in Week Two series, click here. observe the actual first impressions WEEK …
As I’m working my way through this series on Hospitality in College Ministry, a vital note: Perceptions always matter, but even more so in aiming for hospitality. We’ve all had moments of sadness when we hear that students who visited our ministries didn’t feel welcomed. But we’ve also probably (wisely) …
