Living and Serving in the Right Season of Campus Ministry

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I believe there are 4 Seasons in the life of a campus minister and therefore, it can be a lifetime calling. Many mistakenly believe it is only for the young who can stay up all night and play volleyball and basketball with the guys. So, they quit when they pass that stage. Or, they try to pretend they are something they are not. There are strengths and weaknesses to each. The point is to acknowledge your season and play to the strengths of that season.

The four Seasons are:

The Starter/Near Peer — It is easy to mix and mingle in the student world and to connect with them on that level. One of the weaknesses is the ministry will usually be limited to those who respond to that personality and the lack of life experience to draw on.

The Cool Adult/The Role Model — This is the real world functioning adult as a single adult or with a young family. An obvious strength is being able to model what the “next step” in life is. An obvious struggle is learning to balance family and no longer quite fitting in the student world. Plus, “the personality ministry” tends to not work quite as well.

The Respected Veteran/The Builder — This college minister has a strong background of experience to draw on and it is much easier to relate to administrators and pastors. A weakness is that it is easy to get into the rut of just doing the same old thing year after year. Plus, it is easier to become rigid and unwilling to change and adapt.

The Loving Parent/The Statesman — This campus minister can fill the void so many students have of no parent who seems to love and believe in them. Plus, they have a large network of resources on which to draw. For this campus minister it is easy to lapse into “preaching at” students. One of the tasks here is to build for the future and leave the ministry stronger than you found it.

Unfortunately, too many quit just when they have enough knowledge and experience to really be effective. There is a strength for each season. Be yours and God will use it.

[ BACK-TO-SCHOOL BLOGATHON HOMEPAGE ]

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Arliss Dickerson served as Baptist Campus Minister at Arkansas State University for 32 years, is married to Sue and plays bad golf! He nows works in the area of Leadership Development with Lifeway Baptist Collegiate Ministry and can be reached at arlissdickerson@gmail.com.

 

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Arliss Dickerson

  • Sarah Koutz

    I love this! Thanks for sharing. This is going to be very helpful to our team in South Bend as we continue to discover how to build a campus ministry and define the roles of each team member.

  • http://www.facebook.com/frank.huebert Frank Huebert

    This post addresses one of my biggest questions as I have begun my campus ministry journey.  Is there a place for longevity in my specific position at my institution.  In the last few years I have experienced at least the start of that transition from Near Peer to Role Model and am finding that though with family and other outside obligations I have less time to offer students, I have much more depth to offer than I did when I was able to hang out with students in the dorm until 1am.  I recognize the stages of the campus minister and look forward to growing into and with each stage.  I am wrestling with the interplay between this natural progression and the benefits of that for the students I minister to, lead, and develop.  But just because that is the natural progression for the minister is that the best progression for the minister’s position with an institution or campus ministry.  At some point is my position best filled by a Near Peer or Role Model rather than a Builder or Statesman?  Even if a Builder or Statesman may have a lot to offer a campus, potentially much more than a Role Model or Near Peer, maybe that position is best suited for someone in the earlier stages.  And if there is no opportunity for those in later stages of ministry to “advance” or for new positions to be carved out for them, when do they make the decision to move on rather than to wither both personally and organizationally staying in an earlier stage position as a late stage minister?

    • Chadlogan14

      I worked with Arliss for 2 years and he would be quick to tell you to be yourself and focus on being the most effective based on how God has wired you to be. He would also tell you that his staff “historically” has been strategically at different seasons. Therefore, the most effective ministry not only understands these seasons, but has a staff that exemplifies these seasons. 

    • http://thebasicsite.org/resources/blog Chris

      Working with BASIC College Ministries in a model that incorporates volunteers from churches as campus ministers, I can truly say that campus ministry can be successful with people who are in any of these seasons. The ministry I participated in at college was run by a couple who had only been doing college ministry for a couple years, but were in their 50′s. Almost every student in the group loved them and deeply respected their opinions. I really liked how Arliss ended this post, “There is a strength for each season. Be yours and God will use it.”

      • Arlissdickerson

        Hey Chris, just saw your comment on Seasons and agreed with it very much….saw a story recently about a campus minister who died while working on a campus at the age of 73!!

    • Arlissdickerson

      Frank, sorry I just saw this!  I think you are absolutely correct that some places are not life-time campus ministry positions.  So, I think sometimes you will have to move in order to be in a place that best fits your season.  BUT, I still do believe any season can work any where…it just will look differently.  For example, I was in a place later on where I had 1 or 2 staff members and I hired younger types who could fill some of those Near Peer roles.  Usually, that is a larger campus setting with a significant budget.  But, I really believe those type ministries need an older more experienced person to develop all the different aspects of ministry in those settings.

  • Jim

    Spot on as usual Arliss!

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