"6 Types of College Minister - Which Are You?"

Although most of us in college ministry would like to think we are "The Personality Campus Minister" that instantly draws a huge crowd, we know it is not true. Yet, many of the personality ministries I have seen have not worn well over time. So, that is not necessarily the perfect answer to all college ministry.

So, let's get honest, which one are you? I think I am "The Hybrid".....I think I started out as "The Administrator" who tried to train and work thru a strong student organization with a good group of student leaders and advance planning. The model suggested then was that college ministers were never to be up front. The College Minister as speaker is a more recent development....in fact, the message in the past was if you are up front, you are not doing your job very well.

As I aged in college ministry, I think in many students' eyes, I became something of a "Pastor" figure on campus. I was asked to do way more weddings, etc. I began to serve as a mentor to more younger college ministers and even church staffers and be considered a peer of pastors. I am a strong advocate of the idea that you don't age out of college ministry, you
just need to learn to play to the strength of the age you are.....and each age has strengths!

So, I began to embrace the Hybrid role of "Pastor/Administrator Campus Minister"....but still working very hard at relating personally to students and actually doing more speaking in our events and embracing that role as a strength.

Three factors can lead you to the Hybrid Campus Minister....Experience, Training or Age. Experience helps you see a side you need to develop for your ministry to continue to grow or strengthen. Training may have helped you see some things that work and need to be done that don't come naturally. Moving to a diffent stage of life may point you to an adjustment to help you to continue to be very effective.

I am not saying "The Hybrid" is the only way to do it well.....that's just where I wound up.
Now, which are you? Really??? Get honest with yourself....and I am excited to hear from you about which you think you are and why. The most important things is to recognize the strength of the type you are and utilize it to the max.....AND get honest with yourself about the weaknesses of your type and be doing something about it!