Quite likely you may not have given much thought to which format your large group weekly meeting uses. You probably either continued what was being done when you arrived. Or, you started doing what you had experienced wherever you came from. There likely was not much or even any thought given to what format is needed here or will work best here.
I would even go as far as to say, it likely never occurred to you that there was more than one format.
Simply put, I think there are 3 Large Group Formats:
-Large group worship-usually a band & speaker (but it may not be a large group)
-Fun Event with a message contained.
-Bible Study Group with interaction.
Most Baptist Collegiate ministries I have seen (both campus and church) use the large group worship format (band and speaker). Many non-denominational campus ministries use the Fun event with a message format. I don't know why that distinction has developed. It partly may be related to Baptists having a large number of church students and non-denominational ministries attempt at connecting non-church students.
The "Fun Event with a Message" obviously can take many shapes. But simply put, it is some fun games or skits with ice breakers that are a significant part of the weekly time then with a brief student testimony of God's movement in their life and or a brief biblical message by a leader. Usually, these have no large group music or worship time.
It is my opinion that we should be more intentional in choosing our format. Some obvious advantages to the Fun Event format are:
-No band needed.
-Each week can look very different.
-it does not require as many skilled, committed, mature Christian student leaders to pull off.
Am I advocating the Fun Event format over the Large Group Worship Event? No; I am not. Just that most I deal with use the Worship and I am encouraginging all of us to be a little more intentional!
More on this tomorrow!
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