Discipling Your Collegiate Leaders

My two favorite months of the school year in College Ministry are the first month in the fall and the last month following Spring Break.

The fall is obvious, but the spring is because basically your students are with you less each day due to the impending sight of finals, papers, and coming of summer. Basically, what you had to get done is done. But, two things can happen. First, for some reason the end of spring semester always seems to bring more personal problems/issues for students. I think perhaps the end of a school year or the thought of going home for the summer reminds them of issues they have been submerging to that point. Or, discussions with parents about the summer raises new issues and conflicts. It can be a time of almost pure ministry.

But, for those who have elected/selected their new Leadership Team for the fall, this is a wonderful time to be building into their lives. How do you do that?

1. Set a weekly and private meeting time with each of them.

2. Get to know them. I always said that we would meet for an hour and that first half was all about them....
personal stuff, family, girlfriend/boyfriend, school stuff, whatever they want to talk about.

3. Cast vision for next semester. What has that leadership role been in the past? What could it be in the future? How do their unique gifts and abilities fit into their responsibility? Don't assume they see their position or responsibility the same way you do.

4. Talk about the summer and what they will do, where they will worship. I have been amazed to find some sharp Christian students who basically take the summer off from church because they aren't going to be around the Campus Ministry geared just toward them or the real cool College Church.

5. Pray with them. You may be surprised at the number of students who have not prayed out loud and personally with someone apart from some more formal group prayer.

6. Intentionally be their friend....an older friend...not a buddy.

4.