1. Continual turnover of ministerial leadership
-There are always some students who disappear in any transition. Besides shifts in philosophy and approach, there are just relationships that are not there. Borderline people disappear and no one even knows it. Key supporters get left out....usually unintentionally.
-Stability is key to growing a ministry.
2. Playing favorites with students....or appearing to do so.
-A College Minister will always spend more time with key leaders, but talking to and relating to a wide variety of students at your key events is huge.
-A story is told about one College Minister who became close to a group of guys and they would spend large amounts of time with him. He would order pizza on the ministry account for them to eat together. Other students got that message.
3. Not cooperating with college officials and/or violating school policies.
-College officials can open or close doors for a ministry. Working with them is to your benefit. If they know and trust you, it can be surprising the doors and opportunities that open.
-If the school says don't put flyers on car windshields, don't do it....even if it is the plan of salvation. Some will say you are being "bold for the gospel". Nope; you are harming the overall proclamation of the gospel on that campus.
4. Being sloppy in handling, reporting and using ministry finances.
-I have never been aware of a College Minister stealing from college Ministry funds. But, I know of several situations where sloppy handling caused people to wonder and be reluctant to give.
5. Not communicating to your stakeholders, supervisors, employers what is happening in your ministry.
-The more people know the more they help and tout the ministry to others.
-The more people know the more it keeps your ministry in the budget.
6. Expressing a critical attitude toward other ministries.
-We can genuinely have disagreements with other ministries' theology or methods, but we must be careful to not be continually negative. This is a major turn-off to students and is harmful to the overall campus view of ministry groups.
7. Not staying true to the core principles, beliefs and purposes of the ministry.
-There are lots of good things we can do that keep us from doing the best things.
-We must always be a ministry, not a club.
8. Neglecting your spouse to do ministry.
-First, it is the wrong example to students in this day of struggling marriages or even belief in marriage.
-Some wind up having to leave College Ministry to make their marriage right after neglect due to working all the time. See #1.
9. Dampening students sense of ownership and initiative.
-In our desire that things be done well and with excellence or in a certain way, it is possible to make students feel inadequate or always wrong. So, they stop doing or leading out.
-I've learned the hard way that sometimes I must keep my mouth shut and in the end it is better....not done my way....but better!
10.Constant flux and change in the ministry.
-Every year is totally different. Often, it is a change to copy someone else's success.
-Meeting times, places and nights are always changing. There is no constant to build on.
11. The appearance of immorality or mis-behavior among your student leaders.
-Likely, this is the number one College Ministry Killer!
12. Working student leaders to death with little appreciation or positive input into their lives.
-We must never forget they are volunteers and the experience they have influences what students want to follow in their footsteps.
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