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  • How to Share the Gospel with Those Placing Faith in Good Works

    Have you ever had a spiritual conversation with someone who thinks they are a Christian and thought, “They just need to know the grace Jesus has shown them”? We become …

  • Unpark Your Prayer Life

    “Never stop praying.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT Prayer is a conversation with God. We talk to God, God talks to us. We listen to God, God listens to …

  • Understanding the Challenge of Expressive Individualism: Part 2

    This is part 2. If you haven’t yet, read part 1 here. Collegiate leaders are like missionaries to the college campus, and one significant characteristic of college student culture is …

  • Understanding the Challenge of Expressive Individualism: Part 1

    Collegiate leaders are like missionaries to the college campus. All missionaries need to understand their target culture, translate the Bible into the vernacular language, avoid cultural taboos, and find creative …

  • 3 Reasons Why The Faith of the Next Generation is Worth Everything

    Something I experienced at a conference a few years back has stuck with me ever since. Maybe it’s because that was one of the last conferences I went to pre-pandemic …

  • What’s Expressive Individualism Got to Do With It?

    Imagine trying to give directions to someone visiting the campus where you currently work. As you’re on the phone you tell him to “turn right on 4th street,” …

  • Leverage Spring Break for the Kingdom

    How much could one week catalyze your mission mobilization? In 1991, I happened upon a strategy that absolutely changed my thinking.  I led a team of college students and …

  • Running Free

    Josh’s spiritual decline started slowly. He wasn’t pursuing God like he once did. Quiet times, Bible study and church attendance, which had been a highlight of his week, began to …

  • 100 Questions Away from God

    Have you ever felt overwhelmed with questions or known someone who was? A while back I was faced with this situation for the first time. It was one of the …

  • Why the College Campus? Pt 5

    This is the final article of a five part series. Click here for Part One, Part Two, Part Three, and Part Four. IT’S THE BEST PLACE TO IMPACT CULTURE AND …

  • Why the College Campus? Pt 4

    This article is part four of a five part series. Click here for Part One, Part Two and Part Three. IT’S WHERE THE FUTURE LEADERS OF THE WORLD ARE  Of …

  • Why the College Campus? Pt. 3

    This article is part three of a five part series. Click here for Part One and Part Two. IT’S WHERE THE FUTURE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH ARE The university campus …

  • The Master Plan of Initiative Evangelism

    What is Initiative Evangelism? I’m a huge fan of The Master Plan of Evangelism. Can I get an amen? The principles in that book have shaped the way I go …

  • Why the College Campus? Pt 2.

    This article is part two of a five part series. You can find part one here. IT’S WHERE WE ARE LOSING OUR CHRISTIAN KIDS. The U.S. track team has …

  • Why the College Campus? Pt 1.

    Right now, there are just over 20 million college students in the U.S. If they were their own country, they would be the 60th largest country in the world …

  • How to Help Your Students Read Books

    Some college staff leaders have observed a recent trend that students are less motivated to read books. Many students struggle to read, don’t have the time, or lament that they …

  • Pancakes With A Purpose

    Some time ago, a few of our students went down to UC Santa Barbara and came back raving about an outreach they saw called Jesus Burgers. Every Friday night they …

  • Carrying Ministry on a Tightrope pt 2

    (This is part two of a two-part article. You can find the first one here.) As the title suggests, you can easily lose your balance while leading a ministry …

  • 10 Differences Between Greeks and Non Greeks

    Over the years I have heard many campus ministries try to gain momentum doing ministry in the Greek community. Too often, many fail to gain traction because they miss a …

  • The Battle to Belong

    Do you remember what it was like to be a college freshman?  You’re 18 years old and just stepped foot on campus for your freshman year. Remember what …

  • Avenues to Avoid and Aims to Adopt

    When it comes to leadership and personal development there are always things to keep intact. Have you ever found yourself wishing you were someone else or somewhere else? Leading with …

  • Breaking the Ice for an Initial Spiritual Conversation

    I will never forget the time I missed the perfect moment to turn a conversation into an evangelistic opportunity. I was a seminary student and working part-time for a window …

  • Crafting Strategies for a Disciple-Making Ministry

    “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” Proverbs 14:23  Over the last ten years, I have had a growing interest in making the …

  • How to Handle Transition in Ministry

    As I sat in a weekend service at church, the pastor said, “Most of us will not finish our lives in the churches we are currently in.” My eyes …

  • Shifts To Make When Leading The Next Generation

    I heard Erwin McManus share a few years ago that his education had prepared him for a world that no longer exists. Can you relate? I especially feel like in …

  • Making the M.O.S.T.

    No campus minister or student leader has ever said, “I want the Lord to use me in the most insignificant way possible and produce boringness within my soul.”  We …

  • Carrying Ministry on a Tightrope Pt1

    What does it look like to live a life of faith? One illustration in particular has been etched in my mind for years. As a college student many moons ago …

  • The Beauty in People Building

    Death has a way of putting life in perspective. It helps you to see more clearly that the seemingly “ordinary” life can be extraordinary when you live it for something …

  • Why C.O.L.L.E.G.E. Ministry?

    For the last 19 years, I have been involved in ministering to college students. Why? I believe they are the most strategic demographic on the planet. I hope that this …

  • Revival Leadership

    We had gathered for leadership training, 100 InterVarsity staff ready to be equipped for ministry. One of our colleagues, a gifted evangelist and strategist, was preaching and talking about the …

  • TikTok Evangelism

    Social media has changed forever with the rise of TikTok, which is now officially the most opened and watched app in the social media ecosystem. It has become so successful …

  • What Took You So Long?

    One of my pure joys is when students set out on frontier mission trips into parts of East Africa. Places that take days of travel in diminishing forms of transportation …

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  • Tilled Souls, A Ripe Harvest, and the Opportunity of a Lifetime

    At the end of each year I, like many, have the habit of reviewing the year with thanksgiving and praying over the year to come. As I prayed about 2022 …

  • Culture Determines Ministry Impact

    I have the blessing of being in ministry for over 12 years, and in those twelve years, I have held a variety of positions. From church intern to skatepark minister …

  • A Lifelong Vision for Lifelong Disciple-Makers

    The other day I sat down with a college student for lunch. During the conversation, he asked some great questions about being a follower of Jesus. After hearing these questions …

  • International Missions: Essential or “Bonus?”

    The discipleship needs of our students can be overwhelming.  We want to help them learn to faithfully pray, read their Bibles, disciple others and share their faith. They also …

  • Four Ways to Reach Freshmen Before They Reach Campus

    Freshmen are the future of your ministry! Therefore they should be the focus of your outreach every new fall semester. The more freshmen you reach, the more opportunities you have …

  • Getting the most out of missions

    Give your students ten days in a cross-cultural mission with good preparation, processing, and debriefing and it will change lives and raise up more laborers for God’s global harvest.

  • 3 Questions For Setting God-Centered Goals

    Many of my goals and plans for this year got sidetracked. (There’s an understatement.) Some areas for which I had great intentions didn’t improve, while I’ve seen growth in …

  • 3 Questions for Effective Low-Prep Evangelistic Bible Studies

    “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Rom 10:17 Discovery bible studies are one of the most effective ways for those starting their …

  • Why Is Evangelistic Growth So Slow?

    Most agree that evangelistic growth has slowed to a trickle. Only slightly faster than the line at the DMV. Few adults are coming to Christ and even fewer are incorporating …

  • 4 Things The Next Generation Is Looking For

    As leaders, it’s our responsibility that we are actually answering questions that those we serve are asking. It’s our job to meet needs that people are feeling. It’s our opportunity …

  • Do’s & Dont’s: Following Up An Epic College Ministry Trip

    We’ve all been there as collegiate leaders. You’ve just finished an inspiring week leading students to serve the Lord during a mission project. Or maybe it was a life-changing discipleship …

  • Straight To The Heart

    All of us yearn to be part of a campus movement that is exciting, growing, fun, and full of warmth and vision, right? But how do we get there? Does …

  • Don’t Forget The Least of These

    Throughout my time in ministry I have read many strategies and ways of reaching the campus for Christ and developing leaders. I have grown greatly by thinking through and applying …

  • You Missed a Spot: The Big Hole in Some Churches’ Outreach Strategies

    Have you ever noticed when somebody has missed a spot shaving? Probably not recently since everybody’s face is always covered. On the bright side, one silver lining of masks means …

  • One Simple Step to Start Mobilizing Students to the Unreached 

    When Jesus gave the Great Commission, his scope was the world. In Matthew 28:16-20, He said it just to the 11 disciples, but His plan was for all nations to …

  • 9 Lessons from William Wilberforce for Anyone Passionate About Anything

    How did I not hear the name William Wilberforce until I was 26 years old? In the year 2006, some 173 years after Wilberforce died, many people, like myself, learned …

  • 3 Character Qualities For Young Leaders: Advice From Greg Laurie

    Recently, I had the opportunity to be a part of Harvest America as well as Young Influencers Mentoring Day with Greg Laurie. Greg Laurie is a godly and gifted evangelist …

  • Turning Drowning Students into Christ-Centered Laborers

    On the college campus, with increasing frequency, we’re seeing upperclassmen leaders in our ministry struggling to keep their heads above water. Unable to personally thrive, they are completely unable to …

  • Evangelism: Today’s Christian Curse Word

    Most of us cringe at the word evangelism. Christians I talk to are creeped out by it, uncomfortable, and want to run as far away from “witnessing” as possible. Evangelism …

  • Almost Missional

    During the past fourteen years I’ve spent recruiting and sending student missionaries, I have had a front row seat to thousands of students stepping out to serve on mission. Thousands …

  • Do You Have Grit?

    Making an impact among college students requires grit. I once attended a Q&A session with Louie Giglio at a collegiate conference. He was asked, “How do I make an …

  • 4 Common Misunderstandings With The Great Commission

    A conversation around the centrality of discipleship in global missions is an important consideration for globally-minded Christians. The Great Commission clearly illuminates the importance of discipleship in finishing God’s mission …

  • 5 Practices of A Life-Long Learner

    When I was in college, my twin brother Paul and I were mentored by a man named Max Barnett. He was already a veteran college minister in his 70s, but …

  • The Summer of Your Life DIY Training Projects

    Two of the most successful chain stores in the United States right now are Lowe’s and Home Depot. With millions of people cooped up at home, and lots of discretionary …

  • Let No One Despise You

    I was meeting with Chris at the diner a block from the campus where I worked and where he attended.  Catching up on life, we talked about classes, his …

  • 5 Reasons Most Churches Don’t Reach College Students

    There are over 384,000 evangelical churches in the U.S. today, and there are some 5,300 colleges and universities, if you count everything from beauty schools to Harvard …

  • Four Essentials for Thriving as a New College Ministry Staff

    Welcome to college ministry, new staff! We are so glad that you’ve joined our happy band as we, together, reach the campus for God’s glory. Jesus says in Matthew 9:37-38 …

  • 4 Mindsets to Have in Campus Ministry in a Pandemic

    If I hear the word “unprecedented” or “pivot” one more time in reference to the pandemic, I actually might lose my mind. Ok, seriously though, while most of us are …

  • Remember the Nations in Uncertain Times

    It is an unusual time, to say the least, to be the director of a collegiate missions agency. Since the beginning of the school year, I have been praying about …

  • The Untapped Group on Campus

    Every campus is populated with a group of students who are tremendous influencers and possess leadership qualities. They have untapped potential to impact lives for God’s kingdom, not only on …

  • 5 Things To Do Over Winter Break

    Winter break can be an awkward time for campus ministry leaders. It is short enough that you could easily waste it. The winter break also provides a great opportunity for …

  • How College Ministry Teams are Like Sports Teams

    Growth in ministry is always exhilarating!  Having more there than last year, starting a new small group, having to set out “overflow” seating; all of these things keep you …

  • 5 Things To Do Over Winter Break

    Paul Worcester identifies the five things collegiate leaders should do over winter break. Winter break can be an awkward time for campus ministry leaders. It is short enough that you could easily …

  • How College Ministry Teams are Like Sports Teams

    Growth in ministry is always exhilarating!  Having more there than last year, starting a new small group, having to set out “overflow” seating; all of these things keep you …

  • “Good to Great” in College Ministry

    I believe leading a college ministry is one of the most challenging and strategic callings you can have. To thrive in college ministry you must develop the grit of a …

  • 4 Reasons To Add Student Leaders This Spring

    Paul Worcester shares why you should add student leaders to your team for the Spring semester. Growing a team of student leaders, volunteers and staff is essential if you want …

  • Part Two: Choosing, Equipping and Evaluating Small Group Leaders

    David Clark writes about choosing, equipping, and evaluating small group leaders so that they grow and see mission expand on campus. I still remember my first time attending a small group …

  • Part One: Community Group Essentials, Content & Atmosphere

    David Clark identifies two community group essentials—content and atmosphere.  Community groups are a critical part of a college ministry—they are a great “front door” for students who aren’t as interested …

  • What Works Everywhere in College Ministry?

    I just got back from a mission trip to Germany to help a campus ministry called Connexxion. They’re doing a great job of reaching and discipling college students in a …

  • Leading a Local Summer Training Project

    In this special expanded article, Paul Worcester shares some of the best practices for a local summer training project. There are many options for what your collegiate ministry could focus …

  • Send Staff to Multiply Ministries Part Three: Sending and Caring

    The nine months leading up to our first child’s birth I slept great! My wife on the other hand, would experience the full spectrum of emotions and changes accompanied by …

  • Send Out Staff to Multiply Ministries Part Two: Assessing and Training

    Eager to begin the sending process, we cast vision for one of our graduates to go help with work in the Northwest. This was our first one, our first fruit …

  • Send Out Staff to Multiply Ministries Part One: Recruiting

    “I have never been so honored for someone to tell me to go. Thank you for believing in me.” I was cleaning off my bulletin board above my desk …

  • 3 Obstacles to Effectiveness in Campus Ministry

    Many people start out with the intention of making an impact on their campus. Yet so many seem to lack the results they desire in campus ministry. Have you ever …

  • Don’t Blow it With Your Interns

    I remember the first year we had the budget (and enough students) to warrant an intern. I was excited! We were now “multi-staff.” We could have staff meetings instead …

  • 7 Keys for Effective Recruitment

    Now is one of the best times all year to focus on recruiting. I believe it is one of the most strategic times to recruit for just about everything. Whether …

  • How to Help A New Believer Start Well

    I’m always happy to see people respond positively to the Gospel message. Whether it’s in a group setting or through a personal conversation, I know the decision to trust …

  • 3 Reasons It Feels Hard To Be Bold About Jesus

    Becoming bold with Jesus can be difficult with the people we are around every day. I used to play basketball with a group of guys at the local 24 Hour …

  • Practical Ideas for Leading Your Core Team

    One of the greatest ways to leverage your impact on campus is to put together a team of student leaders to be the tip of the spear for sharing Christ …

  • The One Common Element of Radical, World-changing College Movements

    For decades, Cru’s mission has been “Turning lost students into Christ centered laborers.” Our mantra has been “Win/Build/Send”. The reason I have remained on campus for 20 years is …

  • Reach More Students by Sowing Broadly

    If you want to have a ministry that is consistently growing and reaching new people you will need to sow broadly with the good works and good news of Jesus …

  • Whatever It Takes: 3 Simple Fall Outreach Ideas During COVID-19

    This fall semester will be unlike any other but I believe there are unique opportunities for us to reach more students than ever! At first, our staff team was disappointed …

  • Moving from Great Disruption to Great Discipleship

    We are living in a time of incredible disruption. Recently, I wrote about some principles for leadership in the pandemic. However, the overall disruption I’m referring to here is not merely …

  • Interest Groups: Sharing Christ Through Social Activities 

    “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16 How do we make …

  • How To Reach Experience Based People With The Gospel

    A few years back while sitting in a café with a student trying my best to persuade them of the reality of Jesus and that He is in fact God …

  • 4 Ideas for Leading During COVID

    Our school has recently sent out the rules and regulations that they will be following on campus for this fall.  They are probably somewhere in the middle as far …

  • Help Us Finish the New Fuel and The Flame

    This summer we did something unusual. We released a book to the world as an advanced reader version. We did this with the idea that we could get feedback from …

  • You Need More Staff: How To Recruit More Laborers

    I will be the first to admit that this title was a little bit click-baity. However, I think many of us in collegiate ministry have thought to ourselves, “I need …

  • How to Reach Freshmen Through Social Media

    The pandemic has pushed us online. As a college ministry worker, you may be feeling disappointment or frustration that your way of doing ministry has been essentially shut down.  …

  • 10 Books to Read with Student Leaders

    I am often asked what we do to train our team of student leaders. Answer: books. Using a book enables us to cover more topics than we can in a …

  • 5 Signs You Are Seeking Your Own Glory and Not God’s

    “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). Our college ministry staff has been reading the classic Campus Crusade book “Principles God Honors” by Jim …

  • Extraordinary Prayer for Your Campus

    This article was co-written by Paul Worcester and Clayton Bullion. Mobilizing prayer for our ministry is one of the most important things we can do.  It’s the only thing …

  • The Radically Focused College Ministry

    I devoured the book “Deliberate Simplicity” where Dave Browning lays out the case that in ministry, “less is more, and more is better.” There are a lot of …

  • Boundaries in College Ministry

    College ministry leaders are notorious for boundary issues. I came on staff right after being a student and had a rough transition setting the right boundaries between myself and the …

  • Developing a Leadership Pathway

    Do you spend much time at the doctor’s office? If you haven’t, just wait till you have kids! And, if you are blessed with boys, expect to spend some time …

  • Listen Up! 10 Tips for Talks to Students

    1. Keep it scriptural.   Explain and apply what the Bible is saying, not your own bright ideas about the topic. Usually you will want to spend more time covering …

  • 4 Leadership Moves During a Global Pandemic

    On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that we are officially in a global pandemic. As I’m writing this it’s now May 13th, more than …

  • Partnership Development and the Coronavirus

    Many of you in the middle of raising support may be wondering what to do during this unprecedented time. Today there are more school closings, limitations on gatherings of more …

  • Why porn won’t be enough during this pandemic

    This title probably brought mixed feelings for you, especially if you’re struggling with pornography. Before this post begins, I want you to know that God is not ashamed of …

  • The Platform and the Bible-less: Mid Pandemic Mobilization

    If you haven’t seen the new Netflix psycho-horror movie The Platform, I don’t really recommend it. When I started watching it, I didn’t realize I was getting into a dark …

  • Survival Guide to Raising Support During the Coronavirus – Part 4

    (This is part 4 in our series as we look at heart postures and strategies for connecting with ministry partners during the coronavirus pandemic.) You should always be communicating …

  • What if there’s no fall? College Ministry on an Empty Campus

    How do you plan for a fall of ministry with the looming possibility of no college students on campus? Let’s talk about: What we know right now What we can …

  • The Quarantine Manifesto 

    As we come up for air in the shock of our present situation, the reality sets in that our isolation and social distancing will be extended. The first week may …

  • Virtual One on One’s

    Sunday morning I, like most Christians, sat on the couch with my family and watched our church service online. I gotta admit, it was kind of a cool experience. Later …

  • Obstacle or Opportunity?

    “What an amazing opportunity we have!”  This is what I’ve had several friends tell me this week. What if we saw this season as an incredible opportunity to advance …

  • What’s your Covid-19 go to?

    When I’m hit with the temptation to be afraid, to live in fear, I hit the pause button and turn to my go-to verse…

  • Free Digital Evangelistic Bible Study: Discovering Purpose

    Evangelistic Bible studies are one of the greatest tools for sharing your faith with people who are far from God or not sure about what they believe. The goal is …

  • 2020: The Summer of Love! Create a Virtual Training Program for Your Students

    San Francisco, CA 1967: The epicenter of the so-called “Summer of Love” when thousands of hippies arrived with flowers in their hair to get high on sex, drugs, rock ‘n …

  • Survival Guide to Raising Support During the Coronavirus

    Join us as we look at heart postures and strategies for connecting with ministry partners during the coronavirus pandemic.

  • The Fish are still biting… online! 

    Mark 1:17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” The COVID-19 crisis has expanded the territory of collegiate-focused ministry from …

  • Free Webinar: Launching Digital Evangelistic Bible Studies

    with Beau Crosetto, Steve Shadrach & Paul Worcester Thursday April 16th at 1pm Central What if there was a simple and reproducible way you could empower students to leverage this …

  • In the Midst of the Pandemic, A Hard Lesson Learned

    This past week my social media feed has been overwhelmed by the number of live-streamed ministries. I’m guessing yours has been too! Some of them have been simple recordings off …

  • Got the COVID-19 Campus Ministry Blues? Obstacles Become Opportunities!

    Ministry in a time of pandemic is challenging. Students are scattered, gatherings are restricted, and many of our donors are losing their jobs. These setbacks are frustrating, but the Bible …

  • Post-Pandemic Church: Why and How It Should Change

    Everyone is live.  Me, you, your grandma.  Overnight, social media changed.  Now, we don’t get online just to see what our friends are doing or watch …

  • The Harvest is Plentiful, but the Laborers are Addicted to P*rn: Part 2

    The “tsunami” of destruction from porn addiction is headed towards us, looming over our nation, our churches, and our society. The shame of porn usage is destroying young believers and …

  • The Harvest is Plentiful, but the Laborers are Addicted to P*rn: Part 1

    You’re in the middle of a pandemic that’s about to get worse if something is not done, and I’m not talking about coronavirus. Boredom is one of the most common …

  • The Mission is Not Canceled

    As campuses shut down or go to online classes across the nation, how can we leverage this as an opportunity to advance the gospel instead of a momentum killer? Your …

  • I Repent, Help My Unrepentance

    Wouldn’t it be great if we had a spiritual oil check stick for our heart? At any given moment we could dip the stick into our hearts and evaluate our …

  • Easter is a Big Deal

    Easter is a big deal for Christians. We celebrate the fact that Jesus didn’t stay dead after He was crucified. After He died, He was raised to life, offering hope …

  • Knowing What It Takes to Win

    Knowing Yourself Hebrews 12:1 points to the fact that all Christians have “sin that so easily entangles us.” Experience tells us this too. Matthew Henry says it is “the …

  • Every Christian Should Be an Evangelist…
    Even College Students

    What do most students really think when they hear in a weekly meeting or discipleship group of the billions worldwide who have never heard of Christ? I think many …

  • 5 Keys to Energize Your Evangelism this Year

    Starting off the new year, many establish new goals, whether in areas they feel completely confident in or in areas where little notice has been taken. Sharing your faith is …

  • “Where are the African American missionaries?”

    I remember over 30 years ago, conversing with one of the few African American missionaries I knew at the time. He told a story of some friends of his, who …

  • Discipleship Essentials: Reproducible

    All my life I have been haunted by my multiplication tables. When I was a kid my mom spent hours testing me with those stupid flash cards. Now I am …

  • Conviction vs. Condemnation

    Conviction or Condemnation? Conviction and condemnation can feel similar for a Christian. Conviction is from God and is necessary for joy. It should be cultivated. Condemnation is from Satan. It …

  • Discipleship Essentials: Relational

    Discipleship is more caught than taught. Jesus modeled the most effective form of disciplemaking by giving us what is commonly known as the “with him principle” based on Mark 3:14 …

  • How Not to Waste Your Winter Break

    Winter break can be an awkward time for campus ministry leaders. It is short enough that you could easily waste it. However, these several weeks while campus is quiet also …

  • Discipleship Essentials: Intentional

    “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.” Isaiah …

  • Year-end Giving: Hype or Help?

    Is year-end giving a help or hype? It all depends on how you do it—prayerfully, personally, and with consideration of those you’re contacting.

  • Feed Your Students a Meal that will Make Them Hungry

    As if lovingly preparing a home-cooked meal, our staff used to spend hours searching for and adapting Bible study content. Making sure we had the right percentages of various nutrients …

  • What is Personal Support Raising?

    What is Personal Support Raising Booklets BUY NOW DOWNLOAD NOW Jesus left all of His followers with the charge to make Him known to all nations. Working together as …

  • Are You Getting The Blank Stare in Your Support Appointments?

    The blank stare. Have you experienced it? It’s the unsettling expression on the face of the person sitting across from you in a support appointment gone bad. You’ve passionately …

  • Pushing Past Pretend

    “I don’t want to push my trekking poles into the earth!” I had been trying to help this 18-year old student ascend a two-mile hill, with bits of advice …

  • Pace Yourself

    If you are passionate about your ministry vision, it’s wise to work hard. College ministry is no place for slackers. Steve Murrell said it well, “If you want an easy …

  • Battling Beside Them:
    Ministering to Students Fighting Anxiety or Depression

    The room was so full they were having to turn students away. Last winter, I attended the yearly Cru winter conference in Fort Worth, TX with around 800 students. One …

  • How Not to Lose
    “The Camp High”

    As I sat in the back of the auditorium listening to hundreds of students worshiping, I was distressed by a single thought: what if all 500 of these students go …

  • God > Family > Staff > Students

    When I first joined staff with DiscipleMakers I was young, unmarried, without kids, and didn’t lead a staff team. I lived without much balance, because I could. I didn’t have …

  • Kingdom Collaboration Sets the Stage for Revival

    Unity among believers, significant prayer, and a sincere yearning for God’s Spirit to have His way are all hallmarks historically of seasons of revival. We are seeing signs of revival …

  • Collaboration Without Comparison

    If you are reading this article you value learning from other people and their ministries. One of the dangers of living on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook is you are …

  • Between Two Doors: Trusting During Transitions

    As a young minister I worked the night shift at Home Depot for health insurance. I once found myself, at some point from 9pm to 5am, sandwiched in a sales …

  • Dear First Year
    Staff Woman

    Dear sister, I write this letter to you on the evening before I meet with one of you–a sweet sister who graciously asked to spend some time with me …

  • Ministering from the Messiness of Suffering

    There are different kinds of sick people. Some people are good sick people, and they just sleep until they feel better. Some people are reckless sick people who just keep …

  • The 5 Worst Questions You May Be Asked During a Support Appointment

    When starting a Q and A time with a group I always seem to say, “There are no bad questions, only bad answers.” But as it relates to our …

  • Do What You Can

    As you are looking ahead to next semester, it can be easy to look at the needs of your campus and the resources you have at your disposal and be …

  • 3 Sins We Haven’t Outgrown

    In kindergarten I used to chew up crayon wrappers and spit them at girls. Besides the obvious health risks associated with that, it also wasn’t winning me any favor with …

  • The Freedom Fight
    Student Survey

    The tsunami of pornography and sex addiction is coming, but most are unaware of its approaching and destructive danger. If we are making disciples of this generation of students but …

  • The Coming Tsunami of Pornography Addiction

    On December 26th 2004 an earthquake magnitude 9.1 struck off the coast of Indonesia. The ocean floor was violently thrust up more than 60 feet by the collision of …

  • Until Christ is Formed
    in You

    Recently I attended a self-awareness retreat for church planters. Just picture a bunch of pastors sitting in a circle crying. During this time, our leader gave us some personal reflection …

  • One Part Lazy
    One Part Crazy

    I am one part lazy and one part crazy, and it’s been that way the entire 20 years I’ve worked with college students. It goes something like this: Lazy wants …

  • Invite Them In

    Fun fact–my major in college was actually hospitality management. Because of my education, I sort of viewed hospitality as big events: weddings, super bowl, concerts, corporate gatherings, etc. But …

  • Wrestling with God in Front of an Audience

    After I became a Christian during my freshman year of college, the Psalms were such a comforting oasis of honest poetry to me because of how raw and candid they …

  • Creating a Culture of Inclusion

    Include – To make someone a part of something. We all want to reach new heights of inclusion in our ministries. The foundation for all of our efforts on college …

  • Strategize Yourself

    Not only can you use the Strategic Planning Process to direct your ministry teams, you can use this same method to focus the vision and direction of your life. Most …

  • Revive Us Again
    Part 2 of 2

    (Revive Us Again Part 1) Everyone has “that person” on their team. You know them. When everybody else gets excited about an idea, they are the ones who say …

  • Strategize Your Campus

    Build a strategy plan for your ministry and a personal development plan for yourself that will help you get from where you are now to where you want to be …

  • Revive Us Again
    (Part 1 of 2)

    Those of us in the trenches of college ministry know we can stir a generation to believe for a heavenly outpouring while experiencing the thrill of every nation, tribe, and …

  • Support Raising from Your Pastor’s Perspective

    Almost a quarter of a century ago, my wife and I were fresh out of college. Our first full-time mission was reaching college students with a parachurch ministry. Our history …

  • How to Write an Awful Newsletter

    Not again, I thought. I felt like banging my head against the wall. As Assistant Director of Ministry Partner Development, my job includes skimming staff prayer letters to hunt for …

  • Is My Ministry Over Once I Have Kids?

    When God allowed my dream of being a mom to become a reality, life as I knew it took a fast turn from early mornings and late nights on campus …

  • What Do You Need To Cut From Your Ministry?

    One perk of leading a ministry focused exclusively on making disciples of college students is the ability to hone in on what will most effectively reach, train and send students …

  • Good, Better, Best: It’s All In Where You Find Your Rest

    Instagram.  The Office.  Twitter.  New Girl.  Pinterest.  Fortnite.  YouTube. Statistics show that the average person spends 10 hours per week on Netflix and 14 hours …

  • Mobilizing Students to Their Most Strategic Role

    “Never do anything that someone else can and will do, when there is so much of importance to be done which others cannot or will not do.” This quote …

  • Why Your Students Aren’t Serving

    It’s a common enough complaint. Why are so many Christians who fill pews on Sundays happy with consuming, instead of making meaningful contributions to their communities and churches? We see …

  • Loving God with Your Head, Heart, and Hands

    Jesus said the first and greatest commandment in all of God’s revelation is to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with …

  • “Old School” Discipleship

    Nolan Ryan is one of my favorite all time baseball players. He is a Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher who holds multiple records, including 5,714 strikeouts and …

  • The Story of the Student Volunteer Movement

     “The evangelization of the world in this generation.” That was the rallying cry of the collegiate men and women who were part of the greatest missions mobilization movement in …

  • Stand Up For Your Sister

    I am rarely shocked by the sin struggles college students face. Being on staff with a college ministry has opened my eyes to the brokenness present in many students’ lives–whether …

  • Meaningful Gifts Create a Tradition of Thankfulness

    Being a husband and a parent has made me realize you only get one shot to make life as special as you can. Days pass into years so quickly, you …

  • Want to Walk with God? Learn to C.R.A.W.L.

    C.R.A.W.L.– A Daily Bible Reading Plan The ministry I work for focuses on evangelism and discipleship. Most of the students in our ministry either came …

  • Plan a One Day Adventure with God

    What comes to mind when you hear the word adventure? An adventure, by definition, is “an exciting or unusual experience.” That’s why adventures are often so impactful. When we …

  • Creating Mountains that Matter: Leadership Retention

    The success of every organization hinges on its ability to keep its leaders. Anytime I notice a thriving company, church or college ministry, I also notice an inevitable ability to …

  • FOMO is Real.
    You Are Missing Out

    A Lesson from Psalm 1 for Students FOMO. Fear Of Missing Out. Snapchats from parties we aren’t at. Group texts you aren’t in. Knowing your friends are gaming or at …

  • Why You Need Church
    (But Think You Don’t)

    Campus ministers get up every day believing they are going to change the world. They walk into each 1-1, Bible study and meeting on campus, emboldened with a deep sense …

  • Do I Have to Pray Every Day?

    If you ask in duty to earn God’s blessings the answer is no. (Christians should take the words earn, merit and deserve out of their vocabulary when speaking of their …

  • Purity Small Groups Aren’t Optional Anymore

    If you could only do five things in ministry, what would they be? At our regional staff retreat we were challenged to come up with our top five non-negotiables. Weekly …

  • Loving Your Husband Before You Even Have One

    As a young woman, I discovered the hard way that many ideas promoted by our culture don’t work. I listened to them and they left me with an empty life …

  • Napkins: Top Discipleship Diagrams

    We all love a good story. This generation of students does too, just not long ones. They love learning about God, but many cannot not hang with Piper, much less …

  • Out of the Church, Onto the Campus: An Open Letter to Collegiate Pastors

    I don’t want you to underestimate the impact you as a local church campus leader can have, or to abdicate the incredibly strategic work of reaching and sending students to …

  • Light a Fire in Your Students to Share Jesus

    By following these ten simple steps, you can help mobilize your students to share their faith and spark an evangelism movement on your campus.

  • Can Fraternities Be Fixed?

    We don’t need more restrictions and policies from the outside; what we need is more Christian workers around the nation who will go inside these fraternities and minister to these …

  • Ready, Set, Reach Those Freshmen

    “The University is the clear cut fulcrum with which to move the world…More potently than by any other means, change the university and you change the world.” …

  • Call Your Student Leaders Now!

    Want your ministry to multiply this year? Delegate responsibility to your student leaders, starting today. Wait, wait, I know. You think they will buy the wrong beef patties for the …

  • Is Ministry Over after You Leave Staff

    Sometimes ministry happened in a formal Bible study, and other times in a conversation over a pile of laundry. God allows us to love people “as we go;” to …

  • Know Where You Are to Get Where You’re Going

    How do we know if we are making progress in college ministry? What is success in a job that never ends, that begins again every fall with more freshmen to …

  • Summer Showers Bring Fall Flowers

    How we invest our summer months can have a huge impact on our fall and spring semesters. If we don’t “water the flowers” in the summer, we might find ourselves …

  • Seven Standards of Excellence in Short-term Mission

    Want to make sure the short-term mission program you’re considering is effective and of high quality? I’m going to walk you through the seven standards that SOE (Standards of …

  • Seven Principles of Recruiting the Right Staff to Your Ministry

    All of us want to be growing our staff teams in size and quality. Why? In order to reach and impact more people for Christ. But how and when do …

  • Don’t Torpedo Your Summer Project

    Although the overwhelming logistics of planning a summer project (housing, jobs, food, etc.) can be enough to make a campus minister’s head spin, there are some big picture areas …

  • Sprinting towards MPD success

    There is success when staff engage in Ministry Partnership Development as a spiritual exercise, where God empowers them to take risks and recognize His divine orchestration for the sake of …

  • Easter Sunday: The Age of Grace

    Don’t let this Easter slip by without the revelation that the nightmare is over; the old has gone and the new has come. Take some time to enjoy the freedom …

  • Rethinking short-term mission fundraising

    Over the past 20 years, the US has seen a surge in short-term missions. With all of these Christians flooding into ministry opportunities, you’d think that long-term ministry commitments would …

  • Mistakes to avoid in disciple-making: Establishing

    So much growth can happen so fast in someone’s life that we may look back on the person they were a year ago and not even recognize them. However …

  • Mistakes to avoid in disciple-making: Relationships

    Discipleship must contain authentic relationship and systematic Biblical training. If you take shortcuts in either area you will struggle to produce fruitful disciples. Here’s some ideas for building deeper …

  • Mistakes to avoid in disciple-making: Multiplication

    The overwhelming potential for spiritual multiplication through discipleship haunts me. It also drives me. That is one of the reasons I do college ministry. Even a small college ministry that …

  • Navigating leadership hurdles: Pastoral

    Sexual sin. Depression. Anorexia. Homosexual feelings. Suicidal tendencies. When I first started in ministry 20 years ago, if you were facing one of the above, we sent you off to …

  • The goodness of God’s gifts

    Sex, love, and marriage are always hot topics on the college campus. Confusion and controversy seem to reign, but it’s amazing how much insight the Bible gives us on these …

  • Navigating leadership hurdles: Theological

    From crazy frat guys to ladies on their way to seminary, they’re coming at you with questions. And that’s a good thing. But we need to remember it’ …

  • Navigating leadership hurdles: Controversial

    After two decades of helping lead college students through the jungle of controversial subjects in today’s world, I’m not sure that giving them the perfect answer is the …

  • Navigating leadership hurdles: An overview

    There’s a myth out there in the college leader world that a healthy college ministry = zero problems. If we believe that myth, we will get easily discouraged, most of …

  • Reaching students to reach the nations

    The torch of reaching the world for Christ has been passed to us today. But does God really expect us to reach “ALL NATIONS” with the love and message of …

  • Q&A with Brady Bobbink

    “Brady Bobbink has probably discipled more university students than anyone in history. Understanding that the secular university is the most strategic mission field in the world, Brady has resisted the …

  • The Basics: Simple and Reproducible Tools for Discipleship

    We have worked hard to gather biblical and practical tools for you to use, tools your disciples can grasp and then pass on to others. Over the course of this …

  • Approaching winter break with godly brokenness

    When away from routine, the body of Christ, daily devotional habits, and from God’s Word, it is only a matter of time before my break has beaten me. As Christmas …

  • How God saved my marriage

    Ministry can bring unique stress to a marriage. If you aren’t careful, you can lose your marriage in the midst of doing ministry.

  • An interview with Jimmy Seibert: The blocking and tackling of discipleship

    In final installment of this series, we’re going to dive headfirst into what it takes to make life-on-life discipleship a reality. I’m going to keep it simple by asking him …

  • An interview with Jimmy Seibert: The local church

    For our third installment of interviews with Jimmy Seibert, we’ll find out why he boldly keeps college ministry front and center and how he strategically and practically weaves it …

  • An evangelistic parable of butt-kicking proportions

    Four thousand churches are closing their doors each year. Campus ministries are closing too. Only 20% of churches are actually growing. Like the lepers in 2 Kings 7, if our …

  • An interview with Jimmy Seibert: The vision becomes a reality

    In part two of this series, I’m going to talk with Jimmy Seibert about teaching the basics of discipleship in order to change the world.

  • Are we ready for good works?

    If most of us were to make a list of qualifications indicating our “readiness for good works,” I believe it would primarily be a collection of skills, abilities …

  • An interview with Jimmy Seibert: A vision ignited

    No one has taught me more about Jesus, evangelism, discipleship, prayer, the nations, the local church, etc. than Jimmy Seibert. I decided to do a few video interviews with Jimmy …

  • Do you have a Nathan? Accountability and why you need it.

    We all need an accountability group within the body of Christ that we can confess sins to. And we all need someone to speak truth and grace back to us

  • The key to multiplication after graduation

    You just invested a couple years of your life into discipling several college students. Will your investment pay off? One would hope so! Unfortunately, what I have heard from many …

  • I’d rather be support raising…yea right!

    I’ve lived off support for almost 20 years. Within that time my family went off staff and then came back on five years later with an almost entirely new support …

  • One sows. Another reaps. Both celebrate.

    Have you ever poured your time and prayers into someone who just doesn’t seem receptive? If so, you’ve probably felt discouraged and questioned whether you’re wasting your time.

  • Atmosphere of law or atmosphere of grace: Are you too focused on fruit?

    Some of us are in a season of seeing amazing things happen, and some of us are in a place where we’re seeing very few tangible results of our …

  • Everybody wins: Balancing home and campus

    I have become convinced that one of the most crucial keys to laboring for a lifetime is developing a strong marriage and family.

  • How evangelism amplifies every detail of the Christian life

    Often times, when we think about the traditional “spiritual disciplines” what comes to mind are things like prayer, fasting, scripture reading, memorization, worship, and fellowship. But what about serving, tithing …

  • Why scripture memory matters

    You and I only have 3-5 years to help prepare a student for a lifetime of walking with God and laboring in the harvest. One of the most essential tools …

  • Purposeful supporter gifts: Why it’s a good investment

    For the last decade, my wife and I have made it a priority to send our supporters a Christmas gift. We give them the same gift every year, on purpose …

  • A discipleship strategy: Do you have one?

    In ministry, we can choose to discard or neglect strategy, saying we are just going to “be led of the Lord.” That may hide our laziness or fear of …

  • Three reasons your ministry can’t ignore the porn epidemic

    Despite the spiritual and relational carnage caused by porn use, few churches and ministries actually address the issue. What if helping your staff and students break free from pornography was …

  • Irreducible minimums, part 2

    Last week I explained to you the necessity of developing a set of irreducible minimums that would guide your ministry. This week I thought it would be helpful for you to …

  • Biggest momentum builder of the year

    Does your staff team have a clear, defined goal for this year? Yes, we know we’re trying to build laborers from the college campuses of the world, but that’s …

  • Irreducible minimums, part 1

    “What are your irreducible minimums as you open your first ministry at Arizona?” asked my friend. “Irreduci…mina…what the heck is he talking about?” Before I could answer, my …

  • Audio: Eternal Perspective

    Developing an eternal perspective is one of the most important training objectives for a growing believer. It helps motivate disciples to share Christ, make disciples, as well as endure hardships …

  • A train wreck waiting to happen

    The leaders are key in your campus moving forward, but the campus director must provide avenues for them to have more influences in their spiritual walk beyond you. Shaping strong …

  • Leading a Bible study in a Greek chapter

    Leading a Bible study in a Greek house can be very intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. My goal in this article is to make it as easy as …

  • No more holy huddles

    It seems as if the longer people are Christians, the fewer non-believing friends they have. Instead of believers pairing up and immersing themselves into the non-Christian dorms and Greek chapters …

  • How to have a winning student leadership team

    You can’t reach your campus or your world all alone. You need to raise up other leaders to share the burden and move the ministry forward. It’s my hope that …

  • The fog of war

    Every September it happens for me. Between gospel conversations, following up with new believers, helping new laborers know what to do next, and being a father and a husband, I …

  • Why, when, and how to launch a weekly large group meeting on your campus

    Every ministry yearns to have a growing, dynamic large group with lots of excitement, momentum and relationships. As important and valuable as a large group meeting can be, we dare …

  • They carried my couch

    Every year, thousands of new souls show up to be molded and influenced for the next four years. Whether they came from a liberal, atheist family or a church-three-times-a-week family …

  • Welcoming international students: The gift of hospitality

    In 2016, more than one million international students stepped onto U.S. college campuses for a higher education. They arrived on planes from Saudi Arabia, China, Indonesia, Iran, and everywhere …

  • Campus ministries race to keep up with record number of international students

    After the travel ban put out by the current administration was partially approved, it became clear that in the coming years America’s relationship with immigrants (and international students) could change …

  • Preparing to cross cultures: Understanding common differences

    When you meet someone, what questions do you ask? What do you talk about? This reveals how relationship oriented you are, as opposed to accomplishment oriented. As you prepare to …

  • Audio: Lessons from the life of apostle Paul

    In this sermon, Paul Worcester takes a look at key lessons from the life of the apostle Paul. These principles are foundational for anyone seeking to have a impactful ministry …

  • Where was God during Greek Week?

    What if you can’t see the big picture? What if God has a bigger plan for you? Maybe He has a particular chapter house and mission for you. If …

  • Grilling and the gospel

    It is commonly said that when you have all you need, build a longer table, not a higher fence. The 4th of July, and other holidays, give us an opportunity …

  • American Girl faith

    When we put the concerns of our country over the concerns for the global family of Christ, we abandon the true family of God for a cheap plastic replica that …

  • A guide to Godly time management

    Time is the most valuable asset in our life, even more valuable than money. If you lose money, it can be regained. If you lose time, it’s gone forever. That’s …

  • Seven reasons why you should never go on a short-term mission trip

    You’ve probably heard plenty of reasons why you should go on a mission trip, but here are seven reasons why you probably shouldn’t. You’ve been warned.

  • Better or worse, never the same

    No matter how long you have been in campus ministry, or the conferences you have attended or books you have read, our continued growth in leading ourselves and others spiritually …

  • I almost quit

    Our ministry was severely underfunded, one of my staff had to be released, and the church we were part of planting went away. Every part of me wanted to quit …

  • Six essentials to a summer project

    I’ve had the pleasure of helping lead 12 stateside summer projects. From my many failures and from God’s unending grace, I’ve had the privilege of learning the …

  • Audio: Three habits for everyday evangelism

    This week, Paul shares about the urgency of evangelism and three practical habits that have proven effective for helping believers develop a missional lifestyle in a variety of contexts.

  • Jennie Allen and the longterm impact of college ministry

    We rarely get to see the fruit of what we so laboriously sow. Students graduate, get married, get jobs and move off. And we go back to meeting with hundreds …

  • What fuels mission?

    The world needs leaders who go and keep on going, not leaders who go and burnout after a year or two because they’ve deprived themselves of fuel.

  • Why introverts can raise and maintain support as easily as extroverts

    When I first considered raising support, I was tempted to believe I would be unable to do so. I compared myself with Steve Shadrach and I knew I was nothing …

  • Q&A: Evangelism in an increasingly secular society

    Is most of your staff made up of natural evangelists? Probably not. Very few of us are naturals at this. Check out this discussion led by Timothy Keller as they …

  • We know you’re tired. And you should be.

    College ministry is hard emotionally. There’s something incredibly humbling about having an 18 year old freshman shut the door in your face as you try to tell them about the …

  • So, what’s it take to build a movement?

    I believe we could see thousands of people come to Christ on college campuses in the next twenty years. But the goal isn’t simply to draw a crowd. Our mission …

  • How not to let social media blunders sink your support raising ship

    Face-to-face asks, full of vision and passion, will almost always float your support boat in a way that’s far more effective than any social media shortcut.

  • Success is a Planned Event: 5 Crucial Steps in Preparation to be Fully Funded

    Cutting corners on preparation not only leaves us less equipped, but less developed into the person God would have us become. Don’t deceive yourself, He will bless your efforts.

  • Webinar: Leading your team and ministry to full funding

    I had a blindspot—two actually. I assumed: My staff could fully fund themselves without my participation and I wouldn’t need funding beyond my personal ministry budget. But I was not …

  • What do you want me to do, Lord?

    Have you ever found yourself wondering, “If I could just know my purpose I could get on with living my life?” Most of us have.

  • How to win the hearts of black college students

    Over the last few years there have been many issues regarding race relations, and some may be hard to understand. Feelings of guilt, shame, and anger have sprung up. Here …

  • Fundraising and Leadership: A Marriage Made in Heaven?

    When capable men and women step into ministry leadership they get a surprise—fundraising! Maybe they saw the fundraising line item on the job description, but it’s usually glossed over …

  • Delegation: Entrusting to faithful men

    Without delegation, the potential leaders around us will stay just that: potential leaders. Delegation is the most powerful tool we have in our leadership development tool belt.

  • Sowing purpose among an Unsatisfied world

    Unsatisfied is a new book about the spiritual hunger that God has placed in everyone’s heart. It focuses on helping college students find the life they can’t stop looking for …

  • Should I really tell students to go into all the world?

    Why, now that I’m back on this side of the great pond, do I hesitate to specifically challenge people to go to those who have never heard the gospel—people …

  • Leveraging Easter for evangelism

    Knowing the dedication and priority the gospel writers gave to this all-important time period, should we also seek to mirror this importance and leverage this time period for evangelistic purposes

  • Helping students reach their personal ministry targets, part 5

    Imagine what God will do with a growing number of laborers reaching out to more and more groups of people on your campus and beyond! Don’t settle for anything less …

  • We are all messy: Rosaria Butterfield on loving our gay and lesbian friends

    In this interview with The Gospel Coalition, Rosaria Butterfield shares from her unique vantage point that “the church has a lot to learn about standing with the disempowered and being …

  • Celebrating

    The best thing we do every week in staff meeting is celebrate what God is doing. This morning for staff meeting we went to breakfast as a team to celebrate what …

  • Equipping your disciples to make disciples

    Disciple-making is one of our primary responsibilities as Christians. It is therefore important that we have a clear map of where we are trying to take our people.

  • Crossing cultural lines

    Without campus ministry leaders crossing cultural lines, our ministries, students, and the gospel will not cross over either. It’s up to you to decide if you are going to …

  • Decision time

    I once believed that you serve in areas of gifting and places you enjoy. But then I realized that if you think you’ll only serve in places of comfort …

  • Helping students reach their personal ministry targets, part 4

    Your efforts to mobilize students to have a personal ministry will be much more effective if you give students “tracks to run on” as you inspire them with stories and …

  • A New Kind of Mobilization

    What would change about your ministry if you asked God to send 10% of your seniors overseas for two years and for the other 90% to live out their most …

  • Bi-annual prayer getaways

    I’ve found that over the years, establishing the habit of incorporating these bi-annual prayer getaways into my ministry has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

  • The life, death, and legacy of Samuel Mills

    Ever vigilant, this awkward but persistent young visionary pioneered the modern missions movement from America. If Samuel could communicate one thing to us today it would be, “We can do …

  • A shift in short-term missions

    Short-term mission trips have become a primary method in mobilizing students to be a part of God’s global purposes.

  • Ten classics every collegiate ministry worker should devour

    I know I’m showing my age in revealing this list of my “goldie oldies,” but these books have stood the test of time. Put these on your “to read” …

  • Use drop-offs to see evangelism takeoff

    I’m finding that today’s college students often need some kind of varied, ongoing exposure process in order to hear the good news fully. That’s why drop-off tools …

  • The most challenging thoughts on ministry I’ve ever read

    Do we possess enough stamina to give our lives in ministry and yet never be noticed? Can we handle being overlooked? We need to stop using people for our own …

  • Webinar: Campus Directors and Female Staff—Understanding Each Other

    Since most campus directors are from Mars and women are from Venus, it’s difficult to understand each other from light years away. I facilitate this two-way discussion about …

  • Five traditions to improve your weekly gatherings

    There is a reason weekly gatherings are a staple in campus ministry. They provide an opportunity for students to worship together, hear a message from God’s Word, and stay in …

  • We are losing an entire generation of laborers to student loan debt

    Seven out of ten college graduates have student loans. That is truly staggering. Overwhelming. There is so much at stake; we cannot afford to sit idly by while we lose …

  • Audio: Small things big difference

    In this conference workshop, Paul shares some principles from the Bible and his own life on the importance of growing in faithfulness in the “little things.”

  • Gospel hope in hookup culture

    Today, our students receive two conflicting messages about sexual freedom. One is the message of freedom the gospel presents that leads to healthy relationships. The other tells them more casual …

  • Helping students reach their personal ministry targets, Part 3

    Allowing students to be a part of developing a campus ministry strategy will help them reach their personal ministry targets.

  • Using L.E.N.T. in our discipleship

    What could you give to generously this Lent season? It may not be in the budget, but could you die and give sacrificially in a way that secures riches in …

  • Audio: How should I pray?

    Feel like you are stumbling around when you pray? Check out this talk to hear some simple principles that will help you rethink your prayer life.

  • Helping students reach their personal ministry targets, part 2

    You will never see any movement on campus until leaders pass on the urgency of evangelism by modeling how to have a personal ministry.

  • Gospel-Centered Teaching highlights

    We progress in holiness the more we immerse ourselves in the truth that Jesus Christ bled and died to save helpless sinners like you and me.

  • Tim Keller on evangelism in contemporary society

    As full-time ministry workers we live in the constant tension of evangelism. I found this video from Timothy Keller on evangelism extremely relevant and true for campus ministry. He explains …

  • The God Ask highlights

    Support raising is essentially connecting God’s resources and His people with His plan.

  • Hail Marys vs. First Downs in evangelism

    A Hail Mary is much more exciting to watch. But what is far more common to see is the offensive team slowly march their way down the field, first down …

  • Webinar: Confronting the Porn Epidemic

    We aren’t using the word flippantly when we say porn has created an epidemic. It has derailed so many ministry opportunities throughout history it’s ridiculous. We need a better understanding …

  • Top 15 disciple-making principles

    Disciple-making can at times be a slippery concept. How do we know if we’re doing it right? How do we stay on track?

  • Helping students reach their personal ministry targets, part 1

    A personal ministry target is an affinity group or pocket of people on campus who shares something in common. The goal is to share the gospel with as many as …

  • Sending leaders creates more leaders

    We must build movements that plant new movements. God will bring new leaders into your ministry if you faithfully disciple and send the ones you have.

  • Endurance in campus ministry

    Do you want to endure through suffering? If so, embrace your weakness and trust God. All of us will have to learn how to face suffering either now or in …

  • 10 Keys to Effective, Engaging Staff Meetings

    The first hour of staff meetings during my first five years were spent hanging out, eating, and doing team bonding questions. I would’ve been able to enjoy this if …

  • Audio: Living on mission everyday

    In this conference workshop, Paul looks at the key principles and essential perspective needs for a lifetime of making disciples.

  • Leading Millennials in ministry

    Every college student you’re trying to reach is a millennial. More than likely, your team of college ministers is made up of millennials. Here are some thoughts on addressing some …

  • What do you do during your first meeting with a new student

    What should you cover when you’re meeting with a new student for the first time? How can you lead it in a way that cares for them well? I think …

  • How to lead a d-group (according to the Apostle Paul)

    Without relationships with other people our lives would be pretty boring and our Christian growth would stall. Groups in discipleship are our best opportunities to have real, biblical community.

  • Struggling with discontentment when you’re living the dream

    I remember lying on my bed, staring up at the ceiling in our Italian apartment. We’d just gotten home from a walk, the children were napping, and by all …

  • Tips on starting your ministry with a sorority or fraternity

    It wasn’t until the middle of my junior year when I realized that I already lived in the midst of a mission field—my fraternity. In 1990 I joined staff …

  • Campus Ministry Today’s Top 16 of 2016

    It wasn’t simple to do, but by surveying all that we’ve published since January 1st, we’ve managed to procure the top eight articles and top eight tools from 2016 in what …

  • 10 essentials for kingdom expanders

    We are rightly obsessed with getting the gospel right. We must be equally passionate about getting that right gospel to the lost and dying world who are starving for a …

  • Gospel Gardening

    Evangelism is not an event, but a process. It is a series of relational and intentional steps we must take to bring a person to knowledge of Jesus. Where do …

  • Webinar: Effective Campus Ministry for the Long Haul

    Have you ever wondered why there are so few veteran campus ministers? Chi Alpha National Director Scott Martin helps us get practical leadership principles for the tenure of your campus …

  • How to manage disappointment in ministry

    In campus ministry there are some amazing moments where God does something beyond your hopes and expectations. But then there are moments when things go wrong. When the sense of …

  • Can I follow Christ and be active in a fraternity or sorority?

    Jesus walked the earth among Pharisees and Sadducees, not Sigma Nus and Kappa Kappa Gammas. With such a great cultural distance it can be difficult to square your beliefs with …

  • Audio: How to share Jesus using Gospel Appointments

    Gospel Appointments is an evangelism strategy that mixes the best practices of relational evangelism and initiative evangelism. In this conference workshop, Paul shares some principles behind the Gospel Appointment strategy

  • Show me the money part 4: Interview with author of Don’t Get Suckered

    Jesus talked about money more than any other topic. He talked about it because people cared about it and he would get to their heart issues through the topic of …

  • Faith to get in the game

    We’re all faced with spiritual moments in life that take us from casual spectators to active participants, especially when it comes to being a person of faith.

  • Mediocrity or more

    As you seek to climb for more on your campus, realize that there is a great hope that God has for you! He has called you into His kingdom to …

  • Top five steps to significant year-end gifts

    What you do the final month of each year has a profound impact on your upcoming year of ministry. Don’t miss this strategic year end opportunity to pour fuel and …

  • Does your college ministry value scripture memory?

    Do you regularly memorize scripture? Do your students? Looking back on the last 14 years, scripture memory has completely transformed my life. The verses I have memorized are one of …

  • 10 things single staff women should know

    Being a single staff woman with a college ministry can have its unique challenges, but it’s helpful to keep these ten principles in mind.

  • Webinar: Extending your ministry’s reach

    If you couldn’t tell from our photo, this month’s webinar is trying to make you Stretch Armstrong. However, we aren’t trying to make you rubbery. It …

  • This Change is Everything: The Hope and Future of Gospel Mission book review

    In This Change is Everything: The Hope and Future of Gospel Mission, I walk you through the history of God using young people to transform individuals, communities, cultures and nations …

  • Is discipleship merely “worth it”?

    Committing to a lifestyle of making disciples means walking with people in the joyful seasons and the darkest seasons. You will have to make sacrifices as you pour into them …

  • God’s Amber Alert

    If you think of evangelism as pairing up for an hour occasionally and talking to people you don’t know, you’re missing out on opportunities the Lord may have for …

  • Massive ministry malfunction

    Abram tried to out strategize God. He thought he was doing the right thing but his plan went outside the bounds of God’s ways. How are you potentially trying to …

  • Are you leaving money on the table?

    Your end of year appeal prepares those to whom you would like to make a face-to-face appeal in coming months. A well-written end of year letter should be an important …

  • Would Jesus have joined a fraternity?

    People often ask me where my office is on the campus of Ole Miss, and I tell them my office is the whole Greek system here. We have some of …

  • Leverage the season to get fully funded

    Did you know the final month of each year is one of the most strategic times of the year for support raising? Are you prepared to leverage the season?

  • How to have a one-on-one (according to the Apostle Paul)

    Have you ever wanted to sit with the Apostle Paul and get his opinion on your ministry? Well, over the past few years, I have tried to read Paul’s …

  • Bless many, invest in few

    Ministering on campus, we are constantly having to make decisions about whom we should bless, and in whom we should invest. It seemed to me that we need something in …

  • Going from launching movements to building them

    Movements are not built in the first few weeks of the fall. They take years. Movements are not built by the masses but by small groups passionately following Christ.

  • My letter to Tim Tebow

    I believe the best thing a minister of Christ can do is challenge their people to give up “good” opportunities for “great” ones. The greatest opportunities and biggest need will …

  • What Dr. Pepper taught me about evangelism

    If I told you God would give you the privilege of leading 5-10 students to Jesus this semester, would you be willing to be used by Him? Of course! What …

  • Show me the money part 3: Debt

    I’ve said that people welcome feedback as long as it has nothing to do with parenting or finances. I believe we can break that cycle by making wise financial …

  • Webinar: Making November Go-vember

    Summer missions can be the key to raising up leaders in campus ministry. But we are currently in the thick of fall. Is it really that important to be talking …

  • It just takes training

    Every follower of Christ can make disciples. It just takes training. This is not something only “highly trained Christian specialists” do. This is the task given to ordinary followers of …

  • Stop the feeding frenzy!

    They have problems, we have answers, and it’s our job to just tell them, right!? Wrong. Often times the best way we can steward the truths God has entrusted to …

  • Has your ministry exchanged spiritual reproduction for adoption?

    Every campus minister faces a fork in the road of his ministry mindset. He will have to decide if he is part of a discipleship ministry that does evangelism OR …

  • Show me the money part 2: Radical giving

    As we speak, college students are being taught how to pick their stock options carefully and plan their retirement accordingly. But there is one conviction that the university will most …

  • So you’ve led someone to Christ—what now?

    What did I do with a guy once he made a decision to trust Christ? How did I follow up a new convert? When I had a guy pray with …

  • What can the Constitution teach us about college ministry?

    We must desire to not only launch a ministry with energy, but sustain it for years to come, even after we’re gone. Leading your ministry to grow by addition is …

  • Show me the money part 1

    I believe the college years are perfect to groom a person as to how they will govern finances for the rest of their life. How a person relates to money …

  • Awkward conversations change lives

    When I’m nervous about sharing the gospel, I think about how awkward conversations have changed my life and other people’s lives. So I take a deep breath, and ask if …

  • 8 reasons to trust the Gospels

    Can we trust the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? We ask students to explore Christ and decide for themselves if he is worth all of our allegiance, but …

  • Your most strategic role in the World Christian movement

    A good definition for mobilization might be: “Deploying an army of laborers to the front lines where they are ordering their lives around the Great Commission.” These are …

  • What will your legacy be?

    What comes to mind when you think of Jim Elliot, Bonhoeffer, and El Chapo? Legacy matters. What will yours be? What will people say about you when you’re gone

  • Webinar: Living in the Tension of Evangelism

    Evangelism on the college campus is a fruitful and absolutely worthy endeavor—none of us would deny that. So why is it seemingly a touchy subject, especially when it comes to …

  • 5 critical elements for your weekly meeting

    Imagine this scenario: a freshman girl walks into your weekly meeting and no one greets her. She doesn’t know where to sit and she doesn’t even really know what’s going …

  • Awkward evangelism: Beyond Awkward book review

    Evangelism is awkward! And that’s ok. In his book Beyond Awkward, my friend and fellow campus minister, Beau Crosetto, shares how awkward evangelistic efforts can pave the way for life …

  • What an amateur magician taught me about evangelism

    The way a mediocre magician becomes a good magician is by practicing the steps to perform with excellence—and we must do the same…

  • Never share alone

    A couple of years ago our staff team agreed to never share the gospel alone again. If we want to be a multiplying ministry that makes disciples who make disciples …

  • 7 relationships that keep your ministry on track

    I am not running a sprint; I’m in this thing till the end. Therefore, I have found that if I am not investing in and aware of these seven …

  • Leaving home

    The ultimate test college students face today is not one they will take during finals week to determine GPAs, scholarships, or impressive resumes. It is the test of faith. A …

  • Why college ministry is treated as junior varsity

    I’ve been offered some “higher profile” opportunities and up to this point my first and last answer has been no. I love what I do, see immense value in what …

  • The church is your family

    Our ministry was doing a great job of teaching people how to get in the Word and share their faith. We had great tools for spiritual disciplines but we didn’t …

  • How my life was ruined for the ordinary

    Even though I had studied at the largest seminaries in the world, I’d never heard this Biblical perspective. The Lord forming a people from every ethnic group on the planet …

  • Three questions to prevent an uprising

    Have you ever made a decision or a change in your ministry and experienced backlash? I know I have. So, what can you do at the front end to mitigate …

  • Do you know how to share the gospel with frat guys?

    Introducing somebody to Christ is one of the most exciting things we do in the Christian life. The best part is knowing I’m just a small cog in the …

  • The incredible potential of just one student

    Are you able to look deeply into the eyes of a single student and see the world won to Christ? What is the worth of just one individual? Would Jesus …

  • Six key principles of a good discipler

    A multiplying movement that doesn’t begin with the lost rarely ever evolves in that direction. And The Great Commission assumes that we are beginning with those who are not disciples

  • College students turned church-planters

    Thirty years ago, God got a hold of a wild, talented college student. It produced 30 church plants in the US and over 60 partnerships in 35 countries around the world

  • Can you really pray all day?

    Usually the first things to go in a campus minister’s week are prayer and cold-contact evangelism. Sometimes campus ministers cannot fathom how an entire day of prayer could even happen …

  • 3 secrets to reaching the campus hellions

    As I have been focusing on this rather narrow niche of male students over the years, I’ve concluded there are some unique, but powerful, advantages to reaching out to these …

  • Global needs and our responsibility

    Campus Ministry Leader, let’s get real with each other. If your vision is only for the campus, it’s too small.

  • Is religion what your students really want?

    What do college students think of being a Christian? Sadly it’s a list of do’s and don’ts that even Jesus would have a hard time choking down. It’s …

  • Stop calling your campus “unreached”

    Ignorance is bliss, but it can also be deadly. One of the most dangerous misuses of Christian phrases I’ve heard recently is the overuse of the phrase “unreached people group …

  • How to be the MVP of your staff team

    My intention isn’t to call you to self-promotion or self-recognition, to make much of yourself or desire praise. But rather, to encourage you to do all you can to cultivate …

  • Pledging a traditional or Christian fraternity

    What’s the difference? Which fraternity is best for you? Regardless of which fraternity you choose to join, be the most active person in your chapter. There may never be …

  • Launch yo’ self

    The first few weeks of the fall semester are the most important time for you to reach students. It’s harvest time! Do you remember your first weeks as a …

  • 3 questions with a mom

    We had to make a shift in our thinking. In our minds, our child finally had earned a degree and could get a good paying job. We thought the days …

  • Stashing up your evangelism gear for the long haul

    The more time I spend on the university campus, the more I’m reminded of the time I spent on the Appalachian Trail. Whether your purpose is evangelism or backpacking, preparation …

  • Why we leave

    I remember the time I first heard of the world’s greatest missionary—how he left his home, his family, and comfort to immerse and contextualize himself fully into a new culture …

  • Master, mission, mate

    God’s rules are in place so that we will know how to play this game we call life. And he has set the bases up in a certain order- …

  • Webinar: Kickstart Welcome Week

    Are you ready for all those students headed your way? Get your ministry year off to a great start by conquering freshmen move-in and the first week of the semester …

  • 3 ways to manage your contacts

    When our ministry hits the campus for outreach we have one primary goal in mind: to get as many interested contacts as possible! Much of your ability to reach new …

  • 14 evangelism ideas for your campus

    Ever wonder how to reach out to an entire campus? Don’t go at it alone. These ideas are compiled from a group of campus ministry leaders who meet twice …

  • Dear freshman girl

    You don’t know me, but I totally get you. I was you.

  • 5 ways to succeed in Greek ministry

    The Greek system is notorious for behavior that seems to counter Christ’s teachings. However, I have found the culture provides numerous opportunities with great potential for sharing the gospel …

  • 3 questions with a dad

    For a time, the primary role of stewarding my children belonged to me. Yet, growing as a dad meant progressively sharing that responsibilities with others.

  • Are you bold enough to target the most strategic students on your campus?

    All of us yearn to be part of a campus movement that is exciting, growing, fun, and full of warmth and vision, right? But how do we get there? Does God …

  • Webinar: Simplify Your Semester Planning

    The semester is approaching. Thousands (ok, maybe hundreds) of freshman will soon flood your campus. What do you do? Take initiative and make a plan for your next school year …

  • Creating a seeker friendly environment

    I remember the first time I attended a campus ministry in college. I walked into a small classroom with about ten people in it. With no clear direction as to …

  • “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”

    You’ve probably heard the saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” This idea is reflected in proverb after proverb throughout God’s Word (Proverbs …

  • What Dr. Seuss taught me about evangelism

    The Bible makes it clear that Jesus will be a stumbling block to some. But as communicators of the Gospel, we want to help remove every other barrier there may …

  • 5 ways to process peace for our hearts, the campus, and the world

    We all want to love life and see good days. Peace pursued and sought is the solution. This is not a selfish pursuit because true peace focuses on the glory …

  • Campus ministry is not a junior varsity calling

    How important is full-time college ministry? Is it merely an avenue for relatively inexperienced ministers to get their feet wet in ministry—something that should be viewed as an automatic stepping …

  • 3 ways to make it easier for new people to join your group

    What “gaps” are there in your ministry? What are those things that are just a little off, and maybe bugged you at first, but now you’re used to? The reality …

  • 4 pivotal words for disciple-making

    Disciple-making at times can seem complicated. I don’t know about you, but I can often feel like I’m not doing the right things at the right times or …

  • Decoding your campus

    As a campus ministry leader, we are missionaries to the campus. Just like any mission, campus ministry has a “missional code” that needs to be broken. A Perspectives course …

  • Mobilization in a sending culture part 3

    When you see a sending culture develop and have seniors who desire to give their lives to the Great Commission, it’s critical they’re mobilized into a strategic post-college opportunity …

  • Why you should get formal training

    Yes, I know Peter and John were seen as “unschooled, ordinary men.” This doesn’t mean that they had no training; it just means the school they came out of …

  • Why campus ministry could be killing you

    You’ve given it your all. You’re tired. Some of you may even be sick. You’re worked over. Many of you have pushed yourselves beyond yourselves. You gave your heart! A …

  • God on Campus, book review

    Trent Sheppard’s book, God on Campus: Sacred Causes & Global Effects, may sound like a book only relevant to college ministers and students. To the contrary, it’s a book …

  • Why your discipleship may not be working

    Discipleship, much like evangelism, is a mix of art and science. You, as a discipler, bring your own unique sensibilities, skills, and personality. Likewise, each person you disciple is a …

  • 10 reasons why you won’t share the gospel

    “I believe you should build a relationship before you share the gospel.” “Who am I to tell someone they’re going to Hell without really knowing them?” These are …

  • You are not forgotten

    All of us forget things we shouldn’t. Sometimes our forgetfulness matters, often it doesn’t. But when we forget that appointment, name or birthday it can unintentionally make others feel …

  • Is Steve Shadrach wrong?

    Last year, a friend of mine landed a college pastor’s dream job in an incredibly influential church. This rookie college pastor called me to ask if I had any …

  • Does your ministry really need you?

    There are two types of people in any ministry. People who add value and people who subtract value. Like JFK said, “Ask not what your ministry can do for you …

  • Why your students (and you) should have a summer pledge

    Summer is here. Which made me start thinking about August. What kind of conversations will I have with my college students about the type of summer they had? I started …

  • Webinar: Fully Funded This Summer

    Hello friends. If you’re serious about getting to full support before students flood your campus at the end of summer, watch this webinar, listen to the live Q&A, and …

  • Do Muslims and Coca-Cola know something we don’t about reaching the world?

    Not too long ago I was standing in the middle of a 60,000 student university in China. Every student I talked with knew English, wanted to meet Westerners, and …

  • Goin’ Fishin’

    When I was young, I enjoyed fishing with my father. Over the years, I learned from him the fundamentals of fishing: use the bait you know the fish will bite. But …

  • 5 things you can do this week to prioritize disciple-making

    In the fall of 2013, our ministry reached a crossroads. Our large group gathering was growing, but we weren’t sure if we were actually making disciples of the students attending. In …

  • Without unity, the world cannot know God

    Is unity necessary? So what if we’re divided—we all have the same goal, right? In reality, when we’re not unified we make it that much harder for the …

  • How did Jesus do missions?

    Short-Term Missions With Long-Term Impact Jesus was short-term. When we track Jesus’ ministry encounters recorded in the Gospels, we find very brief meetings with Him led to significant results. The …

  • The proper pace: reaching student-athletes amidst their frantic schedules

    If you’ve ever ran or watched long distance racing you know there are certain moments during that race when runners keep a steady pace and other times when they …

  • Are you the reason your students aren’t engaging the crisis?

    I was quite the hypocrite in college. In my four years at Baylor University, I could have counted on one hand the number of times I read the newspaper about …

  • Building a multi-ethnic ministry: part 2

    This is the second article in a two-part series. Click here for part one. When a predominantly white organization is seeking to hire African-American staff, it might offer unique and challenging …

  • Defining Disciple-making with no loopholes

    College students want to change the world – they think wild ideas, ask wild questions and are prepared to take wild risks. While the world offers mediocre plans for this …

  • Mobilizing the church

    I do the best I can to make sure my family cares about the same things I do. As I play sports with my kids, they begin to love sports …

  • Teachability—makin’ or breakin’ discipleship relationships since…
    forever.

    What makes a good discipleship relationship? What is the most refreshing quality for a disciple-maker to see in his or her prospective disciples? Though there are other important characteristics for …

  • Could the words, “college student” and “prayer time” go in the same sentence? Part 2

    Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” There are a million ways …

  • Use your most valuable gift to pray for your D.I.S.C.I.P.L.E.S.

    Discipleship is all about time, it takes more life-investment in people than lecture-investment towards them. Jesus demonstrated the investment of time in primarily two ways: his daily use of time and …

  • Building a multi-ethnic ministry:
    part 1

    Building a multi-ethnic ministry has become a hot topic in the church. Everyone wants one, but for most it’s a dream not a reality. Being an African-American myself, I’ …

  • Finish with faithfulness

    One of my favorite Olympic stories is about John Stephen Akhwari, a marathon runner from Tanzania who ran in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. After cramps, a dislocation, and a …

  • Ah, college students! Why did I choose them??

    How do you know you’re called to be a college minister? After all, you could be teaching first-graders how to read, helping young adults adjust to marriage or bringing …

  • Why do most men avoid accountability?

    Campus ministry presents an incredible opportunity to establish, equip, and send out men of confession who embrace the need for accountability. If we can get this right, we will see …

  • Are you developing and sending your students well?

    In “Gaining by Losing,” J.D. Greear shares the vision for a ministry that celebrates a sending capacity over seating capacity. As a college ministry, we have no choice …

  • 4 must-have environments for your ministry

    Do you find that juniors or seniors are leaving your group after a couple years of involvement? Or that young or not-yet believers aren’t very attracted in the first place …

  • I would be a missionary but…

    Being a missionary is a huge sacrifice. Leaving my culture to minister in another creates anxiety. Obstacles and excuses mount; some external and some internal. It can be difficult to …

  • Five challenging conversations in ministry everyone faces  

    If I had to define my ministry I would say, “I am on staff with a ministry of hard conversations.” Conversations that press Jesus into the forefront of our …

  • Could the words, “college student” and “prayer time” go in the same sentence? part 1

    I recently tweeted a picture with the caption: “College students went to their knees on this rocky ground asking God to revive them!” I got some shocked “ …

  • Mobilization in a sending culture part 2

    How do I know what God is calling me to after college? What is God’s will for my life? How do I know if I am making the right decision …

  • Recruiting 101

    A few years ago, I had the realization that sales, especially medical sales, and being a laborer for Christ has many of the same job descriptions. Medical sales people spend …

  • If Jesus was a woman…in a sorority

    What do Hollywood actress, Jennifer Garner, former US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, and singer Alicia Keys have in common with hundreds of women on your campus? These women are …

  • The greater values in college ministry

    Values help you remember what is important. They shape the way you talk. They influence the way you spend your time and money. We have a lot of values, but …

  • Don’t let the break, break you

    Christmas break. Spring break. Thanksgiving break. Summer break. College students yearn for them. College pastors dread them. It’s not that we pastors don’t need a chance to catch …

  • End game of college ministry

    We factor the vision of multiplication into everything we do. All my life I have been haunted by my multiplication tables! When I was a kid, my mom spent hours …

  • The power of a summer project

    If your goal is to turn lost college students into disciple-making leaders for Jesus Christ, I know of no better investment than a three-month summer provides. The champion call gets …

  • You can’t afford NOT to make disciples

    One of the most well-known parables in the Bible is the account of the Good Samaritan. In response to the question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” …

  • A 3D view of leading your campus staff

    They are a source of healing for others, yet are handicapped by their own brokenness. They see the world being reached through one and secretly want to be that “one …

  • Six key passages for a discipler

    In this series, we’ll look at different keys that are crucial for anyone who is committed to making disciples, both on campus and throughout the world! While these keys …

  • Why I don’t talk about a missionary “call”

    I actually do believe this exists. I know many people who have received specific guidance to specific people and places for God’s kingdom. I know God is intimately involved in …

  • The passion of evangelism

    If you’ve been reading along with our series on evangelism, we have already covered the first two principles of evangelism The Privilege of Evangelism and The Priority of Evangelism: Part 1 …

  • Three ways to empower students from “breaking bad” during break

    Family and friend dysfunction are awaiting most college students who return home over a break and has the ability to stifle the growth of the gospel in their lives. As …

  • Spiritual Parenting

    Countless people will come in and out of a person’s life on a short-term basis. These may include wonderful speakers, teachers, and leaders. The apostle Paul sees such people as …

  • Small group haters

    There are three types of college small group leaders: those who love leading small groups, those who hate leading small groups, and those who just love leadership and took the …

  • Three lies every campus minister must silence

    I’ve regularly fought the lies of, “we don’t have enough”, “we must be the biggest or best ministry on campus to really matter”, and “we …

  • Discipleship: training to leave

    Many models of discipleship have been created, with pastors and leaders trying to find the key ingredient to establishing a healthy discipleship process. I—along with countless others—have gone through some …

  • Mobilization in a sending culture
    part 1

    Four years ago I was in Northeast Thailand spending time with a missionary family from the Netherlands. The family was focused on church planting among the Isan people, who according …

  • Nine insights on being a spiritual leader in your chapter

    Holding the Chaplain position in your house means you have enormous potential for influencing your brothers or sisters with Christ. Speaking from experience, here are nine insights that can help …

  • Is Jesus the only way?

    I never thought I would have to write an article like this. I travel from campus to campus challenging students to understand their responsibility to reach all nations. You know…Christian …

  • People aren’t projects

    Jesus was not interested in developing a bunch of hoop-jumping, man-pleasing, ministry-managing minions but rather those with whom He could exchange His very life and friends for whom He could …

  • Divide and conquer

    Because the Great Commission is such a significant undertaking, our actions cannot be haphazard or random. We must go about it strategically, and that is where Target Areas come in

  • The world is next door to you

    The other night, my wife and I watched a fascinating documentary about a man who spent seven months in the middle of the wilderness — away from his family — …

  • Finding your Yoda

    I’ve heard people say, “Always have a Paul, and always have a Timothy.” My problem is that I want the actual apostle Paul to mentor me. Okay, I’m actually …

  • The priority of evangelism Part 2

    Not only is it important to see the people around us, but what we see when we see them is also important. If we are going to be effective in …

  • This might be your most important event in ministry

    I often hear people talk about large group events and meetings, but few discuss how their small group Evangelistic Bible Studies (EBS) are going. Yet EBSs may be the most …

  • How to reproduce
    (No, not like that)

    With so many things we ought to emphasize with our young disciples, how do we discern what is most important? Dawson Trotman, the founder of the Navigators, created a simple …

  • Bringin’ baptism back

    I gotta be honest. The first time I was baptized, I did so because my younger brother was getting lots of attention due to his own desire to get dunked—and …

  • Raging fraternity bro comes to Christ

    I detailed some of our struggles with Greek Ministry at USC in a post called,“Planting is Like Learning to Swim.” Since then we’ve had a breakthrough. Here is …

  • A Different Kind of Poverty

    I was in Mali, West Africa, with a handful of Americans. One day we went to a local crafts market in the capital city of Bamako. It was like something …

  • The Priority of Evangelism Part 1

    Do we struggle to share our faith because other things are more important to us than the souls surrounding us each day? Your priorities reflect what you care most about …

  • Home Field Advantage

    You gotta love home cooking. Show me a successful sports franchise and I’ll show you one that plays well at home. Every team loves the home field advantage. Of the …

  • Why college students?

    Why is it that, by and large, churches do not see the reaching, discipling, and mobilizing of college students to be one of the key ingredients to their overall mission …

  • Panning for gold or disciples?

    Panning for gold is a timely process that involves constant and consistent removal of topsoil. The key to panning for gold is the quantity of soil you have to start …

  • Mission and small group Bible studies

    Jesus didn’t come to start a Bible study; He came to save the world. So in order for our small group Bible studies to be effective, they have to be …

  • Mobilizing prayer for your college ministry

    Mobilizing prayer for your ministry is one of the most important things you can do. I would suggest that you mobilize yourself first to be a person of prayer! If …

  • Three signs you’re killing your ministry

    Don’t let a passionate movement for the gospel become a Christianized “support group” for students who love the moral boundaries of Christianity. With no desire to engage the lost …

  • Right target, wrong time

    It’s easy to rush into what seems like a perfect plan for ministry, but without timeliness our best efforts fail. One of my more memorable fails in neglecting this principle …

  • Keep the fires burning

    My wife and I were driving on the highway doing about 85 miles per hour. Suddenly, I saw brake lights ahead because of a terrible accident. Just as we were …

  • How to identify an evangelist in your ministry

    If we are going to activate evangelistic people in our ministry, then we have to know what they look like! Sometimes this can be pretty easy if they are highly …

  • Speaking as Leading

    If in full-time college ministry, you are likely spending a fair amount of time each week preparing a talk to give at your weekly meeting. In one sense, this presentation …

  • Motivation Matters

    Let me encourage you to relax and trust God as you lead your ministry. There will be set backs, there will be discouragement, there will be awkward moments when no …

  • Why I stopped listening to John Piper sermons

    I love John Piper. His book “Desiring God” transformed my life and because of his sermon, “Boasting Only in the Cross,” my life will be leveraged for God’s …

  • The Power of Living Among the Lost

    If you visit the eighth floor of Humphreys Dorm at the University of Arkansas, you will notice something very unusual over one of the doors—a plaque dedicated to student Ben …

  • The Privilege of Evangelism: By His Wounds We are Healed

    Over the course of the next several months I want us to look together at nine aspects of evangelism. Along the way we will look at the purpose of, perspectives …

  • What Makes Greeks Strategic?

    Each year it seems Universities become more closed off to religious groups having access to their students. However, there is one group of students that the University cannot keep you …

  • Beer Pong, Fraternity, & Jesus

    [A few Thursdays ago,] I was prayer-walking the Greek system with a student who is helping me to launch Greek InterVarsity on campus at USC. While on the walk …

  • Do You Have a Stream Ministry?

    Sometimes it can be hard to see your ministry objectively, but every now and then it’s important to take a step back and see where your ministry stands and look …

  • Five things your single staff women are too scared to tell you

    Dear Campus Director, Do you have a minute? Your single staff women asked me to tell you something.  Single staff women from eleven campuses told me what they secretly …

  • Do you wish your ministry grew by conversion?

    I am a happy man today because Nick Kwok, the Greek InterVarsity Staff at UCLA, is doing a phenomenal job planting the ministry and seeing it grow. But not just …

  • The Mission of God

    What verses come to mind when you think of the word, “MISSIONS”? Most of us are hard pressed to name more than the old faithful Great Commission. For years …

  • The Process of Evangelism

    We all know God is the One with the power to save (John 6:44), but He calls us to be fishers of men (Matt. 4:19). We have the amazing privilege …

  • Building Evangelistic Momentum

    I am an evangelist. Nothing gets me more stoked than sharing the good news of Jesus with someone for the first time. However the role of an evangelist was given …

  • Top 5 Lists for Evangelism

    One campus minister’s top 5 list for evangelism. Top 5 Incentives for Sharing Your Faith Gratitude: We are grateful God has saved us. Obedience: God has commanded us to …

  • Leaders and the college campus

    A few years ago, Carnegie Mellon University did an extremely interesting study. They talked to centenarians (people who are at least 100 years old) and asked them what they would …

  • A Light in the House

    The Greek system is one of the most strategic ministry opportunities on campus. When we have campus ministers in the Greek system, it opens a door for us to bring …

  • One Arm Take-down

    There’s a famous story about a judo master and his student who had lost one of his arms in a serious car accident. While an accident like this would end most …

  • How to Buckle a Seat Belt

    Following Jesus Christ as Lord is life-changing: new friends, new habits, new places you hang out. While the new found freedom in Christ is wonderful, the transition can be a …

  • Maximize Thanksgiving

    If you asked your students to raise their hand if they feel a natural bent toward evangelism, very few would respond. But what if you were to ask them: “ …

  • Campus Ministry Today and The Great Commission

    Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations …

  • God Says Go, My Sin Says No

    What a powerful retreat! Students coming to faith in Jesus, repentance of sin, prophetic words! What an impact! But when our dynamic retreat speaker fell to adultery, over a hundred …

  • Part 3: How to Prepare for a Gospel Appointment

    In the previous articles, we discussed the importance of a Gospel Appointment and how to set one up. Gospel Appointments are the single most effective means of creating relational and …

  • Is Pride Interfering with Recruitment?

    Recruiting for a ministry event or project is exhausting. It takes an incredible amount of energy to ask someone to commit money and time to meet with God’s people seeking …

  • Four No-Prep Discipleship Activities

    You’ve got 5 minutes until your next discipleship appointment, and, for whatever reason, you didn’t prepare. Life happens, but we don’t want it to take away from the quality time …

  • Raising World Christians

    Even after two decades of mobilizing people to missions, I make it a point to reassess my goals. What is the goal of mobilization? Delivering the Gospel to every tongue …

  • Part 2: How to Set Up a Gospel Appointment

    In the last article I talked about the amazing impact Gospel Appointments have had in my campus ministry and in the lives of so many who were lost. Gospel Appointments …

  • True Success

    I’ve been reflecting lately on what true “success” looks like in a collegiate ministry. Is a successful collegiate ministry best measured by the number of students involved in Bible studies …

  • Part 1: The 10 Benefits of Gospel Appointments

    For years I have been looking for an evangelism tool that mixes best practices of relational evangelism and initiative evangelism. Because of time constraints and a lack of tangible results …

  • The Fuel & Exhaust of Disciple-Making

    Discipleship is the engine of any good ministry. Just as engines need fuel for proper maintenance and performance, discipleship is dependent upon evangelism to keep it running. Unfortunately, though, evangelism …

  • Creating a Personal Ministry

    Campus Ministry Today fuels campus movements to send laborers to harvest the unreached peoples of the world. But sending laborers begins first with leading the lost to Christ and making …

  • Habits That Change the World

    We live in a global world. Students are learning about, interacting with, and seeking to improve the world. Unfortunately, most Christians have no idea what God is doing around the …

  • Viral

    Creating disciple-making movements on campus Around the world, missiologists have recognized and described one hundred different disciple-making movements that are exploding in some of the least likely places you would …

  • How Effective Do You Really Want to Be?

    I sincerely believe this generation of university students is one of the most significant, exciting, and challenging generations of our time. They are without a doubt the most connected generation …

  • Reproducing World-Changing Women

    Since I met God, I have been giving God away to women in my life. I was trained and first discipled on my college campus at the University of Arkansas …

  • Everything I’ve Learned About Discipleship

    Coming from a man who has experienced the ins and outs of discipleship, there is a lot to learn from his mistakes and successes.

  • A Roadmap to Reproducing Disciples

    Before we set out into ministry, we need to first understand what our ultimate goal is. What will the student look like when they are finished with our ministry? God …

  • Turning Your Campus into a Sending Base to Reach the World

    If a fire broke out on the roof of your dorm or apartment right now, you would have some choices. One option may be to immediately scream, run outside to …

  • Evangelism: The Cutting Edge of Your Ministry

    Now the year is 1944, and Hitler and his Nazi regime are threatening to take over all of Europe. The only hope to stop them appears to be the …

  • How to Find Your Role in the World Christian Movement

    Do you know what your role is in building God’s Kingdom around the world? Are you a goer, sender, welcomer, or mobilizer?

  • The Purpose of College – From God’s Perspectives

    Eric grew up in a good, moral family that went to church each Sunday, gave to the building fund, and even took a role in the Christmas play. Through most …

  • Twenty reasons why I want to raise support (and not receive a salary)

    I know this sounds crazy. I want to raise my support, and I would not have it any other way. Don’t get me wrong—a paycheck is nice. I’ve been there …

  • Reaching the “Unreached” on Campus

    I thought I understood the Great Commission. The more I study, the more I’m finding out what Jesus really desired His followers to do. This has had a tremendous impact …

  • Campus ministry: plotting out your strategy

    Tony grew up in Taiwan before coming to the United States as a teenager to graduate from high school and attend college. Although he had gone to church as a …

  • Developing the whole person: the eight essential areas

    A lot of students today come from broken or dysfunctional homes, many times with parents who have not really modeled or taught their children some of the essentials of just …

  • Building a Disciple: The Six Basics

    Never underestimate the power of peer influence in the life of a college student. Many times the only reason they will go somewhere and do something is because of who’s …

  • College Students: The Most Powerful Percent on the Planet

    We don’t have to look far to see the incredible potential of college students. Even though only one percent of the world’s population are collegians, what a powerful one percent …

  • Eight principles for reaching the “influencers” on your campus

    If you desire to raise up strong generations of student leaders, boldly plant the flag of Jesus Christ in the heart of your campus, and help change the very direction …

  • Eleven Students Who Changed the World

    I’m a history enthusiast and that combined with my love for students and missions has led me to do a lot of reading and research in these three areas. I’ve …

  • Five Keys to Raising Your Personal Ministry Support Team

    “I want to serve God and be obedient to His leading in my life, but I don’t want to….RAISE SUPPORT!” If you have said or thought these words …

  • How to prepare and lead a small-group Bible discussion

    1. The preparation Whether you are using published materials or creating your own Bible studies, you will want to be fully prepared to lead your study. Be diligent to “handle …

  • Getting to the heart of your campus: which students should you target?

    Get out the most recent school annual, campus directory, and map of the college. Start to list all the different affinity groups at your college. Break down these different “people …

  • Getting to the heart of your campus: prepare for the three stages of your ministry

    “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there” is an old saying that depicts many of today’s ministries. Student leaders, staff workers, or volunteers may …

  • Getting to the heart of your campus: plan the three seasons of your ministry

    Even as an old man, I will probably still be dividing my year up the way students do: fall, spring, and summer. We all get a new lease on life …

  • Getting to the heart of your campus: concentrate on building relationships

    During my sophomore year in college, I befriended a young pledge from Louisiana named Mike. He was a handsome, wealthy, fun-loving partier, like a number of my fraternity brothers were …

  • Getting to the heart of your campus: always begin with prayer

    I didn’t say it; nineteenth-century Christian leader and author S. D. Gordon did. “Prayer is the real work of the ministry. Service is just gathering in the results of prayer …

  • The Making of a Movement: The 3 Essentials

    Once you have established the mission of your movement this will determine what goals you set, what activities you engage in, and how you manage yourself and your ministry. Your …

  • EDM’23 Explore the Area

    Back to EDM’23 Home Attractions in DFW Here are some food and entertainment options to check out in the Dallas- Fort Worth area. Just some fun ideas to …

  • EDM’23 Speakers and Leaders

    EDM’23 A Conference for Collegiate Ministry Staff Back to EDM’23 Home Speakers and Workshop Leaders Paul Worcester NAMB & Christian Challenge Derrick Moore Univ of S. Carolina …

  • EDM’23 Lodging

    Back to EDM’23 Home Scholarship Request A generous ministry partner has allowed us to provide 100 scholarships of $250 each to assist with travel and lodging expenses to …

  • EDM’23 Sponsorship Opportunities

    Back to EDM’23 Home Main Sessions Sponsors Breakout Sessions Sponsors Standard Exhibitors If your ministry or organization has great resources or opportunities for church and campus based collegiate …

  • EDM’23 Workshops

    Back to EDM’23 Home Main Sessions Derrick Moore – Executive Director of Player & Character Development, USC Football Power and Potential of StudentsBrian Smith – Senior Pastor, Hope …

  • EDM23 Updates

    Get notified when registration for the EDM23 Conference goes live. By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated promotional and personalized marketing text messages and emails from CMT …

  • EDM’23

    If you are a collegiate ministry worker who yearns to see your students follow Christ in such an intimate and radical way that they would become lifelong world changers …

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  • Participant Resources

    Participant resources We are thrilled that your college ministry or discipleship group leader has partnered with the Global Project. While each ministry using the Global Project may have additional …

  • Leader Resources

    Leader resources We’re with you every step of the way. When it comes to leading your project or D-Group, this is home base. You’ll find everything you need as …

  • About the Global Project

    Maximize your campus Experience. We’ve packaged 30 years of campus ministry experience into a flexible training program to help you influence the lives of college students for a …

  • Protected: Global Project Video Downloads

    Video downloads You can download these to play from your device. However, please delete them after you’ve watched them once, and do not share them with anyone else …

  • CMT Global Project

    We’re here to ignite your campus experience. We’re here to deepen our understanding and our practice of evangelism, disciple-making, and mission mobilization. This is the time to change

  • Protected: The Fuel and the Flame Download

    The Fuel and the Flame 2nd Edition Follow the instructions below to download the eBook of The Fuel and the Flame: Ignite Your Life and Your Campus for Jesus …

  • Global Project 2020

    We’re here to reclaim summer. We’re here to deepen our understanding and our practice of evangelism, disciple-making, and mission mobilization. This is the summer to change eternity. Learn

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  • Campus Ministry Intensive Course

    Ministry to Movement Building a Great Commission Movement on Your Campus Four Day Intensive Course DOWNLOADS Course Syllabus DOWNLOAD Reflection Questions (30-40 hours of preparation) DOWNLOAD DETAILS When Four consecutive …

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