I just got done chatting a bit with Kerry Cox – the campus minister for The Crossings Church who heads up A Cross Between – The Crossing’s campus ministry serving Lindenwood University. Kerry’s ministry serves as one of the training centers for Campus Ministry United. That is, when someone calls me telling me they’re interested in campus ministry and would like some training, Kerry is one of the next people I’ll send them to.
Kerry tells me that since January, A Cross Between’s ministry has resulted in 16 people giving their life to Christ and putting Him on in baptism. In addition to that, there are another 18 people currently being studied with who are considering the commitment themselves.
This is what its all about, folks.
Sadly, if current trends continue, over half of the exisiting Church of Christ campus ministries will reach one person or less this year. Over 30% won’t reach a single person at all! The reason for this: most current Church of Christ campus ministers never received adequate training before entering the field to run their own ministries.
I realize that’s going to sound elitist to some (especially current CoC campus ministers), and I want you to know that’s not my intention, nor is it my intention to belittle anyone personally or their past/present work.
The conclusion I shared with you is the result of careful, meticulous research.
If you’re interested in this topic, I encourage you to listen to the lesson I presented at 2008’s CMU workshop, and I also encourage you to listen to Dr. Flavil Yeakley’s presentation as well. Here are the links (note: for more like this visit CMU’s audio/video page:
- Wes Woodell – “2008 CMU Report: What Makes a Ministry Evangelistically Effective?” (53:47) (Characteristics PowerPoint; Characteristics Handouts)
- Dr. Flavil Yeakley – “Why Should Churches of Christ Care About Campus Ministry?” (57:43) (Yeakley PowerPoint; Q&A with Dr. Yeakley)
For each lesson, you’d benefit from downloading the powerpoint presentations and following along as you listen.
If someone wants to start an evangelistically effective campus ministry, they’ll best learn how to by working within an evangelistically effective campus ministry – not by going to a brotherhood Bible college (which will really help a person learn the Bible, but won’t really help them learn the nuances associated with certain types of ministries like campus work), and not by working within an evangelistically ineffective campus ministry.
Apples produce apples, oranges produce oranges, and training within evangelistically effective campus ministries produces evangelistically effective campus ministers.
Tomatoes don’t produce grapes, and bananas don’t produce squash, yet in studying this issue, the general attitude towards training new campus ministers has made me think a lot of people have never thought about this concept.
This ain’t rocket science, but it most certainly is important to point out.
The Overflow 
Wes,
Thanks for all you do. Campus ministry just doesn’t get enough attention when it is the number one period in a person’s life they are likely to fall away from the church. I am with Lynn S on this one in the fault of many for thinking our young people just need fun things to do, when in reality they are ready to jump into the new found faith. Kerry is also a great guy and I am not at all surprised to hear things are going well with his ministry.
Wes, thank you for sharing these two posts with the public. I just read this post and the one before it. I am very much interested in campus ministry and singles ministry. I am attending Sunset International Bible Institute (first year in the two year school). Sunset has a very active campus ministry and been involved in that regularly since November 2008. Thank you Wes, for writing about the needs we have all over the US in this area ministry. I hope to be part of those who will turn the tide in this area. God bless. Grace and Peace.
Zack (zackblaisdell.wordpress.com)
Hey Wes, I know Flavil Yeakley well. Good stuff. I have a heart for those with a heart of campus ministry. I feel that many ways what I do is very much like campus ministry (only to the extreem)! I have the world’s largest “youth group!” 🙂 What a blessing – chad
Matt – you’re right. In my opinion, the best way to keep a kid from falling away is to teach them their faith isn’t just about them – its also about the people around them they can influence. If you teach a kid their contribution to the church matters, they’ll own their faith. If you teach them they don’t really have anything to contribute and they should just sit and watch, they’ll leave.
Zach – glad to hear about your interest in campus ministry. I hope you pursue it 🙂
Chad – “extreme” huh? Yeah, ministering to the military would definately be an extreme form of any type of ministry 🙂 I saw the baptism pic you posted on your blog – I’m rejoicing with you, bro!
Thanks for the comments, guys. 🙂
[…] My buddy Kerry Cox has officially entered the blogosphere (I’ve written about Kerry before here, here, here, here, and here). […]