The baby you once held in your arms is about to go out into the world where you are not. There are dangers and temptations lurking at every corner. Looking for Christian Ministries At College is easier than you may think. The ministries are there!
When our oldest went away to college 10 hours away, one of the agreements he had to make was he would look into the Navigators ministry. We wanted him to be looking into college ministries at college so he would have a group of kids he could connect to and bond with over shared faith.
Now our children have been going to church since birth and love their church and God. So asking this of him wasn’t asking too much. He was very willing. Of course, if he found another Christian ministry to be a part of, that would work as well. However, we knew the origins of the Navigator ministries and knew that would be a great place to start.
So many parents want to know how to get their children involved so here are a few tips to help you guide your child to the right fit for them as you prepare to send them to college.
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Ask your church for college ministry they recommend
Does your Pastor know of any ministries on the campus you are attending? What about the college leaders or Youth Pastor? Does your church support missionaries? If so, find out if your church supports any college ministry missionaries. Our church does support a University Navigator leader and his family.
Look on campus
At the beginning of the school year, during orientation and perhaps the first couple weeks of school, the campus will have a “recruiting” week where the campus organizations will set up on the lawn and let the students know what they represent and show the kids a way to get involved. (There are usually free shirts and other fun items given away then so be sure to have your child keep their eyes peeled.) Everything from sports to student leadership are prepared to talk to your student into joining their club. Student ministries are there too.
Encourage your child to go around and ask each ministry what they represent and who they can meet to learn more. Usually a ministry has an Adult leader, oftentimes married, who lead that ministry and is more than happy to sit down and discuss their beliefs and the core mission of the group.
Ask upperclassmen
Find out from your RA what ministries are on campus. Find older students that have been there a year or more and ask what opportunities are on campus.
Listen to classmates talk about it in class or check bulletin boards.
List of college ministries
- Cru - this is a popular college ministry that is on many a campus.
- Navigators - you can see the history of the Navigators and check out their statement of faith.
- BCM - the Baptist College Ministry and their beliefs.
There are many more, but those three are the most popular and at many universities. You can reach out to any of those ministries directly through their websites and find out more information about them.
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