The School Campus Involvement Debate
I will often blog from the overflow of my conversations with YTH leaders. And this post is a direct result of an interview with First Priority of America recently. The discussion was around how campus ministry is going to change after the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the major concerns of mine in YTH ministry is the lack of a presence of the church on public school campuses. For several reasons I will mention in this post, there is a loss of a burden and a strategy to reach teenagers in their context. To see the school campus as a primary mission field. Many people have called the campus 'the last tribal stop' of our young people. The place where we can find this group gathered together in sub-groups for the last time before adulthood. Maybe the final place the church can reach these students with the gospel.
1962-1964
In 1962-1964, as a result of pressure from Madilyn Murray-O'hare and others, prayer and bible reading were officially removed from U.S. public schools. And that's not really a big deal because as long as there are tests in school, there will be prayer in school. Ha! We know that students are praying and reading their bibles every day on the school campus, but, we need a greater strategy within YTH ministry to reach the campus.
To be honest, if there's a will, there's a way.
Here are a few reasons why YTH leaders are not on campus:
Intimidation - It certainly can be a scary thing if you do not know anyone or if you have no burden for students. But, finding one student or teacher or staff or coach can change your comfortability when walking onto campus or attending an event. Furthermore, it is the why that is able to overcome the fear.
Lack of a burden - The ‘why’ is critical. When a YTH leader has the burden for the campus, they will solve the time, relational, or other obstacles. If a leader can develop a burden for the campus, then there are plenty of practical ‘ways’ to get them there.
No student discipleship - We haven’t produced campus missionaries. This is the easiest way to have an impact upon the campus. When we raise disciples we raise campus missionaries because theology and apologetic’s are at the core of our teenagers lives so they can practice their faith in their context.
No model in their youth - This is not a new problem. YTH ministry has had a lack of campus access for a long time. Think of it this way. The YTH leaders today who are leading our teenagers did not have a consistent model or strategy in their own YTH group on how to reach the campus. It hasn’t been in their essence or DNA.
Limited by ideas - Ideas really can be a great instigator here. We have to stop thinking that the only way to access the campus is to speak in a class or preach in the cafeteria! Below are 30 practical ways to have an influence upon the school campus:
30+ ways to reach the campus as a YTH ministry and have a presence in the setting and culture of teenagers.
The best way a YTH ministry gets on campus is with campus missionaries (students)
Make yourself available to the school for crisis counseling
Run for school board or other educational positions in government and local elections
Look to get involved in the myriad of extra-curricular activities at school
Find the Christian para-church organizations that are recognized clubs on campus and have a presence or leadership in those ventures
Send birthday cards to your students friends and faculty with YTH ministry name on it
Use seasonal and holiday themes to attend concerts and plays
Have students wear YTH ministry themed clothing/merch and gear to familiarize the school with your YTH group at events or daily at school
Attending the funerals of youth, school staff, or faculty can build relationships in the school at important times
Monitor current events and headlines and be ready to offer lecture, counsel, or intervention
Pray publicly at community events where school officials are present (elections or banquets)
Use your skill-sets in many different areas:
Coaching athletics
Choir
Band
Theatre
Officiating
Teaching
Use school facilities for a Christian concert or seminar
Have your students promote YTH group activities or events
Encourage YTH ministry students to invite the YTH pastor to classroom as a guest speaker for a religious or non-religious subject
Organize a Super Bowl party and use the school facilities to host it
Promote your YTH group website on clothing, gear, locker, or book stickers/covers
Attend the FCA, Young Life, Youth Alive, or other campus student led organizations
Organize a 7 Project or YTH Speaker or assembly at your school
Organize a clean up crew for after football games to sweep the grounds
Ask to sing the National Anthem (or YTH choir) sing the National Anthem at a game
Attend or promote the weekly bible study at your school
Offer a place at the church for a class at school to build the Home-Coming float
Purchase school t-shirts for a pep rally before an important game (place the YTH ministry logo on the shirt)
Chaplaincy and Prayer before or after a game
Attend See You At The Pole every September
Finally
The last tribal stop.
And maybe the last chance to reach teenagers in their peer setting. Too often I have heard YTH leaders say their high school is closed to the gospel and the YTH ministry is not allowed on campus. I have yet to see a closed campus in my 36 years of YTH ministry. What I have heard are leaders begging students to come to their church, while at the same time the YTH ministry is unwilling to go to the public school.
Hopefully these ideas will help you to see the massive value of the school campus. Because YTH leaders are actually missionaries.