How to Determine What Campus Ministry is Best for You
When you get onto campus, you will probably encounter different tables from different ministries, offering you anywhere from a chance to win an electric scooter to free ramen. While that may be a nice gesture at the beginning, you hardly want to make your decision solely off the free stuff you get from a ministry, but what is going to be best for you. But how do you determine that? What metrics and priorities are you supposed to be looking for? Here, we are going to break down how to think about finding the best campus ministry for you and what questions you should be asking.
What is their doctrine like?
Making sure that your ministry’s doctrine is accurate to the bible is important. Most campus ministries will have a website that highlights what they are about and what they believe. Be sure to look into their website, ask trusted friends, and ask questions about the ministry. OneU, RUF, Cru, Kairos, BCM, Intervarsity, KCM, Campus Outreach, and Younglife are well known and reputable ministries on campus, just to name a few. There are some groups on campus that are not doctrinally-sound, emphasizing the importance to get baptized at their church in particular, which is something to look out for.
What are your priorities? What are the emphasis of the campus ministry?
Most ministries will have a strong-suit in a particular area. For example, Cru is amazing at emphasizing the importance of evangelism and sharing the gospel with friends. OneU emphasizes the importance of deep discipleship to go make followers of Jesus on campus and fosters a tight-knit community. Figuring out what you want in a campus ministry is important so that you can grow in spiritual maturity. Observationally-speaking, a lot of students go to ministries in which they find familiarity or comfortability. While these can be good things, make sure to consider if the ministry is going to challenge you as well.
What size are you looking for in a campus ministry?
Size plays an important role in how close knit a group will be in a ministry. It can also play a role in ministry opportunities such as missions and outreach. The good thing about being at a campus the size of UMD is that there are a variety of ministries with different sizes. Cru is the biggest ministry on campus while OneU, RUF, Kairos, and KCM are medium-sized ministries with Intervarsity, BCM, and Younglife being on the smaller end.
What is the staff:student ratio? Or how does the staff interact with the students?
Does the staff team remember your name? Do they invest in you? These are all important things to consider when it comes to your spiritual growth in a ministry. In OneU, staff & leadership make it a priority to meet with the majority of students on a consistent basis, or at least be readily available to meet with students to help process relationships, friendships, academics, and all things spiritual. Different ministries emphasize this aspect differently, some ministries only occasionally meeting with students every now & then. It is important to know how much care you desire and find a ministry that can meet that.
Is it a healthy ministry?
There are many ways to measure the health of a ministry beyond just numbers or the amount of people attending. Is the ministry cliquey? Is it filled with people who seem eager to serve? Are people quickly leaving a bible study or are they hanging out with one another after? How are students getting involved in serving the Lord? Is there an emphasis on relationship with the Lord over initiatives and activities? How do the leaders respond to questions or feedback? Do you feel challenged to grow in a kind and gentle way? All of these are important questions to consider when measuring a healthy ministry.
Are they a part of a local church?
Many ministries are parachurch ministries, meaning that they are connected to a broader organization, but not a local church. This means that you may be free to go to any church, but it may be hard to foster community on a Sunday. OneU and other ministries such as Campus Outreach emphasize the importance of attending a local church and act as outreach ministries of local churches. We personally believe this is the best model since it prepares you as a college student to face life after college as well, even if that’s not on the forefront of your mind.
Finally, are there ways you see yourself leading in this ministry?
From my experience, a lot of people that are intentionally seeking out a ministry often find themselves in between 2 different ministries. Often, we will encourage you to stick with one ministry since we know that any ministry might desire you to serve in a deeper, more involved way in the future. This doesn’t mean you can’t visit other ministries, but it is wise to make one a priority so that you can serve to the fullest. After considering all the above questions, it is important to consider if you can see yourself serving in your ministry that you choose as well — and that you are equipped well to serve.
Final Thoughts
While there are many factors to consider in making a decision on a campus ministry, it is important to pray and seek the Lord in guidance in what ministry He is calling you into. Ultimately, the step in faith that you choose, the Lord will bless in whatever campus ministry setting it is. Seek wisdom through prayer, wisdom, and counsel as you make your decision on a campus ministry, factoring in what aligns with your values and beliefs — and will cause you to grow. Wherever you end up, know that any campus minister is extremely excited in how the Lord is working and moving in you regardless of what ministry you end up going to.
