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The Missed Mission Field: Connecting With College Students in Your Community

If you live in or near a college town, you’re familiar with the regular flow of students into and out of your community. Depending on the time of year, your area is filled to capacity with 18- to 22-year-olds going through the motions of college life. 

Many student believers are only here for a short time, and they struggle to or don’t even attempt to connect with a church. Non-believing students are bombarded with messages counter to the Gospel.

With 3,982 degree-granting postsecondary colleges and universities in the United States and an estimated 19 million students enrolled, the opportunities to connect and build relationships are endless. 

But with many students only residing in a community for two to four years while they earn their degrees, and even then only while school is in session, how do you begin to minister to these young adults?

Why does college ministry matter?

Two-thirds of students who attended church regularly in high school stopped attending for at least a year while they were in college. While that number is staggering, almost half of those who stop attending church cite moving to college as the biggest factor, and 71% say it wasn’t an intentional decision.

Director of student ministries at Lifeway Ben Trueblood claims that since the mass exodus of college students from church life typically has little to do with issues of theology or feeling disconnected, churches actually have a bigger cause for concern. 

He says, “There was nothing about the church experience or faith foundation of those teenagers that caused them to seek out a connection to a local church once they entered a new phase of life. The time they spent with activity in church was simply replaced by something else.”

Many college students are living in the busiest times of their lives between classes, jobs, and extracurriculars. They’re experiencing new levels of independence, discovering who they want to be as adults, and determining what’s important to them. With so many options for things to do and ways to spend their time, many students don’t feel the need to prioritize organized religion. 

Aside from the busyness of their new normal, many students who fall away from the church during their college years feel overwhelmed by all of the changes happening simultaneously. They may have made decisions they would’ve previously disagreed with and feel shame or just don’t want to be stuck in the awkward space between youth and young couples. 

Whatever the reason for their departure, only 31% find their way back into church later in life.

Couple the mass exodus of students after high school with an increasing number of non-religious students who may have never heard of the name of Jesus, and churches have a challenge ahead of them. 

These students are the future of the Church. They’re the next generation of pastors, deacons, small group leaders, and volunteers. They’re our church planters and missionaries. They’re also our doctors, lawyers, teachers, and government officials. 

Dr. Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, believed that if the Church can win the campus today, it can change the world tomorrow.

College students are at a pivotal time in their lives. They’re making decisions and building relationships that will determine the course of their entire lives. The crossroads of their lives are before them, and they’re looking for answers, searching for hope, and open to learning about their Creator.

So, how do you connect with college students?

The answer is simple: go to them!

Unlike typical outreach, where the goal is to go out into the community to build relationships and draw people into your church, college ministry has to look different. 

With a small window of time to build genuine relationships and share the story of Jesus, meeting students where they are allows them to hear and connect with the Gospel in a comfortable environment while also giving them the chance to engage on their own time. 

And to meet them where they are, consider using demographical and geographical tools built for ministry. These can show you not only where those students are and their basic demographics, but also teach you how they view religion and other beliefs. This can shape how you start to build your connection with college students specifically in your community.

Students who did grow up attending regularly may struggle to feel connected or be intimidated by a new church, while those who grew up outside of the faith may feel uncomfortable stepping into what is essentially a new culture. Bringing the Church to them can alleviate much of the awkwardness and unknowns so students can focus on the message you’re bringing.

Aside from just making students more comfortable when attempting to build relationships with them, 22% of students rely on public transit or other forms of transportation, so going to them eliminates a physical barrier to the Gospel. You’re also reducing the intimidation of navigating a new place, the difficulty of finding a connection, and the possibility of feeling awkward knowing they’re only there for a limited amount of time. 

Before you dive headfirst into creating a new ministry, do some research on your local campuses. Many colleges and universities already have a ministry group present that would love to partner with your church to reach young adults at a pivotal time in their lives. 

Just as you would when partnering with missionaries or local groups when planning mission trips abroad, look for established partners that you can support rather than compete with.

Organizations like Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Campus Crusade for Christ, and Young Life College are actively winning students for Christ across the United States. They crave the support and connection of local churches willing to step out in faith and partner with them in this mission field.

If there isn’t an existing organization present on the campuses in your community, it may be possible to bring one of them in or to work with other churches in your area to develop an effective ministry program.

Focus on meeting physical needs, like providing meals, and give students something exciting to look forward to that doesn’t involve homework. Put your time and resources into relationship evangelism, even if you’re planting seeds that you won’t see grow into fruit-producing disciples.

Treating college ministry as a mission field will help you evangelize in a way that resonates with the students you’re seeking to connect with. Don’t miss the opportunity to raise up the next generation of disciples and missionaries!

Conclusion

While many churches put significant time and resources into their children and youth, they fall short when it comes to building disciples once students leave high school. They focus heavily on building a solid Christian foundation, which is a positive thing as long as it’s followed by continually pursuing those students as they take the next steps into adulthood. 

In the parable of the lost sheep, we are reminded that God pursues us relentlessly. In the same way, pursue the hearts of the college students in your community just as diligently. 

College students are a critical mission field that is often overlooked simply because it’s difficult. But investing in the lives and spiritual well-being of these students will introduce the next generation to their Maker, turning them into the feet of Jesus who will take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. 

Start learning about the students in your community today to know how to best connect them with your ministry.

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