THE HIGH SCHOOL MINISTRY OF CRU

Main Menu
Shot of a young woman raising her hand during a business conference

Involving Adults in Ministry

Twitter
Facebook
Email

PLEASE NOTE

  • If you are a student, do yourself a favor and get an adult to take on this responsibility! In most cases, they will enjoy it and have more success. But even if you are able to delegate this aspect of your ministry you need to read this and understand how valuable adults are to reaching your school.
  • If you are an adult, prayerfully proceed!

PARENTS

It is important to understand that in every community a group of adults exists who care enough about their young people to get involved in the solutions to their greatest needs. In most communities, parents are your greatest allies and potential resources. For just a moment, imagine what parents are facing when their sons and daughters are approaching adulthood. They are doing the best they can in raising their children. They are looking for significant others to take an interest in their kids. Most parents of students today feel disconnected with how their son or daughter is really doing. When meeting parents you need to let them know, without apology, what you and your ministry are all about. The most important principle in working with parents is being confident. Remember names of other involved parents and community people as you meet new parents. One name dropped at the right time is worth a thousand attempts at describing what you do. When a parent has shown an interest in getting involved, give them something to do as soon as possible. And remember to pray for the parents!

TEACHERS AND OTHER FACULTY

Christian teachers, coaches and administrators can be a tremendous resource in trying to reach a campus with the gospel,especially if they are well liked and respected among the students and faculty. Many entered the field of teaching because they wanted to make an impact on the lives of young people. So, with the “perceived”legal limitations, what can they do?

  • They can be involved in prayer,individual and
  • They can be “salt and light” in the classroom. They are within their legal rights by having and defending a biblical worldview. They can be an official advisor for your outreach if you decide to make it an officially recognized school club. They can open their classroom up for students to have prayer meetings.

Here are some ideas for mobilizing teachers to be part of ministry to teenagers.

  • Participate In Education Sunday

    This commissioning service for students and school staff would be a great way to help the teachers and students see that they are Christ’s ambassadors to their campus, to help them realize they are on the same team, and to help the church to see how critical the public schools are in God’s plan.

  • School Staff Prayer Breakfasts

    Organizing prayer breakfasts for school staff is another way to encourage the churches, students, and mom’s prayer groups to support the teachers in the school and to also encourage them to become involved in helping to reach the school for Christ.

  • See You At The Pole

    Encourage them to take part in it. It typically happens the third Wednesday in September.

  • Encourage Christian Faculty To Join CEAI

    Christian Educators Association International (CEAI) is an organization which provides a subscription to Teachers In Focus magazine, encouraging literature on being a witness in your school, and insurance comparable to NEA, with a philosophy that supports their Christian stand. (www.ceai.org; phone 1-888-798-1124)

  • Utilize Key Times for Students To Encourage Teachers

    Great opportunities for showing appreciation to teachers include:

    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Easter
    • National Teacher Day (usually about May 7)Graduation (invite teachers to Baccalaureate)

  • Encourage Seniors to Witness To Their Teachers Before They Graduate

    The greatest need among educators is for appreciation, so encouraging cards sent to teachers (Christian and non-Christian) will go a long way in opening them up to Christ.

  • Help Inform Teachers and School Staff of Their Legal Rights

    Many school faculty have been intimidated into believing that they have no rights at all as Christians. Let them know that they do NOT have to check their faith at the schoolhouse door. A good resource for them is “Bible Clubs and Student Religious Meetings in Public Schools,” available in the Resource section of the 1x1x56k magazine.

You May Also Enjoy These Articles

What they’re saying about Cru

What is one thing that you will treasure when you leave high school? Here’s a hint: It will collect dust and make your own children laugh in years to come. It’s not your favorite outfit or a sports trophy, but – you guessed it: your school yearbook.

START WITH THE SCHOOL YEARBOOK

Flipping through the yearbook tells all: what is happening at your school, who is involved in what activities, the values students have, and even the amount of school spirit. So if you want to reach your campus, the yearbook is the place to start. It shows you the different groups and students who make up the puzzle of your campus.

MAP OUT THE DIFFERENT GROUPS

The Lord may choose to reach the whole school through an assembly or some other event. But most likely it will be in smaller parts at a time. In Acts 1:8, Jesus gave us an example of reaching the smaller areas in order to reach the whole. So, in order to reach your school, you need to map out the different groups. Your school yearbook will help you break down the whole into parts you can target to reach. See how many groups you can list.

NATURAL GROUPS

Gather some students and together go through your yearbook and list all the groups. Think about the characteristics and interests of the teens in the different groups you have listed. This will help you see the “natural groups” on your campus. Natural groups are those groups of students who know each other because of their common involvement in a class, activity, or social network. These would include band, sports teams, drama club, church, and groups of friends.

UNOFFICIAL GROUPS

Now break down what the unofficial groups on campus are by drawing a sketch of the tables at each lunch period. Start by writing down who sits where until you write as many names of students as you can think of, creating a map to guide your outreach plans.

CHOOSE A GROUP TO REACH FIRST

Once you know different groups on campus, you can begin to choose which group you and your friends want to reach out to first. Consider which groups you are already a part of and can influence right away. After that you can pick more groups to reach out to as you think about their spiritual interest. For example, the first table you see when you walk into the cafeteria is filled with freshman students. You know Jenny’s little sister sits there and you’ve met a guy named Joe who sits there, too. Jenny is a Christian but you’re not so sure about Joe.

HOW TO REACH OUT

To reach out to them, you could have a food fight (off campus, of course!) or play Water Wars (just make up water games using Super Soakers and balloons). After the games, you could give a talk on how life can be a mess if we aren’t guided by God, the One who knows what is best for us. Then you can tell the students that you receive that guidance as you relate to God in a relationship. Tell them how they can begin a relationship with the Lord. Write out the points from a tract like “Conecting with God” on a big piece of paper so everyone can see the writing.

Another idea: Invite a large group of students to a 15 (or 50) foot banana split. A Christian student would then explain what the Christian group on campus can offer; announce upcoming events or Bible studies where they can discuss more about how God relates to life, and then explain a personal relationship with God to them. You could even use a questionnaire to lead into the gospel. (See ‘Planning and Conducting an Outreach’).

After sharing the gospel, pass out comment cards to find out what the students thought and if they would like to know more about how to grow in a relationship with God. Call those who want to know more and set up a time to meet with them (all together or in small groups). Follow up with them by teaching the basics of how to grow in Christ. (See ‘Basic Growth Series.’) This will hopefully lead to a Bible study where you continue to help them mature spiritually. (See “How to Lead a Small Group.”)

Many types of students are on your campus and there are many ideas to reach out to them with the love of Christ. Mapping the campus is a great way to find out “who’s who” on campus and what their interests are so you can effectively reach them with the gospel.

DON’T GO ALONE!

There are teens and adults (teachers, parents, youth pastors) who want to work with you to reach your campus for Jesus. Talk to Christian teachers or administrators. Find out what they think would interest a particular group on campus or how you can become a part of what that group does.

Ask a few spiritually mature teenagers to join you in mapping the groups on campus. Plan and pray together, asking God, the One who understands everyone, to guide your steps of faith. Now go for it!

Every Student Plan Worksheet PDF

Decoding/Mapping the Campus Questionnaire