When we see the campus from God’s perspective, we begin to understand how important it is to become an insider, a person recognized as someone who belongs on the campus. If the goal of our mission is to coach students to multiply their faith into others, then we obviously have to have access to them.
Becoming an insider is the first step to getting there. A public school setting is a relational ecosystem, made up of students surrounded and supported by a team of caring adults. Your job is to become part of that adult team. That happens when administrators, teachers, support staff, and students actually see you and can say, “Oh that’s Brittany, she’s one of us.” You might be thinking, that feels a long way off, and it can take some time, but most often God opens the doors that you need to give you the opportunity to become an insider. You will discover that God’s been preparing for your arrival the whole time. Let’s take a look at several principles that help build a bridge to the campus.
The foundation to becoming an insider is prayer. Specifically, pray for a good personal connection with someone who is already an insider on the campus. Pray for connections with key parents, teachers, administrators, and students who can help open doors for you on the campus.
Your influence on campus will depend on the depth of your relationships. Meet the principal and other school leaders informally at events, games, etc. Ask parents to introduce you. Write a note of encouragement. When appropriate, seek to have a formal appointment. Keep it brief. Communicate your availability to assist with their needs.
An insider is a person recognized as someone who belongs on the campus.
Think through ways you can be on campus. Here are some possible opportunities…
- Visit students on their lunch hour (check the school’s policies on visitors before you show up)
- Be a guest of a Christian club on campus
- Attend events that are open to the public (like sporting events)
As you look for ways to be on campus, remember that serving the school, and helping them fulfill a need, is always a good first step. When you serve, you communicate your dedication to the school and your heart to help make it the best place possible for everyone.
Many schools have needs that school personnel cannot meet. By volunteering to help meet those needs, it gives you a good reason to be on campus, shows you care about what the school cares about, and brings you into contact with more and more students. Here are just some of the possible ways you could volunteer.
- Help coach an athletic team
- Serve at extracurricular activities
- Chaperone school trips
- Get involved with the PTA
- Assist in classroom tutoring
- Mentor students
- Volunteer in an area of your interest by organizing activities that add value to the students’ experience, such as journalism, drama, art, or athletics.
These are first steps you can take in order to open up doors to the campus, so that you can walk through them, as well as people coming behind you.
One final thought: the principal of the school will ultimately decide whether or not you are welcome. At some schools, they will not allow access to students, but that’s not the end of the world. This will lead you to find Christian students to work through and build into spiritual leaders. In some cases, a spiritual movement has emerged faster because students naturally have more freedom. So relax your expectations, walk by faith, and find that friendly insider who can help you become one, too.
Next Step
Don't know where to start? Do a little research to discover how to become an insider by using the Getting to know your campus questionnaire.
questionnaire
