Do you see your local high school and middle school as a mission field? Do you want to reach teens for Christ and meet them on their turf, but maybe you feel a bit overwhelmed, wondering where to begin?
As with any new challenge, preparation and a learner’s attitude are vital. Getting to know your campus is much like building a jigsaw puzzle. You kind of have an idea of what it looks like, but to get a true picture, you need to put it together piece by piece.
Start with Prayer
When you start a puzzle, you first put the edges in place. Prayer is the frame of your puzzle. Ask God to help you see the campus through His eyes. Thank Him that even before you arrived, He has been working. Ask Him to help you see where He is moving in the school. Prayer directly influences how you see and interpret the remaining puzzle pieces of the campus.
You will see the “natural groups” on your campus - those groups of students who know each other because of their common involvement in a class, activity, or extracurricular activities.
Get to Know Your Campus
Your task is to gather information and observe relationships so you will know how best to connect with and reach the varied people groups on campus. It will help you begin sorting the puzzle pieces by their distinct characteristics. First, you will gather basic information about the campus. Here are a few ideas:
- Go to the school website.
There you can view all the clubs and activities offered: band, sports, drama, newspaper, yearbook, debate, swing dance, etc. - Read the school or local newspaper and a recent yearbook.
You can find out what the school values and how the community responds. - Attend events, sporting events, concerts, and plays.
- Volunteer at the school.
As you gather and sort information, different parts of the puzzle will become clear. You will see the “natural groups” on your campus, the students who know each other through a class or extracurricular activity such as band, sports teams, and drama club. You will also want to take note of student leaders within these clubs and popular teachers on campus.
In addition to the official groups, you will want to look for the unofficial groups, such as church group friends, neighborhood friends, or other social groups. These groups often sit together at lunch and hang out after school.
Learn from Insiders
Getting to know students and key adults is like looking at the shape of individual puzzle pieces and the ways they fit together. Connect with Christian peers and/or teachers who can help you learn about the campus. They can help you see the roles individuals and groups play in the campus community and lead you to others who can help.
A great way to begin is to interview people. We have put together a questionnaire to help you. Be a learner and seek to add the following to what you have already discovered:
- What groups and communities seem to have the most influence on campus?
- What makes the school unique, including characteristics, interests? What are the subcultures and what distinguishes each?
- Who are the most popular students, teachers, faculty, and coaches? Who of these are Christians?
- Which groups socialize or naturally hang out together, and which do not? For example, cheerleaders often hang out with the varsity football team.
- What religions and worldviews are represented on campus?
Taking these steps will get you far along the path of getting to know your campus and starting your ministry. Look for where God is moving and where there are open doors to the campus.
