Discerning a Team
Why do you need a team?
We were not meant to walk alone. Jesus called Apostles and mandated that they continue to call others to “join the team.” When executed well, a campus ministry program in a high school requires planning several events and encounter opportunities throughout the year. Each person is given different gifts, and so, a well-rounded team includes and array of talents and personalities. Young people need to be able to see themselves in mentors in order to relate and build a trusting relationship. You need to pray that God will lead you to people who fill all of the needs of your ministry and your students’ hearts, minds, and spirits—those who bring encouragement, wisdom, and a spirit of service that advances the mission and nurtures growth in faith.
Who's on your team?
The Campus Ministry team includes adults and students leaders. In a high school, the adults on the ministry team may include teachers that have been identified as faithful and vibrant leaders who students can trust and enjoy being around. These should be trusted adults who bring a positive energy and fill a need on your ministry team. My creativity is limited, so I love having the art teacher on my team! She brings a level of creativity to retreats and games that I would spend so much time and energy stressing about that it would likely burn me out! Another valuable member of my team are those who can lead music and work the sound equipment. I am a planner and organizer, but having another team member with these gifts allows me to delegated tedious tasks, like planning the food for retreats or creating handouts. This may sound selfish, but it may also be important to have someone on your team who looks out for you. I have a couple of dear friends who have served in ministry with me in the parish and joined me at school retreats. These ladies do anything and everything imaginable, mostly behind the scenes. They will run to the store, clean up a mess, restock the snack tables, and be ready to fill any need. I call these ladies my “Elizabeths.” They see Jesus in me and are ready to help me in any way necessary so that I could perform the work that God has called me to do.
Here are some personality types that you may look for in adult team members:
Creative (The art teacher)
Music and tech savvy (The band director)
Fun-loving and outgoing (a coach)
Organized (most teachers!)
Nurturing (school nurse or maybe an older teacher)
"What greater work is there than training the mind and forming the habits of the young? The one who knows how to form the youthful mind is truly greater than all the painters, sculptors, and all others of that sort” (St. John Chrysostom).
Student leaders are the heart and soul of a Campus Ministry team. These students are the role models in faith who walk the walk and are not afraid to talk the talk. Your ministry cannot survive without faithful students to plan and execute activities and retreats, identify the needs of the students, create a vision for the year, and minister in the trenches. The Campus Ministry team at my school consists solely of seniors and is available as an elective course that I teach as one class period a day. At the end of the junior year, students are invited a apply for the Campus Ministry team. An application process should help you to identify students who are serious about the mission of the ministry, actively faithful, role models in all aspects of campus life, and have a desire to evangelize. Students who submit applications then complete an interview with some of the adult team members. The interview allows us to assess how comfortable students are when speaking about their faith. This can be a very delicate process because all students are valued and loved and have so much to offer. However, I have learned the hard way that not everyone can or should be on the core Campus Ministry team. It is wise to have other opportunities available to serve, like a small group ministry or bible study.
Selecting student leaders requires prayerful discernment. Similar to the adult team, the student leaders should fill many aspects of the team. They should be involved in a variety of activities on campus and have unique talents and gifts from one another. There will be overlap, and this allows separation into teams within the team as needed. My high school has approximately 600 students from 7th grade to seniors. The class average is 100 students. I’ve had 24 team members for the past two years. I don’t target a specific number, but this figure enables me to split the team into 2-4 smaller groups for task management.
"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow” (Ecclesiastes 4:9)
Other opportunities to lead
The Campus Ministry team should not be the only outlet for students wanting to serve. Bible studies, small group ministries, and music ministry are examples of leadership opportunities that could be available for students who have a desire to lead others in faith. Schools in our Diocese were commissioned by the Bishop to form small group ministries within our schools to encourage faith formation. While this seemed like a daunting task for a school our size, we have successfully hosted a monthly small group ministry for the past three years. The success of this program is due largely in part to the fact that the small groups are peer lead. With the help of the teachers, peer leaders are identified in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. These students are invited to serve as leaders and trained before each monthly session to discuss tips and troubleshooting from previous meetings. This program allows for many students to grow as faith leaders and fulfill their need to serve.
Bible studies and small groups are great options for students to lead outside of the Campus Ministry team.
Praying with your teams
I recently heard a quote, “open in prayer before opening your laptop.” Prayer is essential to every part of Campus Ministry. Campus Ministers should never stop praying for God to send people to serve, adults and students. Unfortunately, the enemy wants you to fail, so praying that ministry leaders are open to God’s call and have the confidence to say “yes” is important.
Times to pray with your teams include:
Prior to classes or meetings
Before and after planning sessions
Before and after events, retreats, and similar gatherings
Over anyone who is about to give a talk
Individually when a student is in need of strength, or grace, or any need!
Prayer is essential to any ministry program.
Prayer should come as naturally as the air we breathe because it is what gives life to our ministry. There may be days when the seniors are stressed and overwhelmed. This would be a good day to stop class, go to the chapel, and lead them in an imaginative prayer which allows them to talk with Jesus. Allow the Holy Spirit to move in and through your ministry.
