Connect with College Campus Ministry Groups: Now Is The Time to Reach Out
College Christian ministries can be an enormous support to Christian students especially at secular colleges. Now is the time to find out which groups are active at the college where your student will attend this fall and when they meet. Make contact with the leaders sooner rather than later. It can take time to find out which groups are active on campus and get the appropriate contact information. Students are most likely to attend if they get plugged in before the fall rush. Many ministry leaders will make time to reach out during the summer months.
What we have seen again and again is that students who are involved in campus Christian groups have a much higher chance of sticking with their faith in the college years. We would also add that many students need parental help in finding out information on Christian groups. Do not expect your student to be mature or motivated enough to research these organizations on their own. You know the dynamics of your relationship. Sometimes it works well if a parent can reach out to a campus ministry leader and the leader will take it from there.
Here is a list of some organizations you may want to check out in an effort to help your student find the right fit:
Northwest Collegiate Ministries (www.ncmlife.org)
Campus Crusade for Christ (now called CRU, www.cru.org)
Navigators (www.CollegiateNavigators.org)
Athletes in Action (www.AthletesInAction.org)
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (www.intervarsity.org)
Ratio Christi (www.RatioChristi.org)
We encourage students to keep trying to find the right fit if one group doesn’t work out. There is power and accountability in community. Sometimes people let one bad experience with a particular person or organization along the way hinder their willingness to plug in. For more information on this topic, please get a hold of our book, Navigating Public Schools, and in particular check out the chapter titled, “Join the Armada.”