Chris Bean

Being on staff with the CCO provides some great opportunities for fellowship with other campus ministers as well as professional development.

First of all, I will comment on how enjoyable and encouraging it is to hang out with other CCO staff and campus ministers in general. People who work with college students tend to be, well…cool. Obviously I’m biased. I remember thinking similar things during my years of youth ministry and, yes…youth workers are usually quite hip and cool as well. But out of the hundred or so campus ministers that are here…seriously…there’s not one person I’ve met who I would avoid in a social situation! 

The theme of our little gathering this week near Ligonier, PA has been transformative opportunities.

Evan Hunter, with the Ivy Jungle Network for campus ministry, presented some statistics and key elements which they’ve discovered in research over the past 10 years. Basically, they have found that the most significant kinds and amounts of lifechange tends to happen when students are given opportunities like a mission trip, a retreat, spring break trip, etc. These opportunities tend to provide the following experiential elements:

• Intensity of Time (it’s more than just a block of time here and there)
• Intensity of Experience (encountering disequilibrium…experiences which challenge worldview…e.g. poverty, disease, human trafficking, etc)
• Intensity of Community (significant relationships develop…also barriers between student and leader are often broken down)

Another component of the research which Evan presented indicates an increase in the interest that college students have in service-oriented experiences and justice efforts. We are serving the “justice generation.” Many college students want to have a significant impact on a community or culture and might even be reluctant to participate in something which isn’t outwardly focused. How does all this impact our ministry at the University of Cincinnati? What kinds of opportunities can we provide for students which will optimize their impact and transformation? I have some ideas, but these are definitely some questions I need to ask (and answer) as the plan for this and the next quarter emerge.