One of our ongoing struggles in campus ministry — both mine personally and ours collectively — is the constant need for more resources. Whether it’s financial support, personal or ministry funding, or more staff and volunteers to help carry the mission forward, the reality is clear: the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers [and resources] are few (see Matthew 9:37-38).
As we head into the fall semester, many of us are feeling this need more than ever. We see incredible opportunities on our campuses. Students are open, hungry, and searching. Doors are wide open for the Gospel. And yet, we feel the strain of being under-resourced — not enough time, not enough people, not enough funds.
So how do we live in this tension?
Scripture gives us both encouragement and direction. We are reminded that our God is able to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).
We see in the feeding of the 5,000 that Jesus can take what seems like not enough — five loaves and two fish — and multiply it beyond comprehension (see John 6:1–14). But He didn’t ask the disciples to do nothing. He asked them to bring what they had. Likewise, we are called to steward well what’s in our hands while boldly asking God for what only He can provide. So, I want to encourage you to do several things.
Pray Intentionally
First off, pray intentionally and specifically for more workers, more partners, and more resources. This isn’t just a good idea — it’s a command from Jesus Himself. In Luke 10:2, Jesus tells His disciples,
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.”
Jesus didn’t say, “Just work harder.” He said, “Ask.” Before sending the 72 out to proclaim the kingdom, Jesus directed them first to pray.
That word ask is actually stronger in the original language — it means to plead, to beg, to call upon the Lord with urgency. We are invited — even commanded — to cry out to God to meet the needs of His mission.
So let’s do just that. Let’s pray for more workers — students who will rise up in ownership and boldness, staff who feel called to the mission, and volunteers who will shoulder the load with us. Let’s pray for more partners — churches, individuals, and organizations who will link arms financially, relationally, and spiritually with your campus and this movement. And let’s pray for more resources — not out of greed or fear, but because God’s mission on the campus is worthy of investment. We need kingdom-minded givers, not just donors.
When we pray like this, we’re not just asking for more stuff — we’re aligning our hearts with the mission of God. We’re saying, “Lord, we trust You to provide what is needed to reach this generation.” And He will. He always does.
But prayer isn’t passive — it’s an active expression of faith. So, keep a prayer journal. Write down names. Make your asks specific. Get your students praying. Invite your church partners to join you in prayer. Let this become a movement that begins on our knees — the kind of prayer that wears through the carpet and puts grooves in the wood floor because we’ve been there so often, seeking the Lord.
That’s where the power is.
Let’s not just talk about the need. Let’s bring it boldly to the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (see Psalm 50:10) and who loves to meet the needs of those He sends.
“When we pray like this, we’re not just asking for more stuff — we’re aligning our hearts with the mission of God.”
Jerome Stockert
Pursue Strategically
Secondly, pursue new ministry partners who believe in the mission and want to invest in reaching the next generation. If God has called you to the campus, then you’re not meant to walk that calling alone. Throughout Scripture, we see the pattern of Gospel work being done in partnership — Paul had Barnabas, Timothy, Silas, the Philippian church, and countless others who stood with him spiritually and supported him practically (see Philippians 1:3–5, 4:15–16).
The same is true for you.
We are not beggars asking for handouts — we are ambassadors inviting people to join in what God is doing. As you invite others into partnership, you are opening the door for them to have a front-row seat to life transformation on your campus.
Pursue prayer partners who will stand in the gap for you, your students, and your ministry.
Pursue financial partners who want to sow into good soil, who see the college campus as one of the most strategic mission fields in the world.
Pursue church partners who may not be physically present on campus but can support you through sending volunteers, giving resources, or adopting your ministry in ongoing prayer and encouragement.
Pursue kingdom-minded individuals — alumni, parents, pastors, business leaders — who care deeply about the next generation and want to see students come to know Jesus.
Invite others into the story God is writing on your campus. Share testimonies. Share your vision. Be bold and clear. People give to clarity, not to confusion — and they partner with conviction when they see the eternal impact.
Remember: it’s not about what you need from them — it’s about what they get to be part of. You’re offering them the joy of investment in something that outlives them: the Kingdom of God advancing in a generation that will shape the future of the church and culture. So don’t be afraid to ask. The mission is too important to keep to yourself.
Prioritize Faithfully
Third, be faithful with what you have — your time, your relationships, your influence, your funds. Steward them well and with integrity, knowing that God sees and honors faithfulness in the small things (see Luke 16:10).
In campus ministry, it’s easy to focus on what we lack — the staff we don’t have, the budget we wish we had, the students we haven’t reached yet. But Scripture reminds us that faithfulness is the measure of fruitfulness in God’s eyes. Jesus says in Luke 16:10,
“Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much.”
That means your stewardship today — with what you’ve already been entrusted with — is shaping the kind of leader, missionary, and minister you are becoming.
So ask yourself: How am I stewarding my time? Am I using it intentionally for Kingdom impact or letting it slip away in busyness? How am I stewarding my relationships? Am I investing in students, staff, and partners with care and consistency? How am I stewarding my influence? Whether it’s on social media, in staff meetings, or among students, am I pointing people toward Christ? And how am I stewarding my resources? Am I managing personal and ministry funds with wisdom, transparency, and a spirit of generosity?
You don’t have to have a massive platform or a huge budget to make an eternal impact. The widow’s two coins, the boy’s lunch, the mustard seed — these all remind us that God delights in multiplying what’s surrendered to Him.
Integrity and faithfulness are often unseen by the world, but they are never unnoticed by God. He is not looking for flashy; He is looking for faithful. I know, that sounds corny, but it’s true! Manage the small things well, because those are often the very things God uses to open bigger doors.
This season, before you ask God for more, ask Him to help you honor Him with what you already have. Because when He finds us trustworthy with little, He will entrust us with more — not just more resources, but more responsibility, more souls, and more opportunities to glorify His name.
“God is not looking for flashy; He is looking for faithful.”
Jerome Stockert
Persevere Steadfastly
Lastly, stay steadfast in your calling. Scripture exhorts us in Galatians 6:9:
“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
That verse isn’t just good advice — it’s a lifeline for those of us laboring in a field where results aren’t always immediate and fruit can feel slow to grow.
If I’m honest, I sometimes get overwhelmed by what I lack — the funding that hasn’t come in, the team that isn’t big enough, the students who walked away. I know you feel it too. That quiet tension between holy ambition and human exhaustion.
But here’s the truth: God is not waiting for us to be fully resourced before He moves. [Can I get an Amen?] He’s not pacing heaven hoping we hit a financial goal or find the perfect team. He is looking for faithful servants — men and women who will trust Him, obey Him, and keep showing up even when it’s hard, even when it feels like we’re running on empty.
Remember: the Gospel isn’t hindered by scarcity. It was born in obscurity, spread through persecution, and advanced by people who had little more than faith, courage, and the Holy Spirit.
“The Gospel isn’t hindered by scarcity. It was born in obscurity, spread through persecution, and advanced by people who had little more than faith, courage, and the Holy Spirit.”
Jerome Stockert
Pray, Pursue, Prioritize, and Persevere
This semester, let’s move forward with open hands and steadfast hearts. Let’s keep asking boldly for what we need. Let’s keep trusting God for His provision and timing. Let’s keep inviting others to join us in the mission. Let’s keep stewarding what we have with faithfulness and integrity. And let us continually thank Him for what He’s already done — and for what He’s still going to do.
The harvest will come — maybe not all at once, maybe not in the ways we expect — but it will come. Our job is not to control the outcome; our job is to remain faithful. Stay in it. Keep planting seeds. Keep showing up. Keep trusting Jesus. Because the God who called you is faithful — and He will do it (see 1 Thessalonians 5:24).
Photo by Cecilia Chew on Unsplash
