We have approximately 350,000 college students across 67 campuses in the state of Missouri. Of the 67 campuses, we have ministries on 25 of them. If each existing campus were impacting 500 college students that’s 12,500 students impacted [I’m being generous]. That is just 3.6% of our overall student population.
As ministry leaders, we are always looking for those students who will someday be leaders in our ministries and in our churches. But if we’re going to saturate every college campus in Missouri with the gospel of Jesus, we also need to raise up pioneering students who can be trained, equipped, empowered, and sent out as a Campus Missionary to help strengthen an existing ministry or start a new ministry on a campus that doesn’t have one. This is what our Apprenticeship Program is all about—and it’s a key piece of our statewide strategy for accomplishing our mission.
How do we identify those pioneering students who might be promising candidates to blaze new trails and start new works in your ministry, on another campus in Missouri, or abroad? A pioneering spirit is characterized by a combination of vision, creativity, adaptability, and a strong commitment to the mission of the campus ministry.
As we assess our students let us make sure we recognize those who may be spiritual pioneers so that we can encourage and equip them accordingly in their calling. Let me propose six pairs of characterizing attributes you should look for in those with a pioneering spirit.
Vision-Minded & Mission-Driven
Students with a pioneering spirit are vision and mission driven. They are motivated by a clear sense of calling to reach and impact their friends and peers for Christ. They are big picture thinkers. They seem to have a natural ability to see beyond immediate challenges.
Innovative & Resourceful
Students with a pioneering spirit are natural innovators. They think outside the box, using creative strategies to engage their peers. As a result, they are resourceful. They find ways to make an impact even with limited time and resources. They don’t just evangelize and disciple using existing models; they often create new models.
Relational & Community-Oriented
Students with a pioneering spirit are often highly relational and community-oriented. They prioritize forming genuine connections with everyone they meet—students, professors, and other campus ministries. They work well with others and are often the leaders of group projects. Often jumping right in, and often calling others to be a part, they can be highly collaborative. The group is better because of them.
Resilient & Perseverant
Students with a pioneering spirit have high levels of resilience and perseverance. They persist in the face of rejection, slow progress, or spiritual opposition. They are spiritual optimists and faith-filled risk takers who are willing to step into the unknown, trusting God to guide their efforts.
Adaptable & Flexible
Spiritual pioneers have an inherent ability to be adaptable and flexible. When plans change, they don’t freak out, they embrace and adapt. They are quick learners.
Intentional & Initiatory
Those students with a pioneering spirit are outreach focused, initiating with intentionality. They do not wait to be asked. They see something that needs to be done, and they do it. They initiate spiritual and gospel conversations with their peers. They are the first ones to sign up for events and activities that introduce others to the gospel. They are intentional about equipping others to grow spiritually, and they proactively disciple others.
A Tall Order
I know few, if any, who inherently have all these characteristics. Let’s be honest; it’s a tall order, even among spiritually mature adults! We aren’t looking for pioneering students to have all of these things, in full maturity. But there are some students who have many of these characteristics. If they are faithful, available, humble, and teachable, they can pick up and learn additional skills.
Amid strengthening each of our campus ministries we must keep an eye out for those students with a pioneering spirit so that we might call, train and equip them for the new work needed in Missouri and beyond.
