Campus Ministry Events in Spring 2023

College students get involved in extra-curricular activities, including ministry events. (Photo by Keira Burton from Pexels)

College students desire to engage in activities, establish relationships, and form new friendships. According to Youth Esource, it is crucial to offer opportunities for intentional connections to build and enhance a community.

Christian relationships that develop over time through shared experiences hold a unique significance. Allowing for a space where people can form connections lays the foundation for a community that will develop together in faith.

This article will explore campus ministry events that you could add to your calendar for spring 2023.

Café Fellowship

According to the Ministry Bubble, one of the events that you can add to your campus ministry spring calendar is a get-together at a nearby coffee shop. For this event, students, leaders, and parents can hang out and play games.

This way, you can improve the relationships between leaders, parents, and students. Moreover, this allows you to help promote a local business in your community.

According to an article published by Paige Edgington on Youth Esource, they organized an event called Theology on Tap, which is held once a month. It involved visiting various breweries and pubs in the area.

Attendees could enjoy craft beer, fellowship, and engage in a theological discussion led by a local church leader or pastor. 

Events like this become successful mainly due to its relaxed atmosphere, wherein fellowship plays a crucial role in building relationships. Although there was a program, it was not mandatory.

(Photo by Keira Burton from Pexels)

Moreover, the discussion leaders introduced different topics and styles. This led to stimulating conversations and inquiries.

Scavenger Hunt

Adding a scavenger hunt to your spring 2023 campus ministry events is a good way to promote your organization. This is because it motivates others to participate.

Tom Pounder posted in Youth Specialties that a strategic approach to organizing a scavenger hunt involves placing items of your choice in different locations across your campus.

Afterward, encourage students to find them. You can make it even more exciting by offering a big prize to the winner.

The activity can be done individually or in groups, by grade level, gender, or even by families.

You can create a Social Media Account or Group for the event. You can use Facebook Group or create a new Instagram or TikTok account.

Through this, participants can join, share hints, and post pictures of themselves finding the items. It's recommended to use a unique hashtag to track the activity.

It is also essential to share and like the posts to make the event more enjoyable and encourage community engagement.

Christian Film Festival

According to the Ministry Bubble, hosting a film festival on your campus is an excellent way to tap into other students' creativity and love for making vines, Snapchat stories, and YouTube videos.

Encourage them to create short films using their smartphones and free applications and let their imagination run wild.

You can have different categories for the films, such as comedy, drama, commercials, etc. To incorporate the Christian values of your campus ministry, you can think of a theme they should apply in their film. 

Make sure that everyone submits their videos before the event. This is to ensure that they can be screened on time.

(Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels)

The film festival is an exciting way to showcase your student's talent and creativity while fostering a sense of community on campus.

It would be a great opportunity to bring students together, celebrate their work, and have fun.

Community Project

Incorporating community service into other students' lives is an excellent way to build relationships. All this while making a positive impact.

According to Cru, one way to do this is to encourage students to invite other organizations or groups of friends to participate in a meaningful service project together.

It not only fosters teamwork and community but also allows them to collect community service points.

Additionally, it's an opportunity to demonstrate Christ's love by serving others. Encourage students to pray for their friends and ask God to open doors to talk about Him.

This way, you can make a lasting impact on a community while sharing the good news of Christ.

Each One, Reach One

According to the College Ministry, once you spend some time on campus, you'll easily identify the "campus hot spot," which is a location frequently passed by students. It could be an intersection on a sidewalk or a hallway in the student center. Regardless, it's an excellent place to be during peak hours.

To reach out to students on campus, seek permission to set up an information table in these high-traffic areas. Provide students with pamphlets about your campus ministry and articles on spiritual topics.

For instance, you can distribute an article about the existence of God and then invite them to meet for coffee to discuss their thoughts on it.

You can also conduct a survey with four or five general and spiritual questions that encourage "gospel conversations" among students.

You could also consider giving away small items as a token of appreciation, which do not need to be costly.

For example, you could offer three different types of gum or pens. Alternatively, you could run a sign-up contest for a chance to win a gift card to a popular student eatery.

Weekend Conference

The Ministry Bubble stated that student pastors had observed a decline in retreat attendance due to students' and families' increasingly hectic schedules.

It can be difficult for them to take a whole weekend off from sports, academics, and work.

Work around this by organizing a weekend conference.

You can mark this on your spring 2023 event calendar as something that takes place on Friday evening and Saturday morning.

The event will focus on a specific topic, such as biblical dating, and is open to both parents and students.

You can host the conference at a café, church, or your ministry room.

It includes worship and breakout sessions, but it does not involve an overnight stay.

A weekend conference offers the same structure as a retreat. However, it is more cost-effective as it eliminates expenses such as meals and lodging.

Basketball Tournament

Organizing a basketball tournament can be an excellent addition to your campus ministry events in the spring. Basketball is a popular sport among college students.

It is also a great way to build community and foster healthy competition.

You can set up the tournament as an intramural event, inviting students to create teams and compete against one another.

You can also encourage friendly rivalries to generate more excitement. This can be between different campus organizations or dorms.

The tournament can be a great opportunity to invite non-Christian students to participate. This way, Christian students can interact with them in a fun and relaxed setting.

According to Cru at Mississippi State University, they organized a 3-on-3 basketball competition for students. All participants were given a package containing candy, soda, and the book "More than a Carpenter" by Josh McDowell.

As for your campus ministry, you can consider inviting a Christian speaker. The speaker can be a former college basketball player and an alumnus of your school.

Moreover, during the sporting event, you can distribute bottles of cold water to the attendees.

Stick your campus ministry's label on it and details that advertise the time and location of your meeting or Bible study.

Career Coaching

College graduation is an exciting time. Yet, it can be daunting for students who are unsure of their next steps. This campus ministry event is for those many graduates who have no clear plan or idea of what career they want to pursue.

Have your campus ministry help them out. According to Resource UMC, you should recruit successful professionals who are thriving in their respective fields.

Ask them to offer free career counseling services to students who are interested in similar fields.

This way, students can receive practical advice and guidance from people who have already walked the path they are considering.

It helps students move toward career success.

Moreover, it also allows successful professionals to use their experience to give back to the community through ministry.

Free Meals

Organize a breakfast event for students during final exams. According to Resource UMC, you should recruit skilled cooks to make omelets and bacon and bring hotplates and food to the lobby of a nearby dormitory.

The delicious aroma of bacon could be enough to attract students to the event.

It is important to have enough volunteers to serve food, engage with the students, and possibly ask them questions about their finals and share a bit about the gospel.

(Photo by Maksim Goncharenok from Pexels)

Coordinating with the college or university is necessary for planning and logistics.

Laser Tag

Let your campus ministry offer a fun and exciting way for students to come together while blowing off some steam caused by academics. According to the Ministry Bubble, you can add a new twist to the traditional laser tag game. 

Encourage your small group leaders to dress up as local high school or college mascots and have them play against the students in an airsoft battle.

If you were unable to find mascot suits, you can open it up as a costume battle, allowing everyone to come dressed up in their favorite character costumes. This event is sure to be a hit among students.

Just make sure to establish clear rules and guidelines to ensure everyone's safety during the event.

Reminders in Planning Campus Ministry Events

According to Youth Esource, when planning spring events for your campus ministry, it is important to keep several things in mind.

Firstly, you should consider the type of event you want to host. This could be a party event, fellowship event, service event, or faith discussion event.

Next, it is crucial to think about how to promote your event. Utilize campus tables, bulletin boards, social media, email invitations, flyers, and handouts to spread the word.

Additionally, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere is essential for making your guests feel comfortable.

Consider the type of event you are having and what atmosphere is necessary to create a great experience for your guests.

You can also incorporate activities into your event to encourage conversation and break the ice. Moreover, food is always a great incentive for college students, so consider providing a free, home-cooked meal.

Lastly, it is crucial to have a plan in place to follow up with new friends after the event. This could include collecting contact information through info cards or having a system in place to stay in touch and invite them to future events.

(Photo by RF._.studio from Pexels)

With this, the spring 2023 campus ministry events allow you to provide students with a variety of opportunities to deepen their faith, connect with others, and make a positive impact on their community.

From café fellowship and weekend conferences to laser tags and basketball tournaments, there is something for everyone to get involved in and grow spiritually.

Work with your campus ministry team to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, and see your efforts pay off with increased attendance and engagement throughout the semester.

 

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