September 2008 Campus Ministry Update

 

Ivy Jungle Network

Campus Ministry Update

September 2008

 

 

Trends in Student Ministry, Culture and Higher Education:

 

How Higher Ed Has Changed:  The greatest boost to higher education came with the GI Bill following World War II.  With government funding, college enrollment increased from 160,000 two years before the war to nearly 500,000 in 1950.   In 1952, veterans made up 49% of all students.   By the time the Baby Boom Generation graduated from high school, college was no longer just for the elite, but had become more accessible to all.  Between 1960 and 1980 the number o professors in the US rose from 235,000 to 685,000.  America had created a large educated class of people.  In the last 15 years, much attention has been given to the lack of interest and spirit of entitlement among many today's college students.  Parents are over-involved and students want to be entertained.  The quality of college education has been lamented with many students scoring little better than high school graduates of 50 years ago.  According to the US Department of Education, nearly half of college students need remedial courses in math and reading.  Tuition costs have outpaced inflation and even health care.  Thirty years ago, the annual cost of attending a private university equaled 21 weeks of pay for the average US worker.  Now that figure is more than 53 weeks, more than a year of work to pay for a private college.   (Salvo Magazine Autumn 08)

Most Colleges Getting Greener:  Nearly two-thirds of US colleges improved their "sustainability report card" over the last year.  Only about 5% of schools saw a decline.  54% of schools have an expressed commitment to reduce carbon emissions.  74%  of schools include hybrid, electric or biodiesel vehicles in their fleets, and 91% of schools report purchasing at least some of their food from local sources.   Efforts also include an increase in schools with staff dedicated exclusively to sustainability and almost half of the schools have endowment investments in renewable energy funds.  (Inside Higher Ed September 24, 2008) 

Facebook Admissions:  10% of admissions counselors at competitive colleges say they have looked at Facebook and other social networking sites to evaluate applicants.  The survey, reported in the Wall Street Journal, indicated that most of the time reviews of student profiles "negatively affected" their application.  (Inside Higher Ed September 18, 2008)

Didn't We Meet on Facebook: These days, two freshmen roommates shaking hands and introducing themselves for the first time has become a very strange site.  Virtually all students arrive on campus not only having met their roommates, but perhaps dozens of other new friends thanks to Facebook.  Students quickly join their "class group" and find other affinity groups from their campus.  Many say it has created a different kind of awkward meeting when many have begun friendships online and meet for the first time saying, "Hi, we met on Facebook . . .".  While some students have become concerned about roommates based on their profiles, even more alarming these days would be a potential roommate not on Facebook.  (St. Louis Post Dispatch Online August 28, 2008)

The Facebook Effect:  Researchers believe that today's teens are becoming sexually bolder because of social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace and Bebo.  Information about sex and discussions about sex are much more prevalent in their virtual worlds.   Many teens say that they believe the sexually active characters they see on TV accurately reflect teens today. However, they also they resent that older generations view them as promiscuous and obsessed with sex.    Some experts say that the good thing is more teens are learning and asking questions about sex.  However, they do fear that many lack the maturity to weigh the sources and discern what is appropriate or inappropriate behavior and levels of intimacy, especially in the semi-public environment of social networking sites.  (Telegraph.co.uk August 27, 2008)

New Facebook:  This month, millions of Facebook users experienced a change in format to what has become the world's leading social networking site.  The shift, which has reorganized profile content into a series of different tabs, has met with mixed results from users.  Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (age 24) learned from previous fumbles on changes to the site and began phasing in "new Facebook" months ago.  Despite recent criticism, Zuckerberg points out that over the summer 40 million users tried the new format option with less than a quarter reverting to the old format.  Zuckerberg states that he has tried hard to anticipate response and to make the change easier for the 100 million Facebook users.  Social networking sites now represent a $2 billion market for advertisers.  (Time.com Sept. 10, 2008; USA Today September 21, 2008)

Athletes and the Web:  A high profile case involving wrestlers at the University of Nebraska highlights an increasing concern for athletic directors – athlete antics posted online.  University of Nebraska athletic director, Tom Osborne, says in years gone by getting arrested was about the only way an athlete could embarrass their school. However, today, almost any stupid thing can end up on YouTube or Facebook and bring disgrace to the individuals, the program, and the school.   Many athletic departments have special sessions warning athletes about what they post on social networking sites as well as what they do that might end up on someone else's site.   Some schools, such as the University of Loyola, bar athletes from having profiles on social networking sites.   College administrators estimate that 90% of athletes do have some sort of social networking profile.  (AP September 2, 2008)

Younger Evangelicals Split on Palin:  The choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate has energized the evangelical base of the Republican Party.  The jury is still out however, among the younger Christian group.   For some, the pro-life, outspoken faith of Palin has rallied them to the cause.  For others, Palin is "intriguing" but not a deal maker for swaying their vote.  Her biggest strengths seem to be a freshness to the national scene and a compelling personal story, not necessarily her faith. The younger evangelical vote is more up for grabs than ever before.  A Pew survey shows that 40% of evangelicals under the age of 35 identify as Republicans, down 15% since 2005.  Several notable evangelicals including Donald Miller and Cameron Strang were present for the Democratic convention and Barak Obama's campaign has heavily targeted young Christian voters.  (AP September 14, 2008)

College Student Voters:  Virginia Tech became the focus of a voting controversy this month after a press release notified college students that voting in Montgomery County (home to Virginia Tech) would change their permanent residence, potentially jeopardizing their scholarships, health insurance, driver's license, car registration, and parents' tax filings.  The Student Public Interest Research Group has called foul, saying that the notice from the Montgomery County registrar is far overstated at best and misleading and unsubstantiated at worst.  They state that in the last 25 years that they have never seen or heard of a student losing tax status or scholarships because of registering to vote.  The county registrar has stated that they merely wanted to students to make informed choices and not blindly respond to get out the vote campaigns on campus.  (Inside Higher Ed September 3, 2008)

Race and Politics at George Fox:  George Fox University has vowed to fight racism, denouncing the hanging of a life size cardboard cutout of Sen. Barak Obama this month.  A custodial crew found the effigy hanging from a tree and cut it down before 7am, so few students had seen it, although the word spread quickly.  A sign taped to the cutout made reference to a scholarship program for minorities.  Administrators and students decried the act.  George Fox is among many Christian schools which has seen minority enrollments increase significantly in the last decade, with 25% of the incoming freshmen class consisting of students of color.     (Daily Oregonian September 24, 2008)

Financial Aid Applications Up:  Financial Aid officers have a pulse on the economy; when financial aid applications increase, it is a good indication that things are getting tighter for more people.  Such was the case this year.  Federal data shows nearly 9 million students applied for federal financial aid this year, a 16% increase over the same period last year.  800,000 more students applied for Pell Grants this year, which could mean a $6 billion shortfall for the government.  (Inside Higher Ed September 18, 2008)

Giving in the US:  According to Barna, the percentage of income Christians give to ministry work has declined for the last 35 years.  Across the US, people currently give less than 3% of their income to charitable causes, a rate below that of charitable gifts during the Depression.  Only 5% of Christians tithe. (Mission America Coalition Update September 2008)

New Calls to Drop Standardized Tests:  The National Association for College Admission Counseling has encouraged schools to drop the ACT and SAT as admissions requirements.  The report asks schools to evaluate the need for standardized tests in the admissions process, pointing to racial biases in the tests and the availability of other criteria to admission counselors.  The group feels that media and commercial interests have come to dominate the testing industry, which offers little value for the evaluation of applicants.  Several studies have questioned the predictive value of the SAT and ACT.  More than 700 schools do not require the tests for admission.  This month, Wake Forest became one of the highest profile schools to drop their requirement for test scores.  (Inside Higher Ed Sept 22)

Alternative Lecture Delivery:  82% of undergraduates say they would be willing to get lectures in ways other than attending class.   Many schools have begun posting some lecture content online, which students say is an advantage.  Reasons for wanting material available for online download include:   making up for missed classes (93%), "watching lectures on demand for convenience" (79%), and reviewing material before tests.  More than half said they would like access to the material for reference even after the semester ended, much like keeping one's textbooks.  (Inside Higher Ed September 23, 2008)

21st Birthday Drinking:  It is no surprise the many college students consume a drink or two on their 21st birthdays.  However, a recent study by the University of Texas-Austin indicates that most students drink quite heavily on that day, with men consuming an average of 12 drinks and women an average of 9.  More than ¾ of students say they experienced ill effects the next day including hangovers (54%); blackouts (44%) and sex they did not remember (22%).  Nearly 40% say they were unsure how they got home that night.  A similar study by the University of Missouri found that just over 1/3 of men and almost ¼ of women reported consuming 21 drinks on their 21st birthday.  The UT study examined behaviors in the 2 weeks before and after the 21st birthday, finding that quantity of drinking decreases after turning 21, but frequency increases.  (USA Today August 27, 2008)

Smoking in Decline: Smoking rates among college students have reached their lowest levels since 1980 with just under 20% of students saying they are smokers.  As recently as 1999, that number was over 30%.  The American Lung Association applauds the results but points out that over the last 25 years the rates have tended to fluctuate and this is not necessarily a straight-line trend.   Higher taxes on cigarettes and more laws banning smoking in public places have most likely contributed to the trend.  At least half of smokers say they are only "social smokers."  The low smoking rate has prompted some schools to adapt a "social norms" approach to encouraging students not to smoke.  When asked, students indicate that they believe most students smoke – a far cry from the reality.  (Inside Higher Ed September 8, 2008)

Guys Trying to Figure Out How to Act:  Behavioral researchers have said that many young men seem confused on what it means to become a man.  A generation ago, masculinity had clearer parameters and men and women had clearer roles.  However, today, many young men are unsure how to act.  Labels like "mook" and "slacker" are often used to describe a generation that spends much of their time with video games and has little motivation.  They seem to have a difficult time navigating adulthood and issues of sex, drinking, friendships, and the future.  A number of books including Boys Adrift (Sax); Guyland (Kimmel); and Buddy System (Greif) all point to the importance of relationships with parents and male friends for guys as they move into adulthood.  (USA Today August 25, 2008)

Struggling with Morality:  A Barna research study shows that adults under the age of 25 struggle with morality much more than their older counterparts.  The poll looked at eight behaviors including the use of profanity in public, gambling, gossiping, sexual intercourse with someone other than their spouse, viewing pornography, acts of retaliation, getting drunk and lying.  In each category, younger adults were more than twice as likely to have engaged in these behaviors.  The most common behavior for both groups was profanity, followed by sex, lying, and pornography (not in that order for older adults).  Politically liberal people were also more likely to have engaged in these immoral behaviors than their conservative peers.  Among evangelicals, profanity and pornography were the most common transgressions.  Agnostics and skeptics were five times as likely to have engaged in any of the behaviors as evangelicals.    Researchers believe the results show that the moral code has begun to shift considerably in areas of honesty, language and sex.  (Barna Update August 25, 2008)

The Importance of Free Time:  A Pew Social Trends Survey indicates that 68% of middle class people say free time is "very important" to them – more than say that about anything else on the list including children (62%), a successful career (59%), marriage (55%), living a religious life (53%).  It is much more important than being wealthy which was "very important" for only 12% of respondents.   (Pewresearch.org July 2008 listed in the Mission America Coalition Update September 2008)

Unmarried and Not Going To Church:  Attendance patterns indicate that churches are taking a hit because young adults are delaying marriage and the start of their families.  In his book, After the Baby Boomers:  How Twenty and Thirty Somethings are Shaping the Future of American Religion, Princeton researcher Robert Wuthnow estimates that churches would have 6.3 million more attenders if young people got married at the same rate they did 30 years ago.  (Citizenlink August 5, 2008 in Mission America Coalition Update September 2008)

New Name At PSU:  The Campus Crusade group at Penn State has changed its name to "Penn Students for Christ" (PSC).  "Cru" has been on campus for more than 25 years but felt the name change was warranted due to the negative implications of the word "crusade."  PSC says it was difficult to drop such a nationally recognized name, but that most of the students were in favor of the change.  The move comes as several other groups around the country have also changed their name for similar reasons.  The group maintains its ties with the national organization of Campus Crusade for Christ and believes the change will only enhance its mission on campus.  (Daily Pennsylvanian August 28, 2008)

Graduate Student Auctions Off Virginity:  In a new low for morals and capitalism, a 22 year old graduate student at Sacramento State has joined with a legal Nevada brothel to auction off her virginity.  The young woman says she can verify her purity and is selling her first experience to finance her graduate education in marriage and family therapy.  Holding an undergraduate degree in women's studies she believes her actions are empowering to her as a woman and that her virginity is marketable because it is a rare commodity.  Several students have expressed support, especially for a cause as noble as paying for school.  (CBS13.com September 11, 2008)

 

 

 

*** Events, Resources and Jobs ***

Following Christ 2008:   InterVarsity's triennial conference for graduate students, faculty and professionals. The theme of Following Christ 2008 is "human flourishing" - what it truly is, what's wrong when it's absent, and how God is calling us to both model and multiply it. Conference presenters include: Anne C. Bailey, Carmen Acevedo Butcher, Francis Collins, Andy Crouch, Michael Lindsay, MaryKate Morse, Mark Noll, Jeff Van Duzer, N. T. Wright, and many more. Worship led by Brian Moss. December 27-31, 2008 at Chicago's Marriott Magnificent Mile hotel. Upper-level undergraduates considering graduate school are encouraged to attend, and we warmly invite those ministering on campus to join us as well. For full details and to register, visit: www.followingchrist.org

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

*** Resources: ***

 

Back2School:  18 million college students are taking classes this year.  According to the UCLA Higher Education Research Institute, ,ore than ¾ say they are on a spiritual quest.  Most freshmen indicate they expect college to assist in that journey.  Campus Crusade has created Back2School as a resource to help campus workers and students in this journey.  Visit http://www.campuscrusadeforchrist.com/back2school

 

**Christian Education Journal highlights articles on College and Young Adult Ministry.   Authors include Kara Powell (Fuller Center for Youth and Family Ministry); Chris Kiesling (Asbury) David Setran (Wheaton); Wesley Black (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary); Evan Hunter (Ivy Jungle).  Links to the articles can be found at:   http://wisdom.biola.edu/cej/issue/

                Visit www.ivyjungle.org to read the article  Students and Social Justice  - Converted to the Kingdom

** Join the Ivy Jungle Network Group on Facebook**   Right now check out a link to 90 titles Campus Ministers have been reading this year:   http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13424091882

Resources from ProActive Faith for your campus ministry:

  • God Moments In Time:
  • Each chapter has five discussion questions.
  • Ideal for small groups!
  • Will challenge your students to live a life in such a way that God can open doors of opportunity in their life where they can experience God Moments In Time.
  • Read the customer reviews @ Amazon.com & BarnesandNoble.com
  • Order 20 copies or more for the bulk price of $5.00 each
  • CRUNCH Time:

•·         A five session evangelism resource written for students on the collegiate campus.

Revival or Retreat Needs:

  • Please contact Thomas, a former campus minister, and current full-time evangelist and law enforcement chaplain to speak at your ministry event. He speaks with boldness and compassion as he points individuals to the Cross! He is available for one or multiple nights. Thomas@proactivefaith.org or Cell: (405)833-7229

Evangelism Training:

  • Evangelism training is done through resources such as CRUNCH Time or The CROSS Training

 

Visit our website www.proactivefaith.org to discover how these resources will impact the lives of your students and their campus.  You can also call our office at (405)607-0722 if you have any questions.

 

Free shipping when you enter ivy jungle in the discount code box.

 

After you place your order you will receive a personal call from our office to confirm your order before any charges are made to your credit card.

 

Preparing High School Seniors for College:  Each year thousands of our youth will fall away from their faith after their first year of college.  The two major reasons for this have been linked to lack of preparation and not getting connected to a campus ministry.  TransitionsMSM is a web-based tool created to help in this transition.  It comes with interactive scripts, video resources and more that anyone can teach.  Take a look at www.transitionsmsm.org for a great resource to help prepare and connect our youth!  For more info, e-mail info@transitionsmsm.org

 

Fellowships for College Graduates:  The John Jay Institute is awarding academic Fellowships for 2009 to college graduates interested in exploring the nexus of religion and public life. Fellowships entail an academic residency at the Institute in Colorado Springs followed by an externship field placement in a public policy organization. For more information please visit: www.johnjayinstitute.org

 

*** Jobs: ***

 

Minister of Student Housing:  The Baptist Housing Ministry at the University of Illinois seeks a full-time Minister of Student Housing to provide oversight and pastoral care for our four residence halls.  The successful candidate shall have a bachelor's degree or higher, experience in facilities management, and a calling to campus ministry.  Salary and benefits commensurate with education and experience.  Interested persons should send a cover letter and resume with references by Wednesday, October 1st to:  Search Committee, Baptist Housing Ministry, 314 E. Daniel Street, Champaign, IL   61820.

 

Director of College and Young Professionals Ministry:  Ward Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Northville, Michigan - Ward Evangelical Presbyterian Church (www.wardchurch.org) is currently a congregation of almost 3000 active members with Sunday worship attendance averages 2200. The purpose of Ward EPC "as a family of Christ-followers, is to love God passionately, serve others joyfully, and intentionally share our faith with people across the street and around the world.   

Ward Evangelical Presbyterian Church is seeking to identify the individual who will serve as the Director of College and Young Professionals.  This role will require an individual who can dream big, lead effectively and who is not afraid of challenges. The opportunity for innovation and growth are significant for the person with the skills and abilities to advance a missional ministry with those who sociologists have come to call ‘emerging adults'

The Director of College and Young Professionals will be required to effectively understand and engage post-modern, post-Christian culture in order to develop and implement an innovative thriving ministry with college and young professionals.

Candidate Criteria

Clear and living faith in Jesus Christ with a commitment to prayer, study of His Word and fellowship with other believers

Track record of effective and engaging church or para-church ministry with college student and/or young professionals

Strong preaching and teaching and shepherding skills and experience

Masters level seminary degree

Willingness to pursue ordination in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church

 

For consideration, please submit your resume to:  Rick Heltne  Senior Search Consultant  People Management Minneapolis  Phone: 952.841.7223 Mail to: mailto:rheltne@peoplemanagement.org

 

Minister of Worship, Music and the Arts:    Huron Hills Baptist Church is a growing church of 500 in Ann Arbor Michigan, with an inter-denominational feel.  We have a strong connection with and commitment to university ministry.  Our mission is to draw those who are far from God into a close and living relationship with Jesus Christ.  We are seeking a full-time Minister of Worship, Music and the Arts (MWMA).  The Minister will lead the congregation, encouraging their participation and educating them in both familiar and new ways of worship.  More information available at www.huronhills.org.   If interested please send inquiries and resumes to Ken White at kwhite@huronhills.org.  Materials that demonstrate job fit are especially helpful (i.e. websites, CDs, downloadable recordings, DVDs, etc.)

 

CCO Leadership in the State of Indiana:  We are currently looking for strong initiator types (entrepreneurs) who are interested in taking the CCO to the state of Indiana. The two positions that are currently available are for an Area Director and a Development Associate. A passion for campus ministry and a desire to see this generation of college students transformed by the Gospel required. Each position is funded by half salary, benefits and expenses. There is a possibility for having at least two campus staff positions on the ground for the fall of 2009.
For more information, contact Tom Rapchak, CCO Central Region VP (724-657-7363 or trapchak@ccojubilee.org) or check out our website at www.ccojubilee.org . Job descriptions available upon request.


Working with Artists:  All Angels' seeks a full-time Director of Worship Arts to provide leadership in cultivating and deepening the worship life of the congregation and developing worship leaders and artists within the community.  Email resume and cover letter or send inquiry for fuller job description to jobs@allangelschurch.com.

 

InterVarsity Area Directors—Looking for a Challenge?   InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is looking for Area Directors who will lead staff teams to grow vibrant, cross-cultural, interdenominational, groups on college campuses across Illinois and Indiana.

 

The college campus is a strategic entry point for the gospel. Students, open to new ideas, away from home and searching for the truth, often find Jesus through groups of believers who are being a witness on the college campus. InterVarsity has been engaging the university for Jesus for over 60 years and has a vibrant ministry throughout the United States, and strength in the Midwest region. In order to be able to continue to grow and serve more campuses we are seeking to add Area Directors.

 

Area Directors are the front line supervisors of our campus staff. An Area Director provides supervision and support for 5 – 8 Campus Staff Workers usually on several different campuses. Working within the framework of established InterVarsity systems, the Area Director oversees the staff in his/her area. They are responsible to recruit, train, deploy, monitor and nurture these staff. An Area Director knows that he/she is successful when they see the groups on campus growing and the staff they are supervising making an impact.

 

This is a high-energy position, with new challenges every day. It requires commitment to the job, your team, and the calling of God to succeed, but the reward is equally great; see students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed and world changers developed. If you have a call to ministry, 5 or more years experience in leading ministry in a church or para-church organization, (or substantial management experience outside the church) and have a heart for college students and the university we'd like to talk to you. We have multiple positions throughout Northern Illinois, Chicagoland, and Indiana (including Indianapolis, Bloomington and NW Indiana).

 

We offer substantial training and support, from an experienced team of professionals who have been doing this for many years. You will be required to raise your own support, but could earn a salary of $40,000 – $75,000. We also offer a full benefits package.

 

Still interested? Visit www.new-hire.com Job # 2203 to apply. Or visit http://www.new-hire.com/jobs/availablejobs.asp?job=2203

 

 

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