Why I am not Rah-Rah Over the Campus Missionary Movement (At Least Not as We Know It)

I have a unique perspective on this. First, I'm an 20-year youth ministry veteran, nine years as a youth pastor and eleven years as a youth evangelist. This ministry is called Wild Frontier which is a lifestyle I've been preaching for nearly all those years. It is living your life beyond human limits. My focus has consistently been the school campus since youth spend so much of their time there--and tend to get by instead of living beyond human limits.

For the last ten years I have purposely substitute taught in one middle school and one high school. It is my way to be with nonchurched youth (the evangelist in me) at the place where they spend the most time. I have great fun at my school and many, many ministry opportunities. It is from this two "world" perspective that I observe and write.

The school campus is a massive mission field. In one day of subbing in a sports marketing class, I heard students swapping stories about court-ordered community service, stripper experiences, one boy bragging about his bi-sexual girlfriend, and details about the 5-second rule. The 5-second rule is if you drop open candy on the floor, you have 5 seconds to pick it up before it is dirty. This is just in one half day, two class periods. Our schools are definitely a mission field.

It is our approach to this mission field that I question.

I am going to be speaking in generalities. I can not emphasize that enough. I know there are individual effective Bible clubs, influential students, and unique school systems. I admit I have a one school system perspective. But it is a perspective most youth workers don't have. I invite you who are reading this into my perspective.

Few Minutes Available

While in general there is a lot of wasted time in school (particularly sports marketing classes), it is hard to plan around it. In our school system, we get seven minutes between every class. That seems like a "break" but in that seven minutes you need to get to your next class. That means squeezing through overcrowded hallways with bookbags that extend your width an extra foot. You may need to get across the building and/or up or down stairs. You might have to stop at your locker (which are not near classrooms) to pick up a couple 25 pound books. You can't carry all the books you need for one day because they are the size of college textbooks now. And you may have to go to the bathroom. If you are lucky and your next classroom is close, you may have a minute or two to socialize. These precious minutes tend to be spent with friends just to catch up. Hardly witnessing opportunities unless there is maybe, maybe a chance to invite someone to the "club." At least remind someone and get club talked about.