Adopt a Block
The Living it group at Lodi Academy (yes, some Academies have decided they need to "Live it" too) decided to adopt the two blocks directly north of their school--not just for a month or two--but forever!
This club has committed to a long term relationship with their neighborhood. Every 3-4 weeks 4-6 students hit the streets for 30 minutes after school. Two by two they go door-to-door to get to know the neighborhood and make friends for Jesus.
The first time around they took a survey looking for community service projects, elementary students in need of tutoring and even Bible study interests. They ended up fixing a leaky roof for a low-income single woman and found several tutoring and Bible study interests. The next month the group gave out pumpkin muffins and started learning people's names and then at Christmas gave out cookies and Holiday cheer from their friends at Lodi Academy! No agenda, no expectations--just out there "mingling with people and making friends." Next time around the students have decided to pass out free GLOW tracts.
Pizza and Prayer
Have your students walk around the campus at lunch-time offering free slices of pizza in return for prayer requests. Have the students go two-by-two, one holding the box of pizza and the other writing requests on a pad of paper. The first time my club did this we received nearly 100 serious requests!
See You at the Pole
See You at the Pole Is a national event that happens on the 4th Wednesday of September every year. Organize your students to meet around the flag pole outside your school 30 minutes before school starts to pray for their fellow students, teachers , school, and country.
Campus Beautification
Have your club adopt a planter or some area of campus that they will beautify and maintain for all students to enjoy. Or, your club can volunteer with the your city’s local parks and recreation department to help clean up other planters and parks around town. Any type of community service activity helps draw your club members together and let’s the world around you know that you care about helping others just like Jesus did.
Host a Week of Spiritual Emphasis
If you have official club status at your school you are allowed to have events with special guest speakers. Have students pass out invitations the week before and get permission early on to use the school theater. Offer some free food and have students or leaders share testimonies each day during lunch. You may even be able to bring in a praise band—you don’t know until you ask! Cap the week off with a Friday night youth rally at a local church.
Prayer Walks
Walk around your campus two by two before/after school or during lunch and pray for:
- The Administrators and secretaries at your school so that they can have a good day and lead the school in a positive way. Thank God that they have allowed you to live your faith at school.
- The teachers: Thank God for Christian teachers and pray for them to live their faith at school as well. Also, pray for the non-Christian teachers and ask God to help you be a good witness to them.
- Other Students: Pray that the Holy Spirit’s presence will be felt on your campus and that students will be kind to each other. Pray that the Christian students will stand strong for their faith and that the non-Christian students will be open to your outreach efforts on their behalf.
"Pilot" the Living it Pathfinder Honor
Heard of the Boy Scouts? Pathfinders is a Christian version of a similar idea. Become one of the first to "pilot" this new honor and submit an honor patch design.
Name: PUBLIC CAMPUS MINISTRY
Category: Outreach Ministries
Skill Level: 3 (high school/junior high)
Requirements:
Instructor Required
Instructor resource: "GO: A Guide to Campus-based Youth Ministry" (AdventSource or free pdf)
1. Do ALL of the following:
a. Read the Insight article entitled "Taking God to School" (Nov. 15, 2008).
b. Watch the Christian movie, “To Save a Life.”
c. Discuss these scriptures and how they relate to campus ministry: Matthew 5:13-16, 1 John 2:15-17
2. Help lead out in a Club or Sabbath School discussion on the importance of living your faith at school.
3. Find out if your school has an existing Christian Club.
4. Invite your pathfinder or youth leader to visit you at school during lunch (step-by-step instructions are found in the leader resource book).
5. Attend the existing Christian club for at least two months (5-6 meetings) and:
a. Share one devotional thought (3-5 minutes).
b. Be involved in one campus outreach event.
Or (if there is no existing Christian club/you can’t attend it) invite your pathfinder leader or youth leader to campus again and invite friends from school to meet with you in a small group and talk about living your faith at school and how to start a new Christian Club before/after school or during lunch (step-by-step instructions in the leader resource book).
6. Report to your Pathfinder Club and/or Church what you learned about living your faith in the real world.
Contact us with your piloting time-line and let us know how many students will be involved.
If you have some more great ideas—please contact us!
Check out these other resources for outreach ideas.