Compiled by Dr. Jerry Johnson CKNB Collegiate Ministry Specialist
Ministering to college students is a unique and deeply rewarding endeavor. It's a time of profound growth, exploration, and questioning for young adults navigating through the complexities of academia, identity, and faith. As ministers and mentors, our role is pivotal in guiding them through this transformative journey with wisdom, empathy, and above all, understanding.
Yet, ministering to college students requires more than just good intentions and a listening ear. It demands a depth of knowledge, insight, and resources that can effectively address the myriad of challenges and questions these young minds encounter. That's why being well-read and well-resourced is not just desirable—it's essential.
In recognizing the significance of being well-read and well-resourced, we invite you to explore the curated list of resources we've compiled—a kind of toolkit designed to enrich your ministry and empower your interactions with college students.
Together, let's help equip one another to be beacons of hope, sources of wisdom, and agents of transformation in the lives of those we serve.
Recommended Books
One of the most effective and influential Christian teachers of this century reveals how all teachers -- from parents to Sunday school leaders, from pastors to professors -- can make the most of their priceless opportunity to inspire, to instruct, and to permanently impact lives for the kingdom of God. Based on seven proven, easy-to-grasp laws any teacher can apply, Howard Hendricks's classic teaching manual is a must-read for anyone who wants to teach with power and passion, excitement and excellence.
For more than forty years this classic study has shown Christians how to minister to the people God brings into their lives. Instead of drawing on the latest popular fad or the newest selling technique, Dr. Robert E. Coleman looks to the Bible to find the answer to the question: What was Christ's strategy for evangelism? This convenient, portable format has an updated look for a new generation of readers.
This is the totally revised and updated version of The Fuel and the Flame! This one was written with students in mind. The original version was published in 2003 and quickly became the go-to book for a myriad of campus-based and church-based college ministries around the U.S. and beyond. However, it is high time we reexamined everything for this new generation of students in light of the challenges and opportunities that lie before you.
Much has been written about younger adults and their departure from church involvement. Concerned parents and church leaders want to know what has caused them to depart. Instead of asking why young adults are leaving the church, Parr and Crites conducted a national research project of those who grew up in church and are still serving faithfully. They studied why they have stayed, and the results are compelling. You will learn as a parent, pastor, or church leader specific actions that you can take to make a definitive difference in whether or not the 15 year olds attending your church now will still be attending and serving when they turn 30.
In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple--then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a "successful" suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus.
This commentary series takes a Christ-centered approach to expositing each book of the Bible in this collection. Rather than a verse-by-verse approach, the authors have crafted chapters that explain and apply key passages in their assigned Bible books. Readers will learn to see Christ in all aspects of Scripture, and they will be encouraged by the devotional nature of each exposition presented as sermons and divided into chapters that conclude with a “Reflect & Discuss” section, making this series ideal for small group study, personal devotion, and even sermon preparation. It’s not academic but rather presents an easy reading, practical and friendly commentary.
Timothy Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, addresses the frequent doubts that skeptics, and even ardent believers, have about religion. Using literature, philosophy, real-life conversations, and potent reasoning, Keller explains how the belief in a Christian God is, in fact, a sound and rational one. To true believers he offers a solid platform on which to stand their ground against the backlash to religion created by the Age of Skepticism. And to skeptics, atheists, and agnostics, he provides a challenging argument for pursuing the reason for God.
This is just a small list of books which have been instrumental throughout many years of ministering to college and young adults. In the next installment of the Campus Connection, we will look at a reference list of helpful websites and blogs.
What would you add to this list? Take a moment to comment on this post, and let's sharpen one another to reach our campuses for Christ!