CAMPUS MINISTRY STRATEGY PAPER
Donald Boyd
Yout-350: Introduction to Campus Ministry
June 30, 2020
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School Research
The community you serve is the beginning of your campus ministry. My Church
community sits in the heart of Rockville, Maryland, and our public school structure serves under
the jurisdiction of the Montgomery County Public Schools system (MCPS). Of the 40 middle
schools and 25 high schools listed in Montgomery County, the city of Rockville has five Middle
Schools and three High Schools. First Baptist Church of Rockville (FBCR), my attending church,
reaches out to Richard Montgomery High School and Robert Frost Middle School, which are in a
two-mile radius of our church.
I would also add, our congregation, a multi-diverse culture, serves over 28 nationalities
where many of the family’s youth attend a private school, Washington Christian Academy
(WCA), which is approximately fifteen miles away from FBCR. We have entered into a
relationship with WCA due to the numerous students in our church attending the academy. It’s
important to note, public education is essential; however, the biblical cultivation of our young
minds is just as more critical. Vandegriff said, “it’s more about building bridges to public and
secondary school students.” Getting to know the students, and them getting to know us is the key
to farming a mindset about Christ.
Each school is different and should be understood to engage and assist each facility. The
demographics of each school: Social, Economic, and Ethnic:
1. Richard Montgomery High School (RMHS) - 90% of students are at least proficient
in math and 63% in reading, and 2,428 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher
ratio of 18 to 1.
Social: The student population is 50% divided into gender, with 74% of students in
the area of Giftedness (highly competitive). Eighty-five percent of the student says
the school student population is friendly.
Economic: The school provides a free or reduced lunch program, with 20% of the
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students participating. The median family income is $105k.The average salary of a
teacher is $84k
Ethnic: The culture consists of African American (18%), Asian (25%), Hispanic
(23%), Multiracial (5%), and white (30%)
2. Robert Frost Middle School (RFMS) - 56% of students are at least proficient in math
and 65% in reading, and 1,617 students in grades 6-8 with a student-teacher ratio of
29 to 1.
Social: The student population is 49% female and 51%, male. The students are said
to have an over preparedness for upcoming High School.
Economic: Fifty-two percent of the students or a free or reduced lunch program. The
average salary of a teacher is $90k.
Ethnic: The culture consists of African American (4%), Asian (11%), Hispanic (55%),
Multiracial (3%), and white (27%)
3. Washington Christian Academy (WCA) – Is a private school with yearly tuition
averaging $18k yearly. The student population’s average SAT is 1240, and the school
has 290 students in grades K-12, with a student-teacher ratio of 9 to 1.
Social: The social atmosphere is, without any doubt, a Christian environment.
Economic: Fifty-two percent of the students or a free or reduced lunch program. The
median family income is $140k.
Ethnic: WCA, ranked in the top four state private schools with the most diverse
private High Schools. The culture consists of African American (4%), Asian (11%),
Hispanic (55%), Multiracial (3%), and white (27%)
Personal philosophy
My convention is the beginning of my philosophy. I believe God called and appointed me
into the position of the Youth Pastor to invest, teach, encourage, and excite a passion of Christ in
all young souls He draws to me. Producing fruit starts with nurturing God’s elect, and God is my
guide, deliver, and supplier of all I need to do His work (John 15:16).
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Since making the transition to Student Ministry Pastor in August of 2019, I have gained a
lot of support from my Church and especially the Senior Pastor. I have found the youth are
unique in their thought process.
A.W. Tozer said, “As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems
are solved all at once.” I believe in exalting God before everything we do in the Student
Ministry. Our ministry is God in us with the hope our leaders portray and give an example of
Christ-like servants. My goal is to set the tempo before every event; however, not to overly godly
that Grace is barren. God either resolves, eliminate, or expose most or all problems and concerns
immediate action. My philosophy for the youth begins with our mission statement to invest in
the next generation of young people in significant ways. To teach them in the core doctrines and
disciplines of the Christian faith along with principles for living healthy, wise, and productive
lives.
Also, our mission is that God has called us, in partnership with parents, to invest in the
next generation of young people in significant ways. To aid our youth by instructing them in the
core doctrines and disciplines of the Christian faith along with principles for living healthy, wise,
and productive lives and challenge them to take faith-filled risks. Also, to motivate our young
with a passion for Jesus Christ. A love for the lost, a commitment to the local church, and finally,
to launch them into the world prepared for life as a young adult, for relationships, for service,
and leadership.
Applying core values is essential for our students to know that God loves them, and so
we do too. My leadership is to merely put safety first so that our students know they are safe in
the ministry that they are unique and educate the youth that God has a plan for each individual.
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Church Student Ministry
After transitioning over to Student Ministry Pastor in 2019, and inheriting a group of nine
teens who were mostly committed and attended the youth mid-week event regularly, I received a
lot of support from the church. Nevertheless, the Middle School and High School groups had a
low attendance on Sunday morning. The departing Youth Pastor and Senior Pastor, unfortunately,
did not get along, making the transitioning a little awkward for both myself and the students. The
Senior Pastor must lead the charge in the congregation on behalf of the Student Ministry. I am
thankful to God that my Senior Pastor and I are on the same accord as he gives me total
autonomy in our Student Ministry. His approach is a mentor type, asking me questions and
encouraging me to try different things as led.
Our Student Ministry has grown over the past six months to over 25 youths (see
Appendix below), with the High School outweighing the Middle School in numbers. In our
Sunday morning youth biblical studies, we have two sets of volunteers leading our youth in both
Middle and High School groups teaching different materials. Before Covid-19, our Student
Group met on Wednesday evenings. Our time together consisted of Praise/Prayer, game, dinner,
and Bible Time, in that order. I created a Parent Partnering Program (PPP), to help with our
student dinners and monthly testimonies.
Appendix
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The Youth Ministry Team has a total of nine volunteers; our number of leaders gives us a
one to three ratios of a student to a leader in our group. After a slow start, the team has come
together very well. My immediate goal was to get to know the volunteers as a team and
personally listen to their past, present, and future concerns. I am a stickler on emphasizing their
value to the church and the Youth Ministry, so I engaged training within a couple of months. We
started training with gifts and skills, aligning their skill sets and Godly gifts to the needs and help
of the Student Ministry.
I use graduating seniors as volunteers, escalating them to pre-leaders. We invite the
graduating seniors into a short meeting and inform them that they are no longer students in the
ministry and ask them to join us as pre-leaders. The response has been overwhelming as they
start immediate training. Their participation is part of our Young Adult training program.
Challenged, their high school peers are in the off-set; however, most come around after a month
or so.
The Covid-19 epidemic created a different set of challenges, the need for different skills
and talents; however, God used evil and turned it into our good (Genesis 50:20), displaying new
talents and employable skills. The team responded, and after three months, we are working
exceptionally well together. Due to church closing and safe-distancing, Youth Zoom meetings
have been the only engagement other than calling via cell, the youth individually. Before the
Corona-virus, we engaged in an assorted mix of youth camps, volunteer outings, and locale
outreach; however, such events are on hiatus, except for a planned youth fishing trip while
staying within the social distancing guidelines.
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Campus Ministry
In Campus Ministry, the enactment of prayer is vital for the students, leadership, and our
ability for others to see God’s interaction with His people. The department revised the guidelines
in 2003, allowing prayer and religious discussion in the public school settings stating, “Students,
acting on their own, have the same right to engage in religious activity and discussion as they do
to engage in comparable secular activities.”1
Therefore, prayer begins and ends with Campus Ministry. Engaging in our public school
system again is vital to winning and disciplining students, keeping the next generation active in
the work of Christ Jesus.
I have witnessed some students in my Youth Ministry say, “when I am in college, things
will be different for me in attending church. I will have new friends that may not want to attend
or know God”. The mindset of the upcoming generation is not on Christ, the Church of God, for
that matter. The need to engage Middle and High School students is the Jerusalem for the Great
Commission. The public school administration and parents are crucial to participating in our
communities. I understand Campus Ministry is a slow start; however, the goal is one convert at a
time. My prayers are that God will grant me wisdom and time to promote my three year Campus
strategy and empower me to carry out His purpose in my life.
Three Year - Campus Strategic Plan
The times we currently live are unusual ones, with Corvid-19 and Black-Lives-Matter,
creating a three year Campus Strategy plan that may disassemble on a daily bases. Revisiting the
procedure is a weekly encounter. Most schools, public, and college have yet to decide to reopen;
nevertheless, planning is crucial. One of my favorite scriptures is Proverbs 24:27 and reads,
1 Freeman. Religion in the Public Schools. (2020).
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“Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that, build
your house.”
Within my course studies, I have learned that my three-year plan will initially consist and
focus on Dr. Vandergriff’s three phases of Campus Ministry: Being Seen, Being Known, and
Being Understood. In my three year Campus Plan below, many of these phases are instituted in a
relationship of building and establishing God’s character in me.
1st Year Strategic Plan
•August
Establishing my presence is the goal for this month, both in the school system (PTA’s,
Board Meetings, First Day of School Help, etc...) and with parents and teachers.
Visiting the three schools in August – seeking to help with Covid-19 support
oRichard Montgomery High School (RMHS)
oRobert Frost Middle School (RFMS)
oWashington Christian Academy (WCA)
•September – December
Meet with Parent Partnering Program (PPP) team, established in my church for public
school volunteering efforts and to establish gifts and skills sets that may help with on-
campus school programs (languages, online tutoring, and ESL classes)
Attend some of the Middle and High School sporting events throughout the month.
Volunteer my computer and network skills are a significant plus, especially with online
technology.
Volunteer new church gym, completed July 2020 – Work with schools for upcoming
sports camps that are in demand in June.
•January - March
Refocus efforts on relationships already made – Getting more information, birthdays,
anniversaries, and other important dates to establish more aggressive contact work.
oSend cards/e-mails/texts of birthdays, and special occasions help in Being Known
oOffer available time for other non-gifted related work
Join in on any winter activities.
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Establish meetings and documentation for Upwards (School Sports program) in the
summer months.
•April - June
Reach out to parents and school systems to volunteer at Proms and Graduation
ceremonies.
Establish a beginners Fishing Outing for interested school children.
WCA offers high school students for volunteering effort: Seek volunteer work for school-
age kids in the community.
Confirm summer schedule for Upwards sports camps – PPP and other volunteers
•July
Focus attention on schools that open to establishing a more profound relationship for the
second year.
Revisit contacts and send out Thank you letters/e-mails/texts
2nd Year Strategic Plan
•August - September
Enlist meetings/luncheons with established relationships.
Visit schools that were more active in our engagement the previous year, spend more
time.
Reach out to PPP for personal home-opening to public school administration and parents
•October – December
Attend some of the Middle and High School sporting events throughout the month.
Volunteer my computer and network skills are a significant plus, especially with online
technology.
Volunteer new church gym, completed July 2020 – Work with schools for upcoming
sports camps that are in demand in June.
•January - March
Refocus efforts on relationships other relationships made over the past year – Getting
more information, birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates to establish more
aggressive contact work.
oSend cards/e-mails/texts of birthdays, and special occasions help in Being Known
oOffer available time for other non-gifted related work
Join in on any winter activities.
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Establish meetings and documentation for Upwards (School Sports program) in the
summer months.
•April - June
Reach out to parents and school systems to volunteer at Proms and Graduation
ceremonies.
Establish a beginners Fishing Outing for interested school children.
Connect with WCA for high school students volunteering effort
Seek volunteer work for school-age kids in the community, expand to community
businesses.
Confirm summer schedule for Upwards sports camps – PPP and other volunteers
•July
Focus attention on schools that open to establishing a more profound relationship for the
second year.
Revisit contacts and send out Thank you letters/e-mails/texts
Create a church public school program at FBCR for Fall
3rd Year Strategic Plan
•August - September
Enlist meetings/luncheons with those individuals that can impact on the gospel has made
Visit schools that were more active in our engagement the previous year, spend more
time.
Reach out to PPP for personal home-opening to public school administration and parents
•October - December
Engage in spiritual talk or invite those individuals and parents of students to special
Christian holiday events.
Plan special acknowledgment ceremonies for public school administration and parents of
kids from summer sports programs and special activities.
•January - March
Revisit schools that were less active in our engagement the previous year.
Reach out to PPP for personal home-opening to public school administration and parents
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•April - May
Reach out to parents and school systems to volunteer at Proms and Graduation
ceremonies.
Establish a beginners Fishing Outing for interested school children.
Connect with WCA for high school students volunteering effort
•June - July
Focus attention on schools that open to establishing a more profound relationship for the
second year.
Revisit contacts and send out Thank you letters/e-mails/texts
Create a church public school program at FBCR for Fall
Bibliography
Freeman, Melanie Stetson. Religion in the Public Schools. 30 May 2020,
www.pewforum.org/2019/10/03/religion-in-the-public-schools-2019-update/.
Kinnaman, David. “You Lost Me” Baker Publishing Group. Grand Rapids, MI. (2012).
Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.lifeway.com
Mueller, Walt. “Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture” InterVarsity Press. (2015). Retrieved from
https://app.wordsearchbible.lifeway.com
