by
YOUT 350-D01
Mauricio Guerra
December 12,
2022
Campus Ministry Strategy Paper
Submitted to Dr. Steve Vandegriff,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
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Personal Philosophy of Campus Ministry
Being involved in the church’s youth ministry now for over 15 years has helped me
understand the need to be there, mentoring the youth, loving them, being patient with them,
picking them up when they fall, being there in their school projects, and going to their middle
school and high school graduation. Also, being there in their University Graduation, getting
married, having children, and beginning their own families. It truly has been a blessing for my
wife and me to be part of this ministry. I am serving the third generation of youth in my church
and those who started with me a few years ago are now helping me lead the youth ministry.
Doing church’s youth ministry is hard and difficult but not impossible. The be seen, be
known, and be understood have worked very well through the years in the church’s youth
ministry. I have to be honest and say that I never thought about the need for and importance of
Campus Ministry. I thought that having the youth come to church was the proper way of doing
ministry and that they would be the ones to bring new youths to our church. I have gone to
school events to support the youth members of our church but never had crossed my mind to see
the importance of having a solid youth campus ministry.
This course has truly opened my eyes to see the need to begin a Campus Ministry. As I
stated in another paper, there are people already working in our local high school and most of my
adult youth have graduated from our local high school I believe that the right people and the
knowledge I have received from this course will be essential for this project.
My philosophy of Campus Ministry is going to be grounded on the fact that The Gospel
of Jesus Christ has to have a solid representation before those who have only heard the post-
modern worldview in the school campus. Mueller writes “Teenagers are by nature hopeful and
idealistic. But for many, their wonderfully refreshing and youthful idealism has no solid
My Youth Ministry
1 Walt Mueller, Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture. (Downers Grove, Illinois)
InterVarsity Press. 2015. p., 38.
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foundation and will eventually yield to the presumption that life just isn’t satisfying.”1 This new
way of thinking about youth ministry has opened my eyes to realize that as the world turns into
darkness, despair, the confusion I need to come out of the youth room and reach out to these
youths out there that are moving from their parents' worldview into the world's view and are
trying to now come up with their views. Isaiah 6:8 (NIV) asks, whom shall I send? And I must
say Here am I. Send me!
I understand now that it is not only a matter of having a solid church youth ministry but
now that I am blessed to have a solid youth ministry at church, I must go out and start a Campus
Youth Ministry. Mueller says that “all human beings need to be heard and understood. Those
needs are amplified during the critical change-filled years where teenagers are moving from the
dependence of childhood to the independence of adulthood.”2 Is not enough to simply be there
for the youth I already know, I must go out meet the spiritual needs of those youths who do not
want to come to church. My attitude towards youth ministry has been drastically changed.
Especially now that we are dealing with the COVID virus, there is more urgency to come up
with a plan of action so that when schools open again the program is already formatted and ready
to be implemented. I must not close my eyes to the importance of Campus Ministry but
immersed my whole being in God's plan for this generation that is screaming HELP! From their
school's quad. Here am I, send me Lord! Here are the young adults ready to work, send us, Lord!
2 Ibid.
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My church’s youth ministry has gone through some drastic changes in the past years. As
preteens became young adults and now some have become young married couples, I had to
readjust the ministry. The main issue is that we are a Hispanic Church, but our kids speak and
understand English better than Spanish, so I now have a whole new generation of about seventy
young men and woman that I must be able to serve and minister to. The youth ministry has now
been split into three groups.
There are about 16-20 youths ages 14-17. These kids are the ones who are in most need
to be mentored, understood, guided, and loved. Kinnaman wrote in his book You Lost Me “A
generation of young Christians believes that the churches in which they were raised are not safe
and hospitable places to express doubts. Many feel that they have been offered slick or half-
baked answers to their thorny, hones questions, and they are rejecting the “talking heads” and
“talking points” they see among the older generations.”3 Sincerely, through this course, my eyes
have been opened to see how important it is to not stop but keep doing the best I can to motivate,
teach and encourage those who are working with me in the youth ministry to continue to reach
every single youth and be there for them so that we may minimize the number of youths that may
feel that all they are being given is a half-baked answer to their questions.
The next age group is the young adults, the ones who are going to college but still have
the drive to be part of the youth ministry; ages 18-25. This age group is made up of about thirty-
five young women and men that are now dealing with academia's postmodern worldview. Our
Church is going through a transition period where the young adults’ population is growing, and I
feel the calling to ensure that there is a safe, sound, and loving place where they can come and
rest from what they have to deal with in the University's campus and classrooms. Kinnaman
writes, "Our world is populated by increasing numbers who bear the ugly marks of relational
3 David. Kinnaman, You Lost Me. (Grand Rapids, MI) Baker Books. 2011.
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breakdown. By the time they move into young adulthood, far too many continue to wander on a
painful and confusing path with the aching awareness that something is wrong."4 In this
transition our church is going through, the need to be there for young adults is of prime necessity.
The third group is young married couples. As this transition is happening, we have about
ten married couples that came out of our preteen group and now have gotten married and have
started their own family. This is the group that is now helping me with the younger generation.
With my Sr. Pastor's blessing, I started making these changes about three years ago, and
now we have an English service where young adults make up the worship team, and the young
married couples help me mentor and teach our youths. Little did I know that God's plans are so
much greater than what I could ever imagine. This course has now opened my spirit to be able to
see a new vision. The need for a Campus Ministry. Working together with the three youth
ministries I believe that God will open the door to reach out to Madison High School and see if
we are permitted to start a community outreach as those who are college graduates, those who
play and instrument, sing, or are good mentors are allowed to help the students in any way.
Indeed, this course has now allowed me to see the need to come out of my bunker (Only Church
ministry) the fact is that it was never because I was running away from it, it was because God
was preparing the field to be ready to be able to open my churches' student ministry. Kinnaman
wrote, "In other words, we are not to separate ourselves from the created order or those who
inhabit it by retreating to a bunker. We are called to live amid fallen humanity, enjoying the good
fruit of the cultures that fill the earth."5
4 David. Kinnaman, You Lost Me. (Grand Rapids, MI) Baker Books. 2011. 5
David. Kinnaman, You Lost Me. (Grand Rapids, MI) Baker Books. 2011.
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As the youth ministry foundation is set in the church, is time to go and work and prepare
all the needed parts so that when school opens up again after this COVID situation, there is a
plan ready to be presented and offered to the School.
Three Year Plan
The first year must begin by bringing every plan of action to prayer.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)
Trusting that it is God's will for this ministry to be able to open for God's youths
to have a sound, safe, and loving group to go to and bringing it all in the presence
of God through prayer and fasting must be the very first step.
Once my Sr. Pastor, the Church’s leadership has come in agreement that this is what God
is having us do now for the benefit of the youth, then the next step will be to bring the core group
of young man and women who will make up the main servants of God for this calling.
Bring in the team who would be the core of this ministry.
Present to them the vision to reach out to every youth out there and everyone who
has been called has a gift to be used to mentor, teach, or help every high school
student out there.
Once Sr. Pastor, Church’s leadership and core group has been praying and working for
this vision to open this new ministry then is time to start making contact with school directors,
teachers, coaches, having our youths start talking to their school peers and tell them what we are
getting ready to do in the High School to start building momentum.
Contacting is key in the first year. Building relationships with the school's faculty,
understanding where the real need is with students. Letting the teachers know that
In my second year of planning, the plan of action must be ready to be implemented.
Everyone who will be working in the ministry must have clear and concise instructions. The
musicians have made contact with those HS students who love to play music, the singer has
made contact with those who love to sing, those who call to mentor, tutor, and help others are
ready to start making a positive impact on those who would reach out to them. Our youths who
are part of the student body have now shared with everyone that there is a group of people ready
to help them in any they are able. This is assuming COVID is gone and School is back to
“normal”.
After school program may be implemented. Those who have been called to
mentor or tutor may be opened to spend an hour with those who need help with
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we are not simply going with a narrow mind and a Bible to enforced into the kid's
worldview.
While we deal with this CORONA Virus, we can have the youth let their friends
let their parents what we are hoping to do to help the school be able to mentor,
teach and simply be there to hear what the students need to share
Contact the School faculty and see if there is an opportunity to go to the school
and see the site to help us better know the territory, we are going into
Be familiar with their sport’s teams, and be familiar with the yearly calendar of
events to see where we can be allowed to help
Have the core team begin to not just meet new students and teachers but get to
memorize their names and the things they have in common.
Build momentum as we move into the second year.
is time
These small groups will be the way to reach out to their families and see how and
where we can help them. Invite them to our services
Encouraging them to come to our spiritual retreats (four times a year, women and
men)
By this time, the hope is that youths are now serving in the Student School
Ministry, and even teachers have had the opportunity to hear the good news
Conclusion
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homework or just want to be heard (this can be at school or in the youth room at
church) Our Church is located about half a mile from School.
Once a month: A Friday Outreach. Youth Night Service will be happening so that
our youths may feel that they have a place they can invite their school friends to
go to.
Those who are being reached by the worshippers may learn a few songs and be
able to play them during this service and that will open another way for other
students to see the benefit of being part of the Student Ministry. (Modern
Christian songs ONLY)
By the third year, everyone who has been ministered by the team would have already
been allowed to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Trusting that God has moved through each one
of them by way of songs, mentoring, listening, Scripture, messages the Student Ministry should
be adding those who will be added just as God had planned it since the beginning of His Church.
Small groups sharing Jesus' message of love, forgiveness, and the promise of
Salvation should be happening by th
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There is no way to be able to start a Student Ministry if it is not God the One in
total control of everything we do. Psalm 127:1 (NKJV) clearly states that unless the
Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who built it; Unless the Lord guards the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
However, there is also the need for all of us involved in this ministry to do it the
right way that will allow God to move and do His complete will.
There are three solid foundations taught throughout this course and especially from
Campus Ministry Book by Dr. Vandegriff6 that has opened my eye to do better
ministry.
First, being Seen and let everyone know that we are available to be part of
everything we are being allowed to will be one major factor to success for the
ministry. Being seen is of prime essence to open the door and begin to let school
faculty and students that we are for real and that we are willing and able to assist
them in every way that we can.
Second, being Known let the faculty and students know that we care, that we are
spending our time, devotion, and life to be part of their life. We have much more in
common that unite us and we hope to be there for them to assist them and care for
them. Being Christ minded in all that we do.
Third, being Understood means that after setting this ministry for three years we
can show that our goal is to build solid relationships, that will open ways to be able to
present the full Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are willing to patiently guide them right
into the right path of Salvation as we know that is not about us, but it is all about God
working in their lives. We are communicating with them.
6 Steve Vandegriff, Campus Ministry (Sagamore Beach, MA) Academx Publishing Services, Inc. 2013
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Honestly, it is a big move for me, but one that I am at peace doing as I know there
are a whole lot of youths out there feeling that there is no one giving them hope,
listening to them, loving them, and helping them. There is so much I still don't know
but I do know that what I have received from Dr. Vandergriff's book Campus Ministry
and in this course will guide me into the right path to accomplish what God has
already assigned me to do.
One thing is crystal clear, God's thoughts are not mine, and His way is not my
way, so all I can say is, "Here am I, send me."
Bibliography
Kinnaman, David. You Lost Me. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. 2011.
Mueller, Walt. Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity
Press. 2015.
Vandegriff, Steve. Campus Ministry: Yout 350. Sagamore Beach, MA. Academx
Publishing Services, Inc. 2013
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