Starting in the Fall of 2016, Campus Ministry Link will be shown here with an updated connection information. Until then, use the resources on this page.   Click image for more.

The 5-Minute Family Jump Start

MAKING COLLEGE PREP & TRANSITION WORK!

Pastors & Principals: You can send this email to parents of high school and college students, plus students themselves.

Finally it’s simple to motivate and connect high school students to campus ministries in advance.   Churches are finding that this nearly eliminates the 70% faith drop-out, energizes youth groups, and connects them with good friends, study partners, and helps them work as a team to bring others to faith.  The goal is to have 100% of the families in each church make this jump start.  It will take students just 5 minutes to log into the free LiveAbove.com website and they will be connecting to ministries.  The VIDEOS will motivate parents and students and help you prepare now.

Black Rock Congregational Church in Fairfield CT used to experience the typical 70% loss upon graduation. “Last year I had all of my high school students participate in the YTN Video Material.  All were greatly challenged to be spiritually ready for college. Most were blown away by the idea that their first 72 hours at college were the most important in staying strong in their faith. As they have started college, they say that much of what they learned from the videos was true about their first days at college. Many of them were able to find Christian roommates and were already plugged into campus ministries because of LiveAbove.com. The result? All of our graduates continued in their faith and connected to ministries! “ - Jeremy Taylor, HS Director, Black Rock Community Church, CT

NOTE: DUE TO A SERVER CHANGE, LIVEABOVE.COM

WILL BE LIVE AGAIN WITHIN APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK

Also, the LiveAbove database will be replaced by the www.CampusMinistryLink.org database in December

Great!  You’re Done!

Now, when you have time, have your family watch these great short videos and view the rest of the resources on this page and website.

Freshman comes to Christ and Leads Others

The important role parents play

CHELSEA’S STORY

When incoming freshmen at Orientation already know the ministry leaders, some Christian students to connect with, and the schedule of Christian events, it’s easy for them to be confident and invite their new non-believing dorm friends.   This is first time in their lives are not connected to peer groups, and really want to meet people,  and are open re-inventing themselves.  See InterVarsity article we wrote.

Chelsea had seen many of her older friends fall away from their faith in college.  She did some research and learned that this happens to 7 out of 10 students, and she was determined to not let it happen to her.  Through a website that she used, Chelsea was able to find the Navigators at the University of Nebraska and was able to meet the leaders and other students involved in the ministry over the summer.  This also helped her find a Christian roommate.

Her first night on campus, four girls in her dorm invited Chelsea and her roommate to a party.  Chelsea convinced them all to go to a Navigators hangout instead.  Today, a couple of years later, all six are still a part of the Navigators and are strongly walking with Christ!

HOW FRESHMEN SURVIVE, THRIVE, AND START AWAKENINGS

A CAMPUS & CHURCH STORY

A number of years ago in an InterVarsity chapter in Geneseo, New York, a student whole-heartedly put their faith in Jesus during freshmen orientation, with a wonderful transformation. This was the first time that many of the InterVarsity freshmen had seen one of their peers impacted by the grace of God, and they became so energized that 26 other students coming to Christ in his dorm that semester.  The students came back to their youth groups for Christmas with stories of growth, great friends, and participation that energized their youth groups with vision.  We want to see this “feedback” loop become normal in all churches.  See graphics above.

It’s important for students to realize that the lowest hanging fruit for evangelism is in the first few weeks of the school year before the freshmen are connected to new peer groups.  Everyone is meeting and greeting, so it is easy to invite freshmen to ministry barbecues, frisbee, Bible studies, or Large Group meetings.   Christian students finding good mentors, study partners, and friends from their ministry can lead to incredible growth in their spiritual maturity, which is vital during that first year of college. 

Testimony of a student who came to faith as a college freshmen.  (She had some church background but if never clicked).  She later joined the college ministry leadership team and is reaching out to other freshmen.

Impact on campus when 2 students are healed of cancer

WHAT’S NEXT?

Share this website with friends, pastors and leaders.  Go for 100% of families in your church who have made the Jump Start!  Arrange to take juniors and seniors to local campuses and visit ministries  Meet with your pastors and help them integrate solid college preparation with your church.  Dig deeper into the different resources on the menu and check back often for new content. Request a Believers College Prep event in your church or school.  Give us a call to share your ideas, what has blessed you, how to spread the movement, and questions we can help you with.  We will also send you other tools and resources you can use in your home and church.

Email John Decker at john@BelieversCollegePrep.com

315-656-7973

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