Partnership Ideas for GFM and Undergrad and Faculty Ministries (UFM)

What GFM and UFM Campus Staff could do mutually:

  1. Meet informally to get acquainted and to mutually encourage and support one another; ideas include
    1. Exchange what you are learning in your staff work
    2. Read/discuss a book
    3. Share strategic advice
  2. Meet periodically (monthly?) to pray for one another and for your campus
    1. Idea: prayer walk around parts of campus
  3. Add one another to your mailing lists and/or prayer partner lists
    1. Connect virtually (Facebook page, Twitter accounts, etc.)
  4. Visit one another’s large group meetings once a semester.
    1. Be introduced to give a 3-5-minute update on your chapter
    2. GFM staff can announce ESN opportunities
    3. Be available for conversation or prayer ministry after the meeting
    4. Offer to speak at each other’s meetings
  5. Introduce one another to Christian Faculty that you know on campus.
    1. Keep a shared list of Christian faculty on a Google Doc.
    2. Make faculty visits together
  6. Articulate a shared vision for the campus. This could be used with students, faculty, and donors.
  7. Together, schedule and take a Retreat Days several times a year.
  8. Veteran staff can take an active role in orienting newer staff to the university.
  9. Host speakers together:
    1. To speak to your respective groups
    2. To speak publicly, especially evangelistically
  10. Hold joint events occasionally, e.g.:
    1. Combined worship night or faculty testimony night
    2. Social events, such as bike night
  11. Sharing contacts with undergrad/grad students (and faculty) that come from NSO or other outreach events for respective follow-up
  12. Attend/serve each other’s events/conferences in some years
  13. Meet with other campus ministers together (ex: CRU); coordinate involvement in campus chaplains association
  14. Share/coordinate on ministry partnership development

What specifically GFM campus staff could offer to UFM staff

  1. To lead an ESN group for undergraduates
    1. Could be a once a semester or once a month gathering
  2. To lead or co-lead a “Preparing for Graduate School” seminar
  3. To help with any Life after College training or seminars being offered to upper classmen
  4. To introduce to faculty – invite UFM staff to join you when you visit faculty.
  5. To speak to undergrads on key topics, e.g.:
    1. God’s call for some to serve him in the academy
    2. Discipleship of the mind (how to love God through your studies)
    3. Vocational stewardship: how your future work can fulfill God’s purposes for the world
    4. “Your Kingdom come on campus…: how to pray for the university”
    5. Campus renewal: the part you can play as a student
    6. How to love your professors
  6. Coordinate mentoring between grad and undergrad students – possibly paring students in the same academic discipline.
  7. Encouragement to sign up for the ESN blog or The Well
  8. Share resources for relating to or serving faculty, including faculty advisors
    1. The Lamp Post faculty resource
    2. Other resources on the Faculty Ministry website

What GFM Staff Directors could do

Because of our structures, GFM and UFM Staff Directors share the same geography. Though we may not hold the same positions in the organizational structure, developing these relationships can be significant in our advancement of the mission together. For example, GFM ADs will relate to UFM ADs and the RD.

  1. Deepen the relationship with your geographic peer in the following ways:
    1. Touch base with one another when you visit each other’s towns
    2. Share annual Area and/or Regional plans and reports
    3. Meet for a meal or coffee when you attend shared meetings (for example, Spring Leadership Meetings)
    4. Explore joining cross-line RLT meetings for a day or half-day.
    5. Invite a respective AD or RD to report at your Regional or Area Team Meeting.
    6. Meet periodically for prayer, if this is geographically feasible.
    7. Offer help with staff training events. Offer your trained staff to help with cross-line staff training events.
    8. Put together a list of talks that GFM staff can do for chapters in the region/area. 
  2. Explore attending cross-line geographic Area Team Meetings or Regional Staff Conferences. At these events, the guest could:
    1. Provide a 10-30 minute report about what God is doing in their ministry.
    2. Offer to lead some training.
    3. Lead a table discussion at a meal. For example, “How to develop a meaningful relationship with a faculty member.”
  3. Regularly distribute information about key staff openings across lines.
  4. Exchange newsletters with respective staff colleagues.
  5. Be familiar with cross-line AFRs for your respective geography.
  6. Collaborate on “seminary recruiting” efforts

Compiled by Don Paul Gross (Mar 2013)

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