How the Church Can Help Recruit

The church is responsible for recruiting its own leadership. The Bible and Christian colleges have led the way in preparing young people for ministry. We as a partnership with the church, want to and will do all we can to recruit, but we cannot do ALL the recruiting. Together, with the Lord’s help, let’s recruit. Here are ideas for how the church can help recruit students.

RECRUIT EVERYDAY, EVERYWHERE!  Recruit at church camps and conventions as well as in your local church and area.  Many Christian young people have never been challenged to consider Christian service/leadership as a possible career choice.

If you have influence in Christian service camps or youth conventions, please try to make sure they include a strong recruiting emphasis.  Make sure your youth programs at your church really challenge the kids to a deeper life in Jesus and possible full time Christian service.  The responsibility for recruiting youth for ministry should not rest only on the youth minister.  The senior minister, you teachers and workers and the church board should also have recruiting as part of their job.  Don’t be afraid to put Christian service/leadership in front of young people.

EDUCATE THE PARENT!  From the pulpit and in Sunday School classes we need to encourage parents to be dedicated to the goal of their children becoming Christian servants.  Yes, some Christian young people need to become Christian doctors, Christian lawyers, Christian teachers and etc.

But during this Christian career deciding period, young people need to be challenged to also consider full time specialized Christian service and the parents need to let the child have this as an option.  Some parents are still using the well worn excuses of there is not enough money, prestige or honor in the ministry or they might end up in China.

Let’s model the ministry in a positive way and educate the parents to its’ value.  DON’T forget parents still have a lot to do with their child’s career college decisions.

COME TO CAMPUS!  Bring prospective students/parents to campus for special events or anytime.  A campus visit, where they can attend class, get to know the campus and the people on campus can be a deciding factor in the selection of a college.  We are glad to set-up campus tours.  Write or call us.  Send us the names and addresses of your young people for our youth mailing list so they will know about campus events.  We need more Chrsitian young people to visit campus.

REMEMBER TO START YOUNG! Don’t forget the grade school and Junior High students.  Many of our best students decided before High School that they were going to be ministers and missionaries.  The more they are prepared, converted and dedicated to the Lord and Christian service when they come to OCC, the better.

UNITE IN PRAYER!  Have as a part of your total church prayer life, prayer for leaders,  From the pulpit, in Sunday School classes, at elders meetings, in the ladies groups pray for young people to go into specialized Christian service,  The world’s population is still going up and many Bible College enrollments have gone down.  One day there will be less and less trained workers.

INVEST FINANCIALLY IN THE STUDENT!  Many students need financial help.  Some students give up big scholarships to go to a Chrsitian college.  Know about their financial needs.  Te church can help and individuals can also be found who will share in the need.

TAKE TIME FOR THEM AFTER THEY COME!  Training for Christian service/leadership is not easy.  Students are usually away from home, discouraging times come, and financial needs arise, moments of doubt about “is this right” creep in.  Know what your Bible College students are doing, how they are feeling and thinking.  How are their grades, what are their needs?

Talk to them when they come home for Thanksgiving/Christmas/summer, take them out for a coke, and invite them into your home.  Have them come to a board meeting and share about what’s happening at college and in their lives.  Let all the church leaders together encourage them and pray with them and we will have more young people make it to graduation.