Nor Cal / Nev College Ministries

The campus ministry was only a few months old, but graciously it had a good beginning. The campus pastor and his wife were able to start (between them) three discipleship small groups with four to five incach small group. About a month before finals of the fall semester, a weekend retreat was held with most of the students attending. The retreat was on the discipling process.

After much prayer the campus pastor went into the next main weekly meeting ready to challenge the young group to become a committed discipling campus ministry. The night was given to reflections on the retreat and student's personal reactions. Then the pastor asked, "Do we desire to become that kind of a ministry?" After some serious contemplation the consensus was "Yes".

The pastor told them the next logical step was to select and train students to lead the existing small groups. He then laid out specifically the level of commitment necessary to become a discipling small group leader. Between leading the small group, preparing for the small group, a leadership meeting for training and oversight, main weekly meetings, Sunday local church attendance, and one-on-one times with small group members, it appeared that 15 hours per week would be necessary.

Then the pastor said, "I will accept applications to interview for these leadership positions. Do not ask to interview if you know you are unable to comply with all the necessary requirements to lead. If you are for some reason (like part-time work, excessive school load, etc.) unable to fulfill all the requirements then don't apply. Your application assumes your willingness to do whatever is necessary to become an effective discipler."

There were about twenty students in the campus group at this time. It was an act of faith to ask for that kind of commitment from the outset. Some might say "Start smaller and grow into it." Douglas Hyde in his book Dedication and Leadership advocates challenging people to large and meaningful action. ".. .if you make mean little demands upon people, you will get a mean little response which is all you deserve, but if you make big demands on them, you will get a heroic response.. work off the assumption that if you call for big sacrifices people will respond to this and, moreover, the relatively smaller sacrifices will come quite naturally." The twenty had a week to prayerfully consider and respond if they would like to apply. It was a very important moment for the future of this fledgling fellowship.

Amazingly, fourteen out of the twenty interviewed, and from these, five were affirmed to leadership. Each of these five were determined to lead. They each decided to cut their school class loads back by one dass to be more free to disciple. They each fulfilled the stated minimum requirements and they all did a great job of leading. From that point and for over ten years this campus group has had a continuing supply of committed small group disciplers. The requirements, though stated, do not need to be heavily stressed, for everyone has seen the commitment of their small group leader while they were still small group members. A standard has been established and it is reproducing itself year after year.

ESSENTIAL QUALITIES OF A DISCIPLER

What criteria do you use in selecting a small group discipler? Obviously, it isa matter of sincere prayer and of discerning the Lord's will, but what do you pray about? What are the essentials you expect to see in these student leaders? This is answered in detail in the Student Notes, Lesson 12. It is expanded upon in the Discipleship Framework in chapter 1, "Essentials of Discipleship".

Look for these five essentials:

1. a student who is developing in Godly character
2. a student who has a pastoral heart
3. a student who exhibits vision for ministry
4. a student who is full of zeal for the Lord and wholeheartedly committed to Jesus
5. a student who has a measure of ministry skills

More often than not we elevate ministry skills in prospective discipling leaders to be of first and foremost importance. We look for the ability to lead worship, lead a Bible study, and pray with others. However, it is better to look for evidences of the first four essentials. They are matters that demand a growth in Godliness. These are the kind of students you want influencing other students. Ministry skills can be taught. Our recommendation is to look first for inward qualities before looking for outward skills.

THE INTERVIEWING PROCESS

Someone once commented, "Why go through all the trouble of interviewing? Why don't you just pick 'em?" Having the campus pastor personally appoint discipling leaders would be easier and quicker, but again we must be reminded that discipleship is a process. There are important factors involved in an interview and selection process that are healthy for both those being interviewed and for the entire campus group. Here are some suggested stages for the interviewing process.

CLEARLY DEFINE THE RESPONSIBILITY

Make sure the student has a clear understanding of the responsibility they are applying for. A job description should be made available. (A sample is offered in the appendices.) It should clearly outline the expectations and qualifications necessary to serve. Try not to assume anything. This will help prevent misunderstanding and disappointment down the road.

INVITE STUDENTS TO INTERVIEW

The students need an opportunity to pray about this issue, and then to affirm thernselves to serve. This causes them to count the cost of disciple-ship. When they ask to interview, it normally is an indication that they have taken this matter seriously. Sometimes the campus pastor will have a few students in mind that he feels would make good disciplers. The campus pastor should feel free to talk to them about interviewing- not to try to coerce them, but to talk with them about becoming a discipler and what that may mean for them. Those who have served as Small Group Leaders (SGL's) before should ask to interview again. This provides a review for them that can prove very helpful. It also gives you a chance to address any concerns you have with this student's leadership.

ESTABLISH AN INTERVIEW FORMAT

You will want to insure this process is impartial. In a beginning campus ministry the campus pastor may need to select the first group of discipleship small group leaders (as was done in the illustration above). This is not ideal, but may be necessary the first time. If possible, find one or two others who could assist you in interviewing. Possibilities might include an associate pastor from a local church, a mature layman who has a campus ministry background, or a graduate student who would not have the time to lead a small group, but is a mature believer and could join you on an interview committee.

In a campus ministry that has student leaders, use some of them on your interviewing committee. Ask those who seem to have the concepts of discipleship well in mind and were effective in leading their small groups. Many campus groups use the last three to four weeks of the school year to do their interviews for the next school year. If this is done, then student leaders who are finishing a year of serving will have fresh ideas and questions to ask potential leaders. This also gives the new leaders the summer break to prepare themselves for the next year.

It would be helpful if you developed an interview form that your committee could use. This would provide some uniformity in the questioning. Feel free to ask questions that would be unique to the person before you, however. A sample interview form is provided. Most interviews take about 20 - 30 minutes. It is good to pray with each one who interviews before they leave. This gives the committee an immediate chance to bless God for what He has done in the student's life. This whole process is intended to be an edifying experience for the student, not an inquisition.

BUILD INTEGRITY INTO THE SELECTION COMMITTEE

Here is a suggestion. Ask the committee members not to discuss any of the interviews with each other anyone else until the committee meets again. Give about four days to a week after the last interview, for the committee members to pray and think about all of the interviews. When the entire committee comes together after this break, have them cast a ballot on each person before they discuss any of the interviews. Only at this point discuss the interviews as a committee.

At this point, however, discuss every interview. Those that you affirmed unanimously should be discussed to see why the committee members affirmed them. The same should be done for those who were unanimously not affirmed. Those with a split vote should be discussed, and then a consensus needs to be arrived at as to which direction to go. Should they be affirmed, or held back for a time? The details of these discussions need to remain in the confidence of the committee members and not made public knowledge.

GIVE FEEDBACK TO EVERYONE WHO INTERVIEWED

Now that the selections have been made, it is important to go to every student who interviewed and discuss with them the reflections of the selection committee. Those who are affirmed to serve need to know what the committee saw as their strengths. This is a great opportunity to bless what God has done in a person. No doubt there will be some areas of concern, even for a student who has been affirmed. Here you can highlight where spiritual, emotional or behavioral growth needs to occur. As you can see, this process itself can serve as a discipling process for all who interview.

All those who were not affirmed need to receive feedback as well, maybe even more than those affirmed. For those who fear conflict, this may be an intimidating process. In most cases, however, it is a special time to specifically love a person and call them on to growth in Christ. The feedback is almost always appreciated. Only those who are very insecure may have difficulty with the evaluation, but this in itself may be healing for them if the approach to them is with loving concern. Usually, only one person should give the feedback. Any committee member can be used. It may, however, be most appropriate for the campus pastor to do the feedback for those not affirmed. This may demand the person with the most maturity. Not only can you give feedback, but you can also give suggestions and loving support to those who interviewed on how they can grow in Christ.

COMMISSION THOSE AFFIRMED BEFORE THE ENTIRE FELLOWSHIP

At either the last main meeting of the year, or at one of the first meetings of the new school year, take time to call each one who is to serve as a discipling small group leader before the whole campus fellowship. At this point pray and commission them to the task before them. Let the entire group participate in this process.

By this time the student has affirmed themselves by asking to interview. They have been affirmed by mature leaders in the group. They have been affirmed by the body through prayer. And, obviously, everyone along the way has been praying for the lord's direction. Thus, the student begins to serve knowing they have everyone's backing. For a new leader (as well as old leaders) this support and affirmation means a great deal. It is intended to give them a strong boost of confidence at the start.

In the campus ministry used in this illustration, several students have commented after graduation and leaving the university that the interviewing process was very valuable to them. Not only did it have direct bearing on their spiritual development, but it also prepared them for the world they moved into after college. Many found themselves interviewing for careers and they discovered they were well prepared for this new stage in their lives. Discipleship is a process that builds people up not only spiritually, but in many other ways as well.