I now blog over at stephenlutz.net, where I think I’d like to post your comment as a post in itself, it’s so good.

Thanks for this, and don’t be discouraged in doing good.

Staff seem to be pressured by their higher ups to meet specific goals, which limits their flexibility to respond to the student’s needs and desires. And since they are focused on meeting these goals, student leadership is pushed aside. The fear of having students fail, resulting in a poor evaluation for the staff worker, stifles real innovation.

In my opinion, I think it is better to mentor students by giving them hands on experience (with varying levels of supervision based on their competency). Trust students to lead and innovate, because they are often both highly skilled And motivated. I have seen too many good students / leaders with solid ideas who end up leaving campus ministry because they become stifled by the ministry institution.

I was actually told, by a staff member, that students who innovate usually do so to avoid dealing with a deeper spiritual problem, basically a character flaw. Yes, i have a lot of growing to do, but the idea was solid and quite a few students were on board.

This isn’t true of all campus staff, but when discussing innovation, I felt it was important to share the frustrations of a student who has tried, succeeded and failed, at innovating on campus. Your questions and comments are welcome.

Thank you for your time.

Jesus says “if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink”.

When you get fed up with life and realise that you are thirsty for real, concrete hope, maybe you’ll remember that Jesus is the one who alone gives us hope of eternal life in everlasting joy and loving relationship with God himself.

It’s not a pipe dream. It’s a concrete hope based on the fact of the resurrection.

You can believe it!

Jeff Winter