Best Practices

Meeting with the IV Campus Minister or student leaders 4-6 times a year.

• Find out what their goals and plans are and determine how you can best partner with them
• Student leaders often turn over yearly, and IV campus ministers work on campus an average of 3-5 years. As a faculty or university staff member, you have a unique perspective on making multi-year plans that they may not have. Questions that help them to hold that perspective can be helpful!

Build community with other Christian faculty, staff, and administrators to pray and serve campus ministries.

• Chances are, there are others who would like to be involved with ministry on campus. They may not have capacity to serve as advisors themselves, but they may have time to pray for the ministries and to pray for and encourage one another.
• You may know other Christian faculty and university staff that the IV campus minister and student leaders aren’t connected to yet. You can play a key role in making those connections and inviting other faculty, staff, and administrators in serving on campus.

Provide opportunities and advocate for the IV ministry’s presence on campus.

• As a faculty, staff, or administrator, you likely have connections to potential speakers for outreach events (e.g. Veritas Forums) or programming that helps students integrate their faith and studies.
• If there are school policies that the IV ministry needs to be aware of, you can provide important and timely information. In a situation where access on campus could become an issue, you can play a key role in advocating for the ministry’s presence on campus.

Ideas

In addition to the best practices above, here are some concrete ideas for how you can serve as a Chapter Advisor. The list we have compiled is not comprehensive, but we hope that it helps you see the variety of ways a Chapter Advisor can be involved: 

• Pray for and with the IV Staff Minister regularly
• Advise the IV Staff Minister on how to contextualize IV ministry on your campus
• Connect the IV Staff Minister with your local church and advocate for partnership
• Provide snacks for students during an on-campus event or a weekend retreat or conference
• Make time for students to stop by to talk about faith, life on campus, and/or receive prayer
• Encourage students by writing notes and providing snacks during finals
• Host a gathering (e.g., back-to-school retreat, Christmas party, senior celebration dinner)
• Facilitate an alumni gathering during Homecoming weekend
• Give a talk or do a Q&A session at a large group gathering
• Facilitate a student training for the ministry
• Visit a leaders’ meeting and provide coaching and feedback on ministry plans
• Mentor students
• Lead a small group and help develop a student leader to take over
• Host or join a faculty prayer meeting
• Connect the IV Staff Minister and students with other Christian faculty, staff, and administration 

Just as Jesus fed thousands with a few fishes and loaves, anything that you can offer in the name of Jesus will be a valuable blessing, as we seek to establish communities that bear witness to the breadth and beauty of Christ on campus.

I want to be involved, but I have limited time and experience in ministry. Is there an opportunity for me?

We have found that faculty, administrators, and staff often have more to offer than they think!

The best way to discern what contribution can really make a difference is to discuss with an InterVarsity (IV) Staff Minister what you’re gifted in and what the ministry opportunities are.

How much time should I give to this role?

We recognize that Chapter Advisors will have varying capacities, and that this capacity may change through different seasons. At minimum, we would love Chapter Advisors to commit to meeting with the IV Staff Minister in person at least once a semester/quarter to pray and share how the ministry is going. In addition to this, it would be nice if there was some sort of in-person interaction with students in the ministry once a semester/quarter as well. Just as Jesus blesses the small but sacrificial offering of loaves and fishes in John 6:1-14, we know that it is a sacrifice to serve and that there may be limitations to your availability and involvement, so we trust that God will bless what you have prayerfully discerned you can offer.  

Can I serve with other faculty, administrators, and campus staff members? 

Yes! This is probably the best picture of the body of Christ. Multiple faculty, staff, and administrators serving together is not only biblical but also leverages strengths and gifts of a community. Having multiple advisors at commuter campuses is especially helpful because they are more likely required by the school to be at every event.  

How should the Chapter Advisor relate to the IV Staff Minister?

IV Staff Ministers are responsible for building a student Leadership team and overall strategy. However, depending on the needs of the ministry, the involvement of a Chapter Advisor could range from a strategic partnership (e.g., provide feedback and coaching on goals and plans) to one of service (e.g., hosting gatherings, providing meals and snacks) to one of direct influence (e.g., giving a talk, leading a seminar).

How should the Chapter Advisor relate to students?

IV's ministry philosophy revolves around student leadership. Therefore, Chapter Advisors partner with IV Staff Ministers to develop and come alongside students as they lead. Chapter Advisors can serve as amazing mentors and coaches that help student leaders grow in discernment and minister to their peers.

How should the Chapter Advisor envision their role, if there isn't an IV Staff Minister?

As IV is expanding, it is becoming more common that volunteers, alumni, and campus members advise IV chapters without an IV Staff Minister on campus. This would be a situation where a Chapter Advisor’s direct involvement with the ministry would increase. As a Chapter Advisor, you would work with the local IV Staff Director (who oversees multiple campuses) to receive the needed support, training, and coaching. 

There isn’t an IV ministry on my campus, but I’d like to see one start. What can I do?

Faculty, staff and administrators can often be the catalyst needed to establish a new ministry on campus! If you have an interest in exploring this, email us, so that we can connect you with the local IV Staff Director.