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We’ve all heard the phrase “go the extra mile,” but did you know it comes from the Bible? It actually comes from the most famous sermon in the Bible when Jesus is preaching His sermon on the mount. In Matthew 5, Jesus talks about how to treat our enemies or anyone who wrongs us and then He goes on to say this:
[su_quote cite=”Matthew 5:41″]If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.[/su_quote]
That’s a powerful statement. Especially considering that He says this in the context of how we approach those who disagree with us or want to do us harm. It’s something good to remember with the current cultural context we live in, but I think there’s another application we can take from this that applies specifically to campus ministry.
When students come to campus they are bombarded by activities, events and opportunities. There’s so much available to them that it can be hard to get their attention. Every day people pass each other in the hallway and miss opportunities to form new friendships. Students might stop by your table and then never visit a meeting. They may check out your meeting one week and then you never see them again.
How many people would come to your meetings if students started getting intentional about forming relationships? Wouldn’t it be great if you could get people to do more than just stop by or visit once? How much would your group change if every person who came to your ministry came back? Now, to get a 100% return rate is unrealistic, but I believe that if you implement the principle of going the extra mile you’ll be surprised by the growth you see.
Let me explain a little more what I mean by going the extra mile. I’m talking about doing something so nice and unexpected that it makes a lasting impression. Sometimes it’s about putting on a big event and other times it’s about meeting a need. It could be a big or small gesture, as long as it’s memorable. This is the wow factor that makes your table stand out at the club fair or makes reputation of your meetings spread all over campus.
For example, years ago we helped the Binghamton BASIC group table at their college’s club fair. The leaders had ordered collapsible water bottles with the BASIC logo printed on them to hand out for free. They were very cheap and the idea didn’t take much to implement, but they stood out from what everyone else was doing. This small concept generated a lot of buzz and students kept coming to the table to hear about BASIC all because they had heard about these water bottles.
To meet a need and form relationships you could organize and advertise free tutoring with students from your group providing the instruction in subjects they are strong in.
If you’re looking to do something more unexpected you could implement the idea my friend came up with for his youth group. Every time a new person visits they have them write down a Chipotle order and then they buy it for them if they come to the group the following week. If you’re like me, nothing beats a free burrito and that’s something I wouldn’t be expecting when I visit a club for the first time.
On a bigger scale, you could plan an event that really stands out and gets attention on campus. A number of years back I suggested this Love is coming. Love is here. event that I think would be amazing to put on around Valentine’s Day.
That’s just a few ideas to get you thinking, but you get the picture. It’s not so much about using one of my specific ideas as it is about looking for ways to go the extra mile in a way that leaves a lasting impression and makes someone feel welcomed and cared for.
So, what are some ways you could implement that concept as you plan for the spring semester? How could you do this personally as you interact with people during the Christmas season and beyond? How can you go the extra mile?
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