Outreach: Large Event vs Consistency and Small

This is my final post of the three part series. The focus here is on the method of doing outreach. How does one reach out on a college campus that is supersaturated with student orgs all lobbying for students' attention? How does one ensure that a Christian ministry isn't perceived and lumped into all the other orgs on campus? How can our methods of advertising for our events look different than the already thousands of posters that litter our campuses? In sum, how are we going to keep our Christian ministries from being drowned out and fade into the black hole of background noise?

The first thing we can do to ensure our student orgs look different from others is by the way we view the college students. While other student orgs may be prone to look at college students in mass numbers, Christians are to see students as people, not as numbers. Pushing for large turn outs, and seeing a high volume of students at meetings becomes a nauseating measure stick after a while, and falls far short in determining a healthy group. Rather, an important measuring stick to a healthy Christian student org is that no matter what the size of the group, they should leave an impression upon the people they interact with because they are known by their love.

An easy example to put meat on the bones of a large number versus love concept follows. Suppose there are 200 people in the group. However, you notice that 12 new people are scattered throughout the audience, look uneasy, sit alone, or are sitting by another student who feels easy uncomfortable, while everybody else is talking to their longtime friends. Now suppose that another group of Christians have 100 students coming to their meetings. They however, have a mindset right from the start of every night to spot and identify any new people that might come. Right away several of the students spot 8 new people scattered across the crowd. They make it a point to sit by the new people, and start conversations with them to make them feel welcomed. Their business for the night isn't to hang out with their longtime friends who frequent the meetings. No, their business is to help welcome new students to a Christian community where Christ's love isn't questioned, but rather is evident. Which Christian org is more glorifying to God? Which Christian org better carries out the Lord's work?

Now, with emphasis on love over numbers and a "welcoming spirit," what can be done in our practical outreach methods? What are some pros and cons of large versus small outreach events, and how is each perceived on a bustling campus community?

LARGE OUTREACH
CONS
-The campus community may see the outreach as just another student org trying to recruit new members. Campus population becomes bombarded with yet another Christian giving them a pamphlet or telling them to come to some "fun, cool" event. (But they think to themselves, "it's just another Christian meeting/social, and I'm not like them.")
-The campus community misunderstands the message of the gospel because the outreach has a broad scope and so many students are trying to be reached, that no one individual is effectively reached.
-Every Christian in the org marks the date on their calendar of the outreach "event." These few days of the year is when they focus on others. Other than that, it can breed a mentality of inward focus on their on groups and other like themselves.
PROS
-A large number of students are addressed.
-A place for many personality types to get involved with various promotional opportunities to advertise for Christian event, and hand slips out to students asking them to come to the event. Allows many to serve, talk, and meet new faces who might have a difficult time reaching out otherwise.

SMALL OUTREACH
CONS
-A limited number of the student population is addressed.
-Christians not as comfortable starting up conversations with strangers may struggle in building new relationships. This could be a discouragement to them ever trying to reach out.
PROS
-The individual student is the focus, and the individual student is more likely to understand the message of Jesus, feel cared for, and feel loved.
-It's not an "event" it's a lifestyle. Consistency is key as it becomes a habit and a way of life for you.
-More relationship can be built over time than 10 seconds explaining a flyer to a student as he/she passes by on his/her way to class.
-Questions can be raised and "real" issues can be discussed when a relationship has been established. You're not perceived then as just "another Christian" in a non-believer's mind. They will be more prone to listen to you in this venue. Trust can be established in this setting.

All things considered, I must admit I tip scales quite favorably to a small outreach lifestyle philosophy rather than large outreach events. What has been said here only skims the surface on what can be said both positive and negative on both sides.

Most importantly, I pray that my heart would be carved deeper by the sacrifices that Jesus made on my behalf, and in turn live to serve others. When words are difficult to find, express the gospel through sacrificial action and being other-centered. Outreach at its core is not comprised of multiple events, interest cards, and follow up. Outreach is one life sharing a life giving and life altering message with another life. Outreach is draining, outreach is time consuming, but outreach is worth it!

Be blessed my friends and serve one another! We are messengers of the good news!