Student Ministry in a Pandemic World

Top takeaway from this episode: Doing ministry in a pandemic world requires that we recognize both fragility and resilience, the disappointments and opportunities, as we care for, challenge, and equip students.

Resource mentioned in this episode: Gen Z: The Culture, Beliefs and Motivations Shaping the Next Generation (Affiliate link)

Recognize both Fragility and Resilience in Students

Over the summer, I ran a series of Zoom apologetics meetings for high school students. I asked the teens, “How are you feeling right now?” A number of them said, “Very fragile. More fragile than usual. Overwhelmed. Exasperated.” Even before the pandemic, Generation Z was characterized as people who were suffering from some of the highest rates of anxiety. The National Institute of Health says 1 in 3 teens will experience anxiety or some kind of anxiety disorder.

If you engage with college students or youth on any level, it’s important to understand how the pandemic is affecting them because that affects the way we need to relate to them today.

On an episode of the Table Podcast, I sat down with Jonathan Morrow of Impact 360, Erin Roy with InterVarsity, and Jenny Wong at Lifeology Institute to talk about doing student ministry in a pandemic world.

In this post, I highlight three quick points that came out of one exchange I had with Jonathan.

There’s Never Been a Better Time to Talk About Spiritual Things

I asked him: “Are there new kinds of spiritual conversations that you see students wanting to have? How do you prepare them to explain their faith to others? He said:

We always try to equip them to ask good questions in every conversation and have clarity if they have opportunity to share the Gospel. So, [give them] clarity around what the Gospel is…There’s never been a better time to talk about things of eternal value, life, right and wrong or justice or, “that’s not right,” or, “That’s not good,’ and how God might play into that. So kind of framing some of those conversations a little differently; just helping them navigate and ask questions.

Engage with Student Experiences of Suffering

Even just asking, “How can I pray for you?” can be helpful. Jonathan says that sometimes, “20 other things might come out, and then you’re off into a different conversation with either a family member or a friend or roommate or somebody else…”

Students continue to struggle with common apologetics questions that have been heightened or made even more personal in the midst of the pandemic. Jonathan gives examples:

“Where is God in the midst of things that are disappointing for me in my life and/or purpose? Where does everything look different for me now [and] how do I navigate that? …Some of the existential kinds of questions are definitely forefront..”

Connect Christian Truth Claims to Strength for Daily Life

Questions about the truthfulness of Christianity and its practical implications for daily life in a pandemic world are key. Jonathan lists questions like: “Is [Christianity] true? What’s the good news? Where’s our help ultimately rooted?” His answers this by saying, it is “in the resurrection, in the risen Jesus. He’s risen. That’s not changing. How do we then live that out in this moment that we’re in?”

This is how Jonathan suggests reframing apologetics and spiritual conversations with students in a pandemic world. Let us engage students where they are an equip them to engage their world and others, too.

Watch or listen to the full episode.

Resource mentioned in the podcast: Gen Z: The Culture, Beliefs and Motivations Shaping the Next Generation (Affiliate link)