The Big Seven: How to maximize your ministry impact on campus

I’m not sure about you but I struggle to believe God.

I hesitate to admit that to the students on my campus, or even my boss, but deep down in my heart I know it’s true. It’s hard to trust God for big things—but that’s exactly what God calls us to do. Gregg Hinzelman reminded me of that in his workshop on “Maximum Kingdom Impact” on day two of the P2C PLUS student conference.

We need to trust God for significant things, because we have a God full of significance and purpose. He invites us to share in that.

I want to change the world.

I long for adventure, and purpose, and I’m driven by passion. Are you? What are you passionate about?

Entering ministry for me was a double-edged sword of excitement and nervousness. On the one hand I longed to be part of something greater than myself, where God worked in crazy ways. On the other, I had no idea what would happen when I said “yes!” to God.

7 clear and simple principles for maximizing your campus impact

Gregg outlined seven clear and simple principles to remind us of how it’s worth it to entrust big things to God and expect big results from him.

I hope you are like me: I want to maximize my impact for eternity.

1. Let God do the work

One of the largest lessons I learned last year in my first internship with Power to Change was how much I needed to rely on the Holy Spirit in every single moment of life and ministry.

Gregg emphasized how God is the one who does the work in and through us. God is the one who changes the world. God is not overwhelmed by all the statistics of how many impoverished people there are, how many children die each second, or how many sex slaves there are. He deeply cares for each of those people who are created in his image. He is also in full control of how our world is progressing, and in the growth of the kingdom.

We can trust God.

2. Pray God-sized prayers

I mostly pray for small things because I don’t believe that God can or will answer any request that is too big. I know a lack of faith is embarrassing when you work for a global missions agency. But God is changing my heart. I’m learning how I can be a prayer warrior. I’m learning about the power of prayer in doing spiritual battle with Satan.

Gregg shared that the only time in the Bible when we are commanded to beg/plead with God is when he instructs us to pray for more labourers for the spiritual harvest. We need to trust that God will bring giant things to our campuses. We need to trust (and ask) that God can change hearts.

Are you praying for big things with an expectation that God will answer?
Are you trusting that God alone will do this work?

3. Aim for global impact

In Isaiah 49:6, God states that “my salvation may reach the ends of the earth,” and in the Great Commission, Jesus commands us to go “to the ends of the earth” to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). The ends of the earth. Can you picture that?

Our goal needs to be this large.

Reaching just one person with the gospel—while valuable—is too small. Gregg shared that we need to have a global vision. Have you gained a global vision yet? What are you doing about it?

Go on missions this summer and experience God working in the world. It will change your life. It changed mine.

Jesus died for the whole world and we need to think about the big picture. God wants to use us to have a massive impact. We are here to change the world.

Gregg Hinzelman

4. Prioritize talking about Jesus (evangelism)

Similarly, engaging in evangelism will change your life. In fact, it’s the most important thing we can do.

Start with just five friends.

Who are five friends/people in your life that don’t know Jesus? Write their names down, and start praying for them to discover a life-changing relationships with Jesus. Ask God to use you to talk to them about him and look with expectation for the opportunities his is going to provide for you to share your faith with them!

5. Focus on multiplication not just passing the ministry baton

Paul shared a brilliant strategy in 2 Timothy 2:2:

“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Do you see the strategy here?

Jesus to Paul, to many witnesses, including Timothy, to faithful men (plural) and finally, to others (plural). When I was a student, all I could think about was replacing myself. I wanted there to be someone who could take over what I had started when it came time for me to graduate.

While considering who you will pass your ministry on to is important to think through, Gregg pointed out that it’s not enough. Our focus needs to be on multiplication and not just replacement. If I have multiplied myself by the time I leave campus, there will be three or four trained students ready to carry on the work I started, not just the one. And if I have trained those three or four to have the same multiplication perspective they will multiply and create three or four more life-long labourers each! It’s exponential! The perfect way to build the church—and to grow our movements on campus.

The best way to multiply is to focus on influencers, because they will easily influence other people for God’s Kingdom. Who are the influencers on your campus? Focus on reaching them with the gospel. Pray that God would develop you into someone who greatly influences others, and raise up other multipliers on your campus.

6. Smash some faith barriers

Consider breaking a personal faith barrier as you seek to multiply your life. Faith barriers are those things that hinder us from obeying God and stepping out of our comfort zone. They are the tough stuff, the scary stuff of following Jesus.

It’s important to break through these barriers because they prevent us from growing; spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. But, be warned: breaking through barriers is only possible when you rely fully on the Holy Spirit who dwells within you. Basically, don’t try this on your own.

7. Think eternally, live accordingly

Finally, Gregg reminded us that eternity lasts forever.

While that may seem obvious, it has colossal implications. The choices we make now, both big and small will have a ripple effect in eternity. You can begin living with eternity in mind while you are a student. The love God has poured into our hearts provides a growing intentionality to help others discover his love. Are you confident your family and friends will spend eternity with him? Am I??

Going on a missions trip this summer with P2C-Students (or another awesome missions organization) could change your life. You may never again have this opportunity to serve God in the unique context that P2C-Students provides.

Before my first P2C-Students trip, I had experienced travelling the world, but when I finally went on a missions trip—boy, did God use that to change the course of my life! Don’t miss out on what God can do in your life this summer.

Side note: Your money matters

Gregg also pleaded with us to invest our money in things that matter. In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus says,

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Set your heart on things above: invest your finances in evangelism, missions, and the poor.

Are you ready to change?

Thinking eternally dramatically alters the perspective we have on life. But that’s what happens when we fully surrender to Jesus: We change. And that’s a great thing.

On our own, we will never have the kingdom impact that we long for. But with God, we will see big things happen for God’s glory. Allow God to transform you so that you can help transform others. It’s an adventure you won’t want to miss.