Collaborating for the Gospel in Schools


Phillip Ball - May 10, 2022

When asked what NNYM does, my quick answer is that "we're conveners."

We convene well, creating opportunities for collaboration. Unpacking that a little further, we gather youth workers so they can pray together, build relationships, develop strategies and share resources so that every student in the US has the opportunity to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus.

In Vancouver, Wash., the US Digital Outreach Center has been making collaboration a whole lot easier for those serving students and youth leaders - even in a season when Covid made youth ministry intensely more difficult.

Here's the story:

Over the past couple years, campus ministries have been extremely limited; some even shut down altogether. Most public elementary, middle and high school campuses across the country have prohibited visits from any non-school personnel in order to limit the spread of Covid. While this left many feeling like Jesus was no longer allowed in public schools, Jesus was still there...alive in the hearts of our Christian teachers and students.

So how could we encourage Christ-followers on campus during this trying time?

This past March, I had the privilege of partnering with Christian Educators Association International (CEAI) to host a LIFT dinner for Christian teachers. The goal of our time was to worship, encourage teachers, and help them understand what they can and can't do to share the hope of Jesus at their schools. We also wanted to connect them to as many local para-church campus ministries as we could!

That's where US Digital served a key role.

Because this unique "ministry headquarters" provides office space, meeting space, printing and media services to over 40 gospel-focused ministries, most of the para-church campus ministries are right down the hall from my office! Quickly, I could interact with them in the hallways of our shared office space about this opportunity!

About 60 teachers and their spouses from six school districts attended the LIFT dinner. The ministries gave snapshots of how they reach students with the gospel and how teachers could partner with them. Many conversations took place both during and after the event. The response cards reported that each of the campus ministries received requests for follow up to discuss how they could collaborate further.

To learn more about this amazing, collaborative environment check out the US Digital Outreach Center website.

 

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