InterVarsity's StudentSoul.org

Have you already planned your New Student Outreach (NSO) activities? As things get moving, you may need some help and encouragement. And once school starts, the activity of getting your group into gear means following up new contacts, setting up small groups and running those first large-group meetings.

We’ve found some good material about NSO and getting the year started. Some is on the Ministry Exchange and some on other sites. (Note: Many of the files on the MX are the actual notes used by a particular campus, so you’ll see the names of local places and buildings. You can always edit such material to fit your own situation.)

New Student Outreach is like Throwing a great banquet.

This Bible study looks at a parable Jesus told about the Kingdom’s being like a banquet thrown for invited guests. When the invitees started making excuses, the host decided to open up the invitation to all kinds of people. This PDF file includes one section to hand out and one for the leader’s notes. If you want to do a chapter case study that is alluded to, be sure to download the chapter plans and the calendar they use. The “Sexy Pizza” event referred to in these is described in more detail here (all Microsoft Word files).

Chapter connection card

Looking for a way to sign people up at booktables, picnics or other NSO events? Here’s a four-up sheet you can cut into handy cards.

By the way, in order to make it customizable for any school name, it’s author left it in Microsoft Publisher format. Maybe some enterprising soul will convert it into a PDF file (with form fields) that people without Publisher could use (hint!). If you do that, please upload it in the MX and let us know to look for it.

Contact cards for New Student Outreach

This pdf file is a six-up printable set of colorful sign-up cards. These capture basic information and any interest in joining a Bible study. Cut ’em up and pass ’em out!

K-state flier, front and back

This is a colorful letter-sized sheet printed on both sides with photos and descriptions of campus activities. Since it’s in Word format, it won’t be hard to customize it for your own campus using your own photos and copy.

A Code of Ethics for Christian Witness

This little-known item is a gem of a resource! If your campus administration is nervous about Christian groups, digest this piece as a group and, if appropriate, offer the contents to your administrators. It may set them at ease. It helps if your attitude as a group is in harmony with this document, and your campus is open to the idea of the university as a marketplace of ideas. Here is a very simple Word document of just the Code of Ethics without the preamble.

Retaining New Students

This a proven set of follow-up principles by John Roeckeman, InterVarsity area director at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This guy knows what he’s talking about, and the ideas are simple yet profound.

Need some ideas for New Student Outreach events?

If your plans haven’t exactly gelled yet, don’t give up! There’s still time to try some fun events that will attract new students. Oh, yeah, check ‘em out: How about a barbeque or a rootbeer kegger? Maybe a bonfire or a Krispy Kreme party? There’s plenty more where these came from.

Remember what it was like for you as a freshman?

Sure you do! Meeting the people on your floor for the first time, getting used to the repetitive cafeteria menu, discovering that you are not alone in your faith (or doubts). This article calls us to remember that even though juniors and seniors have figured out the ropes, there is a new crop of students every year who aren’t quite there yet.