resources

Here are a few items which are instrumental to the ministry of Chi Alpha – we want to share them with you.  If we can help you obtain copies, or gain access to these items – please reach out to us at info@tulsaxa.com.

Books

Celtic Way of Evangelism                 George Hunter

This resource is required reading for student leadership in Chi Alpha.  If you would like a copy we have them available for you at no cost.

 The Master Plan of Evangelism      Robert Coleman

This resource is required reading for student leadership in Chi Alpha.  If you would like a copy we have them available for you at no cost.

ONLINE RESOURCES

PLR (Portable Leadership Resource)

A collection of teachings on key elements of campus ministry:

• Prayer / Spiritual Empowerment
• Outreach
• Discipleship
• Leadership
• Bible
• Theology
• XA 101 & Tribes

This resource can be made available, by arrangement, through Google Classroom.  Contact Dacia Perkins – dacia@tulsaxa.com for information.

LTC (GO)                           

This is The National Ministry Center’s online resource – it’s available at:   www.chialpha.com/leadership-training-class/

CHI ALPHA FIRE BIBLE

Chi Alpha has partnered with FireBible to offer a Bible reading experience tailored specifically for university students through a Pentecostal Perspective that has never been done before!

Reserve one at:  https://chialpha.com/product/chi-alpha-firebible/

SANDWICH BOARDS

What it is:

An outreach where people wear posters and engage people on a certain topic, question, etc.

What you need:

• At least 2 people
• 2 foam boards per person and a pair of dollar-tree suspenders
• 2 strap to keep them together in the wind
• Markers

Optional:  a handout or invitation cards, sidewalk chalk around your area, a flash mob.

Be aware of:

Spectacle aware people have a hard time with sandwich boards for some reason.

What makes it great:

• This outreach is also – very high contact. And generally low content.
• More mobile (this can be a bad thing à some campuses have an ‘away from table problem’ or a misunderstanding of free speech).
• On the other hand – this can allow you to connect with a lot more of your campus. There are huge swaths of people who do NOT come into your Student Union during regular hours.  There are people who walk from a dorm to class – or a parking lot to class – who never traffic the “tabling” areas of your campus – who would be thrilled to come to XA.  In fact, I would venture to say those people are often less involved in campus life obligations, many of them will respond very favorably when invited to your small group.
• A little higher capacity to create Buzz on campus.
• What type of content to do here? You can get pretty creative:
• Quizzes are good
• 2×2 is good
• The End is Near
• I would suggest a handout or cards – it won’t get read quite as much as your 7ss, depending on your content.

RENT-A-FRIEND

What it is:

An outreach (generally a table) where you connect people in XA with people who are interested in signing up to hang out with them.

What you need:

• Ideally, several student leaders (pre-recruited student leaders to do the follow-up).
• A tablecloth
• A couple 3-ring binders (bonus for the type that you can put a printed cover sheet in).
• A sign-up sheet/application
• A profile form for your student leaders

Optional: A sign, a web form/google-form, a media release,

Be aware of:

…making it clear that we’re not running a dating service.  I only match guys with guys and girls with girls.  Obviously, this is getting a little tricker nowadays.

…most people who respond initially will not respond to the follow-up (in our experience anyway).  If you’re batting 20%, you’re doing GREAT!

 What makes it great:

• This is working off a core-competency that we should have – or should be developing anyway… Follow-Up. It’s just repackaging our follow-up efforts as a front-line outreach strategy.
• So, we should view follow-up as an outreach anyway – this is a whole ‘nother message. We work SO hard to generate good contacts – visitors to our worship services or smallgroup Bible studies – and then often we view the follow-up on those events as a chore instead of what it is – the hottest contact outreach we can do – I mean, these are people who are so interested that they actually showed up.  But, in Rent-a-Friend, we’re getting kind of the next best thing – an excuse to do follow-up on an interested group of people – but in bigger numbers than we probably get to do with our regular weekly follow-up.
• Obviously, there is a bit of the ludicrous at work here – and that is part of what makes it work.
• I offer a ‘risk-free-guarantee’. “You can try it out risk-free for 30 days.  If for any reason you are unsatisfied with your friend at the end of the first 30 days – you can trade them for a different one – no questions asked.” I have also played around with ‘Premium’ level friends (mostly student leaders) as opposed to the normal-level friends (mostly staff).

FREE CONVERSATIONS

 What it is:

An outreach (generally a table) where you talk to new people about whatever they want to talk about.

What you need:

• Probably one to three people.
• A sign
• A tablecloth
  Optional: A suggested topics list, a second-wave resource,

Be aware of:

…People who are already in XA, but don’t get what we’re trying to accomplish à they can blow up your day.  It might be smartest to give your group some heads-up in advance.  Or find a nice way to communicate to your people that it’s not for them.

…steering conversations toward spiritual topics early on.  In the long run it’s probably not necessary.  View the table more as a place to make new connections and develop relationships – and as a place for students outside your group to be listened to – than a place to share content. 

…crosstalk.  If your table is within really close proximity with another XAlpha worker – it may make it difficult for the conversation to be very personal.  Try not to cross-talk with your co-laborer’s people.

 What makes it great:

• Day-in day-out, this is may be my favorite outreach. It has consistently brought people into the fellowship.  Plus, it’s easy,
• It’s a place that less experienced student volunteers and student leaders can participate successfully.
• Have solid list of extra questions at the ready for those times you get someone who isn’t much of a talker.
• Try not to go full ‘interrogation mode’. Don’t just fire off your list of questions.  I generally start with “what would you like to talk about?”  Generally, people don’t have an idea on that, so I might go on to “How is your day going?” or “Where are you from?”, or “What do you like to do for fun?”
• Other than that – it’s actually pretty foolproof. Have fun.

QUIZ/CHALLENGE/QUESTION-OF-THE-DAY ~ GIVEAWAY

What it is:

An outreach that works with people’s competitiveness and interests to make connections and possibly generate contacts.

What you need:

• 1 or more people.
• A tablecloth
• A sign

Optional: something to give away.  There are 2 ways to approach that.  You get the question/challenge, etc. correct à you immediately get a prize (this builds some excitement, people form a line, etc.) -or- you get the question/challenge, etc. correct à you get put in a drawing for a bigger prize (this can build even more excitement, depending on the item you are giving away).

Be aware of:

…there may be certain restrictions on prizes/giveaways on your specific campus.  To be completely accurate – all raffles are illegal in Oklahoma – generally nobody cares.

What makes it great:

• Very easy to run and self-explanatory
• One advantage is that you can collect contact information easily with a giveaway involved.
• You can probably help yourself out a little by putting a checkbox for “Interested in a Bible Study” or “Tell me more about XA” or something that lets people opt out who aren’t going to be interested.
• I often give away a lot of prizes for wrong answers.

INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUR

(CAFE XA / CHAI ALPHA / CONVERSATIONAL ENGLISH CLUB)

What it is:

An outreach (kind of a lower input event) where you can connect with international students.  Particularly those who are interested in polishing their conversational English skills.

What you need:

• 2 or more staff or student leaders.
• A room (ideally a spot you can reserve, on-campus is probably ideal, a place where you can serve coffee might ideal).
• Advertisement: Flyers, posters, sidewalk chalk, table-tents, t-shirts, lawn signs, campus paper ad, club announcements.

Optional: Coffee/tea, snacks, a short conversational English lesson and/or talking points to guide a conversation (e.g., “Tell your conversation partner about your favorite trip you have taken” or “Describe your family members to each other”). 

Be aware of:

…there are certain sensitivities that are involved in working with an international audience.  You should start with student leaders who are able to navigate those sensitivities. 

What makes it great:

• …many international students are comparatively dedicated students – it is a good idea to plan your outreach for a time in the week that works for their schedules. This is particularly true if a majority of the students you invite come from a certain department or graduate program.
• …as the outreach grows, it may be a good idea to develop more programming for international students in your fellowship (e.g., XAi training, host families, cultural outings, ThanksFest, etc.).
• XAi or International Student ministry is one of the best aspects of the campus mission field. It’s also GREAT experience for students in developing a larger understanding of the world. International student ministry is a great experience in conjunction with (and in preparation for) short-term missions opportunities.