Vision for Campus Ministry at University Reformed Church

University Reformed Church (URC) is a theologically conservative, evangelical, reformed church in East Lansing, MI. We are located 1½ miles from Michigan State University (MSU) and have always existed with a heart for the university. URC is a congregation with an average morning worship attendance of 600, which includes faculty, staff, graduate, and undergraduate students from MSU, as well as many who are not a part of the university. 49,000 students are currently enrolled at MSU, including 6,600 international students.

URC is committed to reaching the campus, and one specific way in which that goal is happening is through the Spartan Christian Fellowship (SCF), the campus ministry of URC. The vision of SCF is “Exulting in the reality that our only comfort in life and death is our faithful Savior Jesus Christ, by making disciples on the college campus.”

SCF embraces both its close role within the congregation of URC and an aggressive discipleship mentality on campus. There is a strong connection between SCF and the congregation, which enables many students to interact with church families, while still having a strong campus presence through weekly meetings and Bible studies. God willing, at some point in the future, URC desires to send a campus team out to plant another ministry at a like-minded church by a college campus.

URC is looking for an Associate Campus Ministry Director (ACMD) to help with the overall vision of SCF, and specifically to oversee the women’s ministry.

Description of Position

The Associate Campus Ministry Director is a full-time, fully-funded position, who will be hired to make disciples on campus. The nature of campus ministry requires flexibility in travel, as there are a number of key events that take place outside of East Lansing. The main focus of this position is leading the women’s ministry; therefore this position is reserved for female applicants.

The ACMD should be a member, or willing to become a member, of University Reformed Church. She should also expect to participate in a URC Small Group, as well as attend a Sunday morning and Sunday Evening Services at URC.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

The qualified candidate for Associate Director of Campus Ministry will know and love God and His Word, and will be a true disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, the candidate’s Christian witness will be evidenced by the following:

• Strong knowledge of God’s Word, with the ability to apply its wisdom to the everyday personal and congregational life
• Fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work is visible in her life (Galatians 5)
• A history of commitment to one’s local church through membership and service
• A Reformed and complementarian understanding of Scripture
• Agreement with URC’s Statement of Faith and a willingness to adhere to URC’s membership covenant
• Agreement with the Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, and the Canons of Dort. Any disagreements with our confessional standards does not disqualify a candidate, but should be noted in the applicant’s cover letter.

The qualified candidate also will fulfill the following educational, professional and personal requirements:

• Bachelors degree required
• Demonstrated experience sharing the Gospel
• Demonstrated experience training believers for ministry
• Relational, hospitable, good with people
• Self-motivated and disciplined

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead the Women’s Ministry of SCF

a. Provide overall vision for the women’s ministry
b. Disciple women regularly, in small groups and one-on-one
c. Help equip and train other staff women
d. Be available as a resource for other student women, meeting with them periodically
e. Identify special needs and issues amongst student women, and network them with other women to encourage growth and accountability—this includes retreats and women’s events
f. Coordinate discipleship relationships between congregational women and student women

2. Evangelize the students of MSU

a. Active in meeting new students and sharing with them the good news of Jesus Christ
b. Train student leaders in the area of evangelism, including contact evangelism
c. Lead a weekly Bible study on campus
d. Be an active part in making the weekly large group meeting effective
e. Help plan and participate in SCF events that help welcome new students

3. Establish students in the truths of Christianity

a. Help students get plugged into the congregational life of URC
b. One on One Relationships
c. Regular Sunday attendance
d. Other new ways to enhance the student to congregation dynamic
e. Service/ministry opportunities within the church
f. Teach the core truths of Christianity to young students so they are solid in the faith
g. Help them see the importance of godly fruit and how it flows from grace

4. Equip students to be life-long laborers in the church

a. Be able to articulate to a student the importance and content of URC’s theology
b. Disciple a student with a vision for spiritual reproduction
c. Head – what a student should know
d. Heart – what a student should feel
e. Hands – what a student should do
f. Give a student a vision for world evangelization and mercy ministry through:

i. Supporting and/or providing missions training
ii. Participating in short term mission trips during spring break/summer break

5. Export students into the world as a Christian who labors in the lives of other people

a. Help a student move from the campus to post-college successfully
b. Help students see the centrality of the church in God’s redemptive work

6. Work closely with campus ministry staff for a team-approach in ministry

a. Meet together weekly with the campus staff team to discuss relevant issues/events
b. Lead other staff women
c. Submit to the greater good of the team and the overall vision of SCF
d. Pray together weekly with URC staff for the campus, the church, relevant issues, upcoming events, etc.
e. Regularly pray for the ministry and students, including a prayer day each semester

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, and list of references to:

University Reformed Church
Attn: Jon Saunders
841 Timberlane St.
East Lansing, MI 48823.

Or by email at:
jsaunders@urc-msu.org

Interviews will begin in mid-June.

1. Vision for International Ministry at University Reformed Church

University Reformed Church (URC) is a theologically conservative, evangelical, reformed church in East Lansing, MI. We are  located 1½ miles from Michigan State University (MSU) and have always existed with a heart for the university. With an enrollment of nearly 6,600 international students, MSU has the 9 th largest international population on any college campus in the nation. We have around 600 people in Sunday morning worship, which includes over 100 college students and several dozen internationals. URC has had a ministry to international students for over 25 years. Currently, our ministry includes a Sunday  morning international class called Spartan International Christian Fellowship (SICF), an evangelistic Bible study called  Christianity Explored (CE), and a conversational ESL program.

It is our vision that we as a church body would love, evangelize, and disciple internationals while they are here, so that they would be prepared to live for the Lord and influence His Church wherever He takes them after their studies at MSU conclude. The primary goal, then, is to train internationals for ministry in the global church. The primary means of carrying out this goal is through the members of our local church (including other internationals). The International Ministry Director (IMD) will play an  important role in modeling and training others for the work of ministry.

2. Description of Position

The International Ministry Director is a new, full-time, fully-funded position, who will be hired to equip and encourage the church body to do the ministry of evangelism and discipleship with internationals. This will involve casting vision, training, and deploying both internationals and nationals from URC to fulfill the goal of reaching and discipling the nations in our backyard.  See #4 for key responsibilities.

The IMD should be a member, or willing to become a member, of University Reformed Church. They are also expected to participate in a URC Small Group, as well as attend a Sunday morning and Sunday Evening Services at URC.

3. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

The qualified candidate for International Ministry Director will know and love God and His Word, and will be a true disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, the candidate’s Christian witness will be evidenced by the following:

• Strong knowledge of God’s Word, with the ability to apply its wisdom to the everyday personal and congregational life
• A man, not otherwise disqualified for the position of church elder (Titus 1 & 1 Timothy 3)
• Fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work is visible in his life (Galatians 5)
• A history of commitment to one’s local church through membership and service
• A Reformed and complementarian understanding of Scripture
• Agreement with URC’s Statement of Faith and a willingness to adhere to URC’s membership covenant
• Agreement with the Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, and the Canons of Dort.
• Any disagreements with our confessional standards does not disqualify a candidate, but should be noted in applicant’s cover letter.

The qualified candidate also will fulfill the following educational, professional and personal requirements:

• Bachelors degree required; seminary degree desired but not required
• Demonstrated experience sharing the Gospel with internationals
• Demonstrated experience training believers for ministry
• Relational, hospitable, good with people
• Sensitive to cultures and demonstrated humility in regards to his own culture (extra consideration is
• given to those who have lived cross-culturally)
• Self-motivated and disciplined

4. Key Responsibilities

Train and Equip Christian Internationals for Ministry

• Develop and maintain an overall strategy for making disciples that includes training in evangelism, personal Bible study,  discipleship skills, leading Bible studies and small groups, church polity, etc.
• Recruit and train international Christians to partner with ministry leadership
• Identify and help equip believing internationals for possible church leadership roles (elder, deacon, deaconess, or Growth Group leader)

Create and Coordinate Bible Teaching Opportunities for Believing and Unbelieving Internationals

• Lead Sunday morning’s SICF class with the International Ministry Team
  • Teach at and recruit teachers for Sunday meetings
  • Recruit and train international worship leaders for SICF class
  • Recruit and train small group facilitators for Sunday meetings
• Coordinate Bible studies outside of Sunday mornings
• Train disciplers from the church to meet one-on-one with international students

Represent International Ministry to the URC Church Body

• Coordinate our 4 arms of International Ministry: CE, ESL, SICF, and Bible studies. Work with each “arm” to identify and implement a written process including measurable goals for the evangelizing and training of international Christians.
• Recruit and train new volunteers for these ministries as needed
• Present one face to the congregation for international ministry
• Preach or lead in prayer for Sunday worship services at least 3 times/year

Encourage URC Members to Befriend Internationals

• Invite URC members to participate in MSU activities (e.g. the International Coffee Hour) in order to build relationships with non-Christians
• Identify and facilitate hospitality activities
• Ensure follow-up occurs after visitors attend church events; track attendance
• Create opportunities and recruit church families to regularly exercise hospitality by inviting and enfolding internationals into their homes and lives

Pray

• Gather international ministry leaders periodically for prayer (at least quarterly)
• Pray regularly for leaders and other volunteers
• Pray regularly for international students

Administrate

• Report to the Associate Pastor
• Coordinate URC’s presence for the new student events on MSU’s campus
• Oversee budget for international ministries
• Ensure social media presence
• Ensure facilities (rooms, vehicles, campus facilities) are secured for international ministry activities
• Become a member of the Religious Advisors Association at MSU

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, and list of references to:
University Reformed Church
Attn: Ben Falconer
841 Timberlane St.
East Lansing, MI 48823.

Or by email at:
falconer@urc-msu.org

Interviews will begin in mid-May.