Individual/Elective Strategy
Individual students are developed as disciples of Christ.
Recruitment: Announcements would be made at large group meetings, brochures would be made available, and campus staff may talk with individual students about it.
Follow-Up: Campus staff may meet with students afterwards to discuss the experience and help keep students accountable for any commitments made during the program. The students who participated might also share their experience with the chapter at a large group meeting.
Staff Involvement: Staff would be involved to a small extent before and after the program, and staff would not have to attend the program.
Affect on individuals/Chapter: This option could help individuals begin thinking about urban issues, and their own calling and career goals. These students might also come back to campus and start bringing up some of these issues within the chapter.
Target Group Strategy
A group of students becomes a catalyst for bringing up issues within a chapter.
Recruitment: Campus staff or Urban Program Director would target a specific group of students (i.e. a small group, the small group leaders, students in a particular major, etc.) to participate in a program as a group (rather than as a bunch of individuals from the same school). The chapter commissions them.
Follow-Up: Follow-up would depend on the group of students and the issues that were raised for them on the program, but at the very least they should report back to the chapter about their experience. Campus staff could also work with the group afterward to discuss the program and help the students incorporate what they learned into the chapter in some way.
Staff Involvement: For this option it would be recommended that a campus staff member participate in the program with the students, but would not be necessary.
Affect on Individuals/Chapter: As with the follow-up, this would depend on the group and what issues were raised with them. Here is one possible example: A small group who has been studying the Sermon on the Mount wants to apply this passage in a practical way, and a staff member suggests they participate in an Urban Plunge. During the Plunge the group works with a church that is very active in serving its community and the small group realizes that they can be involved in a similar way on their own campus. When they get back to school they begin getting involved in service programs on campus.
Leadership Development Strategy
Chapter leaders experience an Urban Program as a team.
Recruitment: Campus staff would require the entire exec and/or small group leaders or other leaders to participate in a program as a group.
Follow-Up: Campus staff would work with the leaders to incorporate what they learn from the program into the plans they make for the following year.
Staff Involvement: It would be recommended that the campus staff member who works most closely with the exec participate in the program with them.
Affect on Individuals/Chapter: An Urban Program is a great way to build community among a team of leaders. Also, if they were to participate in a program together before planning for the next year, they could incorporate what they learned into their plans. For example: An exec works with a multi-ethnic church during an Urban Plunge, and they realize that racial reconciliation is a priority for God, and that it is possible for people of different races to worship and do ministry together. As a result, they make specific plans to begin making their own chapter more reflective of the cultural diversity on their campus. The relationships they’ve started with this church on the Plunge will be helpful to them as they begin this challenge.
Full Integration Strategy
The entire chapter is involved in Urban Programs on an ongoing basis.
Recruitment: In this form Urban Programs would be seen as training events that are just as important as Bible and Life weekends or Chapter FOCUS weeks. Recruitment would be similar to that of conferences – student leaders would begin making announcements at the beginning of the year for the various programs and would try to encourage as much of the chapter to go together as possible. Things done throughout the year such as small group Bible studies and large group speakers could focus on the topics that will be addressed on the programs.
Follow-Up: Follow-up and recruitment would be a year-round thing. Staff may help students continue the lessons learned from the program by encouraging them to start new small groups or prayer meetings centered around the themes discussed on the program. Individual follow-up might also be appropriate, especially with freshmen and potential leaders.
Staff Involvement: It would be important for staff from a campus implementing the Full Integration Model to participate as staff on the programs.
Affect on Individuals/Chapter: A chapter implementing the Full Integration option would begin to see topics such as racial reconciliation, concern for the poor and other “urban issues” as issues that are central to the message of Jesus, rather than issues that are peripheral or optional. Much of the ministry done by the chapter would in some way relate to the urban work.
