Connect Day!

We encourage you to be a part of the BCNet’s first annual “Connect Day”!  This is an intentional emphasis to help encourage college students to connect with a local church near their college campus.

Date:  Sunday, January 25^th, 2015

Purpose:  Encourage college students to choose a college church if they have not already done so.

Website:  A Connect Day website is being set-up. It will be up by November 15^th. The website address is www.connectday.org.

Why Should College Students Be Active in a Local Church?

1. For worship, Bible study and fellowship.
2. To use their spiritual gifts in service to others, which might include children, youth, senior adults, etc.
3. To be a part of a family of believers of all ages.
4. To receive pastoral and staff leadership.
5. To be involved in outreach.
6. To meet adults in the church that could serve as role models, mentors, etc.
7. To connect with and develop strong friendships with other Christian college students.
8. To either begin or continue a lifetime relationship with the local church.

Suggestions for Campus Based Christian Student Organizations

1. Meet with the Collegiate Churches in your area and discuss if January 25^th is the best day to have Connect Day for your college or university. You may want to do so on another day.
2. Provide the names and contact information of the students involved in your ministry to your local collegiate churches so they can invite them to their church.
3. Provide the names and contact information of prospects of your ministry to your local collegiate churches so they can invite them to their church.
4. Have students that are involved in a local church share a testimony about their involvement at one of your weekly worship services.
5. Have a Church Night at your weekly worship service the week before Connect Day. Ask your local churches to set up a table with information about their church.
6. Have a church table or bulletin board in your BCM Center with information about your local churches.
7. Encourage the students involved in your ministry to invite students to a local church and to Connect Day.
8. Make sure the Collegiate Churches of your college/university and their contact information is posted on the bcmlife.net website. Email Bill Noe at bill.noe@lifeway.com to do so. Each 2013 and 2014 high school graduating senior that attended World Changers, Student Life, FUGE Camps in the summer of 2013 and 2014 is being emailed information about Connect Day and invited to this website to find a local church. Over 8,000 freshmen and sophomores will receive emails about Connect Day.
9. Provide transportation to your local collegiate churches on Connect Day.

Suggestions for Church Based Collegiate Ministries

1. Partner with your local BCM to invite all attended and prospective students of the BCM to be a part of Connect Day. For the students that have already become involved in your ministry then celebrate with them. If they haven’t then invite them to visit your church.
2. Sponsor a Collegiate Student Luncheon on Connect Day. Invite your church staff to attend.
3. Ask your pastor to consider including in his invitation in the morning worship on Connect Day an invitation to college students to join the church through salvation, letter or watch care. Ask him to explain what these mean. Consider explaining these ways to join a church at a regular meeting or a luncheon during the first semester or include the information in a follow-up email or letter to college student visitors of your church.
4. As you sign in college students for the College Bible Study or Luncheon secure their current career plans. Secure adults from your church in that occupation. Ask them to follow-up with a phone call to the student during the week after Connect Day.
5. Encourage the students involved in your ministry to invite students to your church and to Connect Day.
6. Make sure the information about your church is posted on the bcmlife.net website. Email Bill Noe at bill.noe@lifeway.com to do so. Students are being directed to this website to find out information about collegiate churches.
7. Provide transportation to your church if they need it on Connect Day.