What is the Ohio Confluence Project?

Let’s start with a definition: Confluence can mean: 1) the flowing together of two or more streams, rivers, or the like; 2) the place of junction; 3) a body of water formed by the flowing together of two or more streams, rivers, or the like; 4) a coming together of people or things; concourse; or 5) a crowd or throng; assemblage.

Ohio Collegiate Ministries has combined these definitions of “confluence” to describe the connecting of youth ministry to collegiate ministry and the transitioning of high school seniors into their freshmen year of college.  Our goal is to see the gap between Ohio youth ministries and Ohio collegiate ministries nullified.  More specifically, we want to see every college-bound graduating senior plugged into a campus ministry or collegiate church plant within one week of arriving on the college campus. Why should we make such a big deal of this “confluence” idea?  There are a bunch of reasons: here are a few of the most striking:

THE FIRST THREE WEEKS: Typically, the first three weeks of the freshmen year make or break a student’s college career—and in some cases beyond.  The decisions freshmen make early on about how to work, learn, recreate, and connect are pivotal to their success academically, relationally, and spiritually.  Collegiate ministries and the relationships they offer create a powerful stabilizing dynamic.  Students involved with campus ministries or collegiate church plants find a healthy spiritual community and they are often accelerated in their walk with Christ.

THE COLLEGE CLIFF: Research shows that during the college years, 70-80% of students actively involved in youth groups drop out of or disconnect from church.  While about half of the dropouts return post-college, many do not.  And those who do return miss the benefits of biblical community, four years of growth in Christ, and a boatload of opportunities like mission projects, retreats, and road trips all over the world.

THE MULTIPLICATION CYCLE:   Essentially, there are three ways ministries can grow.  The first is by conversion or students coming to know Christ on campus as believers share the gospel and nonbelievers accept Christ as their Savior and Lord.  The second type is transfer growth or students moving or shifting from one campus ministry into your campus ministry.  This growth is okay, but it is not the best.  The third type is biological growth, and for collegiate ministries that means growing by welcoming in a new and robust crop of freshmen each year.  This type of growth can be tough, but it can be extremely rewarding.  Just think, if you get a student plugged into your program before they even arrive on campus, it gives that freshman and his or her ministry both all types of opportunities for growth.  When churched students plug into campus ministries, we find great potential for lives of immense influence and ministry impact.  Many of these freshmen are filled to the brim with biblical background, church understanding, and a hunger for spiritual meaning. If connected and challenged appropriately, these churched kids could unleash the multiplication of believers, churches, and campus ministries in ways we have yet to comprehend.

THE CHURCH IN DECLINE: Since the 1980s church observers have warned that the Church in North America is plateaued and on the verge of decline.  In 2010, the decline is becoming more acute.  If we truly want to see more people come to know Christ, more churches planted and grown, and Ohio Collegiate Ministries sustained in the long-term, we must become more effective at keeping, growing, developing, and sending out church kids as leaders within new and existing churches.  Throughout history, God has often brought about awakening and revival through college students.  How can we see the church invigorated and growing again?  One way is to infuse a deep relationship with Christ and spiritual passion into the lives of students.       

The Confluence Project is a series of initiatives designed to connect Ohio SBC youth students and youth leaders and Ohio Baptist Collegiate Ministry students and directors.  The health and connectivity between these two groups (“confluence”) is essential and beneficial to youth, collegians, youth pastors, campus ministers, and churches.  The primary Confluence initiatives are as follows:

FRESHMEN FUSION – The Freshmen Fusion event is a weekend retreat created specifically for graduated high school seniors heading off for their freshmen year of college.  Students attending Fusion get a first hand glimpse of college life through the lens of collegiate ministry.  Throughout the weekend, freshmen work in family groups (complete with an upperclassmen “mom” and “dad”), to process and discuss what it takes to be successful in college.  Discussion/collaboration topics include: healthy relationships, time management, study habits, knowing God, and much more.  Students will also do college style worship services and a little recreation along the way.  If you want to see your graduating seniors thrive in college, encourage them to attend this year’s Freshmen Fusion.  The event takes place at Ohio State over the weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of July 31 and August 1st.  Cost for the event is only $30 and this fee will cover five meals and one night of lodging.  For more information about this event, check out the OCM website www.ohiocollegiateministries.com or contact Paige Daniel (614.827.1748 or pdaniel@scbo.org).  The drop-dead registration deadline for this event is Wednesday, July 14, 2010.

CONNECTION SUNDAYS – The basic idea of Connection Sundays is that current college students meet high school students on their own church turf to connect with them about God, college life, and collegiate ministry.  Connections Sundays can take place at any church around Ohio on most any weekend throughout the year. 

• WHAT? Here is how connection Sundays roll:
  • Sunday School: A team of our OCM students comes to your church to lead/teach Sunday school for high school students, especially those who are in their junior or senior years.  When schedules allow, college students from OCM may also come to help connect collegiate ministry with middle schoolers.
  • Worship Service: During the worship service, an OCM leader takes ten minutes to provide a brief testimonial about Ohio Collegiate Ministries, sharing with students, their parents, and the congregation about our passion for college students and the value of collegiate ministry for students, their churches, and our state.
  • Student Preaching: We also have a group of college students in speaking/preaching training, so if your church would like to have a college student share the message for worship that morning, that is available—but it is not a requirement for a successful Connection Sunday.
  • Pizza Lunch w/ Q&A Panel: In advance of the service, the local youth leader/student pastor extends an invitation to all juniors and seniors to attend a pizza luncheon (or similar) following the worship service, where college life and OCM are discussed in detail through a panel question and answer format with the college students. IMPORTANT: The cost of this meal needs to be covered by the local church.    
  WHEN?  If you would like to do a Connection Sunday, please contact Brian Frye (bfrye@scbo.org or 614.827.1750).  Event dates are scheduled on a first come, first served basis, so please make reservations as early as possible.
  WHERE?  The entire OCM Connection Sunday will take place at your church.  Generally, we’ve done luncheons in fellowship halls, but if another venue is more fitting, that’s great.
  HOW?   OCM Connection Sundays can take place because of the prayers of local churches and their continued support of the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention.  OCM is able to reach, develop, and launch students into ministry and missions from Ohio to points around the globe because local churches remain passionate about working together in the Great Commission.
  WHY?   Simply put, we know the importance of reaching out and connecting with future college students, and we know the benefits of collegiate ministry involvement. If Ohio Southern Baptists are committed to reaching the lost and strengthening believers, their families, and their churches, we must do everything possible to develop our next generation of leaders during “the wonder years” of youth & college.  That’s why we do what we do.

YOUTH EVANGELISM CELEBRATION – Each year several thousand high school students from around Ohio converge upon the Nutter Center in Dayton, for the annual Youth Evangelism Celebration (YEC).  For Ohio Collegiate Ministries, YEC is an incredible venue to connect with and recruit current and future incoming college freshmen.  At YEC, OCM students and directors: 1) sponsor a connection booth for high school seniors, 2) spend time in the YEC prayer room praying for the event, 3) do counseling and gospel presentations for those making spiritual decisions, 4) host a hospitality room for youth pastors and youth leaders, and 5) teach on the fly training with the Soularium evangelism tool.  Why do college students take part in YEC?  It is because they understand the importance of the investment cycle—those in whom we invest today will be leading our ministries and churches tomorrow.

YOUTH IMPACT WEEKS – On Wednesday nights in July, OCM students visit youth summer camp at Seneca Lake.  Sponsored by Ohio Youth Ministries, these three Impact Weeks provide another avenue for our OCM college students to connect with incoming college freshmen.  While at Seneca Lake, OCM sponsors a late night pizza gathering and a college question and answer panel for high school graduates.  Any question goes during our late night discussion, and both current and future college students benefit from the relationships initiated during these gatherings.

SUPER SUMMER – Every third week in June, Ohio Youth Ministries sponsors a high-octane specialized leadership and discipleship camp designed to take our best Ohio youth and make them even better.  In keeping with the theme of investment, we imbed our best OCM student leaders into Super Summer to: 1) enhance ties between youth and college students, 2) give real-life examples of college students living their faith, and 3) reinforce the priority of always investing in the next generation.  The results have paid great dividends as Super Summer students continue to plug into ministries the moment they arrive on the college campus (and sometimes before).