RA Group Interviews

Its Resident Assistant Group Interview night at MVNU. This is by far the most enjoyable part of our interview process. We get to see our candidates in a more relaxed atmosphere. Its fun for the candidates and the staff, its also very funny at times especially this new activity involving string, rubber bands and Solo Party cups (this came to us by way of West Palm Beach, Florida).

Residential Recycling

There are only a few more kinks to work out, but we will be hopefully have our extended recycling program introduced next week. Yes I know that this is the week before finals and there will be a lot going on, but this is will serve two purposes. First we will be able to catch a lot of the "end of the semester" trash that can be recycled, and second, this can be a quick introduction before Facility Services and Residence Life step up the recycling promotion once January Term begins.

If you think of any great ways to help promote recycling on campus, please share it with your fellow staff members.

Developing Relationships

We are now at midterm of the Fall Semester and many of our new students have developed the friendships and social groups that they may keep for the next four years. I think that it is great that our freshmen are making friends, I am a little concerned that many of them may be a little too exclusive at this point of their time in college. I say this because I am already hearing from students who have decided on their apartment groups for next school year.

Although I have no specific research to prove the next point, I do believe limited friendships can be one of the biggest reasons why students decide not to return as student. Here are three reasons: first, I think that some students leave because our students are not reaching out to them and befriending them (especially obvious with our transfer students). Second, some students do not like the person they are become, because of their friendships; these students believe that they cannot pursue new relationships due to pressures from, or proximity to current friends and these students will leave campus and blame it on the school rather than hurt their friends. The third reason results from the changing nature of personalities and friendships; as students develop as individuals or they tend to draw closer to particular friends, and other friendships can become less significant; causing frustrated friends who sometimes leave the institution rather than develop new friendships.

As Residence Life staff we should be cognizant of the development of tight friendships, cliques, and even couples who tend to be isolated from their peers. Our job is to nurture relationship development and that should not end in September. Yes, our programming options and events can be used to expand student perspectives, intellectually and socially. However, this should also be the goal in informal settings, by taking time to introduce students to others in the lobby, the cafeteria, or other opportunities that develop. Leaders should take every opportunity to build stronger bonds with people and among people they lead. This is a practice we should develop now, and take with us beyond our time in Residence Life.

Imagine the relationships that could be developed if this was practices within our churches.

Biblical Leadership

When most people think about Spirituality, leadership is not always the first thing that comes to mind. On second thought, this should not be the case since everything about who God is and who we are in God's eyes should be about leadership. God is the ultimate authority and God grants us authority here on Earth. Because of these two truthes, as believers, we should understand leadership, study leadership, and aspire to lead.

Here are some ideas about addressing leadership from a biblical perspective:

1. Bring residents together and make a list of various leaders in each of your lives. Encourage each resident to make a list of leaders that impact them and to pray for that list together and afterwards on a regular basis.

2. Have a group Bible study on a leader or various leaders in the Bible (ie. Nehemiah, Joseph, Jesus, Peter, Abraham, Joshua, Esther etc.).

3. Have a speaker come in to talk about the importance of Mentoring and Discipleship. Challenge each of your residents to cultivate these types of relationships with other students, faculty and staff.

4. Discuss the importance of godly leadership within a Christian marriage and family. How should a godly woman lead their family; how should a godly man lead
their family.

5. Have a prominent Christian leader in their field come in to talk about bringing their faith into the workplace. Have them discuss the value that their faith and scriptural truths have on them and their leadership.

6. Have a week (or month) that is devoted to servant leadership opportunities. Have residents look for ways to serve their fellow students or other people at MVNU or in a surrounding community.

7. Have someone come and talk to your residents about how to share their testimony in a way that focuses on God's work in their lives and gives Him the glory.

8. Have your residents do a spiritual gifts test or another type of strengths test that helps them understand how they can better serve the Kingdom.

9. Discuss education and knowledge and its value in christian leadership. Ask: What is God's opinion of an individual's education or the gaining of knowledge? When (if ever) do educational goals conflict with God's will?

10. I would like to see it this last topic can be discussed in the comment section of this blog: Discuss the current trend of how Christians are choosing not to serve in leadership roles. Is this biblical or is this rooted in some other philosophy? Talk about reasons why this may be happening and what impact will this have on ministry in general.

Questions for Leading.

Leadership is a very broad concept (which I eluded to in an earlier post). What are your initial ideas when you hear the word leadership? What can you narrow down the concept of leadership to? What aspects of leadership do you enjoy the most? In what venues? About what topics?

Passive Leadership Programs

The idea behind a passive program is that you find information on a subject or possibly present objects that could be easily figured out or interpreted, which could educate people through a single sighting or multiple sightings. For example if you want to do a passive program on healthy eating, you might put together a bulliton board with a variety of definitions regarding specific terms related to healthy eating (i.e. Trans Fats, Fiber, Calories etc.) with information on healty excercise, a food pyramid, and maybe some Q & A or other expert advice.


Here are some quick ideas for Passive Leadership programs:

1. Daily or Weekly Leadership Quotes.

2. A bulliton board with a variety of different leaders and their biographies. Look to do a variety of leaders and consider including Government leaders, Christian leaders, leaders that are visible Minorities, Recent leaders, Past leaders etc.

3. Read a book on leadership and write a summary of the book and include any numberical lists that might be interesting to read (i.e. John Maxwell's 21 Inrefutable Laws of Leadership or Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.)

4. Put together a blank bulliton board with cut out letters that for your residents to write their favorite leadership quotes, or even who they look to as leaders.

5. Create a list of Bible verses that have to do with leadership or could be used to help become a strong leader. Print off this list and post it for people to see (rooms, apartments, bathrooms, or halls).

6. Create a cut out of a person's body and point lines to the various parts of the body that could help describe leadership qualities. Then on 3X5 cards write about these metaphic qualities (i.e. knees for constant prayer, feet for walking away from temptation, head for growing intellectually and making good choices etc.).

7. Search on the internet or talk with faculty and staff to find out their favorite books on leadership. Then you can either create a book list (say who recommended each book), consider finding out the Library's LOC number to include on this list to make it easier to find.

I hope this helps you think of how to present one of these ideas or maybe think of another thought. Remember if you have seen something or have thought of an idea that you would like to share, please reply.

Leadership Reduced // God is Green

FROM: Travis Keller

Leadership is very complex. I have read several books on leadership along with attending conferences that include "leadership" break-out sessions. It is intriguing to read and hear all the different perspectives and ideas that surround the buzz-word topic. I have discovered that my own leadership is flawed if I do not experientially demonstrate any concept or behavior that I wish to communicate.

I have been accused lately of being a "tree-hugging-hippie" because I am a non-violent activist who has taken up reducing, reusing, and recycling. Sarah, Kyla, and I have bins in our kitchen area for the recycling of plastic, metal, cardboard, and paper. When a bin fills up I take the materials to the Knox County Recycling Center on Columbus Road. I hope my attempt to "live green" leads others to do the same.

As lovers of creation, the staff of Oakwood Hall is planning to initiate a large recycling campaign. Many automobile manufacturers and social organizations encourage people to "Live Green" by reducing oil usage and automobile emissions along with caring for streams, lakes, and rivers and preserving the natural habitat of creatures. I would contend that followers of Jesus should follow the lead of said associations not as conforming citizens but as worshipers of our Creator. God is green. He has entrusted humanity to care for ourselves and the rest of creation. We are to control our consumption and reuse our resources as stewards of Creation and as leaders.

May we reduce leading others to our own demonstration.
Live Green.