A Case for Collegiate Church Planting as a Key Strategic Mission Focus

Abstract

This dissertation argues that a strategic way to reach college students is through collegiate church planting. Chapter 1 introduces the purpose of the dissertation, provides definitions of key terms, and states the method of research. Chapter 2 expounds on the geography of the American college campus. This chapter traces the historical, cultural, and social dimensions of the American college campus. Chapter 3 defines today’s college students. This chapter delineates the characteristics of Generation Z, the generation to which today’s students belong, and how those characteristics affect college students’ views of the world. Chapter 4 charts the history of collegiate ministry in America from the Second Great Awakening to today. This chapter traces the progression of ministry on collegiate campuses from campus revivals and parachurch ministries in the nineteenth and twentieth century to the dawning of collegiate church plants today. Chapter 5 examines the nature of the church and the parachurch. This chapter considers the efficacy of local churches over parachurch ministries to reach college students in a post-modern world. Chapter 6 investigates an effective strategy for planting collegiate churches. This chapter examines different concepts within church planting to design a strategy to plant collegiate churches that reproduce more churches. Chapter 7 summarizes the findings of the research and states some conclusion.