One of my favorite things about student ministry is the time I get to spend talking to students and ministering to them one-on-one. I think that’s when the real ministry moments happen and students are able to break down the barriers they so carefully and purposefully createaround themselves when they’re with other people their same age.

When it comes to individual ministry though, something I’ve had to learn is that not all students respond to the same type of communication. That kind of seems like a no-brainer, but it didn’t come so easily to me.

Here’s one example in the small group I have this year: I have one student that responds amazingly well to just sitting somewhere, ignoring everything else that’s going on and talking face-to-face. We’ve had the most amazing, connecting moments doing this, and that’s when the most ministry has happened for him. On the other hand, I have a guy who has a big problem focusing in a one-on-one, face-to-face setting. I’ve had to learn that actually communicating via text with him is the best way for him to focus and get something out of our conversations.

It was hard for me to make that adjustment, because my natural tendency is to assume everyone communicates the same way. Obviously this isn’t true. We just need to be able to find a way to key in to whatever a particular student needs most.

Question: How have you had to adapt the way you communicate with students to minister effectively? Let me know here.