Developing a strategy for effective public campus ministry at the University of Ghana Adventist Students’ Fellowship in the Accra City Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

Abstract

This study explored how key Public Campus Ministry (PCM) stakeholders can develop a synergistic relationship and partnership, proposing this collaboration as the most effective strategy for advancing public campus ministry within the University of Ghana Adventist Students’ Fellowship. The objectives guiding the study were to investigate why the key stakeholders of Adventist public campus ministry have been unable to form a strong partnership in this neglected mission field, to identify what needs to be done to foster a synergetic relationship among the stakeholders of public campus ministry, and to propose definite criteria for measuring the effectiveness and success of public campus ministry. The study is descriptive, and the researcher employed a qualitative research method, primarily using semi-structured interviews. The population for this study consisted of the key stakeholders in campus ministry, including representatives from student leaders, alumni, campus pastors or chaplains, Adventist faculty, local church elders, as well as Conference and Union PCM Directors. Purposive sampling was used to select three (3) representatives from each group, making a total of eighteen (18) participants. The data collected was analyzed qualitatively using content analysis. The results were presented descriptively, with themes, sub-themes, verbatim reporting, and quotations. The implementation strategy established a Stakeholders Committee at the Accra City Conference, which commissioned the formulation of a public campus ministry manual to guide the stakeholders in their duties and responsibilities. The study revealed that the key stakeholders had a fair understanding of the importance of campus ministry and their respective responsibilities. They acknowledged the relevance of public campus ministry to the church’s mission of reaching the neglected upper class of society with the everlasting gospel. The results indicated that there is no synergy or intentional strong partnership among the key stakeholders of the University of Ghana-Ghana National Association of Adventist Students (UG-GNAAS) student fellowship—a phenomenon common to all student fellowships on public campuses in Ghana across various church conferences. Additionally, there is no common platform at the Conference level for the major stakeholders of UG-GNAAS to meet regularly to discuss the challenges and progress of the ministry. The study highlighted that creating and nurturing a strong relationship among these stakeholders through consistent and transparent discussions is the most effective strategy for successful campus ministry. The study concludes that the church’s investment in and attention to campus ministry is the most progressive and strategic approach to fulfilling the mission of the Three Angels’ Messages. The study recommends that Conference and Union leaders of the Church should consider it part of their core mandate to provide strategic direction for PCM and to ensure the establishment of an active and functional campus ministry stakeholders committee, which should periodically organize larger stakeholders’ forums for the ministry.