Creative Ideas for Outreach Tables

October 28, 2025

What Is the Mission?

Before committing to any project, the purpose must be established. Understanding what you're doing and why you're doing it is key to faithfully accomplishing outreach tables. This can begin with a simple mission statement. The mission statement typically entails one to a few keywords which your outreach tables will actively seek to pursue. The mission statement for Collegians For Christ as well as these outreach tables, being a biproduct of CFC, is,


"Reaching college students by teaching the truth of God's Word and providing connection opportunities in order to impact our world with the Gospel!"


By looking at this mission statement we see that the outreach tables are for the purpose of reaching the secular campus, teaching students of the Bible study to outreach, connecting students with other students, and impacting the campus as a whole with the Gospel.

How Is this Mission Accomplished?

Following the mission statement to abide by is key towards efficient and organized tables, but how do you go about accomplishing the mission statement? A wonderful way to make sure every project in ministry is going by its specific mission statement is to ask questions. Using the statement above, you may ask,

  • "does this outreach table reach the university students well?"
  • "am I seeing the members of my ministry connecting with each other and being taught about God through these projects?"
  • "has there been an evident impact for the Gospel through these tables?

Asking yourself these questions and analyzing the tables by the framework of the mission statement can actively help you to adjust your projects, fruitfully growing your ministry and glorifying God. Make sure to consistently debrief the setup, process, and outcome of every outreach table in full.

Outreach Tables

Outreach tables are wonderful ways for college ministries to reach out to students on university campuses. They can range from comfortable and caring to personal and thought-provoking. The types of outreach tables in their creativity, purpose, set-up, and efficacy are endless. Some tables will need a trusted team of students from your ministry. For example, 2-4 equipped and trained students, who attend your Bible study, to stand behind the outreach table in guiding and serving the recipients of the table. Other outreach tables might be better with an older leader so that the recipient can more personally interact with the given prompts. You may have more thought-provoking tables which will require knowledgeable leaders to be seated behind the table. Remember, there is nothing new under the sun, so utilizing outside ideas in new ways for your outreach table is perfectly acceptable! Searching, "outreach table ideas," on Pinterest can easily be a tool for your creativity. Below, you will find a variety of creative ideas for outreach tables which have proven to be beneficial.

What's On Your Mind?

The focus of this table is the question, "What's on your mind?"



Reaching out to the students on a personal level, breaking the ice between you and their heart, to shine the light of Jesus is the greatest goal of college ministries. Finding a way to do this softly is where this table comes in. This table has a displayette of the question, "What's on your mind?", facing both directions of a pathway in front of the table. Having this question visible opens up the minds of the students to begin to analyze themselves. In front of the displayette are notecards with sharpies and three jars with the words, "gratitude," "grief," and "guidance," written on them. This allows the students, once analyzing the state of their minds and positions of their hearts, to write whatever personal prayer they might need to share. This table works well with 2 leaders and/or students sitting behind the table to present a comfortable and approachable space for students to either write their thoughts or even begin to talk about what is on their minds.

Exam Gift Bags

Exam gift bag tables are wonderful ways to show the students on campus that you care about their well-being. Having gift bags with a couple pieces of candy, electrolyte packets, wristbands, pens with the logo of your ministry and more can advertise your ministry while giving the students products they may need to prepare for their upcoming exams. More importantly, this table can open the door for conversations, such as talking about peace in times of stress. Exams are a stressful time for most any student, and all of them are seeking peace in their minds as they prepare for the exams. Being at a table, before the students, with gift bags, providing care, shows them that you are able to present them with comfort and peace. You are offering them immediate comfort as well as a Bible study, a community which will lead to long-term peace in Christ Jesus.

Envelopes of Encouragement

This table's focus is sharing the Word of God and encouraging the students walking by.



Having a displayette with a straight-to-the-point summary of the purpose of the table is useful for quickly catching the eye of any student walking by. For example, this table has, "take your pick!" It tells the student that they are being asked to take something of their choice. Having the tripod with the board, "Envelopes of Encouragement," shows the student that there is a quick and easy way for them to pick up some encouragement. Every student needs encouragement. Every person has struggles and nobody would deny a quick way to find relief from those struggles, or added strength to get through those struggles. This table approaches the struggles in the students' lives in a fun way, allowing them to take part in some mystery and chance.

Within each envelope is a card, containing both a verse and an application of encouragement. This effectively presents the Word of God to the recipient while also directing them in the way it should be applied, not leaving the Bible up to random interpretation, but deliberate Spirit-filled wisdom. Examples of these cards are:

  • "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." 1 Peter 5:7
  • Give your worries to God, let go and let God love you.
  • "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3:5
  • When things are confusing, look to God. He is the truth!
  • "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:9
  • No matter what happens or where you go, God is with you! Be strong.
  • "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 
  • I don’t have to stress, when I am following God, I am safe. 
  • "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1
  • God is there for me, in every moment He is the only place of safety.
  • "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
  • Be grateful for what you have! You woke up this morning, life is a gift!
  • "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6
  • We can’t be good enough on our own, we need Jesus!


Prayer-Box

The Prayer-Box table is a fantastic way to reach the students in deep personal connection. This table presents a locked wooden box beside notecards and pens along with a displayette which says, "Can we pray for you?" Whether you have leaders comfortably sitting at the table, or an unmanned and approachable table, most every student is willing to receive an offer of prayer. Having leaders at the table can be a great way to spark personal conversation with the students. While having the table run itself can be a great way for students to understand that your ministry is reaching out, but not invasive, thus offering personal prayer.

Give it a try!

Your next step now is to either gather a team of students or to get out on campus and watch the Lord work! There are numerous ways to reach out to the ripe harvest of college campuses. Utilize these outreach table ideas and many others as you seek to glorify Jesus with the mission of the Gospel!

Communicating the Gospel through Scripture

By Kyle Austin • October 21, 2025
There are various ways to communicate the Gospel to people. There is not a set 1-2-3 method. We will walk through one method that has proven to be extremely effective and easy to remember. After we ask our spiritual discovery question of, "If you died today, where would you go?” typical responses will be something like: “I hope Heaven.” “I think Heaven.” “I’m not really sure.” “Can I really know?” “You can’t really be sure.” From there you can ask permission once again and follow with one of these questions: “Can I show you how you can know 100% for sure you can go to Heaven from the Bible?” “Do you mind if I show you what the Bible says about that?” “Do you have a few minutes for me to show you how to receive the gift of eternal life?”  If they answer yes, they have given you permission to share the Gospel. Use the Bible and walk through the gospel. Allow the person to see and read the scriptures for themselves. It is helpful to mark your Bible with the following verses by highlighting the verse and then writing the next verse on the page somewhere so you know where to go next. Memorize and know these verses inside and out.

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Dancing with Sin

By Jeremy Goldsborough • March 19, 2025
Lust and sin are two words commonly used in Christian communities. But I am willing to bet that if you went up to anybody on the street, on a college campus, at your local grocery store, they would be able to talk about lust and sin. This being that there has never been a person to ever exist, who has not dealt with lust and sin. Whether that is stealing, cheating, inappropriately looking, rudely speaking, or doing anything against the character of God. So often do people dance with sin. Attraction to Sin In Genesis 19, when Lot and his family are running away from Sodom, Lot’s wife disobeys the Lord and looks behind back at the city. Though she is running away from Sodom, her eyes were set back at a city filled sin. We, so often, can be like Lot’s wife; with our feet directed towards God, running toward Him, away from sin, but with our eyes and our hearts still set on sin. We can be internally dancing with sin, being no different than Lot’s wife. Implications of Sin Sin is not a light term, the definition of it being an immoral act against God, ”means that it is going directly against the most perfect, good, just, righteous, Creator of all things. He sets morality up for a purpose, not as a vain set of rules. So, we should listen when God says to do something, otherwise expect there to be consequences. We cannot hide sin, even the smallest of dances with it bleeds into every aspect of our lives. It will affect our relationships, energy, thoughts, and walk with God. The Devil rejoices in the aftermath of sin, how far he can take you away from God. This being the ideas of unbelief, struggle, worry, anxiety. Though the consequences of sin linger, the redemption, new creation, freedom, liberty, and victory found in Christ is forever! Victory over Sin Even the simplest dances with sin are dangerous, but in God there is complete victory! Stay on the straight and narrow path, focus on the Way, the Truth, and the Life, that is Jesus Christ. Be in the Word of God, seek to abide in Him and He will abide in you. Think back to Lot’s wife, she might’ve been doing the right things, trying to work her way back to safety, but her heart wasn’t in it. She was dancing with sin. So leave this dance, it doesn’t last. Eternal life is far greater than a fading moment in this world. Have your feet and eyes directed on Him, do not look back. Greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world.

Trust in the Direction not the Destination

By Jeremy Goldsborough • February 10, 2025
Many of us build five-year plans, but we forget that where we think we’ll end up may be vastly different than where the Lord has planned. Our eternal destination is Heaven, but our daily destination on Earth is uncertain. The only certainty as followers of Christ is the direction of the Way Who is Jesus. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Hebrews 11:8-10 Abraham stepped out in faith, not knowing the destination, only the direction. He went out and sojourned because he trusted the God Who called him. Abraham immediately stepped out in pure faith when God called him to a promised land, when God said He would provide Abraham with descendants, and when God called Abraham to sacrifice his only son. What would it take for us today to step out in pure faith? Would we be content with a direction and not a detailed destination? Many times, the Lord gave directions for Abraham to follow, without sight of a destination. But every step Abraham took with God was immediate and out of pure faith. Abraham should have questioned everything, but he didn’t. And because he didn’t, God provided. We overwhelm ourselves, we worry, we fall, because we misplace our eyes. Our eyes need to look to nothing more than each step led by Jesus. Abraham not only sojourned in a strange land, but this land was of a promise. We are, “heirs with him of the same promise.” Just as Abraham looked for the city “whose builder and maker is God,” let us stay with the Direction, not the destination, Who is Christ Jesus!

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CFC Bible Certificate Program

By Kyle Austin • August 20, 2024
Collegians for Christ is offering the opportunity for currently enrolled ECU or Pitt CC students to earn a one year CFC Bible Certificate or a two year CFC Advanced Bible Certificate. Classes meet in the fall and spring semesters. Three classes will be offered each semester with each class meeting for four weeks. Students will receive a notebook with all the covered content. Each class will only have two short homework assignments to complete. The goal is to help you grow in your biblical knowledge and faith, equip you to know what you believe and why you believe it, and learn how to make an impact as a believer in our culture and your vocation. To earn the CFC Bible certificate, a student must complete six classes and to earn the Advanced Bible Certificate the student must complete all twelve classes. Students can enroll in the certificate program at the beginning of any semester. Classes are held each Thursday 3:45-4:45pm at the CFC Campus House Beginning Sept. 5th, 2024 You can get more info on class offerings and how to register here .
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