Yesterday, the Hopkins students and I went to our weekly volunteer session at Baltimore Inner City Mission for after school tutoring. On the ride home, we had a talk about church, and the good news is that some students informed me they will be returning to visit our church again this Sunday!
Recently, I did a lot of soul searching, as to our vision in reaching out to campuses. Campus ministry (outreach ministry) is actually very different from just doing college ministry (growing existing students). Do we just want to fill the pews? Are we just trying to recruit more staff for youth/children ministry? Actually, campus ministry is much more than that; it’s a mission field, where we outreach to non-believers and believers.
I have seen many college students who weren’t Christian back at home, but at college they opened their hearts to God and accept Jesus. I have also seen college freshmen that move away from home and stray away from God and church once they get to college. But if they do commit to a church, there is so much potential for growth during this transition into adulthood. The reality is that it takes diligence and commitment for students to look for a church home after graduating high school. The students who visit are the ones who are making that effort. So let’s embrace them well and let’s keep them in prayer.
This Sunday is a good Sunday for them to visit, as it’s Communion Sunday (a powerful proclamation of the Gospel) and we are also having our Life Group gathering afterwards, where we can fellowship and share our vision for ministry.
Prayer Requests:
That freshmen students would actively seek a church and get grounded there. Pray that God would bring some here: people that need our church, and people whom our church needs.
For a van driver (Currently, Elder Won is driving the van, but that is only temporary)
For formation of College Ministry staff