Thousands of humans are about to arrive on your doorstep…but will your church welcome them?
Hundreds of churches are registered with Student Linkup as it is a map that lots of students look at before going to uni. They want to help Christian students find a church when they get to university. This is fantastic.
However, I believe we need to broaden our vision in the coming years. What would happen if the churches in any location were a bit more ambitious with regards to welcoming students. Instead of just hoping that we get a few Christian freshers to join our numbers, help out with kids work and bolster the PA rota, let’s welcome ALL students to our towns and cities.
The local church is perfectly placed to do this. Churches are part of the structure of a city, they are force for good and they carry the largest volunteer base available.
Why not go to your university or local Students’ Union and ask how your church could help provide a really good welcome to the students who will arrive in your location in the autumn? What could your church do? Could you hold a welcome event? Could you help out with something that is already happening?
These students will arrive from all sorts of background with all sorts of baggage - literal and metaphorical. They will be confused, hopeful, excited, lonely, full of potential and everything in between. It's simply not enough to open our doors and hope they come in. Most of them have no experience of church - we are not on their radar! So we need to get out of our buildings, services and small groups to welcome students. Come on church, how will we show them hospitality in our cities?
Thousands of humans are about to arrive on your doorstep…but will you welcome them?
Other ways we could welcome ALL students include:
1. Plant Churches near newer universities
3. Work with the Students’ Union
I hope this encourages you and the church. My intention is not to criticise or deconstruct but to offer practical suggestions that may lead to growth. I also want to recognise that my list of 5 is by no means exhaustive and I want to encourage lots more creativity in this area.
