One of the greatest joys of my life is to look back on all the students that my wife and I have mentored, discipled, encouraged and released into all that God had created them to be. Hannah and I worked out that we have mentored 42 students over the last 15 years and invested in a hundreds more.
If you are a mature believer in Jesus, find a student or three in your church and offer to meet up with them to encourage them in their faith journey. Don’t underestimate the effect this will have on their life. We all need other people who are willing to cheer us on as we figure out how to be disciples in today’s culture.
I believe the biggest reason why most people don’t do this is that it wasn’t done to them. They didn’t have a mentor; they didn’t have anyone meet up with them every fortnight and buy them coffee. So it simply isn’t part of their framework. Most of us replicate what we have had done to us. But…culture changers do not do what was done to them. They live differently, dance to the rhythm of a different drum.
Whether you had a mentor or not, could you find a few students to encourage? It might cost you time, patience and a few coffees - but it could be the most strategic investment for God’s Kingdom that you ever make.
The key to helping all the students of the UK to meet Jesus Christ is empowering the students who already know him to introduce their mates to him. Could you support some students to do this?
Other ways the church could reach 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.
