Jesus says in John 3:8, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
The last few years in the UK we have seen the wind of the Spirit blowing among students and across University campuses. Some churches have been experiencing gale force winds while others have just felt a gentle breeze, but it seems undeniable that God is up to something.
Students with no church background have been picking up the Bible of their own accord, walking themselves into churches without fully knowing what brought them there, as well as having dreams and visions that are leading them to faith in Jesus. The nationwide picture is incredibly encouraging.
However, if this isn’t what you’re seeing, if it doesn’t seem to be happening in your church, it could actually be quite discouraging. Perhaps you haven’t seen any students walk through the doors. Perhaps no one has told you of a dream or a vision and no one has come to faith in years. Why is it happening in everyone else’s church but not my church?
It can be easy to dismiss ourselves, and assume that all the students and young adults coming to faith will go to the big church down the road. That we don’t need to be ready for an influx of new Christians because that’s not been our church story in the past. Why would God use us in that way when he could use other churches with more resources and more young people already?
But the wind blows where it pleases - and we do not know where it is going…
I want to encourage you that every single church has a part to play in what God’s doing among students in this nation, and I want to encourage you to put up your sails.
What if God wants to use you? What if the wind blows in your direction? Are you ready? We can’t control the wind but we can control our own posture, our own position and readiness for God to use us. If the wind starts blowing but we’re not ready to receive, love and welcome students then we’ll miss such an amazing opportunity! What if God has students for your church this coming academic year - maybe a lot, maybe just a few - but students that will find home in your church, students that your congregation can know and welcome and disciple? Be ready. Put up your sails and be ready to catch the wind of the Spirit. He might just blow through.
What practical steps can you take to make sure you and your church are ready to love, welcome and disciple students who might walk through your doors this year?
