Revival on campus has not yet come to the small European country of Luxembourg. There are only six Christian students meeting regularly to study the Bible in the whole country. Most of their friends have no interest in talking about Jesus. But in this difficult pioneering location, there have been encouragements over the last year:
Luca* recently invited his Muslim friend Jamal* to come along to the Bible study. Jamal enjoyed it so much that he then brought along two of his friends as well.
A French-speaking Bible study group has just started up. Four students have been going along to improve their French, to ask questions about the Christian faith, and to look at the person of Jesus.
José* is a Mexican international student. He started the year as an apathetic atheist but recently has shown more of an interest. He met up with a Christian staff-worker a few weeks ago and asked questions until late into the night.
Student Lara* was sitting in the canteen with her friends, listening to one of them share about his struggles. At the end of the conversation she bravely asked if she could pray for him.
Praise God with us for these examples of how He is at work and join us in praying for these students as the new year starts:
Pray that the movement (FCSA Luxembourg) would be able to register officially with the university. They will be reapplying in February after their first application was rejected.
Pray that new students would join the group this term, as most of the current members will finish university in a few months.
Pray for José, Jamal and the other non-believers to keep asking their questions and attending the Bible study; pray that they would come to know Jesus this year.
Neil is part of a small team pioneering student work in Malta. He shared about their recent mission week: “We knocked on another door. No answer. Again. It had not been a good afternoon. We were meant to be flyering for an event that evening – a free Dessert Night with a talk on ‘Is Truth Dead?’ – but the whole area was deserted.
There were just three apartments left. As we walked up to one, a girl outside overheard our conversation and called out: “Did I just hear my two favourite words?!” We laughed and told her there was indeed ‘free dessert’. Arianne came along that evening. It turned out that she had become a Christian just a year before. That night was the start of something new for her. She got stuck in with other events happening that week, helping out with flyering and even giving out copies of Uncover seeker Bible studies to people she’d spoken to. It’s been really encouraging to see her get involved.
Another student, Matthias, came along that week, having attended events last year. He had long conversations with the speaker. Everything made sense to him and it almost seemed appealing – but he couldn’t get past the question of God’s existence. Please pray for God’s work in his heart.”
Pray that Arianne would continue to grow in her faith and share the gospel with others.
Pray for Matthias and others who are seeking to come along to the follow-up course currently happening, and to meet Jesus as they go through the Uncover John series.
Pray for Neil and the small team to persevere in this Roman Catholic context, where most students are apathetic or wary towards evangelical Christianity.
For 15 actors in three different cities across Germany, it’s going to be a busy week. They’ll be spending spare moments memorising the order of events in Mark’s Gospel ahead of next week’s performances. They’re not professionals; they’re just ordinary students acting out an extraordinary drama.
The students will act out the whole Gospel of Mark, without costumes or props, in 90 minutes. Witnessing Jesus’ miracles and teaching bring the history to life in a powerful way, for both the actors and the audience. Hearing the crowds crying out “Crucify him!” is often a ‘lightbulb moment’, as people realise they too have rejected Jesus.
Please join us in praying for the performances in Nuremberg, Schwäbisch, Gmünd and Osnabrück.
Pray for the actors as they rehearse and perform next week. Pray that the account of Jesus’ life and death would come alive for them in a fresh way.
Pray for the spiritual impact on the audience. Pray that they would not just watch it as a piece of art, but that they’d really engage with it and be challenged on a personal level.
Pray that many would be keen to read the Bible for themselves as a result.
15 students. 3 rehearsals. 16 chapters in 90 minutes.
Students have been performing The Mark Drama for more than ten years. From Brazil to Belgium, from Chile to Latvia, the impact of The Mark Drama has been tremendous.
The concept is simple. 15 students without props, costumes, training or microphones, acting out the gospel of Mark. They memorise the sequence of the events of Jesus’ life, and then improvise the lines. They rehearse. They invite their friends to come. And then they let God’s Word do the rest.
The first performance of The Mark Drama took place in 2004 in Austria. It’s since been performed by Christian student groups around the globe, as students have passed on the vision to others. Groups with more experience have helped out those putting it on for the first time.
The Mark Drama leaves a lasting impression on the actors as well as the audience. The gospel story comes to life for them in a fresh way. Students from across the world who’ve recently been involved in The Mark Drama performances shared their reflections.
SMD Germany
Kathi, special needs education student; actor (Pharisee)
Every week I met with one of my fellow actors to talk through the chapters and to learn the most important titles of each chapter by heart. And that was really one of the main things in experiencing the drama: studying the structure of God’s word to be able to remember it during the drama. Weeks after the performance I still pictured certain scenes when a person talked about any passage from Mark or what Jesus did when he walked on this earth. Suddenly the book is not just a story but you remember your own experience with it.
I would not want to miss this experience and I would do it again, for there is still more to learn.
GEU Guatemala
Raul, engineering student; director
Having the opportunity to direct is special because you get to enjoy every detail of what the actors are learning and you see it transforming them. It was beautiful to see students coming from different parts of the country to form one group of actors. For some it was their first time to get involved in a GEU project. Putting on The Mark Drama was instrumental in reviving student work in this region and encouraging students to do mission. It was performed to a room full of students. Many were interested to know more about the movement. Each person there had the opportunity to see Jesus’ miracles, to navigate through rough waters, to experience the multiplication of bread and fish. Every word of Mark came to life!
InterVarsity USA
Seth, mechanical engineering student; actor (Jesus)
The “Crucify Him” scene — how can I even describe it? Being in the midst of friends and classmates — people I’d spent the last two years of my life with — screaming for my death; and then knowing that if anyone deserved to be in the position Jesus was in, it was me. The only reason I don’t have to stand there in real life is because the God of the universe, who made the moon and stars, decided that he himself would stand in for me. Even now several months later I can’t talk about this without breaking down in tears of gratitude.
ABUB Brazil
Débora, international relations student; actor
When I decided to participate, I had no idea what was really waiting for me. It’s amazing how each moment had something special. I already knew the gospel of Mark but was surprised by how much I learned through this experience.
We ended up doing the second performance in a college, well-known for its aversion to the gospel. Then on the same day there was news of a planned attack in the building. It was unrelated to us, but even so, we weren’t sure whether to cancel the event or not. Our emotions intensified a thousand times! But we prayed and decided to move ahead. At the start of the performance there were only about 20 people in the audience. But by the end there were about 60 — many more people than we had expected, to the point that the chairs were not enough! We could hardly believe what God had done there. Many of them were touched and came to thank us for the presentation, speaking of the impact it had had on their lives.
AFES Australia
Sam, 1st year master’s student in teaching; actor (Jesus)
I’d acted in amateur theatre before, but at the end of a production I’d always had these useless lines in my head. It was so much better to finish a production and have Jesus’ words memorised! It’s been super helpful in Bible studies, conversations about Jesus, evangelism and my personal walk with Christ to know Mark’s Gospel so well. Playing the role of Jesus made me think much more about the words that I’d read so many times before — it forced me to think about what he really meant, and how he might have said them. It also gave me a greater appreciation of what Jesus went through — as he taught and lived with his disciples who took so long to understand (just like us!), as he was constantly challenged by the religious leaders of the day and how he struggled with knowing he would die and take on God’s wrath, and yet he still ultimately submitted to his Father’s will. Acting in The Mark Drama has left me with a greater understanding of who Jesus is, and what he has done for me.
God continues to use The Mark Drama both to strengthen Christian students around the world and to draw unbelievers to know him more. If you ever have the chance to watch it — or even better, to be in it — take it! It comes highly recommended by these students and plenty more who’ve been involved over the years.
If you’re interested in putting on The Mark Drama yourself then visit The Mark Drama website to find out more.
Pray with us:
IFES sends out a short weekly email with stories from students and staff around the world to inspire your prayers.
Join us at: ifes.world/pray
Stefanie is a Financial Controller in Germany. She loves her job but it has its challenges. She’s surrounded by people who measure their success by their salary. Sometimes she’s asked to stretch the legal limits or to turn a blind eye to bad practices.
Earlier this year, Stefanie heard about IFES Cross-Current – a group that supports young Christian adults as they transition from university to work – and went along to a weekend conference. It was a big encouragement to her:
“At the centre Jesus was telling us that the work we do does not define us. Neither does our monthly pay-check or the speed at which we climb the career ladder. Jesus defines us. He asks us to be His disciples in our workplaces – good, faithful and grateful servants. He provides a way for us to say no to temptation in the workplace and to be salt and light.”
In one month’s time Stefanie will join around 70 other graduates at the IFES Cross-Current Professional Groups conference in Germany. Young professionals from across Europe and Eurasia will spend four days together, looking at what it means to be effective ambassadors for Christ in their workplaces. The conference is particularly aimed at graduates working in the fields of politics, business & management, environmental sciences and science.
Do join us in praying for them:
Pray that strong friendships would develop during the conference, and that these graduates can continue to be a source of encouragement to one another in the years to come.
Pray that God would speak powerfully through those giving talks at the conference, such that graduates return to their workplaces better equipped to take a stand for Christ.
Dima is a 23-year-old graduate from Ukraine. He’s passionate about politics and wants to use his career to witness to others about Jesus.
But starting out in politics is not easy: corruption is common and he doesn’t always know what to say or how to act. There is only one other believer in the Ukrainian parliament, so Dima has very little support.
He’s not the only recent graduate in this situation. His story is repeated by thousands of others starting out in the world of work. They are gifted, fresh and keen to work for God’s glory, but they lack the support they need to navigate the challenges of the workplace.
That’s why IFES Graduate Impact exists.
Staying salty in the workplace
Graduate Impact supports young Christian adults across Europe and Eurasia as they transition from university to work. Its purpose is to help them mature into more effective ambassadors for Christ in their workplaces, professions and societies.
It operates through a network of mentoring groups, called Cross-Current. Some groups focus on particular professions (law, economics, politics, business and management, sciences), whilst others cover specific locations (Belfast, Helsinki, Novosibirsk, Kiev, Tirana, Bucharest, Chisinau, Cluj and Flanders). Graduates join a group for three years and are taught to apply biblical wisdom to the issues they face in their working lives. They also get the opportunity to meet older believers in their profession.
Dima first heard about Graduate Impact through his one believing colleague in parliament. That friend had previously attended a Cross-Current politics group and encouraged Dima to go along. Dima later shared:
“This was my first time abroad and I met great people who inspired me to continue my journey. I met like-minded people from different parts of the world and we spent a blessed time together. Cross-Current Politics is a great support to me in my calling!”
Graduate Impact also helped two young lawyers from Eastern Europe. They work in a place where every transaction is expected to be accompanied by a ‘facilitation fee’. Through the Cross-Current law group they’ve been encouraged to find new ways of practising law without bribes.
Other graduates struggle to know how to be distinctive in a secular workplace. What should I say when my colleagues criticise my boss? How can I work hard without my job becoming an idol? How is my faith relevant to my working life?
Over the last ten years, Graduate Impact has helped over 300 young people like Dima to grapple with these big questions and make an impact as Christians in the workplace.
Get involved:
Graduates in Europe and Eurasia can find out more and join a group at: www.graduateimpact.org
In another region? Think about starting a group with fellow graduates in the workplace to support one another. Talk to your national movement or email admin@graduateimpact.org for advice and support.
You probably know the parable of the Sower. But imagine it set in modern-day Albania and depicted through manga (Japanese comic book style). That’s what BSKSh Albania are doing as a way to reach out to students with the gospel.
They’re trying something different to get the attention of the new students arriving at university this month. This generation of students are sometimes called the ‘i-Generation’ – young people who’ve grown up with smart phones and social media from a young age. Many students are now tired of looking at a screen all the time; a paper booklet is actually quite a novelty! And manga has recently become popular with young people, so BSKSh came up with the idea of presenting the familiar story through this medium.
The manga version of the parable will feature places the students know well – the university, the coffee bar – and will introduce the readers to four lawyers (representing the four types of soil). BSKSh are praying that it will get students thinking, ‘which one am I?’
Students are staff will be going out with the booklets to meet new students this month. Join us in praying for them.
Pray for BSKSh students to have courage, wisdom and warmth as they meet and talk with new students.
Pray that God would use the manga booklet to speak to students and draw them to himself.
In a country where many feel disillusioned and hopeless, and are keen to make a fresh start by moving to another country, pray that many students in Albania would come to know Jesus, the only source of true hope.
People in the Czech Republic are afraid of being brainwashed. Many are still scarred from the arrival of various sects in the 1990s. They are wary of any organised religion – and that includes Christianity. They think it only leads to the loss of freedom and stops you thinking for yourself.
That was Adam’s experience. He and his family were part of a sect during his childhood years. But he wasn’t convinced by what he was being taught. He started to listen to other pastors’ sermons and asking questions. That got him into trouble with the sect leaders, and eventually they kicked him out.
Adam then started to attend a UKH Czech Republic student Bible study group at his local university, and a healthy, Bible-believing church. Adam’s life has turned around. He’s now on the UKH leadership team at his university. He recently reflected on his experience of being part of a community of genuine believers:
“It was quite revolutionary for me to start living and expressing myself freely, and to have the freedom to say what I really thought about the passage.”
Adam’s not the only student enjoying UKH Bible studies. Back in the early 2000s, many UKH groups were chiefly social clubs. Today each one has the Bible at the centre. There’s a real hunger to know what God says.
Pray for students as they read God’s Word for themselves that, like Adam, they would come to see that Jesus alone offers true freedom.
Thank God for the recent appointment of a local staff-worker and for progress in fund-raising.
Pray that more can be raised to support pioneering work in two new locations.
Every city in the world needs Christians committed to living out the gospel. But the overwhelming majority of graduates end up living in a city where there are already many Christians and thriving churches, while millions of unreached people continue to live beyond the reach of the gospel. Staggeringly, a third of the world’s population are still living outside the reach of a church.
Some graduates have prayerfully and proactively chosen to live and work in places where they can bring God’s light to those living in darkness. Read on to meet graduates who have done just that.
After graduating Sophie* landed the job of her dreams. But before long she started to feel uncomfortable. She felt that her job mattered more to her than Jesus. And it didn’t satisfy.
A few months later Sophie heard about a short-term mission trip taking Bibles in to a country in East Asia. It struck a chord with her. She’d always loved exploring new countries and cultures, and she signed up to go. But she didn’t expect those two weeks to have quite such a significant impact on the direction of her life.
Fast-forward one year and Sophie is now preparing to go back for the second time. This time she’ll stay for at least two months. She’ll be working with a Christian organisation doing a job that encompasses her skills, experience and passions: nursing, food research and environmental sustainability, all in one.
Sophie leaves a lot behind. And it’s a dangerous place for Christians to live. Is it really worth it?
“Yes, it’s worth it, because Jesus is worth it”, Sophie says. “I’m very conscious of how much the Lord has done for me. I have no reason not to trust Him. He’s always provided for me. And this opportunity seems tailor-made for me!”
Would it not be easier just to go back to the job of her dreams?
“The world tells you to get the best job you can. And I did that at first, but it didn’t satisfy. The only thing I want now is to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness.”
In Moldova, around four out of five graduates move abroad in search of a well-paid job and a better quality of life. But Tanya didn’t. After completing her Masters studies in mathematics, Tanya and her husband (who was working as a policeman) felt that God was calling them to go back to their village to live and work.
They said goodbye to their comfortable city life and moved back to the village. No running water. No sanitation system. No heating during the cold winter months.
Tanya started working as a maths teacher in a high school. She got involved in the lives of the pupils there. They were needy. Some of them were living with alcoholic parents. Others were being brought up by grandparents or other relatives.
Tanya began to pray for them. After class she’d talk to them, give them attention, encourage them and show them the love they were lacking.
Tanya and her local church now help children from socially vulnerable families every week. They organise activities through which they can share the gospel, and they help them with their homework.
Praise the Lord for such graduates, who were missionaries amongst students during their student days, and now have chosen to take the gospel back to their villages.
South Asia: Bringing Jesus to places where He is not yet known
After graduating, my church went through the journey of Paul’s life. As I sat there every Sunday, I was challenged. Paul’s life was far from comfortable. A life truly following Jesus is not meant to be centred on comfort and worldly security. But at that time, my life was heading in that direction; it challenged me and made me uneasy.
So when I graduated about four years ago, my husband and I decided to move to a mega-city in South Asia. We started a company to raise health awareness. We see ourselves as business owners who love Jesus.
For us, our business is both our work and our ministry. We work eight hours every day alongside our employees who don’t know Jesus. Daily, we are faced with challenges of cultural misunderstandings, corruption and fraud. Our employees see how we face these challenges with God, and when they see Jesus in us, it is life-changing.
Families and friends are not always supportive. It seems crazy to them for us to leave behind a good job and home. And that can be tough. But when life gets hard, I look around me: most of my local friends here live close to poverty and desperately need to know of the freedom of life in Christ. Our Father sees this and He is calling out for disciples to go to these nations. We consider it such a privilege and an adventure to partner with God to bring Jesus to places where He is not yet known.
Ireland: Being intentional in the workplace
When I heard the local hair salon was advertising for a junior stylist, I decided to apply. It wasn’t a great career move. I could have earned more money working for a big chain. But my church had a real heart for reaching out to the community, and I thought this would be a good way to meet local people.
As I started the new job I wanted to see the salon as my mission field. I wanted the way I worked and the way I spoke to point my clients and colleagues to Jesus.
In my hometown, when you go to get your hair cut you’ll always be asked the same questions: why are you getting your hair done? Are you going somewhere nice tonight? But I wanted to really get to know people, so I tried to stay away from those dead-end questions. I would ask things like, ‘How’s your week been going?’ or ‘What have you been up to today?’ Then I’d try to remember to ask about those things the next time they came in.
I found it hard at first. But I’ve become a bit more comfortable with taking risks in conversation. The way I talk about what’s happening in the news, or what I did at the weekend — those can be opportunities to speak about Jesus. Maybe they’ll think I’m weird — but maybe they’ll ask questions and want to know more.
Moving strategically
In our increasingly globalised world, taking the gospel to the nations doesn’t necessarily mean going overseas. Universities are places where the nations are coming to us in vast numbers. Are there international students in your classroom or dormitory that you could get to know better?
And as you prepare to graduate, why not prayerfully consider moving strategically to a gospel-starved country or city or village? Could you use your degree and skills in a place where most people don’t yet know Jesus? Could you do business, teach in a school, work in a hospital or do further education in an unreached place?
It might not be easy, but, as Sophie says, it’s worth it.
Last summer I graduated from university. I received a diploma and rejoiced about the fact that another exciting season of life had finished. When I looked back on the four years I’d spent in university, I felt satisfied about my accomplishments — so many papers written, exams done, books read, experience gained, friendships made.
But at the same time, deep inside I had the feeling that I could have received more from these years. Because, to be honest, I have always been a bit of a lazy student. I would calculate the minimum amount of effort I’d need to put in to still get a good grade. Perhaps this attitude had formed because somewhere down the road I had lost enthusiasm about my discipline. Perhaps because I never really enjoyed writing academic papers. Or perhaps it was because all through my university years I was involved in a dynamic and exciting Christian student movement and often these meetings, camps or events were a priority over studies. Whatever it was, I have to admit that I never really put all of myself into my studies. I didn’t take an interest in current events in my study field. I just unenthusiastically “endured” studies.
Since then, I’ve had time to reflect on this more.
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul says:
“For in [Christ] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:16–17 NIV
This tells us that all things — including our study subject — are created and exist in Christ. That means that going deeper into our studies is not a waste of time. On the contrary, as we dig into our study field, we will definitely meet Christ there.
I have noticed that often, when speaking about the motivation to study, Christians are not too different from non-believers. In fact, often the opposite — it is the followers of Christ who want to run through the university experience as quickly and as easily as possible, not taking part in university discussions or looking deeper into their academic field than necessary. Is it because the university teaches many “unchristian” things, which we would rather not look into, to protect our Christian minds? Or because we don’t really care about what is going on in the academic environment and there are more important things to do, like church ministry? I know this way of thinking very well; for a long time, I was this kind of student myself.
But what actually is the aim of studying, or what should be the motivation to do it? Well, for Christians, it is much more than just obtaining an education. Through studies we can find out more about our Creator and his story in this world. Every academic discipline in some way shows the miracle of creation, the tragic consequences of the fall and the future hope for the redemption of the world. For example, a medical student can see how wonderfully God has made the human body, and by researching severe illnesses, can discover how much this world has diverted from God’s prescribed course. Those who learn engineering and sciences can get to know God as the Almighty engineer. Art students can see the Author of all creativity. Physicists — the One who made and sustains the universe. Trainee teachers — the Source of all wisdom and the greatest teacher, Jesus Christ. Philologists — a God, who made the world through his Word, and told his story through the most influential Book ever.
What if God has put us in universities with a bigger purpose? What if he wants us to be faithful in our studies, stop distancing ourselves from that, which, in our opinion, is not worth our attention as Christians, and start thinking — where can I take part in this and be a blessing? What are the needs and current issues in my study field, and in my university? How can I make it a more just place?
What kind of student do you want to be? One that is rushing through your university years, barely touching the environment in which you study, because there are always more “Christian” things to give your attention to? Or do you want to be 100% Christian AND 100% student — one that is not missing out on an opportunity to glorify the Lord with your academic course and to bring righteousness and light into the field you have chosen? The choice is yours.
Elīna, social work; LKSB Latvia graduate
Elīna was one of 22 participants who attended the IFES Big Issues consultation in Germany earlier this year, and shared these reflections in response. In 2018, Big Issues regional consultations have taken place in Europe and Latin America. Organised in partnership with local movements, these consultations have brought together individuals from different countries to share and learn together about the issues facing Christians in their universities.
The Big Issues Project seeks to promote dialogue and theological engagement among faculty, students and IFES staff with the questions encountered in our universities. Read more on the Engaging the University page of our website.
The new IFES e-learning course, “An Introduction to Engaging the University”, explores these questions with thought-provoking quotes, readings, videos, questionnaires and worksheets.
Starting August 2018. Limited places available; sign-up before 15 July 2018. To sign up or learn more email engagingtheuni@ifesworld.org.
Here’s a short animation to help you think about what it might look like to engage the university as a Christian.
