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Helping students find home in the local church
Luke Smith, National Team Leader (England & Wales) for Fusion, shares the heart of the organisation's student mission.
By Luke SmithMay 2024
Finding a new church in a new place can be daunting, but it is so important if students are to be rooted in community and grow as a follower of Jesus whilst at university. Students, like every other part of the body of Christ, are significant and have a valuable role to play. The local church needs students just as much as students need the local church.
Getting stuck into a church at university is not just about finding Christian community and maturing in faith. It’s also about being equipped so that you can live a life of mission to point your friends towards Jesus, and be a blessing on your campus. The Church plays a crucial role in discipling students so that they make disciples. With the many challenges and pressures students face, from their studies to their finances, and from their relationships to their mental health, students are searching for hope and purpose more than ever. In turn, they are incredibly open to trying church and exploring faith. Through the student worldview survey Fusion has recently conducted, we know that 74% of students would try church if invited by a friend, and we are hearing incredible stories of students’ lives being transformed by Jesus through churches.
That’s why Fusion believes every student should have an opportunity to find hope in Jesus and home in the local church. We strengthen your church with the tools and confidence to love, welcome and disciple students. One such tool is the Student Linkup app which enables young people going to university to find and connect with a church in the city or town they are moving to. Students will be able to browse your church profile immediately through the app when they link up, and you will also be able to directly invite them to church, allowing you to help welcome new students to your city. If you know someone starting uni soon, please encourage them to download the Student Linkup app, and if you want your church to participate in student mission then register on www.studentlinkup.org.
This article was printed in Multiply 2024: The Manual, a publication that accompanied the programme of Multiply 2024, which explored multiplying a younger church. You can find related content below.
