![\"\"](\"https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/FEUER-2022-44a-1024x682.png\")
The midsummer boat trip wasn\u2019t a typical outreach event (but it\u2019s now a tradition!). And the upcoming European Student Festival won\u2019t be your typical IFES conference either. So, what\u2019s going on in Latvia?
\nThe IFES national movement, LKSB, is creating space \u2013 and waiting to see what God will do in it.
\nThe midsummer boat trip \u2013 three days\u2019 camping down a river \u2013 started a few years ago. COVID restrictions and lack of enthusiasm for large organized events led the team to choose a simple approach. LKSB students invited their non-Christian friends to join them on a boat trip \u2013 with no \u201cagenda\u201d. No pre-planned devotional, no Bible studies, no talks.
\nUlvis Kravalis, LKSB General Secretary, explains:
\n\u201cIt\u2019s about experiencing adventure on a river with Christians. It\u2019s an organic way of connecting with each other and God. Through friendship, round the campfire, deep and meaningful conversations open up. We\u2019ve even had six people come to Christ through it!\u201d
\nOne summer under the stars, two Christian students naturally shared their testimonies. Ulvis recalls: \u201cthe atmosphere became so thick that we felt like we could touch God’s love\u201d. When a LKSB staff worker asked if anyone wanted prayer, a female student responded. As they were praying, someone had a picture: she was chasing around, seeking value in men’s opinions of her rather than in the beauty that Christ sees in her. That night, she surrendered her life to Jesus.
\nIt\u2019s this desire for organic, personal interactions that has also been incorporated into a regionwide student conference in August. Latvia will host the European Student Festival (ESF) in Jelgava, bringing together around 500 students from 40 movements across the continent.
\nWith the theme \u201cKingdom Come\u201d, it will have the usual elements of an IFES event \u2013 quality Bible teaching, hands-on workshops, and cross-cultural sharing in small groups. But it\u2019s more than a typical conference. Students will also be able to enjoy sports, art, music, dance, good food \u2013 and the beach!
\nChristian Pichler, Associate IFES Regional Secretary for Europe and Director of ESF, says:
\n\u201cWe believe in the power of people meeting people. We learn so much simply by meeting other individuals and hearing their stories. We want to create space for these encounters. So, this is the idea \u2013 it’s more of a festival with people choosing activities, hanging out together, and having time for conversations.\u201d
\nUlvis agrees:
\u201cThere\u2019ll be talks of a very high quality \u2013 even life–changing \u2013 so, I’m really looking forward to that. But what excites me most is the potential for those unplanned, \u2018accidental\u2019 conversations \u2013 standing in a line for food, passing by at a stall in the exhibition hall, or chatting after playing ball together.\u201d
\nHear more about Christian\u2019s and Ulvis\u2019s hopes for the European Student Festival in this Voices of IFES podcast episode:
\nThe post Giving God Space appeared first on IFES.
\n", "content_text": "The midsummer boat trip wasn\u2019t a typical outreach event (but it\u2019s now a tradition!). And the upcoming European Student Festival won\u2019t be your typical IFES conference either. So, what\u2019s going on in Latvia? \n\n\n\nThe IFES national movement, LKSB, is creating space \u2013 and waiting to see what God will do in it. \n\n\n\nSpace by the River \n\n\n\nThe midsummer boat trip \u2013 three days\u2019 camping down a river \u2013 started a few years ago. COVID restrictions and lack of enthusiasm for large organized events led the team to choose a simple approach. LKSB students invited their non-Christian friends to join them on a boat trip \u2013 with no \u201cagenda\u201d. No pre-planned devotional, no Bible studies, no talks. \n\n\n\nUlvis Kravalis, LKSB General Secretary, explains: \n\n\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s about experiencing adventure on a river with Christians. It\u2019s an organic way of connecting with each other and God. Through friendship, round the campfire, deep and meaningful conversations open up. We\u2019ve even had six people come to Christ through it!\u201d \n\n\n\nOne summer under the stars, two Christian students naturally shared their testimonies. Ulvis recalls: \u201cthe atmosphere became so thick that we felt like we could touch God’s love\u201d. When a LKSB staff worker asked if anyone wanted prayer, a female student responded. As they were praying, someone had a picture: she was chasing around, seeking value in men’s opinions of her rather than in the beauty that Christ sees in her. That night, she surrendered her life to Jesus. \n\n\n\nSpace at the Festival \n\n\n\nIt\u2019s this desire for organic, personal interactions that has also been incorporated into a regionwide student conference in August. Latvia will host the European Student Festival (ESF) in Jelgava, bringing together around 500 students from 40 movements across the continent. \n\n\n\nWith the theme \u201cKingdom Come\u201d, it will have the usual elements of an IFES event \u2013 quality Bible teaching, hands-on workshops, and cross-cultural sharing in small groups. But it\u2019s more than a typical conference. Students will also be able to enjoy sports, art, music, dance, good food \u2013 and the beach! \n\n\n\nChristian Pichler, Associate IFES Regional Secretary for Europe and Director of ESF, says: \n\n\n\n\u201cWe believe in the power of people meeting people. We learn so much simply by meeting other individuals and hearing their stories. We want to create space for these encounters. So, this is the idea \u2013 it’s more of a festival with people choosing activities, hanging out together, and having time for conversations.\u201d \n\n\n\nUlvis agrees: \n\n\n\n\u201cThere\u2019ll be talks of a very high quality \u2013 even life–changing \u2013 so, I’m really looking forward to that. But what excites me most is the potential for those unplanned, \u2018accidental\u2019 conversations \u2013 standing in a line for food, passing by at a stall in the exhibition hall, or chatting after playing ball together.\u201d \n\n\n\nPray \n\n\n\n\nPraise God for how he\u2019s working through typical, planned events and atypical, unplanned encounters \u2013 and give thanks for those who\u2019ve been reached through LKSB\u2019s friendship and prayers. \n\n\n\n\n\nPray that it won\u2019t be a \u201ctypical summer\u201d for all those attending ESF (16-21 August) \u2013 that they will have an eye-opening and heart-awakening experience of what \u201cKingdom Come\u201d can look like on their campuses. \n\n\n\n\n\nPray for the organising team, speakers, seminar leaders, and volunteers \u2013 that they will know the Lord\u2019s leading and protection. And ask that he will provide for higher-than-expected costs. \n\n\n\n\nHear more about Christian\u2019s and Ulvis\u2019s hopes for the European Student Festival in this Voices of IFES podcast episode:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe post Giving God Space appeared first on IFES.", "date_published": "2025-07-22T08:00:00+01:00", "date_modified": "2025-07-22T15:25:46+01:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Roja Jacob", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/roja-jacob/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/270fe6ae830fb4ad45dd518c8013666f.jpg?ver=1760274904" } ], "author": { "name": "Roja Jacob", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/roja-jacob/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/270fe6ae830fb4ad45dd518c8013666f.jpg?ver=1760274904" }, "image": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/LKSB-boat-trip.jpeg" }, { "id": "https://ifesworld.org/?post_type=prayerline&p=44510", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/prayerline/a-vocation-and-a-voice/", "title": "A Vocation and a Voice", "content_html": "What happens when you realise that your passions, talents, faith, and studies are all intertwined, forming an integrated path on which God is leading you? You find your vocation.
\nLike Leonie did.
\nShe\u2019s an arts and humanities student at the University of Antwerp and member of Ichtus, the Dutch-speaking IFES movement in Belgium. Over the last two years, she\u2019s followed her calling by spearheading a campaign about sexual harassment, forming an arts collective, and becoming \u201ccampus poet\u201d.
\n\u201cFrom wolf whistling and verbal abuse to being followed, I regularly face sexual harassment. All around me, I hear stories from female friends who feel fundamentally unsafe.\u201d
\nSo, Leonie has twice run a project to raise awareness and call for change.
\nAs part of this, she gathered testimonies, composed poems, and wrote a short reflection. These were linked to QR codes that Ichtus students helped distribute around the neighbourhood. A few weeks later, they offered a sharing event as part of Ichtus\u2019 \u201cCity Week\u201d (a period of focused outreach).
\n\u201cStories were shared among non-believing and believing students, including Christians from very different church backgrounds. It was an evening that I felt was truly accessible to all.
\n\u201cLast year, a student who\u2019d been attending a demonstration for Palestine came in. She said that it was such a relief to see such injustices being addressed. We\u2019re still in touch.\u201d
\nLeonie is also finding her prophetic voice as \u201cCampus Poet\u201d:
\n\u201cEvery month I get to write about campus life: from big issues like sustainability and underprivilege, to stories of students and neighbourhood residents. I try to approach it all from a place of faith.\u201d
\nBut Leonie hasn\u2019t always felt this way. In 2022, she attended Formacion, IFES Europe\u2019s gathering for student leaders. And it was in the Engaging the University sessions that she discovered her vocation.
\n\u201cFor me, it was the first time I viewed my field of study as something God had called me to. It was a breath of fresh air. As a Christian arts and humanities student, I used to feel quite isolated \u2013 not quite at home in church nor on my university benches.
\n\u201cBut I saw that this is precisely where my calling lies. As a word artist and poet, I\u2019m able to find a way around the barrier of church language and still spread the gospel.\u201d
\nIn recent months, she\u2019s teamed up with fellow creatives to form an interdisciplinary arts collective called Kruisbestuiving \u2013 \u201cCross-pollination\u201d. The name reflects Christ\u2019s cross (\u201ccentral to all we do and create\u201d) and the fruitfulness that flows from cross-connections in the arts.
\nCurrently, the collective encompasses music, photography, poetry, and costume design. In coming weeks, they plan to include other disciplines and breathe new life into a disused church building in Mechelen.
\nThe post A Vocation and a Voice appeared first on IFES.
\n", "content_text": "What happens when you realise that your passions, talents, faith, and studies are all intertwined, forming an integrated path on which God is leading you? You find your vocation. \n\n\n\nLike Leonie did. \n\n\n\nShe\u2019s an arts and humanities student at the University of Antwerp and member of Ichtus, the Dutch-speaking IFES movement in Belgium. Over the last two years, she\u2019s followed her calling by spearheading a campaign about sexual harassment, forming an arts collective, and becoming \u201ccampus poet\u201d. \n\n\n\nA Voice \n\n\n\n\u201cFrom wolf whistling and verbal abuse to being followed, I regularly face sexual harassment. All around me, I hear stories from female friends who feel fundamentally unsafe.\u201d \n\n\n\nSo, Leonie has twice run a project to raise awareness and call for change. \n\n\n\nAs part of this, she gathered testimonies, composed poems, and wrote a short reflection. These were linked to QR codes that Ichtus students helped distribute around the neighbourhood. A few weeks later, they offered a sharing event as part of Ichtus\u2019 \u201cCity Week\u201d (a period of focused outreach). \n\n\n\n\u201cStories were shared among non-believing and believing students, including Christians from very different church backgrounds. It was an evening that I felt was truly accessible to all. \n\n\n\n\u201cLast year, a student who\u2019d been attending a demonstration for Palestine came in. She said that it was such a relief to see such injustices being addressed. We\u2019re still in touch.\u201d \n\n\n\nLeonie is also finding her prophetic voice as \u201cCampus Poet\u201d: \n\n\n\n\u201cEvery month I get to write about campus life: from big issues like sustainability and underprivilege, to stories of students and neighbourhood residents. I try to approach it all from a place of faith.\u201d \n\n\n\nA Vocation \n\n\n\nBut Leonie hasn\u2019t always felt this way. In 2022, she attended Formacion, IFES Europe\u2019s gathering for student leaders. And it was in the Engaging the University sessions that she discovered her vocation. \n\n\n\n\u201cFor me, it was the first time I viewed my field of study as something God had called me to. It was a breath of fresh air. As a Christian arts and humanities student, I used to feel quite isolated \u2013 not quite at home in church nor on my university benches. \n\n\n\n\u201cBut I saw that this is precisely where my calling lies. As a word artist and poet, I\u2019m able to find a way around the barrier of church language and still spread the gospel.\u201d \n\n\n\nIn recent months, she\u2019s teamed up with fellow creatives to form an interdisciplinary arts collective called Kruisbestuiving \u2013 \u201cCross-pollination\u201d. The name reflects Christ\u2019s cross (\u201ccentral to all we do and create\u201d) and the fruitfulness that flows from cross-connections in the arts. \n\n\n\nCurrently, the collective encompasses music, photography, poetry, and costume design. In coming weeks, they plan to include other disciplines and breathe new life into a disused church building in Mechelen. \n\n\n\nPray \n\n\n\n\nThank God for the way he\u2019s worked in and through Leonie and pray he\u2019ll guide her as she steers Kruisbestuiving and approaches graduation. Pray for Christian arts and humanities students like her \u2013 for discernment to see how they can engage with campus life. \n\n\n\n\n\nPray for upcoming \u201cCity Weeks\u201d in Antwerp and Hasselt, and in Leuven, where the group only has about 10 students. Pray for engaging outreach and effective follow up. \n\n\n\n\n\nAsk that the Spirit lead Ichtus as they review their ministry and develop a strategic plan. Pray that a weekend conference in February will encourage and equip students to live for Christ. \n\nThe post A Vocation and a Voice appeared first on IFES.", "date_published": "2025-01-21T08:00:00+00:00", "date_modified": "2025-02-10T14:01:37+00:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Roja Jacob", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/roja-jacob/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/270fe6ae830fb4ad45dd518c8013666f.jpg?ver=1760274904" } ], "author": { "name": "Roja Jacob", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/roja-jacob/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/270fe6ae830fb4ad45dd518c8013666f.jpg?ver=1760274904" }, "image": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Cross-pollination-Collective.jpeg" }, { "id": "https://ifesworld.org/?post_type=prayerline&p=39601", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/prayerline/washing-the-universitys-feet/", "title": "Washing the University\u2019s Feet", "content_html": "\u201cYou can\u2019t believe how nervous I was! Pacing up and down the room, I was thinking, \u2018Oh wow! Oh no, oh no!\u2019 But I was also in prayer. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, I was able to calmly speak.\u201d
\nWirlley, a student at the University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Portugal, recalls his racing heart. He\u2019d been summoned before high-ranking officials at his university, including the Rector (equivalent to Vice-chancellor or President in other countries).
\nHe\u2019d done nothing wrong. In fact, quite the opposite: with his local GBU group in Vila Real (the IFES national movement in Portugal), he\u2019d gathered hundreds of signatures for a petition. They were calling for a defunct campus bus stop to be reactivated \u2013 and they succeeded.
\nNow, the administration wanted to find out more about GBU.
\nWirlley was a regular at his GBU group, joining them for weekly Bible studies, creative evangelism on campus, and regular group lunches in the canteen. When he became group leader in his final year, he had a heart to serve:
\n\u201cI\u2019d been praying since the academic year began (mid-September) for an opportunity to serve the university and help make GBU known.\u201d
\nAbout a month later, the GBU group was discussing \u201cthe bus stop\u201d. They noted how the decision taken several years ago to cut it from the bus route was still widely lamented, even by lecturers.
\nAs they talked, it became clear how serious the issue was, especially on dark, wet days. Unable to use this covered bus stop, students had to climb a poorly lit hill, pass through a parking area, and walk on to the nearest (uncovered) bus stop.
\n\u201cWe realized that reactivating the bus stop would practically serve students \u2013 or, as I like to say, \u2018to wash the feet of the university\u2019\u201d Wirlley explains.
\nWith help from Wirlley\u2019s course director, GBU Vila Real organised a petition for their peers to sign. They built broad support by talking with representatives in other university sectors and the Academic Association. By the end of November, after just one month, they\u2019d collected close to 1,700 signatures.
\nAt the beginning of April, it finally happened: the bus stop was reinstated.
\n\n\nWe realized that reactivating the bus stop would practically serve students \u2013 or, as I like to say, \u2018to wash the feet of the university\u2019.
\n
However, \u201cwashing feet\u201d had been \u201cmaking waves\u201d. A few weeks later, Wirlley was asked to explain the initiative to those senior university officials, the group responsible for maintaining a \u201csecular\u201d campus. Although the rectorate clarified that GBU would not receive any special treatment, Wirlley was told that GBU would be very welcome to use campus spaces for events of general student interest.
\nWirlley’s start-of-year prayer was answered beyond his expectations. He concludes, \u201cWe just need to be there \u2013 in the university context \u2013 with a heart that\u2019s open to what Christ wants to do in us and through us!\u201d
\nLet\u2019s pray for GBU Vila Real and students in Portugal:
\nFind out more about Wirlley and his story by reading this interview by GBU Portugal.
\nThe post Washing the University\u2019s Feet appeared first on IFES.
\n", "content_text": "\u201cYou can\u2019t believe how nervous I was! Pacing up and down the room, I was thinking, \u2018Oh wow! Oh no, oh no!\u2019 But I was also in prayer. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, I was able to calmly speak.\u201d\n\n\n\nCalled to Account\n\n\n\nWirlley, a student at the University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Portugal, recalls his racing heart. He\u2019d been summoned before high-ranking officials at his university, including the Rector (equivalent to Vice-chancellor or President in other countries).\n\n\n\nHe\u2019d done nothing wrong. In fact, quite the opposite: with his local GBU group in Vila Real (the IFES national movement in Portugal), he\u2019d gathered hundreds of signatures for a petition. They were calling for a defunct campus bus stop to be reactivated \u2013 and they succeeded.\n\n\n\nNow, the administration wanted to find out more about GBU.\n\n\n\nSeeking to Serve\n\n\n\nWirlley was a regular at his GBU group, joining them for weekly Bible studies, creative evangelism on campus, and regular group lunches in the canteen. When he became group leader in his final year, he had a heart to serve:\n\n\n\n\u201cI\u2019d been praying since the academic year began (mid-September) for an opportunity to serve the university and help make GBU known.\u201d\n\n\n\nAbout a month later, the GBU group was discussing \u201cthe bus stop\u201d. They noted how the decision taken several years ago to cut it from the bus route was still widely lamented, even by lecturers.\n\n\n\nAs they talked, it became clear how serious the issue was, especially on dark, wet days. Unable to use this covered bus stop, students had to climb a poorly lit hill, pass through a parking area, and walk on to the nearest (uncovered) bus stop.\n\n\n\nCalled to Wash Feet\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe realized that reactivating the bus stop would practically serve students \u2013 or, as I like to say, \u2018to wash the feet of the university\u2019\u201d Wirlley explains.\n\n\n\nWith help from Wirlley\u2019s course director, GBU Vila Real organised a petition for their peers to sign. They built broad support by talking with representatives in other university sectors and the Academic Association. By the end of November, after just one month, they\u2019d collected close to 1,700 signatures.\n\n\n\nAt the beginning of April, it finally happened: the bus stop was reinstated.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWe realized that reactivating the bus stop would practically serve students \u2013 or, as I like to say, \u2018to wash the feet of the university\u2019.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, \u201cwashing feet\u201d had been \u201cmaking waves\u201d. A few weeks later, Wirlley was asked to explain the initiative to those senior university officials, the group responsible for maintaining a \u201csecular\u201d campus. Although the rectorate clarified that GBU would not receive any special treatment, Wirlley was told that GBU would be very welcome to use campus spaces for events of general student interest.\n\n\n\nWirlley’s start-of-year prayer was answered beyond his expectations. He concludes, \u201cWe just need to be there \u2013 in the university context \u2013 with a heart that\u2019s open to what Christ wants to do in us and through us!\u201d\n\n\n\nPray\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s pray for GBU Vila Real and students in Portugal:\n\n\n\n\nGive thanks for the way this simple act of service connected with students, staff, and administration at UTAD and brought blessing to the whole campus. Pray that these good relations will deepen.\n\n\n\nPray for all GBU groups in Portugal that are seeking to \u201cwash feet\u201d as an integral part of their witness \u2013 that they will discern Christ\u2019s leading, find courage to follow, and positively impact the \u201csecular\u201d ethos on campus.\n\n\n\nPray for GBU groups emerging for the first time on smaller campuses \u2013 for heartening fellowship and bold witness.\n\n\n\n\nFind out more about Wirlley and his story by reading this interview by GBU Portugal.\n\n\n\n\n \n\nThe post Washing the University\u2019s Feet appeared first on IFES.", "date_published": "2024-07-23T11:25:05+01:00", "date_modified": "2025-01-15T12:00:39+00:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Bryn Rickards", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/bryn-rickards/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/8672abde7ce0c7ed71f1b1cc3ec261a2.jpg?ver=1760274006" } ], "author": { "name": "Bryn Rickards", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/bryn-rickards/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/8672abde7ce0c7ed71f1b1cc3ec261a2.jpg?ver=1760274006" }, "image": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG-20240718-WA0052.jpg" }, { "id": "https://ifesworld.org/?post_type=prayerline&p=33906", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/prayerline/escaping-easter/", "title": "Escaping Easter?\u00a0", "content_html": "This Prayerline is based on our latest Voices of IFES podcast \u2013 an interview with Silas Walter, who serves the Bulgarian movement (BCSU) through IFES InterAction. To find out more about Silas and his experience of cross-cultural ministry listen here. \u00a0\u00a0
\nFive students are locked in a kitchen. To get out, they must solve a riddle. They can see remnants of a dinner party \u2013 the table is cluttered with half-drunk glasses of wine and leftovers of bread. But who were the guests? What happened? And why has no-one returned to clear up?
\nThis was the first of three rooms set up last Easter as an Escape Room event by Silas Walter. Originally from Germany, he now serves the Bulgarian Christian Student Union in Sofia and works across Bulgaria to support ministry among international students. He says, \u201cI love riddles. I love escape rooms. I wanted to do an escape room that was also an invitation to talk about faith, and I thought Easter would be the perfect occasion.\u201d
\nWhen you arrive at Silas\u2019 apartment, you receive a note from a man called Pilate \u2013 he\u2019s alarmed by the supporters of a new movement and wants you to track them down. On escaping the abandoned kitchen, you head into another locked room, dark as a cave, lit only by a few candles. Through a series of clues, the story unfolds: the suspects were hiding here in fear, but something happened, causing them to leave. In the final room, you must solve puzzles to discover that these fugitives are now out in the open, propelled by a new hope and joy, touring around, telling others what happened.
\nAbout five different groups took part, with three to five students in each. After an hour of mystery-solving, they were invited to offer impressions and discuss their favourite riddles. Silas then explained the connections to the Easter story, opening a space for them to share and consider their beliefs about Jesus. One participant remarked on its impact: \u201cIt was such an immersive experience. I’ve been to a few escape rooms before, but none of them integrated culture in such a beautiful way. We all found it very interesting to learn about the traditions of Easter and solve the mysteries and puzzles.\u201d
\nThis creative approach to evangelism attracted students who\u2019d never heard or engaged with the gospel before, whether international students from other faith backgrounds or Bulgarian students who only considered themselves Christian in a cultural sense. It also encouraged BCSU students to see fresh ways of presenting their faith. Silas is now wondering about running another escape room, this time based around one of Bulgaria\u2019s historical faith figures.
\nAs we approach Easter, let\u2019s pray that we\u2019ll all escape from being stuck in traditional forms of outreach. And let\u2019s pray for student ministry in Bulgaria and beyond:
\nIFES InterAction works with national movements throughout Europe to recruit, train, and send cross-cultural workers in student ministry. It gives young graduates a 1\u20132-year taste of cross-cultural mission. Staff and volunteers are involved in training and supporting students in discipleship and evangelism, international student ministry, and launching new groups. Find out more.
\nAnd if you\u2019re interested in running an Easter Escape Room, you can find more details and hear advice from Silas in the podcast.
\nThe post Escaping Easter?\u00a0 appeared first on IFES.
\n", "content_text": "This Prayerline is based on our latest Voices of IFES podcast \u2013 an interview with Silas Walter, who serves the Bulgarian movement (BCSU) through IFES InterAction. To find out more about Silas and his experience of cross-cultural ministry listen here. \u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFive students are locked in a kitchen. To get out, they must solve a riddle. They can see remnants of a dinner party \u2013 the table is cluttered with half-drunk glasses of wine and leftovers of bread. But who were the guests? What happened? And why has no-one returned to clear up? \n\n\n\nThis was the first of three rooms set up last Easter as an Escape Room event by Silas Walter. Originally from Germany, he now serves the Bulgarian Christian Student Union in Sofia and works across Bulgaria to support ministry among international students. He says, \u201cI love riddles. I love escape rooms. I wanted to do an escape room that was also an invitation to talk about faith, and I thought Easter would be the perfect occasion.\u201d \n\n\n\nWhen you arrive at Silas\u2019 apartment, you receive a note from a man called Pilate \u2013 he\u2019s alarmed by the supporters of a new movement and wants you to track them down. On escaping the abandoned kitchen, you head into another locked room, dark as a cave, lit only by a few candles. Through a series of clues, the story unfolds: the suspects were hiding here in fear, but something happened, causing them to leave. In the final room, you must solve puzzles to discover that these fugitives are now out in the open, propelled by a new hope and joy, touring around, telling others what happened. \n\n\n\nAbout five different groups took part, with three to five students in each. After an hour of mystery-solving, they were invited to offer impressions and discuss their favourite riddles. Silas then explained the connections to the Easter story, opening a space for them to share and consider their beliefs about Jesus. One participant remarked on its impact: \u201cIt was such an immersive experience. I’ve been to a few escape rooms before, but none of them integrated culture in such a beautiful way. We all found it very interesting to learn about the traditions of Easter and solve the mysteries and puzzles.\u201d \n\n\n\nThis creative approach to evangelism attracted students who\u2019d never heard or engaged with the gospel before, whether international students from other faith backgrounds or Bulgarian students who only considered themselves Christian in a cultural sense. It also encouraged BCSU students to see fresh ways of presenting their faith. Silas is now wondering about running another escape room, this time based around one of Bulgaria\u2019s historical faith figures. \n\n\n\nAs we approach Easter, let\u2019s pray that we\u2019ll all escape from being stuck in traditional forms of outreach. And let\u2019s pray for student ministry in Bulgaria and beyond: \n\n\n\n\nGive thanks for Silas, the ministry of IFES InterAction, and the BCSU partnership. Pray for him as he plans to remain in Bulgaria and contribute as staff within the national movement \u2013 that he would continue to inspire creative evangelism. \n\n\n\nPray that a new InterAction staff member can join the team in order to further the international student ministry (ISM) and pray for the upcoming ISM evangelistic retreat \u2013 that students will bring their friends and see God at work in them. \n\n\n\nPray for BCSU groups, and all IFES movements, as they plan Easter outreach \u2013 for creativity, clarity, and courage so that as many students as possible might hear the good news. \n\n\n\n\n\nIFES InterAction works with national movements throughout Europe to recruit, train, and send cross-cultural workers in student ministry. It gives young graduates a 1\u20132-year taste of cross-cultural mission. Staff and volunteers are involved in training and supporting students in discipleship and evangelism, international student ministry, and launching new groups. Find out more. \n\n\n\nAnd if you\u2019re interested in running an Easter Escape Room, you can find more details and hear advice from Silas in the podcast. \n\n\n\n\n\n \n\nThe post Escaping Easter?\u00a0 appeared first on IFES.", "date_published": "2024-02-20T05:42:00+00:00", "date_modified": "2024-03-12T19:43:17+00:00", "authors": [ { "name": "admin", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/admin/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/3021a3e3433971d777b4933267a9b6db.jpg?ver=1760286604" } ], "author": { "name": "admin", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/admin/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/3021a3e3433971d777b4933267a9b6db.jpg?ver=1760286604" }, "image": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GEOS8417.jpg" }, { "id": "https://ifesworld.org/?post_type=prayerline&p=29232", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/prayerline/lessons-in-building-trust/", "title": "Lessons in building trust", "content_html": "How can a group of two dozen Christian students reach 200,000 students in Athens with the good news of Jesus?
\nCoffee?\u2026 and cookies! This simple idea was hatched eight years ago: put up a stand on campus to offer free coffee and cookies, engage students in friendly conversation, ask some thought-provoking questions, and build relationships.
\nIn a Christian culture where evangelism was often equated with the cold distribution of gospel tracts, this was a welcome step forward, says Jonathan Clark, Ethos SXEF (Association of Christian Evangelical Students) team leader in Athens. And yet, after five years, when they were forced to stop by COVID, Jonathan realised that not one ongoing contact with a student had been gained from their endeavours, despite the meaningful conversations they\u2019d enjoyed.
\nSo, when Grigoris Karasaridis, SXEF national director, asked that the outreach be restarted this past February, Jonathan felt reluctant. \u201cWere we just doing it for the sake of being there?\u201d, he wondered. Despite this, Jonathan, along with Interaction team member George Sewall and a few students, laid plans to take Coffee & Cookies to as many of the 12-15 campuses of Athens as possible. Frustratingly, they managed regular visits to just one. A combination of heavy rains, demonstrations, and strikes meant that they could only gain ongoing access to the University of Athens main campus.
\nWith nowhere else to go, the team returned to the same site for the following weeks \u2013 same day, same time. When they arrived on the third week, they were surprised: a group of students was waiting for them. \u201cWe\u2019re so glad you\u2019re here\u201d, they said. \u201cYou\u2019re the only reason we came to campus today!\u201d
\nAs previously, there were many who came and went, but weekly visits meant that a core of regulars evolved \u2013 and they brought their friends. As exams approached in June, the team announced their last visit for the summer. But the group insisted otherwise and persuaded them to return.
\n\u201cIn a culture where it\u2019s so important to overcome suspicion and build trust, this Coffee & Cookies experience was a wake-up call about what it means to be effective in evangelism\u201d, says Jonathan. It has also been inspiring for the SXEF students involved \u2013 one volunteer, Ilias, shared how running Coffee & Cookies became the highlight of his week.
\nThe plan for the autumn term is to return to the campus and encourage more SXEF students to take part. Rather than trying to reach all the campuses all at once, this small movement is seeing the fruit of being committed to one place on a regular basis. They are making inroads into the 200,000.
\nPray with us for students in Greece:
\nThe post Lessons in building trust appeared first on IFES.
\n", "content_text": "How can a group of two dozen Christian students reach 200,000 students in Athens with the good news of Jesus?\n\n\n\nCoffee?\u2026 and cookies! This simple idea was hatched eight years ago: put up a stand on campus to offer free coffee and cookies, engage students in friendly conversation, ask some thought-provoking questions, and build relationships.\n\n\n\nIn a Christian culture where evangelism was often equated with the cold distribution of gospel tracts, this was a welcome step forward, says Jonathan Clark, Ethos SXEF (Association of Christian Evangelical Students) team leader in Athens. And yet, after five years, when they were forced to stop by COVID, Jonathan realised that not one ongoing contact with a student had been gained from their endeavours, despite the meaningful conversations they\u2019d enjoyed.\n\n\n\nSo, when Grigoris Karasaridis, SXEF national director, asked that the outreach be restarted this past February, Jonathan felt reluctant. \u201cWere we just doing it for the sake of being there?\u201d, he wondered. Despite this, Jonathan, along with Interaction team member George Sewall and a few students, laid plans to take Coffee & Cookies to as many of the 12-15 campuses of Athens as possible. Frustratingly, they managed regular visits to just one. A combination of heavy rains, demonstrations, and strikes meant that they could only gain ongoing access to the University of Athens main campus.\n\n\n\nWith nowhere else to go, the team returned to the same site for the following weeks \u2013 same day, same time. When they arrived on the third week, they were surprised: a group of students was waiting for them. \u201cWe\u2019re so glad you\u2019re here\u201d, they said. \u201cYou\u2019re the only reason we came to campus today!\u201d\n\n\n\nAs previously, there were many who came and went, but weekly visits meant that a core of regulars evolved \u2013 and they brought their friends. As exams approached in June, the team announced their last visit for the summer. But the group insisted otherwise and persuaded them to return.\n\n\n\n\u201cIn a culture where it\u2019s so important to overcome suspicion and build trust, this Coffee & Cookies experience was a wake-up call about what it means to be effective in evangelism\u201d, says Jonathan. It has also been inspiring for the SXEF students involved \u2013 one volunteer, Ilias, shared how running Coffee & Cookies became the highlight of his week.\n\n\n\nThe plan for the autumn term is to return to the campus and encourage more SXEF students to take part. Rather than trying to reach all the campuses all at once, this small movement is seeing the fruit of being committed to one place on a regular basis. They are making inroads into the 200,000.\n\n\n\nPray with us for students in Greece:\n\n\n\n\nPraise God for his faithfulness in guiding and encouraging the Athens team in their outreach. Thank him for the relationships built through Coffee & Cookies in the last academic year. Pray that those friendships will deepen further this term.\n\n\n\nPray that more SXEF students will get involved and see the benefit of this kind of outreach. Pray also that hopes to extend the work, by collaborating with other Christian ministries in the city, will be realized.\n\n\n\nAmidst the disruption to education in recent months, pray that the ministry of SXEF will continue to build trust and bring hope on campus so that more students will come to know Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.\n\nThe post Lessons in building trust appeared first on IFES.", "date_published": "2023-09-19T08:18:36+01:00", "date_modified": "2023-09-19T08:18:37+01:00", "authors": [ { "name": "admin", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/admin/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/3021a3e3433971d777b4933267a9b6db.jpg?ver=1760286604" } ], "author": { "name": "admin", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/admin/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/3021a3e3433971d777b4933267a9b6db.jpg?ver=1760286604" }, "image": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Athens-Coffee-Cookies-1-scaled.jpg" }, { "id": "https://ifesworld.org/?post_type=prayerline&p=26948", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/prayerline/a-mission-week-surprise/", "title": "A mission week surprise", "content_html": "Students in Aarhus, Denmark\u2019s second-largest city, were surprised by the turnout at their mission week events in April. \u201cOn several occasions we had to get more chairs for both the evening and lunchtime meetings,\u201d explains Anders Kildahl Keseler, a staff member with KFS, the IFES national movement in Denmark.
\nReflecting on the response to this special week of evangelistic events, Anders was reminded of philosopher Charles Taylor\u2019s observation, in the book A Secular Age: \u201cPeople today seem to be at a safe distance from religion, but they are deeply moved to know that there are dedicated believers.\u201d
\nBut the non-Christian students who engaged with the mission week were more than just moved \u2013 they were genuinely open and curious about the good news of Jesus.
\n\u201cThey were interested in hearing about the relevance of faith for Christian students, how faith adds
something special to our lives, and how one can reconcile science and faith,\u201d shares Anders.
Following the theme of Imagine, the week\u2019s talks explored such topics as \u201cImagine if I could live without shame\u201d and \u201cImagine if I were more than my job.\u201d
\nOne member of the Christian Union (student group) had several classmates who asked if they could attend a lunchtime lecture. Afterwards, they asked if they could join a group to read the Bible together. Following the mission week, new Bible study groups were launched for students who want to explore the Christian faith.
\nAnders and his team are thankful for the Holy Spirit\u2019s work in drawing students towards Jesus during the Imagine mission. But what human factors contributed to the week\u2019s success?
\n\u201cIn the past, we invited foreign speakers to give lunchtime talks, but this year they were all delivered by Danish students,\u201d Anders explains. \u201cIt makes a lot of sense. We could clearly see how the audience related much more easily to them. Because the speakers were students, their talks got personal very easily: they talked about their own lives, doubts, and faith. This created strong and compelling testimonies.\u201d
\nThree of the four student speakers received training last September at a Nordic FEUER conference where they were able to deliver \u201cpractice\u201d evangelistic talks for the first time. FEUER, the Fellowship of Evangelists in the Universities of Europe, is a region-wide network of evangelists that works with national movements across Europe, and from which networks like Nordic FEUER have developed.
\nIn addition to the novelty of student speakers, Anders notes the impact of a strong social media campaign. Several students attended talks after seeing events advertised on Facebook and Instagram, rather than needing to be invited by friends.
\n\u201cThe talks opened up many good conversations that I think will continue in the Bible study groups,\u201d Anders says. \u201cWe are excited to follow the aftermath of these events.\u201d
\nPlease pray for students in Denmark:
\nThe post A mission week surprise appeared first on IFES.
\n", "content_text": "Students in Aarhus, Denmark\u2019s second-largest city, were surprised by the turnout at their mission week events in April. \u201cOn several occasions we had to get more chairs for both the evening and lunchtime meetings,\u201d explains Anders Kildahl Keseler, a staff member with KFS, the IFES national movement in Denmark. \n\n\n\nReflecting on the response to this special week of evangelistic events, Anders was reminded of philosopher Charles Taylor\u2019s observation, in the book A Secular Age: \u201cPeople today seem to be at a safe distance from religion, but they are deeply moved to know that there are dedicated believers.\u201d \n\n\n\nBut the non-Christian students who engaged with the mission week were more than just moved \u2013 they were genuinely open and curious about the good news of Jesus. \n\n\n\n\u201cThey were interested in hearing about the relevance of faith for Christian students, how faith adds something special to our lives, and how one can reconcile science and faith,\u201d shares Anders. \n\n\n\nFollowing the theme of Imagine, the week\u2019s talks explored such topics as \u201cImagine if I could live without shame\u201d and \u201cImagine if I were more than my job.\u201d \n\n\n\nOne member of the Christian Union (student group) had several classmates who asked if they could attend a lunchtime lecture. Afterwards, they asked if they could join a group to read the Bible together. Following the mission week, new Bible study groups were launched for students who want to explore the Christian faith. \n\n\n\nAnders and his team are thankful for the Holy Spirit\u2019s work in drawing students towards Jesus during the Imagine mission. But what human factors contributed to the week\u2019s success? \n\n\n\n\u201cIn the past, we invited foreign speakers to give lunchtime talks, but this year they were all delivered by Danish students,\u201d Anders explains. \u201cIt makes a lot of sense. We could clearly see how the audience related much more easily to them. Because the speakers were students, their talks got personal very easily: they talked about their own lives, doubts, and faith. This created strong and compelling testimonies.\u201d \n\n\n\nThree of the four student speakers received training last September at a Nordic FEUER conference where they were able to deliver \u201cpractice\u201d evangelistic talks for the first time. FEUER, the Fellowship of Evangelists in the Universities of Europe, is a region-wide network of evangelists that works with national movements across Europe, and from which networks like Nordic FEUER have developed. \n\n\n\nIn addition to the novelty of student speakers, Anders notes the impact of a strong social media campaign. Several students attended talks after seeing events advertised on Facebook and Instagram, rather than needing to be invited by friends. \n\n\n\n\u201cThe talks opened up many good conversations that I think will continue in the Bible study groups,\u201d Anders says. \u201cWe are excited to follow the aftermath of these events.\u201d \n\n\n\n Please pray for students in Denmark: \n\n\n\nPray that Jesus would reveal himself to the non-Christian students attending the Uncover Bible study groups that launched after the mission week. Pray for faithfulness and endurance for the Christian students who have started new Bible study groups or had friends come to one of the events. Pray that the Christian Union in Aarhus will seize these moments of openness among students to share Jesus with their friends. Ask the Lord to provide more Christian students to help at next year\u2019s mission. The recent mission week had fewer talks compared to pre-pandemic times because the Christian Union has fewer members. \nThe post A mission week surprise appeared first on IFES.", "date_published": "2023-05-30T06:26:00+01:00", "date_modified": "2023-05-28T20:28:46+01:00", "authors": [ { "name": "admin", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/admin/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/3021a3e3433971d777b4933267a9b6db.jpg?ver=1760286604" } ], "author": { "name": "admin", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/admin/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/3021a3e3433971d777b4933267a9b6db.jpg?ver=1760286604" }, "image": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/335937018_948144836205279_6664467607320150752_n.jpg" }, { "id": "https://ifesworld.org/?post_type=conexion&p=22708", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/blog/energizing-evangelism-across-europe/", "title": "Energizing evangelism across Europe", "content_html": "\u201cWe are living in a desperately tumultuous, uncertain time. The world is in crisis. We are facing a pivotal moment in western civilization,\u201d says evangelist and author Becky Pippert. \u201cIf ever there was a time that the world needs to hear the good news of Jesus Christ, it is now. We must not fail to make a difference in this critical cultural moment.\u201d
\nBecky Pippert addressed these remarks to 100 evangelists and 40 academics during a conference organized by FEUER, the Fellowship of Evangelists in the Universities of Europe, this past October.
\nIn a post-pandemic context, amid rapid cultural shifts and the rise of \u201ccancel culture\u201d, sharing the gospel on European university campuses can be challenging. But when evangelists in IFES Europe\u2019s FEUER network met in Greece late last year, they exchanged ideas and encouragement to equip and empower this mission. FEUER connects the national movements of IFES Europe with European evangelists committed to the public communication of the gospel in the region\u2019s universities. These partnerships are crucial to the success of mission work in the region.
\n\nWe come away with so many ideas to steal and adapt in our own context and people feel motivated to ‘give it a go’!
Michael Ots, field director for FEUER
\u201cThe courageous and creative approaches to public evangelism that we hear shared at our annual conferences are not just an encouragement – they are an inspiration,\u201d says Michael Ots, field director for FEUER. \u201cWe come away with so many ideas to steal and adapt in our own context and people feel motivated to ‘give it a go’!\u201d
\nDebates between Christians and famous atheists on YouTube, podcasts, book clubs and publishing projects were just a few of the diverse outreach ideas shared by members of this grassroots network during the recent conference. And many ideas have been shared and adapted between countries and student groups.
\n\u201cIn a post-pandemic world, we have been exploring how we can rekindle the idea of evangelism in Christian Unions, some of which have never seen mission done before,\u201d says Julia Garschagen, Director of the Pontes Institut. For her, the conference was a chance to update those present on how the Pontes Institut, in partnership with relevant IFES national movements, is building bridges among science, culture, and faith in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
\n\u201cWe looked at the needs in these German-speaking student movements and realized that we needed to find students who are multipliers, people who have already seen and done mission and can bring along those who haven\u2019t so that we can restart missions in many cities,\u201d observes Julia.
\nTogether with her colleague Heike Breitenstein, they have started a program called Proclama (Proclaim), which trains students and recent graduates in theology, apologetics, and communication skills, equipping them for public evangelism. It\u2019s an idea they have borrowed from a similar program run by GBU Spain and the Spanish apologetics institute, Instituo Pontea — a program they heard about during a previous FEUER conference. \u201cWe have just started our third cohort of Proclama students and this year we have eight students from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland,\u201d Julia reports. \u201cIt is really encouraging because often the students who do Proclama are the ones who get student groups excited to do mission weeks. They are able to give evangelistic talks themselves and train other students in how to do personal evangelism.\u201d
\nJulia also shared news of an event focusing on a new style of evangelistic dialogue being used in German-speaking IFES movements.
\n\u201cWe’ve found that a lot of postmodern students want to experience and explore the gospel for themselves,\u201d she says. \u201cThey have a more existential approach, so we have been trying to introduce a dialogue model of evangelism that gets people engaged with a biblical text while also discussing an existential topic, for example \u2018I have a full calendar and an empty soul: how do I find fulfilment?\u2019\u201d
\nThis type of engagement is already bearing fruit in the east of Germany, one of the most unchurched regions in Europe.
\n\u201cI was recently in Rostok, in the far northeast region of Germany,\u201d shares Julia, \u201cit\u2019s the kind of place where there are a lot of atheists. You can meet people there who have never heard the name of Jesus. But this also gives you the opportunity to open the Bible without a lot of prejudice because many people there have never seen one before.\u201d She recalls leading one event where \u201cthere was a student who prayed the prayer and gave his life to Jesus. We don\u2019t see this very often, so this was a real day of celebration for us.\u201d
\nFEUER may be an acronym, but it is also the German word for fire (pronounced foy-yehr). It was Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones, the first chairman of IFES, who described preaching as \u2018logic on fire\u2019. FEUER was established in 2008 to spark an increase in the public proclamation of the gospel throughout European universities. At the time, university \u201cmission weeks\u201d occurred regularly in less than five countries in the region.
\nMission weeks are a special series of events during which the gospel is proclaimed publicly and persuasively. This single, intense experience is a point of culmination for the ongoing personal witness of Christian students throughout the year as well as a catalyst for further witness.
\nOver the last 15 years, FEUER has grown into a network of grassroots evangelists from 40 countries. The Lord has used this network to help many Christians rediscover a confidence in the public proclamation of the gospel. As a result, university mission weeks have been pioneered in 36 countries, regular mission weeks take place in approximately 25 of those countries, and many thousands of students have heard the gospel.
\nNonetheless, there are still countries and cities where the idea of hosting a mission week is an unfamiliar concept.
\n\u201cI hadn\u2019t really even known what a mission week was when I attended my first FEUER conference,\u201d says Nico Villanen from Finland, who was a student when he first attended the conference two years ago. \u201cWe heard that mission weeks are an amazing concept, but we hadn\u2019t seen it in practice, so a friend and I attended the mission week planning course at the conference.\u201d
\nNico, presently a staff worker with HSSM, the Swedish-speaking IFES movement in Helsinki, shared how his student group organized the first ever mission week in that city last April.
\n\u201cWe were so blessed because on the first event of our mission week, there was one girl who accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour,\u201d remembers Nico. \u201cAt that moment, we thought, \u2018wow, if this is the peak and if nothing else happens this week, this is enough!\u2019
\n\u201cIt was not only for the non-Christians that our event was successful, but also for the Christians in our city. We\u2019d had a mission week prior to this, many years ago in a different city, but it was a total flop. The Christian students who remembered that event were initially skeptical about our plans, but at the end of our mission week they came to us and said, \u2018It actually works.\u2019\u201d
\nIf there is one thing that those in the FEUER network know it is that there is no one-size-fits all when it comes to student evangelism.
\nNico came to understand this during his mission week last April: \u201cWe learned that free lunch events don\u2019t work in our context because university lunches are heavily subsidized here. Next time we will probably do a caf\u00e9 event with baked goods and coffee instead. My advice is to take what you have learned and make it your own.\u201d
\n\u201cMany of the ideas shared in FEUER are unique to a particular context,\u201d acknowledges Michael Ots. \u201cBut behind the practice there are principles that we can all learn to apply in our setting, for example the importance of prayer, publicity, creativity, and follow up. Often people get inspired by a particular idea and then learn to adapt it to their own context.\u201d
\nBeyond its annual conference, the FEUER network is comprised of diverse individuals who stay in touch throughout the year and collaborate on mission weeks. Some members of FEUER are IFES staff and students; others work for churches, Christian organizations, universities, or in a variety of secular workplaces. The network mostly includes people who are involved in delivering evangelistic talks \u2013 or are interested in doing so \u2013 but it includes mission organizers too.
\nFEUER now has a parallel network for academic speakers wanting to bear witness to Christ from inside the university while partnering with public evangelists. Additionally, FEUER has started a Seeker Bible Study Network to encourage small group and personal evangelism that complements public proclamation.
\n“When I travel to meet the leaders of national movements and ask them about their biggest encouragements, I am amazed at the number of times FEUER is mentioned,\u201d says David Montgomery, Regional Secretary for IFES Europe.
\n“Many of those who have come to faith in recent years in our region have done so through events inspired by FEUER. We want to make the training and mentoring of young evangelists a priority in the years ahead.\u201d
\nVideos from the plenary sessions at the recent FEUER conference as well as other helpful evangelism resources can be found on the FEUER website.
\nIf you are involved in the public proclamation of the gospel in universities in Europe or if this is an area that you are keen to explore, contact Michael Ots to find out more: Michael.ots@ifeseurope.org. The next FEUER conference will be held November 2-6 in Spain.
\nThe post Energizing evangelism across Europe appeared first on IFES.
\n", "content_text": "\u201cWe are living in a desperately tumultuous, uncertain time. The world is in crisis. We are facing a pivotal moment in western civilization,\u201d says evangelist and author Becky Pippert. \u201cIf ever there was a time that the world needs to hear the good news of Jesus Christ, it is now. We must not fail to make a difference in this critical cultural moment.\u201d\n\n\n\nBecky Pippert addressed these remarks to 100 evangelists and 40 academics during a conference organized by FEUER, the Fellowship of Evangelists in the Universities of Europe, this past October.\n\n\n\nIn a post-pandemic context, amid rapid cultural shifts and the rise of \u201ccancel culture\u201d, sharing the gospel on European university campuses can be challenging. But when evangelists in IFES Europe\u2019s FEUER network met in Greece late last year, they exchanged ideas and encouragement to equip and empower this mission. FEUER connects the national movements of IFES Europe with European evangelists committed to the public communication of the gospel in the region\u2019s universities. These partnerships are crucial to the success of mission work in the region.\n\n\n\nWe come away with so many ideas to steal and adapt in our own context and people feel motivated to ‘give it a go’!Michael Ots, field director for FEUER\n\n\n\n\u201cThe courageous and creative approaches to public evangelism that we hear shared at our annual conferences are not just an encouragement – they are an inspiration,\u201d says Michael Ots, field director for FEUER. \u201cWe come away with so many ideas to steal and adapt in our own context and people feel motivated to ‘give it a go’!\u201d\n\n\n\nDebates between Christians and famous atheists on YouTube, podcasts, book clubs and publishing projects were just a few of the diverse outreach ideas shared by members of this grassroots network during the recent conference. And many ideas have been shared and adapted between countries and student groups.\n\n\n\nReinvigorating student mission\n\n\n\n\u201cIn a post-pandemic world, we have been exploring how we can rekindle the idea of evangelism in Christian Unions, some of which have never seen mission done before,\u201d says Julia Garschagen, Director of the Pontes Institut. For her, the conference was a chance to update those present on how the Pontes Institut, in partnership with relevant IFES national movements, is building bridges among science, culture, and faith in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.\n\n\n\n\u201cWe looked at the needs in these German-speaking student movements and realized that we needed to find students who are multipliers, people who have already seen and done mission and can bring along those who haven\u2019t so that we can restart missions in many cities,\u201d observes Julia.\n\n\n\nTogether with her colleague Heike Breitenstein, they have started a program called Proclama (Proclaim), which trains students and recent graduates in theology, apologetics, and communication skills, equipping them for public evangelism. It\u2019s an idea they have borrowed from a similar program run by GBU Spain and the Spanish apologetics institute, Instituo Pontea — a program they heard about during a previous FEUER conference. \u201cWe have just started our third cohort of Proclama students and this year we have eight students from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland,\u201d Julia reports. \u201cIt is really encouraging because often the students who do Proclama are the ones who get student groups excited to do mission weeks. They are able to give evangelistic talks themselves and train other students in how to do personal evangelism.\u201d\n\n\n\nJulia also shared news of an event focusing on a new style of evangelistic dialogue being used in German-speaking IFES movements.\n\n\n\n\u201cWe’ve found that a lot of postmodern students want to experience and explore the gospel for themselves,\u201d she says. \u201cThey have a more existential approach, so we have been trying to introduce a dialogue model of evangelism that gets people engaged with a biblical text while also discussing an existential topic, for example \u2018I have a full calendar and an empty soul: how do I find fulfilment?\u2019\u201d\n\n\n\nThis type of engagement is already bearing fruit in the east of Germany, one of the most unchurched regions in Europe.\n\n\n\n\u201cI was recently in Rostok, in the far northeast region of Germany,\u201d shares Julia, \u201cit\u2019s the kind of place where there are a lot of atheists. You can meet people there who have never heard the name of Jesus. But this also gives you the opportunity to open the Bible without a lot of prejudice because many people there have never seen one before.\u201d She recalls leading one event where \u201cthere was a student who prayed the prayer and gave his life to Jesus. We don\u2019t see this very often, so this was a real day of celebration for us.\u201d\n\n\n\nThe word on fire\n\n\n\nFEUER may be an acronym, but it is also the German word for fire (pronounced foy-yehr). It was Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones, the first chairman of IFES, who described preaching as \u2018logic on fire\u2019. FEUER was established in 2008 to spark an increase in the public proclamation of the gospel throughout European universities. At the time, university \u201cmission weeks\u201d occurred regularly in less than five countries in the region.\n\n\n\nMission weeks are a special series of events during which the gospel is proclaimed publicly and persuasively. This single, intense experience is a point of culmination for the ongoing personal witness of Christian students throughout the year as well as a catalyst for further witness.\n\n\n\nOver the last 15 years, FEUER has grown into a network of grassroots evangelists from 40 countries. The Lord has used this network to help many Christians rediscover a confidence in the public proclamation of the gospel. As a result, university mission weeks have been pioneered in 36 countries, regular mission weeks take place in approximately 25 of those countries, and many thousands of students have heard the gospel.\n\n\n\nTake what you learn and make it your own\n\n\n\nNonetheless, there are still countries and cities where the idea of hosting a mission week is an unfamiliar concept.\n\n\n\n\u201cI hadn\u2019t really even known what a mission week was when I attended my first FEUER conference,\u201d says Nico Villanen from Finland, who was a student when he first attended the conference two years ago. \u201cWe heard that mission weeks are an amazing concept, but we hadn\u2019t seen it in practice, so a friend and I attended the mission week planning course at the conference.\u201d\n\n\n\nNico, presently a staff worker with HSSM, the Swedish-speaking IFES movement in Helsinki, shared how his student group organized the first ever mission week in that city last April.\n\n\n\n\u201cWe were so blessed because on the first event of our mission week, there was one girl who accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour,\u201d remembers Nico. \u201cAt that moment, we thought, \u2018wow, if this is the peak and if nothing else happens this week, this is enough!\u2019\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt was not only for the non-Christians that our event was successful, but also for the Christians in our city. We\u2019d had a mission week prior to this, many years ago in a different city, but it was a total flop. The Christian students who remembered that event were initially skeptical about our plans, but at the end of our mission week they came to us and said, \u2018It actually works.\u2019\u201d\n\n\n\nIf there is one thing that those in the FEUER network know it is that there is no one-size-fits all when it comes to student evangelism.\n\n\n\nNico came to understand this during his mission week last April: \u201cWe learned that free lunch events don\u2019t work in our context because university lunches are heavily subsidized here. Next time we will probably do a caf\u00e9 event with baked goods and coffee instead. My advice is to take what you have learned and make it your own.\u201d\n\n\n\n\u201cMany of the ideas shared in FEUER are unique to a particular context,\u201d acknowledges Michael Ots. \u201cBut behind the practice there are principles that we can all learn to apply in our setting, for example the importance of prayer, publicity, creativity, and follow up. Often people get inspired by a particular idea and then learn to adapt it to their own context.\u201d\n\n\n\nMore than a conference\n\n\n\nBeyond its annual conference, the FEUER network is comprised of diverse individuals who stay in touch throughout the year and collaborate on mission weeks. Some members of FEUER are IFES staff and students; others work for churches, Christian organizations, universities, or in a variety of secular workplaces. The network mostly includes people who are involved in delivering evangelistic talks \u2013 or are interested in doing so \u2013 but it includes mission organizers too.\n\n\n\nFEUER now has a parallel network for academic speakers wanting to bear witness to Christ from inside the university while partnering with public evangelists. Additionally, FEUER has started a Seeker Bible Study Network to encourage small group and personal evangelism that complements public proclamation.\n\n\n\n“When I travel to meet the leaders of national movements and ask them about their biggest encouragements, I am amazed at the number of times FEUER is mentioned,\u201d says David Montgomery, Regional Secretary for IFES Europe.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Many of those who have come to faith in recent years in our region have done so through events inspired by FEUER. We want to make the training and mentoring of young evangelists a priority in the years ahead.\u201d\n\n\n\nVideos from the plenary sessions at the recent FEUER conference as well as other helpful evangelism resources can be found on the FEUER website.\n\n\n\nIf you are involved in the public proclamation of the gospel in universities in Europe or if this is an area that you are keen to explore, contact Michael Ots to find out more: Michael.ots@ifeseurope.org. The next FEUER conference will be held November 2-6 in Spain.\nThe post Energizing evangelism across Europe appeared first on IFES.", "date_published": "2023-03-02T20:03:52+00:00", "date_modified": "2023-03-10T16:31:54+00:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Tim.Boland", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/tim-boland/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/2021787e4b2a866a6efcc474e3c84514.jpg?ver=1760274904" } ], "author": { "name": "Tim.Boland", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/tim-boland/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/2021787e4b2a866a6efcc474e3c84514.jpg?ver=1760274904" }, "image": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Julia-Garschagen-and-Heike-Breitenstein-screenshot1.jpg" }, { "id": "https://ifesworld.org/?post_type=prayerline&p=20581", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/prayerline/the-god-of-being-broken/", "title": "The God of being broken", "content_html": "\u201cGod puts great value on broken people.\u201d
\nThis is how Lydia is praising God for the way he is working in ZVE\u0160, the national movement in Slovenia. Originally from the UK, Lydia has been a ZVE\u0160 staff worker for ten years, which she hasn\u2019t found easy. After a recent season of real personal discouragement, \u201cfeeling confused, lost, and disappointed that God didn\u2019t help me as I thought he should”, she now shares her renewed faith in a God who loves to turn our brokenness for good. She is \u201cstriving to find my encouragement in God and keep my eyes focused on Jesus. Please pray that I would not depend on myself, but stay humble and dependent on him\u201d.
\nThough student ministry can be challenging with only a 0.1% evangelical Christian population in Slovenia, God is providing blessings. The ZVE\u0160 discussion group for international students has had a great start to the new academic year, and half of those attending are not yet Christians.
\nLydia has a new apartment in a great location in Ljubljana, where she recently hosted an open house to welcome students. Some are very enthusiastic about meeting together to study the Bible, while others are very unsure about their faith. Lydia wants to encourage them to think about reaching out, without alienating those who need a safe, nurturing environment to explore knowing Jesus for themselves on a more fundamental level.
\nLet\u2019s pray for Lydia and ZVE\u0160 Slovenia:
\nThank you for supporting ZVE\u0160 Slovenia in prayer. If you feel led to contribute to their movement financially, you can do so here.
\nIf you\u2019d like to hear more from Lydia, sign up to her newsletter on the UFM website here.
\nThe post The God of being broken appeared first on IFES.
\n", "content_text": "\u201cGod puts great value on broken people.\u201d\n\n\n\nThis is how Lydia is praising God for the way he is working in ZVE\u0160, the national movement in Slovenia. Originally from the UK, Lydia has been a ZVE\u0160 staff worker for ten years, which she hasn\u2019t found easy. After a recent season of real personal discouragement, \u201cfeeling confused, lost, and disappointed that God didn\u2019t help me as I thought he should”, she now shares her renewed faith in a God who loves to turn our brokenness for good. She is \u201cstriving to find my encouragement in God and keep my eyes focused on Jesus. Please pray that I would not depend on myself, but stay humble and dependent on him\u201d.\n\n\n\nThough student ministry can be challenging with only a 0.1% evangelical Christian population in Slovenia, God is providing blessings. The ZVE\u0160 discussion group for international students has had a great start to the new academic year, and half of those attending are not yet Christians. \n\n\n\nLydia has a new apartment in a great location in Ljubljana, where she recently hosted an open house to welcome students. Some are very enthusiastic about meeting together to study the Bible, while others are very unsure about their faith. Lydia wants to encourage them to think about reaching out, without alienating those who need a safe, nurturing environment to explore knowing Jesus for themselves on a more fundamental level.\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s pray for Lydia and ZVE\u0160 Slovenia:\n\n\n\nPray that God would continue to uplift Lydia spiritually and give her the confidence that God is able to bless her \u201cabundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that she needs, she will abound in every good work\u201d (2 Corinthians 9:8).Pray that God would sustain the ZVE\u0160 team more generally through various health problems. As Lydia says, \u201cwe have no idea how this year will go, but pray that through God\u2019s grace he would use the little we can do and multiply it.\u201dPray that God would continue to work in the lives of the students who are part of ZVE\u0160, speaking to them, and meeting them wherever they are and drawing them more and more into a knowledge and deep assurance of the love of Jesus for them and truth and power of the gospel.\n\n\n\nThank you for supporting ZVE\u0160 Slovenia in prayer. If you feel led to contribute to their movement financially, you can do so here.\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019d like to hear more from Lydia, sign up to her newsletter on the UFM website here.\nThe post The God of being broken appeared first on IFES.", "date_published": "2022-11-22T05:08:00+00:00", "date_modified": "2022-11-22T16:26:36+00:00", "authors": [ { "name": "admin", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/admin/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/3021a3e3433971d777b4933267a9b6db.jpg?ver=1760286604" } ], "author": { "name": "admin", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/admin/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/3021a3e3433971d777b4933267a9b6db.jpg?ver=1760286604" }, "image": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Road-trip-with-internationals.jpeg" }, { "id": "https://ifesworld.org/?post_type=prayerline&p=18987", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/prayerline/engaging-our-studies-with-the-problems-around-us/", "title": "Engaging our studies with the problems around us", "content_html": "This edition of Prayerline was adapted from GBEU Switzerland\u2019s A Propos magazine. S\u00e9bastien, third year Civil Engineering student with GBEU, the Francophone student movement in Switzerland, writes about his experience of engaging the university. Find out more about IFES Engaging the University here.
\n\u2018At a recent training event, I was part of a focus group on the topic of engaging the university. We highlighted the importance of being witnesses for Christ to our friends by engaging in community life. Recently, I had the opportunity to experience this in a very practical way. I organised an event with one of my teachers at the engineering school to challenge students about their role in society. Together we watched a documentary about ethics, followed by a panel discussion with speakers from diverse backgrounds. They shared their ideas and experiences about social and environmental issues, and the impact that engineers can have in society\u2014 a huge topic!
\n\u2018After the formal part of the event was over, I had the opportunity to talk at length with the young teacher with whom I organised the event, as well as with another young, curious colleague. I testified about my faith openly. In cases where they viewed the problems of worldly sin as coming from a corrupt and wicked elite, I was able to speak of the sin which is in all our hearts. Where political ideologies might be seen as the answer, I was able to speak of salvation and the resulting transformation of the heart. Where the human being is singled out as the one responsible for solving these problems, I was able to talk of a compassionate God who accomplishes everything by grace and invites us to meet him. And where fatalism brings fear and uncertainty, I was able to speak of the hope of knowing that God holds all things in his hands. It was an extraordinary moment of exchange which continued well into the night, even though it was a Thursday evening!
\n\u2018This was also possible because of the spirit of availability of two friends from the P\u00e9rolles GBU group who came to lend a hand with the tidying up. What a pleasure to serve God and contribute together to the life of our campus! As a follow-up to this event, we are planning to create a society for students committed to social justice. This would be the first student association at my university, so an opportunity to open up the social life of the university, as well as bring the gospel to the eyes and ears of new students.
\n\u2018As a Christian I believe that I can agree with my non-Christian friends about the societal problems that surround us, but that I can also bring a unique perspective to the cause of these problems and, especially, to their solutions. What a privilege to be part of God’s work! To him be all the glory.\u2019
\nPray for S\u00e9bastien and GBEU Switzerland:
\nThe post Engaging our studies with the problems around us appeared first on IFES.
\n", "content_text": "This edition of Prayerline was adapted from GBEU Switzerland\u2019s A Propos magazine. S\u00e9bastien, third year Civil Engineering student with GBEU, the Francophone student movement in Switzerland, writes about his experience of engaging the university. Find out more about IFES Engaging the University here. \n\n\n\n\u2018At a recent training event, I was part of a focus group on the topic of engaging the university. We highlighted the importance of being witnesses for Christ to our friends by engaging in community life. Recently, I had the opportunity to experience this in a very practical way. I organised an event with one of my teachers at the engineering school to challenge students about their role in society. Together we watched a documentary about ethics, followed by a panel discussion with speakers from diverse backgrounds. They shared their ideas and experiences about social and environmental issues, and the impact that engineers can have in society\u2014 a huge topic! \n\n\n\n\u2018After the formal part of the event was over, I had the opportunity to talk at length with the young teacher with whom I organised the event, as well as with another young, curious colleague. I testified about my faith openly. In cases where they viewed the problems of worldly sin as coming from a corrupt and wicked elite, I was able to speak of the sin which is in all our hearts. Where political ideologies might be seen as the answer, I was able to speak of salvation and the resulting transformation of the heart. Where the human being is singled out as the one responsible for solving these problems, I was able to talk of a compassionate God who accomplishes everything by grace and invites us to meet him. And where fatalism brings fear and uncertainty, I was able to speak of the hope of knowing that God holds all things in his hands. It was an extraordinary moment of exchange which continued well into the night, even though it was a Thursday evening! \n\n\n\n\u2018This was also possible because of the spirit of availability of two friends from the P\u00e9rolles GBU group who came to lend a hand with the tidying up. What a pleasure to serve God and contribute together to the life of our campus! As a follow-up to this event, we are planning to create a society for students committed to social justice. This would be the first student association at my university, so an opportunity to open up the social life of the university, as well as bring the gospel to the eyes and ears of new students. \n\n\n\n\u2018As a Christian I believe that I can agree with my non-Christian friends about the societal problems that surround us, but that I can also bring a unique perspective to the cause of these problems and, especially, to their solutions. What a privilege to be part of God’s work! To him be all the glory.\u2019 \n\n\n\nPray for S\u00e9bastien and GBEU Switzerland: \n\n\n\nPray for those with whom S\u00e9bastien spoke \u2013 that his words would have an impact, give them a new perspective, and bring them to Christ. Pray for the plans to start a new student society centred around social justice. Pray that this new group would bring glory to God and much good to the world around them. Pray for students in GBEU and beyond as they seek to engage in the issues that matter, participate in the life of the university, and bring the light of the gospel. \nThe post Engaging our studies with the problems around us appeared first on IFES.", "date_published": "2022-06-07T10:22:34+01:00", "date_modified": "2022-06-07T12:41:28+01:00", "authors": [ { "name": "admin", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/admin/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/3021a3e3433971d777b4933267a9b6db.jpg?ver=1760286604" } ], "author": { "name": "admin", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/admin/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/3021a3e3433971d777b4933267a9b6db.jpg?ver=1760286604" }, "image": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/DSC00035-scaled.jpg" }, { "id": "https://ifesworld.org/?post_type=prayerline&p=17898", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/prayerline/new-beginnings-in-cluj/", "title": "New beginnings in Cluj", "content_html": "Delia knows from experience how hard being a Christian at university can be. \u2018In my first year\u2019, she says, \u2018it was hard to find a Christian community, and I used to travel home each weekend\u2019. Things changed when she found OSCER, Romania\u2019s student movement. \u2018Meeting other Christian students and learning together how to be salt and light was a great help for me and had a big impact on my faith.\u2019 When she moved to Cluj for her master\u2019s degree in 2018, she found no OSCER group. But she had a burden for students – \u2018I really wanted the students in Cluj to receive the help I also received back in my university years.\u2019
\nHow do you start something from nothing, single-handedly?
\nDelia met two others who shared her vision, including one who had moved to Cluj for the very purpose of starting a student group there. They began praying together, but as time wore on, nothing much was achieved. Then the pandemic hit. The three would-be pioneers had to return to their home cities.
\nAt the end of 2020, Delia found herself the only one of the three whose plans aligned with a return to Cluj. She began to doubt her abilities. \u2018It was hard, discouraging, and from my perspective, impossible\u2019. She began living in Cluj with Raluca, a student from church. \u2018As our friendship grew,\u2019 explains Delia, \u2018I shared with her my experiences with OSCER and my dream for the group in Cluj. One day, she told me that if I was afraid to do it alone, we could try and do it together.\u2019
\nThis was the moment things began to change.
\nDelia and Raluca shared their vision with their pastor, and two other students at church, Alexandra and Ana, were interested. Their first meeting was in March 2021. Studying the Five Thresholds course (produced by InterVarsity, the USA student movement), other students came and went over the weeks, leaving just the four. But they didn\u2019t give up. In October, with the help of other missionaries, they were able to organise a big event with a well-known guest speaker. This time, about 100 young people attended, heard the gospel, and were invited to OSCER groups.
\nWeekly meetings have grown to 15-20 students. The Christmas outreach event showed a real spiritual appetite amongst students in Cluj, who asked great questions and wanted more discussion. After the exam period is over next month, the team plan to run the Alpha course.
\n\u2018This is the first time we are part of a coordinating team, and there are a lot of things to learn\u2019, shares Delia. \u2018Especially how to organise all our other responsibilities with OSCER.\u2019 She\u2019s nonetheless excited about the future \u2013 \u2018Cluj is a big city and there are a lot of opportunities. We are very thankful for the way God has worked this year – and grateful for this opportunity to share our joy with you in Prayerline.\u2019
\nPray for Delia, Raluca, Ale, Ana, and OSCER Romania:
\nThe post New beginnings in Cluj appeared first on IFES.
\n", "content_text": "Delia knows from experience how hard being a Christian at university can be. \u2018In my first year\u2019, she says, \u2018it was hard to find a Christian community, and I used to travel home each weekend\u2019. Things changed when she found OSCER, Romania\u2019s student movement. \u2018Meeting other Christian students and learning together how to be salt and light was a great help for me and had a big impact on my faith.\u2019 When she moved to Cluj for her master\u2019s degree in 2018, she found no OSCER group. But she had a burden for students – \u2018I really wanted the students in Cluj to receive the help I also received back in my university years.\u2019\n\n\n\nHow do you start something from nothing, single-handedly?\n\n\n\nDelia met two others who shared her vision, including one who had moved to Cluj for the very purpose of starting a student group there. They began praying together, but as time wore on, nothing much was achieved. Then the pandemic hit. The three would-be pioneers had to return to their home cities.\n\n\n\nAt the end of 2020, Delia found herself the only one of the three whose plans aligned with a return to Cluj. She began to doubt her abilities. \u2018It was hard, discouraging, and from my perspective, impossible\u2019. She began living in Cluj with Raluca, a student from church. \u2018As our friendship grew,\u2019 explains Delia, \u2018I shared with her my experiences with OSCER and my dream for the group in Cluj. One day, she told me that if I was afraid to do it alone, we could try and do it together.\u2019\n\n\n\nThis was the moment things began to change.\n\n\n\nDelia and Raluca shared their vision with their pastor, and two other students at church, Alexandra and Ana, were interested. Their first meeting was in March 2021. Studying the Five Thresholds course (produced by InterVarsity, the USA student movement), other students came and went over the weeks, leaving just the four. But they didn\u2019t give up. In October, with the help of other missionaries, they were able to organise a big event with a well-known guest speaker. This time, about 100 young people attended, heard the gospel, and were invited to OSCER groups.\n\n\n\nWeekly meetings have grown to 15-20 students. The Christmas outreach event showed a real spiritual appetite amongst students in Cluj, who asked great questions and wanted more discussion. After the exam period is over next month, the team plan to run the Alpha course.\n\n\n\n\u2018This is the first time we are part of a coordinating team, and there are a lot of things to learn\u2019, shares Delia. \u2018Especially how to organise all our other responsibilities with OSCER.\u2019 She\u2019s nonetheless excited about the future \u2013 \u2018Cluj is a big city and there are a lot of opportunities. We are very thankful for the way God has worked this year – and grateful for this opportunity to share our joy with you in Prayerline.\u2019\n\n\n\nPray for Delia, Raluca, Ale, Ana, and OSCER Romania:\n\n\n\nPray that many students would come back after exams bringing their friends to Alpha. Pray that the planned outreach event in a few months would reach new students. Pray that students would give their lives to Jesus.Pray that Christian students attending the group would embrace the vision of OSCER.Pray that Delia, Raluca, Ale, Ana, and other Christians in Cluj would not grow weary of doing good (Galatians 6:9). Pray for wisdom and joy as they lead.Pray for the long-term establishment of a student group in Cluj, with the development of the next generation of student leaders. Pray that this would have a long-lasting strategic impact for the kingdom.Pray that OSCER would continue to have this impact on students\u2019 lives in Romania.\nThe post New beginnings in Cluj appeared first on IFES.", "date_published": "2022-02-01T04:48:00+00:00", "date_modified": "2022-02-15T12:41:03+00:00", "authors": [ { "name": "admin", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/admin/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/3021a3e3433971d777b4933267a9b6db.jpg?ver=1760286604" } ], "author": { "name": "admin", "url": "https://ifesworld.org/en/author/admin/", "avatar": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/3021a3e3433971d777b4933267a9b6db.jpg?ver=1760286604" }, "image": "https://ifesworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/OSCER-Cluj-.jpeg" } ] }