“I felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over me, as if my burdens had been lifted. In that moment, I realised that surrendering my struggles to Christ was the first step towards healing and renewal.”
It was a powerful awakening for Srey Leak, a fourth-year student at Angkor University in Siem Reap, Cambodia. But it wasn’t out of the blue. For months, staff and students at SONOKO, the IFES national movement, had been reaching out – and God had been at work.
A Happy Face
One day, Srey Leak was cleaning up on campus with three other students when Chenda, a SONOKO staff worker, approached and offered help. As they chatted, Srey Leak discovered that Chenda wasn’t a student and asked why she was there.
“I came here to pray for Angkor University,” Chenda said and saw Srey Leak’s face light up.
Chenda invited all four to the monthly SONOKO gathering, but they were too busy to attend. Before the next meeting, Chenda reached out again. Srey Leak agreed to come and encountered a friendly and caring student community – and gradually opened up to God.
An Open, Restless Heart
During the following weeks, Srey Leak sensed a spiritual connection. On one occasion, a friend looked so thin and tired that she was moved to put a hand on her shoulder and offer a prayer of encouragement.
But with time, Srey Leak stopped attending the SONOKO meetings. She was working, studying at night, and busy at weekends. She missed the fellowship – and she felt far from God:
“I had many things on my mind and just wanted God to solve all my problems. I felt like I was aimless – my life seemed to be drifting. I didn’t know what to live for. I felt so tired and unwell.”
Five months later, when Srey Leak received another invitation from Chenda, she decided to return.
A Surrendered Life
“While singing, I shed tears of repentance. In my heart, I knew I was in need of a Saviour and a Guide. And what made me cry most was the thought that God had not abandoned me – that he’d called me back here to receive salvation, encouragement, and joy.”
Indeed, it was no coincidence Srey Leak had come that evening. Students were invited to write prayers and pin them to a wooden cross – and so it was that she could surrender herself and all her burdens to God and be awakened to Christ’s peace and renewal.
Pray
Praise God for Srey Leak’s journey and for the way he used Chenda’s desire to pray on campus, her tenacious invitations to Srey Leak, and the warmth of the SONOKO student community.
Pray for God’s strength and wisdom for the student leaders – many, like Srey Leak, juggle studies, work, and other responsibilities, making it tricky to find common planning times and leaving them vulnerable to burnout.
In January, SONOKO Cambodia celebrated its thirtieth anniversary. Thank God for its growth and their 3/30/300 vision – 3 cities, 30 campus groups, with 300 students. With groups now operating in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, ask the Lord to open the way for pioneering ministry in Battambang.
Watch students and staff (including Chenda!) share about SONOKO’s ministry and vision in this reel.
They are today’s and tomorrow’s university students: Generation Z (Gen Z). Born in the period 1997-2012, they form the world’s largest single generation – around one third of its population.
In western societies, this distinctive demographic has been thoroughly analysed. And Christian ministries – including IFES movements like InterVarsity USA – have tailored their outreach and discipleship accordingly. Later this year, UCCF Great Britain will launch a new version of Uncover Luke that’s aimed at appealing to this generation’s longing for beauty and transcendence.
However, the vast majority of Gen Z students do not live in the west. In her talk “Equipping Gen Z for Missional Living”, Denise Margaret Thompson notes that a quarter of Gen Zers live in South Asia, with India’s cohort nearly three times that of all of Europe’s.
GLOBAL TRENDS?
In response to this, IFES has been eagerly exploring whether trends associated with Gen Z are apparent across our global fellowship. If they are, huge potential exists for collaborative ministry and mission among Gen Z students.
So, last year, Peter Dray (formerly Director of Creative Evangelism at UCCF Great Britain) was commissioned to investigate. Through in-depth interviews and focus groups he’s spoken to Gen Z students and staff in national movements from four IFES world regions.
In this blog, he reflects on his field notes and identifies four global Gen Z characteristics that are significant for life and faith.
1: Gen Z Students – A Digital Generation
On my travels, it felt like smartphones were everywhere, and especially on university campuses!
Gen Z spends a huge amount of time online – communicating, watching videos, and handling everyday tasks on their phones – perhaps all at the same time. Some Singaporean students proudly told me how they were now experts in multi-tasking!
Digital immersion means that Gen Z has vast amounts of information at its fingertips – far more than previous generations did.
This is especially noticeable in lower-income countries, where mobile internet coverage has boomed. I was moved by interviewees who shared about their easy access to theological resources that their parents never had.
Practically, Gen Zers can learn skills, make friends, and earn money in ways previous generations couldn’t – with many having a new sense of drive and entrepreneurialism. One student in rural Kenya shared how he’s paying for his education by selling photos (taken on his phone) to clients around the world.
Digital technologies seem to be encouraging greater individuality, immediacy, and spontaneity.
Many people I talked to hate phone calls or long texts, preferring to communicate using short messages, GIFs, and stickers. This leads Gen Zers to communicate informally, even with older people or those in authority – a sign of their preference for flatter organisational structures that can hold leaders to account.
Socialising habits are changing too. Gen Zers prioritise time by themselves, even in countries with a historically communitarian mindset. They find waiting difficult, leading them to spur-of-the-moment decisions with a short-term focus. One student told me he’d rather buy single sachets of hot chocolate than a whole jar. He knew it cost more overall but preferred that it was less upfront!
Many interviewees also talked about the dark side of constant connection and easy internet access. Online gambling is attractive to students desperate for quick cash, the use of porn is common, and plagiarism is tempting. Several interviewees shared struggles with gaming addiction. Students in lower-income countries seem especially vulnerable and in need of guidance – the sudden tech explosion has clearly caught parents and churches off guard.
Many also felt overwhelmed by the complexity of digital life. Being ‘always on’ takes a toll. One student, who generally appreciates digital tech, said that, for Gen Z, life requires constant effort, with little mental downtime. He said that Christians could never afford to reduce their level of vigilance – meaning not only the temptations above but also the tug towards hours of endless scrolling.
He summed up what many felt: that constant connection is bringing Gen Z students a unique psychological burden, leaving them feeling mentally and emotionally drained.
2: Gen Z Students – A More Aware Generation
This rise in easy access to internet technologies has been accompanied by increased personal mobility and swift urbanisation, especially in Africa and Asia. Gen Z students are widely exposed to people and ideas from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
This can create a ‘shared vernacular’ – one American staff member in the Middle East said a local student “talks just like my 18-year-old sister”. It’s also causing Gen Z to dress more alike, no matter where they’re from.
In some places, exposure to people from other cultures is prompting Gen Zers to question deep-rooted assumptions. In Kenya, for example, those who have built relationships with those beyond their tribes find that tribal identity is less important to them than it is to their parents. Many have never learned their tribal language; some only use their English names. This sense of having ‘more in common’ is driving young Kenyans to unite in political activism, most notably in the so-called ‘Gen Z protests’ against the government in July 2024.
In some lower-income countries, the greater awareness brought about by digital technologies has exaggerated the generational gap. “Our parents knew a lot about a little,” one Gen Z student told me, “but we know a little about a lot.” Some expressed frustration that their parents (and churches) couldn’t handle questions they had from content they’d seen online. The danger of blindly accepting answers offered by search engines, AI, or influencers was apparent.
In Ireland, I met a Gen Z volunteer whose experience illustrates how his cultural awareness has grown due to global mobility. He grew up in a homogeneous area and had no cross-cultural training. Yet at university, he met people from a range of nations and backgrounds. On one occasion, he met waiters from Sudan, greeting them with some Arabic phrases he’d picked up. He then impressed them with facts he’d learned about Sudan (including that it has more pyramids than Egypt!). This cultural awareness created an instant connection, opening doors for meaningful conversation.
Despite greater general awareness, it would be misleading to suggest that cross-cultural engagement is common. In many countries, students still mostly hang out with others from their own ethnic background. Students who’ve made friends beyond their ethnic group have often been challenged to do so or seen it modelled by others – very often by staff from local IFES movements.
But the opportunity for cross-cultural friendship, personal growth, and gospel ministry – both as students and later as graduates – is bigger than ever.
3: Gen Z Students – The Post-Pandemic Generation
For Generation Z, the timing of the COVID-19 pandemic was particularly significant. As lockdowns swept the globe, most Gen Zers were in their teens – a vital stage in their development.
People I interviewed had mixed feelings about the pandemic. Some – often feeling quite guilty about it – admitted they actually enjoyed lockdown, especially if their families weren’t financially struggling.
Many felt relieved about school being cancelled or not having to take exams! Quite a few talked about times of deep sadness, particularly if they lost loved ones or if their family faced money problems. Others were frustrated that they were still students, especially if they had to put their education on hold during the pandemic.
Lockdowns magnified and sped up the cultural trends described above. Families or individuals who didn’t have smartphones obtained them for the first time, while those who already had them spent much more time online. Around the world, many Gen Zers clearly felt incredibly lonely and without purpose, with only the internet for company. Once again, this appears to have been most acutely experienced in lower-income countries, especially among those who had recently moved to the city and felt uprooted from their traditional support networks.
The pandemic has made Gen Z students much more aware of mental health issues. Even in countries where mental illness is still somewhat taboo, students openly discussed struggles they’d seen in themselves and others.
In Timor-Leste, the local staff who translated my interviews were shocked to discover how central this topic was in their students’ thinking. In some cases, Gen Zers’ familiarity with mental struggles and their experience of human vulnerability seems to have weakened their resilience.
In Singapore, local staff noted that lockdowns had impaired students’ social skills, with fewer students feeling comfortable to meet or talk with an outside speaker before a meeting. Staff also noticed that students seem less confident in their own opinions – for example group leaders might send out online surveys to members to get reassurance on even small decisions.
Although many Christian students I talked to are actively sharing their faith, they often lack confidence. That can be related to the gospel itself (especially when faced with the new questions asked by friends) or their ability to explain it well.
4: Gen Z Students – A Spiritually Open Generation
In every country, Gen Zers told me that their generation is more willing to change their beliefs than their parents were. In places where Christians have been the majority, Gen Z is now exposed to a range of new beliefs and voices. Questions about the compatibility of science and Christianity, for example, are being more widely expressed among Gen Zers in Kenya than ever before. They consider their parents’ ignorance to this issue both frustrating and naïve.
People I interviewed in every country also talked about the challenges Christians face around gender and sexuality. In many countries – including lower-income countries – new age spiritualities (like ‘manifesting’) are becoming popular. Christian Gen Zers are particularly vulnerable to new intellectual and personal doubts.
This openness to reconsider beliefs is also noticeable among those outside the church.
In Timor-Leste, Gen Z students are more likely to seek modern medical care than visit a traditional healer.
They’re more generally willing to question the animistic and nominal Roman Catholic beliefs that have historically dominated their nation. Some Timorese Gen Zers have been drawn to evangelical churches and student groups because they had first watched evangelical worship online.
In the Middle East, staff described how internet use has made Muslim students more aware and curious about Christianity than they were even just a few years ago. Some are now more open to studying the Bible or experiencing Christian friendship.
In my own country, the United Kingdom – and in other countries across Europe and North America – surveys indicate that Gen Z is interested in spirituality and religion. The challenge is that Gen Zers are not just open to Christianity or to Jesus – they’re open to almost everything, often exploring multiple paths at the same time.
To stay faithful in a world with so many competing beliefs, Gen Z needs to know that Jesus is unique and that faith in him makes real sense.
REACHING GEN Z STUDENTS TOGETHER
These four recurrent themes have shown me that similar approaches can be taken to the reaching and discipling of Gen Z students worldwide, while also allowing for local variations.
My investigations have also caused me to reflect on how IFES movements throughout their histories have, at their best, shown an amazing ability to help students understand how the gospel connects to their cultural moment – and that this is just as needed today.
So, let’s explore how we can work together, seeking God’s wisdom, as we reimagine this task for a generation that’s digitally immersed, globally connected, pandemic-affected, and spiritually open.
These field notes will be followed by a full report later in the year – stay tuned to our Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp channels for more information.
WHAT’S YOUR VIEW?
Do these four features resonate with your experience and context?
We’d love to hear your observations on Gen Z from where you are.
As Putri walked towards a classroom at the Universidade da Paz (UNPAZ) in Dili, Timor-Leste, she heard an unusual noise for her campus. Her heart was beating fast, for it was a familiar and precious sound to her. Worship songs.
That day was the first time that students in their IFES movement (Sulimutuk Estudante Evanjeliku, SEE) were permitted to hold a classroom gathering. It represented an answer to nine years of prayer – what had started as a vulnerable huddle under a mango tree was now a recognised campus group.
From Mango Tree…
Although Timor-Leste is a Catholic-majority country, students participating in fellowship groups commonly face ridicule and persecution from peers as well as suspicion from university authorities. Some even face excommunication by their families. And the prevalent gang culture only adds to their fears.
“Many students here are scared or timid when they’re invited to come and learn about Christ,” says Egas, a former student leader of the SEE group at UNPAZ. In the early days, they met just off campus, under the shade of a mango tree. Even there it was hard – they’d only last about 30 minutes before being chased off.
But as the group remained faithful, they experienced God’s provision: they were able to move to a small veranda outside the office of Professor Samuel, a Christian lecturer.
…ToClassroom
Some months later, the veranda was sealed off for more office space. But the group wasn’t disheartened – Putri and her fellow students went and knocked on the radio room door. And God moved hearts. They were given a space for Bible study sessions, and the group continued to grow.
But God wasn’t finished.
When UNPAZ lecturers spotted CCTV footage of some students carrying Bibles, they started asking questions. Prof Samuel told them, “They’re doing the Lord’s work. They’re moved by the Holy Spirit. Don’t give them trouble.”
Then, during an UNPAZ staff meeting, it transpired that there were in fact a few lecturers who attended evangelical churches. This led one Catholic lecturer to suggest these staff form a fellowship with the Bible-carrying students. With the door to the classroom ‘unlocked’, Prof Samuel and key SEE students initiated the first weekly meeting.
So it was that Putri, to the sound of worship, joyfully entered the first classroom gathering and shared the vision for student ministry with 20 students and lecturers. She concludes:
“As we faithfully do our part and give God our best, he is indeed faithful. Let’s give honour, praise, and thanks for how he granted us this breakthrough.”
Pray
Give thanks for God’s faithful work – enabling the SEE group at UNPAZ to be recognized by university authorities, given a classroom, and publicised on campus. Pray that the other four campus groups in Timor-Leste will experience similar breakthroughs.
Ask the Lord to build courageous faith amid the atmosphere of fear and suspicion. And pray that the official status of the group at UNPAZ will encourage apprehensive students to attend.
Pray for SEE staff who aim to launch ministry to high schools in February, focusing on Dili and Same – for more open hearts and doors.
“I’m very much looking forward to hearing God’s voice, praising him, sharing with others, and praying as a small group!” – (Tomomi, student in KGK Japan).
Tomomi will soon arrive in Thailand. She’ll join with over 500 students and staff from 17 IFES national movements in her region (plus six from other countries). The triennial IFES East Asia Regional Conference (EARC) (3-9 July 2024) will be a time to fellowship together and seek God’s guidance for the challenges they face in their university contexts.
“I hope to learn, be equipped, and inspired so I can serve with renewed strength in a world where I face the challenge of standing against worldly values.” – (Jess, student in TCS Thailand)
Taking a stand, having a voice, is reflected in the theme of this year’s event: “Voice Matters”.
A Variety of Voices
As students arrive from diverse contexts, they’ll hear each other’s voices: some will come from IFES national movements that are well-established (e.g. FES Singapore); some from those more recently affiliated (e.g. FCS Mongolia); and others from those operating in secret due to security concerns.
Grace, part of the Thai host committee for EARC 2024, explains how important the interaction across movements will be:
“Students will gain a broader perspective of God’s work as they hear about each other’s ministries and consider specific issues together.”
“Hopefully through EARC we can connect and build strong relationships, share our journey and experiences, give hope and strengthen each other.”
Listening for God’s Voice
Throughout EARC, participants will be listening for God’s voice. Bible expositions from Zechariah will be led by “Titus” (from a sensitive movement), who clearly has a prophet’s heart:
“When I see the challenges we face, my heart wrestles with fear, pain, and brokenness. But the Lord also shows me signs of hope, mixed with sparkling joy, through those who faithfully and sacrificially serve in the ministry.”
He asks us to pray that the Lord would speak through him as he opens the Scriptures so that students will dedicate themselves to be prophetic voices and faithful disciples, impacting society for good.
“At EARC, I’m looking forward to fellowship, encouragement, worship, and rest. But, above all, I’m eager to hear and listen to what the Lord calls me to.”
Learning to be God’s Voice
To help students explore that calling, three plenary sessions and a range of workshops will facilitate reflective discussions. This includes contemporary issues (e.g., cancel culture and gender identity), ministry topics (e.g., understanding church and evangelism in the secular university), and personal development themes (e.g., emotional resilience and critical thinking).
Anucha, General Secretary of TCS Thailand elaborates,
“This year’s EARC will challenge students to dedicate themselves to being prophetic voices – by bearing witness, loving others, serving society, and being a voice that leads others to see the truth and hope in the gospel.”
Pray
Today, we’ve heard seven voices. Let’s pray that these – and the voices of all attending EARC – will truly matter:
Lisman, IFES Regional Secretary for East Asia, asks, “Please pray for God’s presence, peace, and protection, and that participants will discern God’s voice and return to their respective movements as the voice of their generation for the glory of God.”
Pray for “Titus” – that the Lord will speak powerfully through his ministry – and pray for all those ministering in sensitive countries, for renewed strength and courageous hope.
Thank the Lord for all the hard work of the Thai host committee and pray that they will know God’s blessing and strength as they serve their sisters and brothers from across the region.
Naru was given contact details of three international students. They’d come to study on her campus in Japan and wanted to connect with the IFES movement (KGK). But Naru wondered what to do: she thought her English was too poor and she was anxious about using it to interact with others.
Then she remembered the International Student Ministry (ISM) training she’d received as KGK staff earlier in the year. She’d been encouraged to take small steps. So, having made initial contact with the students – one from a secure country and two from Indonesia – she resolved to at least try and form an ISM group with the help of a translation app. And, just as God gave trembling Moses an eloquent Aaron (Exodus 4), so he also provided for her – beyond her expectations.
As lead staff in the rural Hokuriku region (affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami), Naru first had another issue to address: the future of the Japanese Bible study group. It was small, with just one Christian and one non-Christian. When she met with them to discuss plans, the Christian student was unsure about continuing due to a busy schedule; it seemed like the group might fade away. But when Naru mentioned the international students, the non-Christian expressed interest in meeting them.
As they were still talking, the new student from a sensitive country came along and joined the conversation. The Japanese non-Christian, confident in English, stepped forward to translate. Before long, the topic had somehow jumped from group logistics to the importance of Bible study and their need to learn directly from God as the foundation and beginning of everything.
The next day, they gathered again and were joined by one of the students from Indonesia. They decided to have a weekly Bible study – all together. In this way, a group that was about to cease turned into a regular meeting with the presence of Christian international students. Yuya Shimada, KGK Global Mission Coordinator and Lead Staff for ISM is delighted: “This was beyond Naru’s expectations. Her desire to offer hospitality led to a revival of the local KGK group. This is a powerful testimony of partnership between local and international students.”
This kind of fellowship is vital in Japan, says Yuya, since Japanese Christians often feel foreign in their own culture. He explains: “Christian international students are by nature foreign and stand out, so the partnership between locals and internationals strengthens and encourages them both and makes them powerful witnesses among Japan’s 2.6 million students.”
Let’s pray for local and international students in Japan:
Give thanks for KGK lead staff Naru, her desire to serve international students in Japan, and the way that God provided. Pray for her and the small group – that they would be mutually encouraged in their witness as they engage with Scripture together.
Pray for the 200,000+ international students in Japan and the ISM of KGK Japan, including dedicated groups in Kanto and Kansai. Give thanks that ISM has been growing over the last 10 years, and pray that all student groups and staff will see and seize opportunities.
Pray for the KGK national training conference, 26 February – 2 March, and a one-day conference in October to coincide with World Student Day. Ask that both will inspire and equip students in global mission.
Like most students involved in ministry in Hong Kong, Speech and Hearing Sciences student Grace juggles several ministry roles alongside her heavy study schedule. One of them is as student representative on the board of the Hong Kong Fellowship of Evangelical Students (FES).
Just a few short years ago, universities here were the scene of violent clashes between student activists and political authorities. The ensuing security crackdown resulted in many thousands of young people leaving the island city, leaving others deeply demoralised. Grace tells us that a recent FES Bible camp focused on this ongoing wave of emigration, and provided a space where students could seek from God the courage to persevere. Reflecting on how the disciples must have felt at Jesus’s last supper, the young people were encouraged to rethink their position within the suffering community.
Thanks to the generosity of those who gave to World Assembly scholarships, Grace will join 900 students, national ministry workers and IFES staff this week in Jakarta. This opportunity for our global community to unite in worship, study, learning, and fellowship has historically had a profound impact on both individuals and organisations.
Grace is excited to tell the worldwide IFES community how God is working:
“God is preparing groups of student leaders who are willing to take up the responsibilities in their respective fellowships. Through their actions they have been witnessing to God’s grace and commending themselves to others… [At] World Assembly, I would like to see how God is making all things new in other countries. I look forward to experiencing more [of] God’s work both [in] me and [in] the board of students. Thank you!”
Please join us in praying for Grace and other student witnesses at World Assembly:
Pray that they will be encouraged, refreshed and strengthened by this unique and precious opportunity.
Pray that Grace, and others witnessing in difficult contexts, will discover practical ways to help their fellow students to grow in perseverance on their return.
Pray that all those working in student ministry in Hong Kong would know God’s presence and peace.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire hope and trust in all working in student ministry in situations that seem bleak in human terms.
Now that pandemic restrictions have been lifted and borders re-opened, students in Singapore have spent the last few months strengthening their faith through in-person camps and retreats.
In late December, students from five universities across Singapore travelled to neighbouring Malaysia for SWAT, which stands for Studying the Word All Together. This Bible camp was jointly organised by students from the National University of Singapore Varsity Christian Fellowship (NUS VCF) and Nanyang Technological University Christian Fellowship (NTU CF). After two years of online camp, students were excited to come together in person and be challenged by this year’s theme: Preparing for the King’s Return, taken from 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13.
“The theme talks were a good reminder – and wake-up call – of whether I’m ready for Jesus’ second coming, and if I have been intentional in engaging in the Christian communities God has placed me in,” shared Tricia Khaw Jing Xuan, a first-year business administration student.
Tricia was one of 128 students who attended the six-day camp, during which participants heard from an expert speaker who unpacked 1 Thessalonians. But the highlight for many students was the richness of delving into the Scriptures with their small groups.
“What impacted me the most,” reflected Tricia, “was hearing my group sharing about the topics covered like rapture and grief, preparing for Jesus’ return, and the salience of the Christian community in today’s world. I was able to see Scripture come to life in other students’ experiences, and that level of vulnerability throughout the camp made us much closer.”
For Nathanael Lim Yeong Sng, a third-year international trade student, a workshop on lament left him with a new perspective on how faith relates to our emotions.
“We explored the story of Job in a new light, and looked at how Job’s feelings of anger, sorrow, and questioning of God were part of having a genuine relationship with Him,” said Nathanael. “This retelling of Job shifted my perspective on my relationship with God.”
“Society generally tells us to sweep our pain and grief under the rug and to be positive all the time. But I learned that it’s okay to air our feelings out and care for the soul. Lament shouldn’t be seen as something negative to get over but as a great expression of hope where we can trust that God listens to us in times of brokenness.”
Please pray with us for FES Singapore:
As students return from camps to the busyness and burnout of their second semester, pray that they would continue to be filled with courage and commitment to make the choices that matter for the Lord.
Pray for student leaders that they would be equipped with the heart and skills to engage their campuses and make a lasting impact, particularly during this time when campuses are changing in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Pray for staff, especially as the movement’s Staff Conference approaches on 17-20 April. Pray for wisdom, insight, and courage as the movement focuses on equipping staff to meet new demands and issues in a post-pandemic world.
Read more recent news from FES Singapore in the movement’s Impetus newsletter.
Students may not remain students for very long. Sometimes the opportunity to shape a student’s life can feel too brief. A week at camp or on mission, an hour each week in Bible study together – does that actually add up to much? Students come and go, and it’s easy to feel like the impact of ministry is lost.
But God uses the smallest of circumstances. We never know how one conference, one conversation, or one book recommendation might change a life. However that change comes, graduates can go on to make a difference in many ways. Sometimes their impact is very quiet, very ordinary, and not noticed by many people—and sometimes it can’t be ignored.
Our vision is to see students impacting the university, the church, and society for the glory of Christ, during and after their years in school. In this blog we meet three people—from the Netherlands, Malaysia, and the USA—who reflect on how their experience in a student group shaped them to make an impact after graduation.
Bart Bierling: fighting injustice in healthcare
How could God work through your studies?
Bart Bierling was brought up Christian, but his faith never felt like his own. During his time in IFES Nederland, the student movement in the Netherlands, however, that changed. As Bart understood what Jesus meant for him personally, he “got the urge to really make a difference in this world”.
During his studies, Bart researched ways to reduce the negative impact of monitoring sensors on premature babies. These findings led him to develop a type of sensor that provided non-obtrusive monitoring of vital functions. It wasn’t long before the importance of this new method was recognised by Bart’s colleagues and the broader medical community. In developing countries, limited access to equipment challenges the ability of health workers to provide new sensors for each new patient. It is equally difficult for understaffed healthcare teams to monitor the data from these sensors regularly and easily.
Bart’s innovation addresses both concerns. Through various collaborative efforts, Bart and his team are helping bring relief to strained medical systems and more effective care to the most vulnerable patients. Currently, Bart is in Malawi, studying clinical data and interviewing healthcare professionals.
“God really brought the right people into my path”, he says. “We’re not yet where we hope to go, but the rest is in God’s hands. There’s so much injustice in the world when it comes to healthcare. I want to improve that.”
Years later, during a diving vacation, Ee Chia encountered the stateless Bajau Laut community, who live on boats and stilt houses off the shores of Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. She never forgot them and in 2015, during her master’s degree, Ee Chia returned to Omadal Island to co-founded Iskul Sama DiLaut Omadal.
Initially, the school provided Bajau Laut children an opportunity to learn how to read, as taught to them on weekends by local Malaysian children. Today, Iksul includes a community water project and healthcare clinic, as well as a food aid delivery initiative started in response to the pandemic. The school continues teaching children to read and write; however, Bajau Laut youths are now assisting their younger relatives and friends in literacy. With this simple objective, Ee Chia’s project has contributed to the process of healing divisions between communities in Malaysia.
“Of all of the activism God has guided me through, the seed was planted in my undergraduate studies with FES”, Ee Chia says. “Our faith is demonstrated in action.”
“Immigration was always part of my life”, says Almita, whose parents came to the US from Mexico in the 1970s. But it was only at university that Almita discovered how to weave together her life story, her faith in Jesus, and her research skills: God was calling her to be an advocate for undocumented immigrants and their families.
During her studies, Almita found community in the Latino Fellowship group, part of InterVarsity, the student movement in the USA. There, she explored how her identity and faith intersected. “Reading Esther at the 2004 LaFe national conference helped me realize that being a Christian means I embrace my ethnic identity,” she says. “It informs my unique experience, which God can use for his purposes.”
“The families I work with teach me more about faith and la lucha (the fight) for social justice than I could ever give back,” she says. “But I try to use my position as an academic to contextualize their struggles, within a history of Mexico-U.S. migration and unjust immigration laws that maintain families in legal limbo, threatening many with deportation and family separation.
“God loves all people. He is a God of justice, who promises to defend and protect the most vulnerable. As people of faith, we should be at the forefront of these struggles for social justice.”
Do you have a story about how your student group impacted you or someone you know? We would love to hear it. Tell us your story at hello@ifesworld.org. Let’s be encouraged that God is working in the world’s universities, giving students solid foundations to impact the church, the university, and the world for the glory of Christ.
Are there things in your life that you never tell anybody? Would you ever tell God?
Students from CEF, the student movement in Taiwan, may have had all kinds of expectations when they came to camp. This one—with a theme of “Secrets that I Kept from God”—was a bit different. Each day, in keeping with the theme, the students would hear real life stories. They were encouraged to consider and even discuss the things they don’t tell anyone, spending time in prayer, worship, and Bible study. The staff workers wanted students to confront hard things in their lives, bringing their shortcomings, sins, and secrets to God. In Christ, they could come before the Father, in all circumstances. The Holy Spirit would guide them to live out their faith consistently. A community of faith – people in the same predicament – would keep them going.
It was an intense and memorable experience for all. But, as one member of the team who organized camp put it, “with every courageous admission, every expression of empathy, and every re-examination of the God we believe in, confusion gradually became belief, anger became forgiveness, and scars became signs of growth. I didn’t expect that God would work with us in such a profound way. He has given us what we need to grow, with brothers and sisters from different universities to support one another.”
“There are no great breakthroughs” shares another CEF team member. “Just a few simple stories. But camp showed us what God wants us to be in our years on earth – gracious, truthful, and happy. Originally, I didn’t think it would be anything special – but here I am, writing about those profound and beautiful nights. God is really working here.”
Pray for the students of CEF Taiwan:
Thank God for these significant experiences at camp. Pray that they would lead to changed lives, increased holiness, and deeper discipleship for students and team members. Pray that this growth would lead to more students in Taiwan coming to know to Christ.
Pray that students and team members would continue to bring their burdens and sins before God, without hiding – in the knowledge that through Christ, God will “forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12).
Pray that in a world of facades, God would continue to lead students all over the world into real relationship with him.
August 2022 marks the 75th anniversary of the official founding of IFES. Over the next year, we invite you to join us in reflecting on our past, rejoicing in our present, and turning towards our future. In this edition of Prayerline we’re looking back. There is no singular thread to trace through the years to find an origin point of IFES student ministry. Rather, it is a mosaic, a piece of which we will look at today. This piece provides a great testimony to how we can spur one another on, even from across continents. As we consider the work of a student from the distant past, let’s pray that students of the present will continue to impact one another from every corner of the world.
It was 1889. Students in Japan were hosting their first ever national student conference, having been inspired by stories of gatherings elsewhere in the world. Participants included a wide range of students from Japan’s educational institutions and, significant for the period, 96 women among them. Their focus included more than gospel student work in their own country. Also in attendance was the American staff worker Luther Wishard, who informed the Japanese students that such a conference was taking place at the same time the United States. In response to this news, the Japanese students cabled a greeting:
‘Kyoto, July 5, 1889. Make Jesus King. Signed, five hundred students.’
When American leaders saw this message, they were deeply moved. Richard Morse, General Secretary of the YMCA, which was at that time working with students, promptly shared it with his colleague Karl Fries in Stockholm. When Fries received the letter, he was at the Stockholm Scandinavian Missionary Conference with a group of students from Denmark, Sweden and Norway. When those students heard the message from Japan, they asked: ‘if students can gather round Jesus Christ as their King over there in the Far East, why not also here in the north?’
Scandinavian students followed through on the challenge. The following summer, 170 assembled in Denmark for the first Scandinavian student conference. They were inspired and stimulated to continue sharing the gospel, living for Jesus, and committing their whole lives to God, building a vision for evangelism and discipleship in the university. The call from Japan to ‘Make Jesus King’ resonated around the world, and its power has not been diminished by the decades. As then, so it is now: God continues to build his church and bring his kingdom. So too, the progress of our own IFES story continues to unfold.
Let’s pray for similar moves of God through global connections today:
Pray for students around the world to connect with the opportunities we have today: through social media, IFES regional initiatives and global ministries, and events like World Student Day.
Pray for students in today’s KGK Japan, InterVarsity USA, KFS Denmark, NKSS Norway, and Credo Sweden, as well as all other IFES national movements. Pray for a continued and renewed sense of worship, faith, and obedience to the call to make disciples of all nations.
Pray with us that every student really would make Jesus King in the fullest, deepest, truest sense, becoming a wonderful force for good in whatever journey God has for them.
