Each August thousands of students start their college experience. This is a huge transition for all of these young people, many moving away from home for the first time! I have always seen this transition as an important time of outreach to students, and we at ENCM have for many years attempted to create relationships  with new students by serving them in meaningful ways.

However, this year I am even more excited about this season than usual. I am excited that this year not only are we going to be working to serve students, but at FSU we are going to be doing it in a way that is more unified with the greater community of believers, than ever before. We are teaming up with ten other college student ministries (some campus ministries and some church-based college groups) to serve the campus in concert, together. This has been aptly called “a mission trip to campus”, by  Michael Mears of CCF, whose leadership and and ministry team have been instrumental in bringing the ministries together for this important outreach.

We are currently expecting over 200 students from the various ministries represented to serve in this important week prior to the first week of Fall semester classes, August 23-26.

Together, we are trusting God that as we do this that he will allow us to connect with students in a way that will lead to meaningful long-term relationships. I can hardly wait to see all that God will do through this time! I truly believe it will be powerful!

Please be praying for this special week of outreach, for the new students we will meet, and for the hearts of the students who will participate. May we never neglect to think of the university campus as a mission field, and live in a way that reaches the students who reside there during some of the most spiritually formative years of their lives.