Recently the EU adopted a 2030 Big Kingdom Vision as it moves towards the 100th anniversary of the EU. The fourth aspect of this vision is around making decisions:
By 2030 the EU community will live out a robust theology of work and ministry that spurs Christians to make loving, kingdom decisions to meet needs for Christian service including serving those less-reached and less-resourced and embracing opportunities for gospel work.
One aspect of this strategic vision is to see, under God, more people raised up as gospel workers for the Lord’s harvest field. In our context of working in partnership with students within the EU we are very mindful that the Lord has richly blessed our city, and particularly the EU with many able and capable future leaders of His church. This is why we are committed to placing before students and recent graduates the current gospel needs as we are aware of them, giving them opportunities to consider how they might meet these gospel needs and giving them freedom in their ministry decisions. We also continue to encourage them to be good stewards of the choices and kingdom decisions that they make.
A core aspect of us seeking to raise more gospel workers is the Howard Guinness Project (HGP). This is our two-year full-time ministry trainee program that sees men and women step aside from other forms of paid work to be paid to work in a trainee position with the EU. Our two-year program is an exceptional training opportunity that gives trainees real ministry responsibilities in a team of very experienced senior staff.
At the heart of our program is the desire to see our trainees grow deeply and robustly in their faith, hope and love for Jesus – and to be given training and equipping that establishes them on that trajectory for the rest of their life. Foundational to the program is well thought-out high-quality training delivered by senior staff.
Built on this foundational training, our trainees undertake large volumes of varied ministry activities to develop and hone their ministry skills including teaching the Bible in large groups, small groups and 1-1, evangelising unbelievers, welcoming and connecting newcomers, leading small groups, training ministry teams, developing leaders and working in cross-cultural settings. All of this takes place in the context of student-staff partnership on-campus within the programs and ministry of the EU. This combination of ministry training and the range of ministry experiences makes the HGP an ideal training program for any form of future ministry.
This year four of our senior staff have been spending intentional and dedicated time each week speaking with recent graduates about training with us as Howies. We are prayerful that our Lord would raise more workers for His global harvest field and that the EU would contribute to that need through our training of Howies. Our trainees are an answer to the prayers of many as for their two years of HGP they are labourers in His harvest field at Sydney uni. And if they decide to commit to a lifetime of paid gospel work they become the answer to those prayers that God would raise up global workers.
If you are interested in joining our team as a trainee in 2025 please email me (euevangelism@gmail.com) for more information.
– Paddy Benn, EU Senior Staff
