Here in the EUGF our vision is to flood God’s church with Christian leaders. But what does this look like? What is a Christian leader, and how do we train and grow leaders to send out into His Church?

Ian Jagelmann talks about leadership as facilitating the ministry of others. To lead well in Christian ministry is to multiply the ministry of those we lead. We see this in action in the early church in Acts 6 as the apostles create a system to solve the food distribution problems and appoint seven men to “wait on tables” (literally ministry of tables, it’s the same word they use of “ministry of the word” in verse 4!). We see it again in Ephesians 4 Paul reminds us that Christ “personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ”. And we also see it in action every day here in the EU at varying levels. Let me tell you about just one example!

It has been a delight working with engineering students this year, and especially alongside my faculty leaders Dan and Isaac. Over this year I have seen them grow a lot as leaders within the faculty. While both of them have a great love for ground level ministry, making and growing disciples of Jesus, and have been involved in leading bible studies, this year they have taken on a more facilitating role. As they oversee the ministry of the engineering faculty they have organised small group bible studies, facilitated the formation of prayer triplets, and helped each of the other student leaders on the committee grow in their own service of Jesus, greatly multiplying the ministry that could occur if they were to do it on their own.

“One of the biggest things I have learnt,” said Isaac, “is thinking critically about the ministry I facilitate. Not just doing things because it’s what was done last year, but asking ‘how does this grow God’s Kingdom?’”

I am enormously thankful to God for the opportunity to partner with students of the EU to help them grow as leaders of His people, and to all of you who support the EUGF, because without your prayer and financial support this ministry would not be as effective as it is!

Praise God for the way He is growing His leaders on campus, and please pray for us as staff that will we be able to faithfully and wisely build up more leaders to flood His church!