The EU’s second object is this: To strengthen Christians in their faith and witness and to encourage them to continually submit every aspect of their life to the Lordship of Christ.
But what does that look like? Here’s a few stories from the Health faculty for your encouragement.
It looks like small, significant steps of students thinking through particular areas of their lives to wrestle into submission to the Lord Jesus. Sarah* is a first year student, challenged by a small group study on Colossians 3 to put on the new self. She identifies that she needs to be more patient when she tutors her high school students. But how does she be “more patient”? She learns that it’s not a forced approach of just telling herself that she needs to be patient when she’s impatient, rather it begins by setting her mind on things above – that her present trials are temporary and small compared to the eternal glory in the Lord Jesus.
It looks like working alongside other brothers and sisters in Christ and pushing through with insecurities when they see others shine. Hannah* is an Assistant Small Group Leader (ASGL) being trained in leading bible studies and pastorally caring for others. She struggles and faces challenges that come with every small group, but she can’t help but compare with her fellow leaders – how their groups have more regular members, and how her fellow leaders are better at teaching and caring for others. Hannah meets up with a staff worker and is learning to recognize when Satan tries to distract her from serving the Lord Jesus and His sheep. She’s learning to appreciate how God has gifted each person uniquely, how to be encouraged instead of being envious, and to be content in how God uses her, rather than insecure.
It looks like intentionally thinking through big, complex decisions about what they should do after they graduate and how that will deeply impact how they serve the Lord Jesus in their next stage of life now. Peter* is a student in his final year. He’s worked really hard all year and wow – he’s made it into post-grad medicine! He can start after he graduates. But he’s also come to realize that God has blessed him with teaching and pastoral gifts as he serves in the EU and at church. A staff member approaches him and encourages him to consider full-time, vocational ministry. Medicine or full-time vocational ministry? How can he make a godly decision as he considers gospel needs, faithful stewardship and genuine freedom in Christ?
These are the kind of (real!) conversations that I encounter as a Howie – and all in the span of just one week! Imagine how many more of these conversations are happening each week in other faculties too! While every conversation is different, they have a common pattern – students engaging with truth in God’s word, examining aspects of their lives and bringing it humbly before the Lord Jesus.
Praise God for His work in the students’ lives, and continue to pray that He would be working in more Christians on campus to submit every part of their lives under the Lordship of Christ!
– Henry Li, Howard Guinness Project 2022-2023
*Names changed for confidentiality