The EU has always been dedicated to the task of raising up students and equipping them to become Christian leaders wherever they go in the future. I took the opportunity to ask two students about their experiences about growing in ministry. Geoff is a second-year Arts student serving in the ACES faculty and being trained as an Assistant Small Group Leader (ASGL); Cate is a third year Science student serving in our Cousmin ministry and as a Senior Small Group Leader (SSGL).

How were you invited to serve as a small group leader? What made you say yes?

Geoff: I actually asked if I could serve as a small group leader! I remember at the end of my first year where my own small group leaders had started encouraging us to think about how we could serve the EU, and ASGL was one of the first things that came to my mind. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in small groups all throughout my first year and always felt welcomed and part of the faculty. I wanted to create a similar experience for others.

Cate: I was invited to serve as an ASGL after my first year by my Howie! I had only just given my life to Christ earlier that year so I felt that I wasn’t anywhere near qualified, but I knew that wouldn’t stop God working through me. I was so convicted of the importance of small groups after becoming a Christian through the EU that I knew this was a powerful way to share the good news! I fell in love with small group ministry, and so jumped at the opportunity of another year of leading through being an SSGL.

 “I felt that I wasn’t anywhere near qualified, but I knew that wouldn’t stop God working through me.”

How have you grown in leading and serving? What has contributed to your growth in these areas?

Geoff: This year I have grown the most in patience and trusting God, even when I don’t know what the future holds. This has been especially so in my experience leading and serving as, often progress is slow and doesn’t manifest itself in clear ways. However, growth is definitely still there, and I’ve found keeping track of my prayers for my faculty and small group through a prayer journal has really helped me continue trusting that God is working. Reflecting on prayers that God has answered encourages me to continue persevering in ministry even during period when it may be exhausting.

Cate: One of my biggest fears of small group leading was how recently I had become a Christian. I really felt that I didn’t have the head knowledge to faithfully lead a small group. I worried about being a ‘bad Christian’ – not knowing all the tribes of Israel, stumbling over myself when praying out loud and getting so lost trying to find all the books in the Bible. I seriously wonder now why this was such an anxiety to me!

The EU has really helped me to understand that God is bigger than we realise – He can and does work through us no matter what! The story of Moses stood out particularly to me, when he has such little belief in his human abilities and God answers “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say”. I only fully realised this during a 1-2-1 in my second year – something I never would have considered doing as I felt so inept, and yet God used the exact opportunity to show me how wrong I was!

How do you hope to use your small group leadership skills in the future?

Geoff: I hope to continue developing my small group leadership skills as a SSGL next year. I also hope to use the small group leadership skills I’ve learnt as an ASGL in church ministry.

Cate: I hope to keep leading small groups forever! Okay maybe that’s a bit too naïve, but I really love this ‘type’ of ministry!

What has also been valuable is learning how to form intimate and loving relationships with others – something that can be really daunting when you’re not an outgoing person! I really want to use this skill to form relationships with pretty much everyone, so I can share the gospel. Being able to clearly convey your care and concern for others just makes friendships so much more important, and I think small group leading had made me consider how to mirror the greatest relationship of all, the Trinity, in my own relationships.

Brian Leung – Senior Staffworker