I’m fairly new to my ministry role at Newtown Erskineville Anglican Church, so when I was asked to share a little about the impact of EU training on our church ministry, I thought I would raise it with the wider staff team and get them to provide some thoughts.

When my colleagues proceeded to rattle off name after name, it became immediately apparent that the impact of the training the EU offered was deep and wide. So many of the people they listed were core church members who love Jesus, care about God’s mission to see the lost saved, and are heavily involved in a range of ministries. What a wonderful testimony to the impact of the EU.

Let me draw your attention to three of those names* whom I have seen personally bless our local ministry, thanks to their EU training.

Max plays a crucial role in our ministry to students. He’s constantly looking for ways to ensure they are welcomed and discipled, because when he was a student, the training and discipleship he received at the EU was transformative. The blessing he received then is driving his willingness to see the gospel reach our students now: what a gift!

Georgia has faithfully led a small group at church for years. When I caught up with her recently, she had a fantastic insight about how our study material could better engage various learning styles. That insight stemmed from her EU training, which drove home for her the fact that leaders were responsible for helping each group member to engage with the Scriptures in whatever way possible. This sharpened my thinking on the material we produce for leaders: what a gift!

Edmund is a true evangelist. His capacity to invite new people to church never ceases to amaze me. The training he received as a small group leader in the EU has only amplified his desire to see the lost saved. In particular, it has given him a particular desire to reach international students. Thanks to him (and Hailey, another member of the EU who attends our church), we now have the capacity to run a specialised bible study for non-English speakers: what a gift!

These are but a few small examples of the ways in which the EU’s training is a gift to us. Students are being shaped and formed by the gospel to enter churches on Sunday, eager to love God and to serve those that God has gathered alongside them. What a gift that is to us.

*The names in this article have been changed