Last year, Welcome to Sydney Mission (WSM) began as a Fellowship of Overseas Christian University Students (FOCUS) initiative, with the intention of meeting and welcoming newly arrived international students at the start of each semester, so that they would have the opportunity to find out about Jesus and be enfolded into our community.

This semester, WSM was expanded to involve the whole EU! The aim to extend Jesus’ welcome and maximise the opportunity to connect with new students at the start of the semester stayed the same. But now, with more energy and involvement from across the EU, the scope has broadened to welcoming newly arrived students from all backgrounds! The mission itself also became longer, and a new shape was developed.

It was exciting to have the opportunity to cast the vision for WSM at the EU Leadership Summit. This helped the EU leaders grow their awareness of the reality of the situation on our campus and be inspired to keep looking outward to those still far off. It also helped to prompt reflection on what steps we can take to overcome the barriers that often keep people from experiencing the welcome and love of Jesus. It was a special moment to see students begin to catch the vision, recognising that they could be vital in enabling others to experience the welcome of Jesus and to encounter the gospel in a practical, approachable way.

So, what did Welcome to Sydney Mission look like? From Monday to Friday in Week 1, we hosted a morning prayer gathering and five 2-hour staff-led sessions daily, from Monday to Friday. These sessions followed a consistent structure. Each began with a half-hour briefing and prayer time, followed by one hour of walk-up where participants ventured out to meet new students. The final half-hour was dedicated to debriefing and prayer. This structure gave students practical experience and helped them engage more thoughtfully and reflect more meaningfully on this opportunity and experience. 

How was the experience? Praise God! Many staff and students shared that they had a wonderful experience of very positive encounters and interactions! For all who participated, it was an experience of extending the welcome of Jesus to strangers. This is an exciting moment of growth, as many had little to no involvement in walk-up before. Week 1 is particularly great timing for students to have a go for the first time. With many new students arriving, many are often eager to make new connections as they begin settling into a new environment before the semester becomes overwhelming.

What was particularly encouraging was to see a growing number of students profoundly realising that although they had grown up in a context rich with gospel awareness, many students on our campus have never heard the gospel, let alone understood who Jesus is, and some have never even heard of him! For many, their arrival in Sydney is the beginning of an unprecedented opportunity for them to encounter Jesus. However, this opportunity will only be released if Christians cross those barriers and share the goodness of Jesus with them. It was a humbling and encouraging experience for all involved, as we witnessed firsthand the need for Jesus’ love on our campus.

It was also a remarkable opportunity for staff across the society to come alongside students in such a simple yet impactful activity. The walk-up sessions required personal humility and a deep trust in God’s power. Stepping out in faith, reaching out to strangers, and showing God’s love was a beautiful example of teamwork between staff and students, each trusting that God would work through them.

In total, approximately 70 people got involved with WSM during the week. Over the five days, we approached 338 people, had 160 substantial conversations, and established 45 ongoing connections. Praise God for these encouraging results! We pray that the seeds planted will continue to grow and that the relationships we’ve begun will lead to life-changing encounters with Jesus.

One of the additional opportunities WSM granted was to use the two-hour session format to introduce the Go Team model to staff and students. This ‘Go Team’ model for supporting evangelism is being embraced across the EU starting this semester. WSM was a perfect opportunity to introduce it in a tangible, hands-on way. The Go Team model forms teams that meet 2 hours weekly. These teams emphasise community, accountability, reflective growth, and prayerfulness, and practice through going out together on a walk-up. This empowers individuals to grow in their gospel sharing with support and encouragement from one another. 

This experience has been incredibly encouraging and inspiring for all of us involved. It has deepened our passion for evangelism, strengthened our sense of community, and helped us recognise the need to persevere in the simple and yet somehow so tough act of intentionally extending the welcome of Jesus to those far off. Reflecting on this experience, we are reminded that the work is unfinished. We will continue to step out in faith, trusting that God will bring fruit from these efforts and that many more will come to know the life-giving love of God in our Lord Jesus.

– Joel Sedorenko, EU Senior Staff