There’s a lot to celebrate!
Our students and staff have been working so hard this past week to welcome the freshmen. We passed out over 2,000 water bottles that allowed us see who wanted more info, and about 1,200 students indicated that they might be interested in hearing about bible studies or talking with someone about their spiritual perspective. So amazing! We’ve been busy all week calling those people all week to set up one-on-one appointments. During those appointments, whether they claim to be Christian or not, our desire is to share the Gospel with these students. The response has been amazing!
Our team of staff and students have been able to lead 6 students to trust Christ. Additionally, at least 3 more have indicated that they wanted to pray to trust Christ, but wanted more time to internalize it and pray to do that on their own. This doesn’t include the numerous non-Christians investigating Christianity and getting involved in our community. It is so evident that the Lord is moving greatly! As one staff member who has been at Davis for two years said yesterday, “Just so you know, this isn’t normal here.”
Here are some stories:
Yesterday, with a fellow staff member named Keith, I was able to talk to Sam and Nicole, two freshmen from liberal Catholic backgrounds. Initially, they didn’t understand the Gospel at all. After explaining the Gospel in depth over an hour and a half long conversation, they decided that they wanted to make the decision to trust Christ when they got back to their dorm. So cool! I haven’t heard back from them yet, so pray that they would follow through on that decision. Sam plans on coming to my weekly bible study that starts on Tuesday night, and Nicole plans on getting involved in the girls bible study.
Also yesterday, Cameron was able to talk to a freshman girl named Genesis, from a Seventh Day Adventist background. Genesis knew a lot about God, but had a hard time understanding how to have a relationship with him. Cameron was able to walk through the Gospel and what it looks like to place her trust in Christ. After their conversation, Genesis prayed right then and their to give her life to Christ and trust in the free gift of grace and forgiveness. Genesis plans on being involved in Cameron’s bible study on Tuesday nights.
One student I’m really excited about is Shin. Shin doesn’t come from a church background. On Wednesday night, he went to a meeting on campus where the speaker talked about God, science, and the origins of the universe, which affected Shin deeply. From the survey one of our students received from him, I called him on Thursday and offered to meet up. He came immediately to talk. He mentioned that he talked to someone on Wednesday night who became a Christian in college and thinks that could be his story as well. I shared the Gospel with Shin, directed him to a website called EveryStudent.com, and challenged him to read the book of John, asking while he reads it if he thinks Jesus is someone he can trust. He came to our weekly meeting on Thursday and was super excited. He plans on coming to my bible study on Tuesday nights. I texted him yesterday and asked how things are going and says he’s reading through the book of John. Pray for Shin. Pray that Jesus would meet him in a deeply personal way and that he would place his trust in Christ.
We are nowhere near done talking to students; there are so many more people to contact! Pray that we would have many more divine appointments next week. Also pray for endurance. Our staff and students have worked SO hard this past week and are exhausted. Cameron and I are super tired. But, it’s worth it. I love that the Lord is moving so much.
Keep praying! 🙂