There is something compelling about understanding how something happened. What the origins are. We see it in the movies with superhero origins, we see it in sports during pre-game shows, we see it in autobiographies of influential leaders. We seem to naturally want to know where things come from. How the young Peter Parker’s of the world become Spiderman. About sports stars coming from meager beginnings. How Apple became the tech juggernaut that it is today.
While it is great to look back and see where things have come from, what is really exciting right now is how we can be a part of an origin story today! As students have been and are continuing to make their way to colleges and universities, it is a time where some of their origin stories may begin.
Ministries across the US are preparing for the return of the college students (how is that not already a movie title). Many InterVarsity chapters are planning proxe stations during New Student Outreach (NSO) so they may engage other students in conversation and have open doors to share the gospel.
After all of the NSO dust settles it is time to then follow-up with all of the new connections that were made. To nurture those relationships and invite their fellow students to come to more events and get plugged in.
It is during this time of outreach that we may begin to see an origin story take shape. We may find someone that was distant from God, or didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus – that they may make a decision to follow or recommit to Him. There is no knowing what origin story God may be planning to write during this season of NSO, but we would love it if you would be praying for students returning to campus.
But what about…
This is all great for those campuses that have chapters that exist to host NSO events. But what we now know is that of the nearly 5,000 campuses across the US, only about 1,600 of them have known gospel movements on campus. Every time I think about this reality I get choked up, because that means and the other roughly 3,400 campuses, these events are not likely happening. There may not be a group of students on those campuses looking to actively share the gospel and reach new students.
InterVarsity is also a part of an unprecedented coalition of ministries – coming together to see those numbers change. First by prayer walking every campus in the US by the end of this year, and then by seeing those campuses have new gospel ministries started over the next several years. So you can be a part of writing an origin story for a new ministry on campus. If you are near a campus, or traveling near one, would you consider in participating in our ministry by doing a prayer walk on a campus?
EveryCampus has some great tools to help you do that, if you are willing! You can get a prayer guide from EveryCampus.com, check out this state by state list of campuses, or check out this google map to zoom in to an area near you.
Right now, today, we have the opportunity to be the part of an origin story. Together we can make an impact.