Acts 6:7 - My prayer for incoming freshmen

In the next 30 days freshman begin arriving on campuses worldwide.  This is the first chance to meet the ones we have been praying for all summer.  The next generation lies before us with a need for the lost to know the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37), the newly converted to experience the New Commandment (John 13:34, 35), and for his saints to live out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). There are roughly 250 days you can spend with freshman in the next year and tomorrow or the next is day #1.   What will you begin to pray will happen over these 250 days?

 

Looking Backward                                                                                                                                 

At the beginning of each move-in day we look back over the previous freshman move-in day or fresher’s week and remember all those students we met that day or that initial introduction week. We remember those who investigated Jesus for the first time, those who trusted him for the first time, and those who may have led another student to faith for the first time. It is envisioning when we have last year’s freshman in the room with us praying for the next generation of incoming freshman. That’s when know we have accomplished our mission.  Our mission is to multiple this cycle over and over.

 

Looking Outward

Every handshake and every greeting is the possible introduction to a key man or key woman. Every repetitive “get to know you” question and lifted suitcase offers opportunity into God’s harvest field.  Every invite and every identification with Christ is the possibility of favour and the beginnings of reaping in God’s plentiful harvest field (Matthew 9:37-38).  We never know what “Ethiopian Eunuch” might be placed in front of us in that moment (Acts 8:27).  We meet and greet our heart away because if we ever want to make disciples we must meet them first. 

 

Looking Forward

The prayer never changes but the specificity in which the prayers can be prayed does.  I now have faces and names to go with these prayers.  I have found myself coming back to this prayer often as I ask God to build movements of multiplying disciples from within our ranks.  Acts 6:7 has become my rallying cry,

 

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. Acts 6:7 (ESV)

 

I want the word to increase in the hearts and minds of students over the semester and trust God’s word to convert and sanctify.  I know if I can win them to the word and not my words then I have done all I can.  God, bring men and women to the Bible.  Let your written word do its work to bring them to the living Word.  Secondly, I want followers of Jesus to be multiplied.  I want disciples who mature as disciples and make other disciples. This is my calling.  This is our commission.  I know if we are multiplying followers, then we are also multiplying fishers because Jesus said he makes fishers out of followers (Matthew 4:19).  If these two things happen then even the priests (the least expectant people in that period to trust in Jesus) will come to faith.  If God’s word increases and disciples mature and make more disciples, then it must be inevitable that the least likely from among our campuses will come to Jesus.  Amen. 

 

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Comments: 1
  • #1

    H. Harold Carter (Thursday, 08 September 2016 21:14)

    May the Lord of the Harvest richly bless Andrew and Sara as they meet and minister to these new freshman. Only God knows what the harvest will be. May you remain faithful to your calling.