AMM Bible Study Institute, Kombady, Thiruvalla

Date: 30th April to 2nd May

Refer given Map for directions

Contact : uesikeralamediacell@gmail.com

This year’s World Student Day will take place on Friday 18 October. Will you join us to pray for students from every nation?

A special meeting for teachers “Bearing Fruit that Remains” was held by the South Central Region on 30th January. Many retired academicians reflected on their experiences and gave insightful tips to the students. Practical ways to address current issues among students were also shared by teachers from the region. Over 100 participants attended the meeting. The meeting concluded with prayer.

We cannot fathom the ways of the lord. God can work in any ways. My introduction to the EU fellowship was incidentally but I believe it was planned by the heavens. When I reached Trivandrum I was really clueless what was God’s real plan for me. As I had strong church background I easily connected to one of it in Trivandrum. But my soul was stirred for companies who can selflessly pray and seek for God’s mercy to shower in the campus.

While I was practicing for sports in college ground, I heard about a Christian prayer meeting and I joined reluctantly. I hadn’t had any background in EU but God’s love and compassion stick me there.

When I look back, last 4 years was really cheerful and amazing. The evening meetings, home visit to senior graduates’ house, the excursions, camps, small fellowships always helped me to grow more and more in Christ love. This is how God always being a Jireh
and always will be.

I still remember the day I joined EU , It was during the first two months of college and in between the last lecture
of the day my classmate and a good friend invited me to join EU, and to my wonder, without any second thought I gave my books to my roommate and followed him to EU meeting. That day made me realize I had a greater purpose to serve for Christ. It has helped through all difficult times and helped me in perfectly shaping my physical life with respect to the spiritual. EU meetings has helped me in structuring the spiritual life ,speaking out for Christ , bringing impact to others’ life.

Even during the pandemic, when we were all locked in our house, EU meetings conducted during the week days (even though it was virtual) has always encouraged us to be build our faith in Christ. Preparing for Group Bible Studies , praying , singing in these meetings was a pleasant and a beautiful experience. Graduates and fellow members in the group were all supportive with each other. Micro Prayer Cell meeting created a great impact during these times. MPC provided a very close and small group to share our struggles and pray for it together.

Altogether , I am very thankful to Lord for this amazing fellowship. I also pray for this group to continue for many years to come and would shape the coming generations to bear good fruit.

Love and greetings to one and all in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who’s imminent coming we await and long for. Our loving Lord has been gracious enough to extend our lives thus far, and so we have entered 2022. He has kept us alive to give us opportunities coupled with responsibilities to do something more for him and store up treasures in heaven. What gives us courage to go forward is the assurance that our Heavenly Father is with us and by us in this pilgrim journey.

I would like to remind all of us about the very familiar exhortation from the writer of Hebrews, as is found in chapter 12: the starting word is startling: “Therefore”. What does it mean? It simply tells us the reason for the following exhortation. Chapter 11 talks about the heroes of faith. In this long list, we can see two categories of people: some were victorious and received blessings in various ways; some had to pay a heavy price for their faith. So, let us understand that our individual experiences may be different or unexpected, depending on God’s plan for each of us. In other words, we must be ready to face anything in the days to come. Jesus Christ himself has warned us on this during his ministry here on earth. In John 15:19, He says “… the world hates you because you are not of the world”. Yes, dear ones, if we choose not to get aligned with the world, we will not get the acceptance of the world. Heb. 11:38 reminds us: “…the world was not worthy of them”.

Heb. 12:1 says that there is a race set before you and me. We don’t know when we will finish this race. We are to be vigilant about two things that hinder us in our race towards the goal. One is the weight we carry with us. The athlete of the ancient world did not become “unweighted” by accident. He dropped all excess weight by dieting, exercising and disciplining himself. This stripping process demanded his attention, devotion and determination. The weight could be our sinful habits and our attitudes. When we sit before the Word of God and wait upon the Lord in prayer, the Lord will show us the packages of weight we are carrying. We must be honest with ourselves and God. The second matter of concern is the sin that entangles us. It practically means “easy to be committed” or what we are “more inclined to do”. We know the areas of our vulnerability. There could be certain sins that we feel to be our weakness. We need to examine our lives. It could be worry, greed, sex, pornography, jealousy or envy. These things make us incapable to run far. We are to run with perseverance or endurance. 

Remember that we are not alone in this race. There are people who have gone before us, people that are running with us now and people that will run after us. The people who have gone before us were not superhuman beings. They were, like any one of us, ordinary fragile people with human weaknesses. If God used them to do great things, he can use us too. But we have to fix our eyes on Jesus. Satan constantly tries to instill a sense of failure within us, and wants us to think that we have become disqualified. He creates a sense in us that we are injured and become useless in the service of the Lord. Be careful not to fall in this trap of deceit. But let us “fix our eyes on Jesus” the author and perfecter of our faith.

In concluding this thought, let us mutually urge to pray to God with a sincere heart that He may grant us the grace to understand the areas we need to correct ourselves in many ways, which can include areas such as our unspiritual attitudes, negative thought patterns and bad habits that keep pulling us back. As we have entered into 2022, let us throw away everything that are discouraging and run our race of faith till He comes or calls us back home to be with him forever.

Our Lord is still working through us. So let us not miss any opportunity that He gives us. Let us prayerfully explore the possibilities and develop strategies to fulfill the mission God has entrusted with us. Let us rededicate ourselves in this first month of 2022. May the Lord bless us all!

Jojo C. Kurian

State Secretary

9946449072

jojo.kurian@uesikerala.org

The regional conference or more popularly known as “RECONS”, was held on 19th February. The chief guest, Dr. Mathew Jacob dealt on the importance of staying anchored in God’s Word. He shared the ways through which one would begin to backslide, i.e., by drifting from the Word slowly, doubting His Word, which is a tool that Satan uses to deceive God’s children. It also occurs as one feels dull towards the Word; it shows the danger of immaturity in Christian life. Finally, he elucidates the need to listen to God speak and how through the Word, He would reveal the unshakeable realities of His eternal kingdom.

Mr. Shibu K. Mathew gave a practical talk on the worries and uncertain situations that this present generation faces and reminded us of Jesus’ words in Matthew 6, where He clearly spells out the point that we have a Father, who knows us and on whom we can rely on.

We have Bro. Shashank, National UESI staff at Santiniketan, West Bengal to encourage us with his life experiences.

Thereafter we have a brainstorming session and breakout room discussions as part of media cell

Join us.
Contact : uesikeralamediacell@gmail.com

The starting point of the Great Commission is evangelism. Evangelism means communicating the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and forgiveness will be declared in His name to all nations. This is the message Christ commissioned His disciples to carry to every nation. So, evangelism is an integral part of mission.

But mission is more than evangelism. As Jesus began His ministry he proclaimed, “The spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me preach good news to poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for prisoners and recovery of sight for blind, to release the oppressed and to proclaim the year of Lord’s favour.” (Lk.4:18,19)

Christ mission has the following components.

1. Preaching good news to people who have a desirous heart.
2. Proclaiming freedom from bondage.
3. Giving sight to those who are blind.
4. Releasing those who are in bondage.
5. Proclaiming the year of Lord’s favour.

In a nutshell, our mission is to bring light and salvation to the ends of the earth. He said to His disciples that He is sending them just as the Father has sent him. So, we need to follow the incarnational model of our Lord while we fulfil His mission.

Jesus instructed his disciples to wait in Jerusalem so that they may receive the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers the church to fulfil the task. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to tell the message and also helps us to develop a character that will demonstrate the authenticity of the message.

If we have received God’s gift of salvation, we cannot settle down in our comfort zone, forfeiting the only opportunity they will ever have to fulfil His mission. God calls us to leave our comfort zones and GO. 

As Hudson Taylor said “A light that does not shine brightly at home has no business shining anywhere else”. So, involve in local missions so that as God leads, you can go to cross cultural situations either full time or vocational. 

Many people think that mission means going to North India and working among tribal people or doing Bible translation work. Of course, they are all part of mission. We need to be open regarding going to the needy areas as full-time missionaries or vocational missionaries. But not only jungles but also cities need to be reached. As members of UESI, God has given us the important task of reaching out to post-matric students. We are lacking graduates as well as full time staff workers for taking the gospel to the campuses. 

Probably the first step with regard to missionary involvement is praying for missionaries and mission fields.

The church in Jerusalem was a strong missionary church because it was a praying church. (Acts 4:24)

As EUs/EGFs let us dedicate ourselves for the missions and make the following commitment.

1. I will pray regularly for mission 
2. I will give regularly for mission 
3. I will make efforts to visit the mission fields/missionaries, if possible, this year itself

Let us make ourselves available to God so that by all means we might save some. (1 Cor.9:22) 

“God, I pray, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn up for thee. Consume my life for it is Thine. I seek not a long life but a full one like yours, Lord Jesus”- Jim Elliot 

The triune God sent His son Jesus to be the first model missionary and Jesus selected the 12 apostles to carry on His mission to the ends of the earth through the local churches. Mission is not just preaching or the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ and calling for a response; it is the visible and tangible representation of God’s presence and benevolence among His creation. Paul’s utterance in Romans 10:14-17 of going, sending, preaching and believing has been taken rightly as the key to mission. But that does not limit mission to the clergy, mission organizations, missionaries and church workers. Every Christian is mandated and empowered to go and bear witness to Christ (Acts1:8).

So, we all are in mission, wherever we are and whatever we do. Some may be called to go out of their homes, out of their locality, out of their homeland, out of their professions, as in the case of the apostles. Others may be called to stay home and be involved in local ministry, at the same time supporting those who have gone out of their homes. We are all equally called to be active in mission. What David said when it came to the distribution of booty after the victory in war may serve as an example (1 Samuel 30:23 25). Our gifts differ, our callings differ, but together we fulfil the mission that God has entrusted us. 

The end of mission is the Kingdom of God – the rule of God which brings His presence into our lives and in the circumstances in which we live. That is what Jesus came for and accomplished – proclaim and bring down the Kingdom of God. So, He taught that the Kingdom is at hand, it is among you, it is in your midst, it is in you and you are the Kingdom and the priest who emanates and impart the Kingdom to others. Salvation is the entrance to become God’s children, born anew in the Word and the Spirit, thereby inheriting the Kingdom. Jesus accomplished the redemptive task, necessary to usher in this Kingdom into the world. So, we are partakers of His grace and power as well as partner in his mission.

Corporately, the Church has to become an organism rather than just an organisation. Organisation is necessary for our temporal existence in this world now but nothing to do with the eternal mission we have. This is where Jesus told us to use the mammon of this world to make friends for eternity. Today churches and organisations seem to be in a political and social struggle for their existence rather than accomplishing God’s mission.  Night is coming when no man can work but now we can as it is the day of grace provisioned by our God. Instead of spending money, time and energy on law suits against each other, fighting with other denominations and organisations, making grand cathedrals and mega church halls, having competitive conventions and conferences one after another, we need to invest our resources, energy and time in real mission.

Mission calls for visible presence and activity of God which can only be made through local faith communities emanating the taste (salt) and the light of the truth in Jesus. Every village, every community, every people group and every language need faith communities to reveal the presence of God and His benevolence for humanity. All duplication in mission and church planting is a waste. We need to strategically spread out. Every Christian has to consider his place of work and living, as his mission field with this perspective. Also, there should be a willingness and readiness to move out when prompted from above, to whatever locality or situation He leads. So, we need to have a two-dimensional approach to mission today. Be a missionary where you are at any cost through prayer and witnessing and also look out for opportunities to go, give and pray

The opportunities and resources available today may not remain for long; this is what the Mission history teaches us. Presently we are in the day and night is to follow. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”

by,
PA Thomas
P.A. Thomas, the founding Secretary of Kottayam ICEU went to Nepal as a missionary in the early seventies. God used him to establish an evangelical student movement (NBCBS) in Nepal. Presently he functions as partner with Interserve (India)

In the East, people often relate to the term “mentoring” as the age-old guru-shishya relationship, wherein GURU- the master is divine and therefore the SHISHYA —the disciple is called for an unquestioning following. Though they stay together in a GURUKUL, the divine master is mystical and stay aloof from the trainees with very limited interactions. The relationship is beyond all definitions that involves love, devotion (bhakti), unconditional obedience (no-questions asked) etc. It’s mystical and often mysterious. The other extreme is the loose and changing relationship between individuals as increasingly being observed in our postmodern society. Richard Foster in his book ‘Celebration of Discipline’ laments as follows. “We have received excellent instruction on how God leads through the scripture, and through reason, and through circumstances, and through the promptings of the spirit upon the individual heart. There has also been teaching, good teaching on exceptional means of guidance; angels, visions, dreams, signs and more…But, we have heard too little about how God leads through PEOPLE, the body of Christ and on this subject, there is profound silence today”.

It appears that fellowships are increasingly getting fragmented inside without any personal relationship among the members. Are we digressing to be in “fellowship” without relationships these days? Yet, when the term mentoring is mentioned, often what comes to our mind is the erstwhile guru-shishya relationship and frankly the contemporary youth is afraid of it.

Mentoring as we see in the Bible is quite different from the guru- shishya relationship perceptions. Throughout the history line of the Bible, right from the Genesis we find active mentoring relationships. We can clearly sense the impact of mentoring in most of the biblical characters. May it be Moses – Joshua, Naomi-Ruth, Samuel-Saul & David, Elijah-Elisha, Mordecai – Esther in the OT and Barnabas-Saul, Barnabas-Mark, Peter-Mark, Paul- Timothy & Titus and so on in the NT, plenty are the examples in the Biblical history.

May I narrate two patterns in mentoring as we observe in these Biblical examples (and of course from my own mentors as I write this as a tribute to them).

1. Mentoring is walking together

In contrast to the guru- shishya relationship, wherein the ‘divine’ Guruji is mostly aloof from the shishyas, Biblical mentors and their mentees walked together long distances. Examples are many

• Elisha (1Kings 19:19), leaving his home, after sacrificing oxen, burning the very yoke and the other ploughing instruments, set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant. Their walking together continued till 2 Kings 2 when Elisha was refusing to leave Elijah and finally inheriting a double portion of his spirit (2 Kings 2: 12).
• Joshua (Exodus 24 :13), (described again as the attendant of Moses) accompanied Moses to the mountain Sinai. Moses says to people… until “we” come back
• Ruth’s long journeys with Naomi in the backdrop of the book of Ruth can’t be ignored while Ruth emerges in the family tree of David (and thereby, of Jesus)
• Esther’s long stay at Mordecai’s house as an adopted daughter…
• Paul’s long journeys with Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, Silas, Silvanus….
• Above all these examples… our Lord Jesus WALKED with the disciples to mentor them.  In fact, Jesus had long journeys with his 12 disciples. Practically 3 and a half years of continuous walking with the disciples.

Several things happen in a journey, especially when it’s a long one. It is difficult to hide secrets, weaknesses or special agendas in such a long journey. The fellow travelers develop a friendship and mutual dependency.

In Deuteronomy 6: 1-25 we find tools for Godly parenting /mentoring as God commands Moses “Hear O Israel….These commands that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home, when you walk, when you are lying down, when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hand, forehead, doorframes of your houses and your gates. (Deuteronomy 6: 4-8). This is what happens when we walk/journey together. Through the fresh hours and stress hours of journeying, doctrines, history, character, values get passed on to the next generation. Was Moses remembering his parents Jochebed and Amram and the way they parented/ mentored him? Was that the secret of Moses’ convictions, despite his growing up at the Pharaoh’s palace? Notwithstanding the gap of about 300 years between Joseph and Moses, he was sure of the history and God’s plans and promises too. Was that stemming up from Jochebed’s mentoring?

 Some mentees were always with Paul in all his journeys as we see in the New Testament records. Paul had a ministry, he took his friends along in that journey, and they developed the same passion for those convictions he stood for.

Personally, I too cherish several travel times that I was privileged to have with my mentors. Some of those long travels (missionary journeys with them) were quite transformative. In those journeys together, we discussed, struggled on issues, laughed, cried… And through it all, though I never knew then, doctrines, new directions / visions for future etc. too were being formed in me, as we grew in mutual relationships as well.

The walking together was beyond a few physical walks. It was journeying the life journey together, staying connected and enjoying the togetherness of that journey.

2. Mentoring is working together

In contrast with the Guru- Shishya relationship, where the Shishya has to devotedly wait for his Guruji’s instructions (often without even an explanation), we find mentees getting   involved in the work/ministry of the mentor in the Biblical examples of mentoring. This is quite exemplified in Barnabas-Paul relationship. Though Barnabas himself was nicknamed “son of exhortation” (possibly because he was well known for his preaching), he delegated the Bible studies etc. to Paul (more of a thinker /writer/strategist than a preacher as we observe). Barnabas and Paul worked together for quite a long time, and significantly in the first missionary journey that covered over 10 mission stations as recorded. The same pattern of working together continued with Paul and Timothy, Titus, Silas and so on.

The mentor and mentees together formed serving communities that ministered effectively to their difficult contexts.

Paul was particular about proper follow up for all his initiatives and he chose a three-way pattern of follow up (visiting them, writing to them often and deputing someone to visit them). In each of his patterns of follow up, his “mentees” were involved very actively… It’s amazing that they formed a serving community that made changes, addressed issues and took the mission forward in those difficult situations.

While the bold Titus was sent to Crete for addressing the membership problems there, the hesitant Timothy was deputed to address the leadership problems at Ephesus. Paul trusted his mentees to make them his coworkers in the serving team. And in ministering together they were mentored to take the mission forward…

I too cherish the opportunities that I received from the Lord to work together with my mentors. In working together with them I was learning much more than I would have learned theoretically/from any text book. And I often wonder how they trusted to delegate… I remember my first speaking assignment in a camp. The invitation was to a senior EGF elder, who agreed and talked to the organizers that I’ll be his stand by. He asked me to prepare for the sessions as if he won’t go. And Io and behold he sent me, equipping me and praying for me. Working together, forming serving teams is the pattern that I found in my senior EGF friend.

Biblical mentoring is WALKING together and WORKING together. While walking together the personal friendship and regard for each other gets closer and closer. And in working together the vision gets built and the mission expands to a greater vigor and relevance.

It’s important that we do delegation with discernment, balancing the walking and working aspects of mentoring.

As we live in a relationally starving society that can be repaired only with good personal relationships and mentoring, let’s engage ourselves in mentoring and getting mentored, staying connected, walking and working together as in the Biblical storylines.

Walking together doesn’t mean missionary journeys alone. It can be for holidaying too as Jesus did many times. (let’s go to a quiet place for rest—Mark 6:31 is an example). Let’s walk together as students/graduates on all kind of our journeys… And the same way let’s work together in our ministry engagements forming serving teams like Paul did.

As UESI, may the Lord bless us as a community that loves to WALK and WORK together.

by,
Reji Koshy Daniel
Reji Koshy Daniel, an alumnus of Kollam ICEU of the 1980s, lives in Pune with his wife Betsy and children Monica and Roshan. A Mechanical Engineer by training, he has been in leadership roles in the automotive industry in Business Development and Operations. Currently he works with ESAF SMALL FINANCE BANK in the Sustainable Banking area. He is also serving as the national treasurer of UESI.

The last command of Jesus to His disciples was to make disciples of all nations (Matt 29:19). We cannot neglect these words of our Lord.

UESI is a student movement. Our philosophy is to get students to witness to their fellow students. Every EU member should be challenged to be a missionary to his/her fellow students.

The scope of this aim is the college student population of India. Our field is the millions of students studying in thousands of colleges throughout the length and breadth of our motherland.

The result to be aimed at is that many “students may come to a personal experience of Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord through the new birth”. We are not aiming at hands raised after an evangelistic appeal but at new birth! Nothing less than experiencing the reality of God Himself through personal relationship with Jesus Christ is required.

What is Evangelism

“To evangelize is to present Christ Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit that men shall come to put their trust in God through Him to accept Him as their Saviour and serve Him as their King in the fellowship of His Church” – Archbishop’s Committee of Enquiry on Evangelism in the Church of England, 1918.

There are four factors in this definition:

1. The truth about Jesus is to be presented.
2. We must seek a response from those who hear. The truth is to be shared so that men may come to put their trust in God through accepting Him as Saviour and Lord.
3. The method employed is to present Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.
4. The believer is to become part of the believing body of Christians.

We must now consider the truths that are to be presented.

The great fundamentals in the proclamation of the Gospel

1. God’s nature and character

He is the Creator, and an absolute moral being in His righteousness. God’s universe is therefore a moral universe. The just God must punish those who disobey Him and fall short of the perfect standard of His law. He cannot compromise on His moral standards to accept the law-breaker.

God is also loving and merciful. The cross is the high point of His love for man, and also the demonstration of God’s holiness, wisdom and power. The cross satisfies God’s justice without compromising His moral attributes. This is the way the holy God offers His love to man.

2. Man’s need

Man’s will is set in rebellion against God’s will. Therefore, he is separated from God. Man’s basic need is not peace, happiness, success, etc., but having a right relationship with God. It is the power of God, which makes man realize that he has offended God and insulted His authority.

3. The person of Jesus Christ

He is to be declared as a real historical person. He was fully human. He went about doing good and giving to man the greatest teaching and preaching ever heard. But the heart of His message is Himself. He made uncompromising claims which show that He is fully God too. He is God become man, the God-man. He is not only unique in His moral excellence but also in His self-authenticating claims which culminate in the resurrection.

4. Christ’s death on the cross

To know why Christ died is important. The death of Jesus on the cross lies at the heart of the Gospel. His death is the remedy for human sin. Jesus took upon Himself the judgement of sin, even the sentence of death. Because He took our place, the just demands of God’s broken moral laws are satisfied. On the merit of the completed sacrifice of Christ on the cross, God can declare the repentant, believing sinner righteous and restore him into relationship and fellowship with Himself.

5. Christ’s resurrection, ascension and the gift of the Holy Spirit

Christ’s resurrection is a well authenticated historical event and the supreme evidence for His Lordship. He is a living person today. After His ascension He poured out His Holy Spirit on all who received Him through faith, so that He indwells the human spirit. The essence of the Gospel is the experience of Christ’s indwelling reality through His Spirit.

6. The final coming of Christ and His Eternal Kingdom

He is coming again to judge the world and to deliver those who believe in Him from the presence of sin, bringing them into His Eternal Kingdom. One day, God will require all men to account for their lives and their response to His free offer of salvation. Man cannot blame God, if he goes to the hell which is prepared for Satan and his evil angels. How shall a man escape if he neglects so great a salvation?

7. Human response

God has done everything for man’s salvation. But man has to respond to God’s offer.

When the facts of the Gospel have been presented, we must look for response which the Word of God demands. The Gospel is not only an offer but also a command. One must repent of his rebellion against God and receive Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour and Lord through faith. Repentance is being sorry for one’s sins and turning to God. Faith is placing our trust and confidence in Jesus. Receiving Jesus Christ involves a definite step of faith.

8. The cost of being a Christian

Jesus never won a single disciple by false pretences. He always showed them what was involved in being His disciple. Jesus Christ calls for supreme love, supreme surrender and supreme sacrifice from all who want to be His disciple.

9. Assurance

The new believer must be grounded in the assurance which is based on God’s promises, on evidences of new life and on the inner witness of the Holy Spirit.

Weaknesses in Evangelism

The following are some of the factors that weaken evangelism in the EUs.

1. The pressure upon believing students is very strong in the changing social and cultural patterns of living. In many cases moral separation from the world is considered outmoded and unpopular. Many would rather compromise on Christian values.
2. Spirit-filled Christian discipleship is a very rare phenomenon. Instead, many are filled with fear, shyness and self-consciousness (Eph. 5:18 and 2 Tim. 1:7).
3. There seems to be a guilty, silent majority in most EUs. They lack motivation due to lack of commitment to Christ and lack of continuing in His Word. They lack the conviction that Jesus Christ is the only Saviour and that all who are outside of Christ are without hope in this world and in the world to come. They are afraid of human opinion and rejection.
4. Those who are highly motivated sometimes do not have the know-how of evangelism. They remain within the narrow circle of EU friends, out of touch both mentally and socially with the majority of the student community. Once having met with failure they become dumb instead of learning from past mistakes and correcting themselves.
5. Being a witness is a costly affair. It requires much prayer, patience and above all a consistent life. Sufficient time ought to be given for people not only to be convinced of the truth, but also to be convicted by the Holy Spirit.
6. Evangelism can never be done in a ‘hit and miss way’. It requires proper planning. By the time some of the EU committees wake up to the challenge of evangelism it is the time to prepare for final examinations. Others have no clearly defined membership.
7. Many people are scared away by the overzealous person who is only interested in the student’s decision for Christ. Instead, there is a need for patient teaching of the Gospel truths in a friendly way and of being interested in the whole person.
8. Specific prayer is lacking for specific persons and thereby there is no dependence on the Holy Spirit to regenerate people. More dependence is placed on arguments and on meetings.
9. The inter-personal relationship problems take up the whole attention of some EU committees and Satan succeeds in letting them do very little by way of evangelism. Attention has been primarily concentrated on evangelism among Christians and so the Gospel has not been shared in a meaningful way with others. In fact, the life of the EU group is not open and attractive to others.

Surely it is the absence of dynamic groups which limits evangelism. Evangelistic meetings and Bible studies will not be productive unless there transparent, honest relationships and of loving togetherness in the EUs.

Steps to fulfil the Aim

1. Let every EU meet the Lord in a new way through prayer and Bible study, so that the Holy Spirit may move us from within. The Spirit will cleanse and empower us to present the claims of the living Christ, so that students may experience Him as Saviour and Lord. God’s life begets life.
2. Each member needs to be strengthened by maintaining a daily, meaningful Quiet Time, personal Bible study and memorization of relevant Scripture verses.
3. We must forget all our differences and work together for the glory of God in the evangelization of the millions of students in the universities of India.
4. We should seek to win a hearing for the Gospel in our universities and colleges: by all God-honouring methods such as evangelistic lectures, evangelistic film festivals, debates, informal discussions, evangelistic literature and book tables.
5. In order to train students in personal evangelism, EUs should promote the study of good books on personal evangelism and related topics. Every library must be equipped with such good resource materials.
6. Training in personal evangelism should be done in the EUs and EGFs through workshops and short courses.
7. Mobile evangelistic student teams may be sent to unreached colleges.

Questions

1. What truths must we present when we try to win others to Christ?
2. What are the causes for lack of evangelistic outreach in your EU?
3. What changes will have to be made in your EU/ICEU and in its programme, if you are to win students from various religious, political and philosophical background to Christ?
4. What are the possibilities before you to fulfil the first aim of UESI?