Anna is a student who was bold in inviting her course mate, Beth, to church one Sunday. That invite transformed her course mate's life forever as she chose to follow Jesus that day. I asked Anna a few questions about what the lead up to inviting Beth to church looked like as well as advice she would give to any students who want to be bold in student mission also!

 

1. What made you invite your friend to try church? Had there been conversations before the invitation?

I invited Beth to church as another friend at uni told me she had been asking questions about Christianity and wanted to know how to become a Christian. I was then later told that she had prayed in her uni room for the first time. I spoke with Beth (with probably a bit too much excitement) and she asked me a few questions about Christianity, which was when I suggested she came along to church with me.

2. How did you feel when your friend chose to became a christian that morning? What was going through your head?

I remember feeling anxious during the entire service about what Beth was making of it all. Once the service came to a close they offered prayer ministry and I felt this need to simply whisper to Beth that if she ever wanted to go for prayer, I would be happy to go with her. She then looked at me and said “well where do we go?”. At that point I was a bit shocked at the immediacy of it all and that she meant right now! We went up for prayer ministry but I didn’t quite know what she was going to ask for prayer about so I was a tad surprised when she just came out and said “I’ve never been to church and want to be a Christian.” I felt an overwhelming sense of absolute joy and excitement. Firstly, that Beth had just made the best decision of her entire life and I felt so excited for what God was going to do through her! I was also personally excited as the reason I came to uni was to share Jesus with other students and I felt like that purpose was happening there and then. To me, that’s the best thing that could happen in my life (sounds dramatic) but I have a desire to live my life in order to share Jesus with others and that’s just what happened.

 

3. To any students considering being bold in mission and inviting friends, what would your advice be for them?

If other students are thinking about sharing their faith or asking friends to church, firstly know that it has nothing to do with you-so that pressure is off. It’s nothing you do. I kept thinking I would need to ask Beth to come to church lots of times before she came or that she would change her mind on the day. The opposite happened and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to get her through a church door. That’s because it’s not through my strength. God was moving in Beth's life and when God is present, things happen as quickly as He chooses!

 

You can also read about Beth's experience in discovering Jesus for the first time here!