
Over the last month we have all welcomed and celebrated the arrival of freshers into their new homes as they have arrived at university. Students are, as usual, nervous about starting their new lives in new places, meeting new people and experiencing new challenges, but we are also seeing that students are incredibly open to scripture and are boldly stepping into conversation about church.
I was lucky enough to gather a group of amazing student workers in Liverpool to pray together in the morning for unity and for students arriving in the city. After this we headed out onto a public part of campus to survey students on their worldview and experience of church. We also got the chance to invite many to try church and to receive a Bible as a gift. What we saw from this was God moving in incredible ways and some amazing stories of students stepping out in faith and leading others to know him.
In February I wrote about Matt’s story, a student who came to faith after watching Christian posts that came up on his social media and decided to get baptised. Since then he has started running Spotfire evenings of street evangelism in Liverpool with Isaac, the student worker at Penny Lane church. Last Friday, this group of student street evangelists, led by Matt and Isaac, most of whom were freshers in Liverpool, went out onto the streets of Liverpool to share the good news.
They went out in groups of two to pray for God to meet with people on the streets and to invite their communities to hear the gospel. They spoke to a bunch of different people throughout the night. Three freshers led two people to Jesus there and then on the street and welcomed them into a relationship with him. Everyone was so excited by what they had seen that one student, Libby, needed to tell someone what God had done that night. Libby didn’t have any family who were Christians, but they knew they had to tell someone so they called their Grandma.
Libby told her that she had been out on the streets to share who Jesus was around the city and ended up sharing the gospel with her grandma and leading her to Jesus as well! When I heard this story I couldn’t help but feel amazed by what God can do with our simple offering. I don’t ever want these stories to become boring. It is phenomenal to see new students so on fire for God that they can’t help but share their faith with others. It is such a simple act to be available for God, to be where students are. If you can get out and just speak with people God will do immeasurably more. If you need something to help start conversations why not use the Fusion worldview survey?
Let’s be clear: this is not normal. These stories are not business as usual. They are evidence of a God who still saves, who still speaks, who still shows up in student bedrooms, on street corners, and in freshers' fair queues.
Let’s never let this become boring.
What we’re seeing is a generation stepping out with boldness, not because they have it all together, but because they’re available. They're not waiting to be perfect — they're just saying yes.
If you’re a student worker, church leader, or just someone with a heart for this generation: now is the time. Get out where the students are. Be available. Start a conversation.
Need a tool to help break the ice? Try the Fusion Worldview Survey — it’s simple, effective, and opens doors you never expected.
Let’s keep showing up. Let’s keep praying. Let’s keep telling these stories. Because they’re not over — they’re just beginning.
*Name changed to protect identity